to your quarters in the
morning," the officer said; "but mind, I in no way recommend your taking
him. You won't keep him a week if you do."

The next morning Hector's orderly told him that a man desired to speak
to him.

"Has he a boy with him?"

"Yes, lieutenant."

"Bring them in here, then."

In a minute a man entered, followed by a boy. The former was a good
looking young Savoyard of some four- or five-and-twenty years; the
latter was a lad of about the same height as Hector but somewhat older.
He had black hair which fell over his forehead down to his eyebrows. His
face bore an expression of extreme humility, which, however, was marred
by the merry twinkle of his dark eyes.

"My master has bid me bring my brother with me, Lieutenant Campbell,"
the man said, "and I have done so, but I fear greatly that he will
hardly suit you as a servant. I have obtained a dozen places for him,
but he is always sent back at the end of three or four days, and I told
him last time that I would never say a word in his recommendation again,
for that it only gets me into trouble with the gentlemen."

"Well, that is honest," Hector said with a smile. "However, I will
ask him a few questions. Now, Paolo, in the first place, could you be
faithful?"

"I could be faithful to a master I loved," he said.

"In the second place, are you honest?"

"He is honest," the man said, "I will say that for him."

"Are you truthful?"

"I am as truthful as other people," the boy said.

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean, sir, that if I were asked a straightforward question I would
give a straightforward answer, unless it were wiser not to do so. I
would tell the truth to my master, but I do not consider it necessary
always to do so to others. For instance, sir, if you were my master, and
questions were asked about you, there might be times when it would not
be convenient for you that I should mention where you had gone, or what
you were doing."

"That is so," Hector said with a laugh. "The important thing for me to
know is, would you always tell me the truth?"

"I think that I could promise to do that, sir, or at least to be very
near the truth."

"You understand horses?"

"I do, sir."

"And you can ride?"

"Yes, sir, I can ride and run too. In a long day's journey I should get
to the end on foot nearly as fast as you would on horseback."

"He can make himself useful on a campaign," the brother said. "He has
been with my maste