to dinner at the commandant's, had requested leave to
send a line to their cousins, who would be anxiously expecting
them.

"Hallo! You Barclay, where have you been to, all day?" was the
general exclamation, as they entered.

"On duty," Ralph said.

"On duty--yes, but what duty? The Duburgs have been mysterious, and
would say nothing. The sergeant here knew nothing about it, except
that our lieutenant told him that you had leave; and Irish Tim has
been hanging about all day, as restless as a cow that has lost its
calf."

"We have been down to Saverne," Ralph said.

There was a general exclamation of astonishment. Those of the men
who had already lain down upon their straw for the night sat up
again, and all crowded round to hear Ralph's story, which he at
once told at length; and which, when finished, gave rise here--as
it had done at the officers' table--to an animated discussion.
Several of the men shook hands warmly with the Barclays,
congratulating them on their offer to undertake this dangerous
service, and upon the valuable--though unfavorable--information
which they had obtained.

From this time forward, the men ceased to attempt to pass jokes at
the expense of any of the boys. When the corps was first raised,
many of the young men had been inclined to protest against boys
being accepted, when the list could have been readily filled with
men but, by this time, the boys had proved that they were quite as
capable of supporting fatigue as were the men. They had behaved
equally well in action; and now the enterprise of the Barclays
testified to the fact that, in a dangerous expedition requiring
coolness, presence of mind, and nerve, they were equally to be
relied upon. Henceforward there was no distinction, or difference,
between the various members of the corps.

Another four days passed and--as the ex-officer of Engineers could
suggest no certain plan, for the destruction of the tunnel, which
could be carried out in the time which a surprise of the sentries
at its mouth would give them--Major Tempe resolved upon delaying no
longer; but on sending four men into the tunnel, under Lieutenant
Ribouville, with instructions to go as far as they could in a
quarter of an hour, to set down the barrels against the rock, to
light a fuse cut to burn a quarter of an hour, and then to return
at full speed to the mouth of the tunnel.

One company was to seize the other end, to tear up seven, eight, or
ten rails, and