mans?

"As for my franc tireurs, they are in many cases worse than
useless. They have no discipline, whatever. They embroil me with
the peasantry. They are always complaining. The whole of them,
together, have not done as much real service as your small band.
They shoot down Uhlans, when they catch them in very small parties;
but have no notion, whatever, of real fighting.

"However, I cannot thank you too warmly. Your name will appear in
the Gazette, tomorrow, as colonel; and I must ask you to extend the
sphere of your duties. We want officers, terribly; and I will
brigade four or five of these corps of franc tireurs under your
orders, so as to make up a force of a thousand men. You will have
full authority over them, to enforce any discipline you may choose.
I want you to make a body to act as an advanced guard of
skirmishers to my army of Mobiles. I have a few line troops, but I
want them as a nucleus for the force.

"What do you say?"

"Personally, general, I should greatly prefer remaining with my own
little corps, upon every man of whom I can rely. At the same time,
I should not wish for a moment to oppose my own likings, or
dislikings, to the general good of the service. Many of these corps
of franc tireurs are composed of excellent materials and, if well
led and disciplined, would do anything. I can only say I will do my
best."

"Thank you, Tempe. Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"I should like to see a step given to the three officers serving
under me," the major said. "They have all served in the regular
army, and all have equally well done their duty."

"It shall be done; and two of them shall be posted to other corps,
while one takes the command of your own," the general said. "Do you
wish commissions for any of the men?"

Major Tempe named three of the men, and then added:

"The two members of the corps who have most distinguished
themselves I have not mentioned, general, because they are too
young to place over the heads of the others; at the same time,
their services certainly deserve recognition. I mentioned them, in
the dispatches I sent to you, as having done immense service by
going down, in disguise, into the midst of the Germans. In fact, at
Saverne they saved the corps from destruction. They are two young
English lads, named Barclay."

"I remember distinctly," General Cambriels said. "They speak French
fluently, I suppose, as well as German?"

"Both languages like natives,