mbriels found it
impossible to restore sufficient order, among the Mobiles, to
enable him to show face again to the enemy. He was, besides, in
want of many articles of urgent necessity. Half his force were
shoeless; and the thin blouses which were--as has been said--all
the covering that many of the Mobiles had, were ill calculated to
resist the bitter cold which was already setting in. Ammunition,
too, as well as food, was short.

The general determined, therefore, upon falling back upon Besancon,
and reorganizing his forces there. A wound in his head, too, which
was insufficiently healed when he took the command, had now broken
out again; and his surgeon ordered absolute repose, for a while.

Upon the day of the fight, Ralph had ridden slowly to the rear,
when he saw that the fight was going against the French. Hardened
as he was by his work, and with an excellent constitution, his
wound never for a moment assumed a troublesome aspect; but at the
end of a week he was able--keeping it, of course, in a sling--to
mount his horse, and report himself ready for duty. The
headquarters were now at Besancon; and Ralph could, had he applied
for it, have obtained leave to go to Dijon; but he had not done so,
as he had been so lately at home, and he thought that the sight of
his arm in a sling would be likely to make his mother more nervous,
and anxious on their account, than before.

The Germans were still at some distance from Besancon, being
watched by Colonel Tempe and his franc tireurs, and by the
irregular forces. A considerable army was now fast gathering at
Besancon, and the regimental and superior staff officers were hard
at work at the organization As aides-de-camp, the boys had little
to do; and therefore requested leave, for two or three days, to go
up to their old friends, the franc tireurs of Dijon. The general at
once granted the required permission; adding, with a smile:

"Don't forget you are officers now, lads, and get into any
hare-brained adventures, you know; and be sure you are back on
Thursday, as I expect General Michel--my successor--to arrive on
Friday; and I shall have to give you, as part of my belongings."

"We are sure to be back, general."

And so they set off; taking, as usual, Tim Doyle with them, as
orderly and servant.

"Faith, and I am glad enough to be out in the open again, Mister
Ralph," Tim said, as they left Besancon behind. "After living out
in the woods, for six weeks; there do