hore nearest to Paul's hut, instructed them how to find or
make a habitation for their mother and sisters till he could visit them,
gave his wife a letter to his brother, and, except to bid his family a
brief farewell for a brief time, spoke no more till he reached the
Spanish post, and inquired for the General.

Jean stepped before him into the general's presence, taking possession
of the centre of the green space before the tent, where the Marquis
d'Hermona was enjoying the coolness of the morning. After having duly
declared his own importance, and announced the accession of numbers he
was likely to bring, Jean proceeded to extol Toussaint as one of the
valuables he had brought. After apologising for his friend's want of a
cocked hat, he proceeded to exhibit his learning, declaring that he had
studied "Plutarch", "Caesar's Commentaries", "Epictetus", "Marshal
Saxe's Military Reveries--"

Here he was stopped by the grasp of Toussaint's hand upon his arm.
Toussaint told the General that he came alone, without chief and without
followers: the few men who had left Breda with him having ranged
themselves with the force of Jean Francais. He came alone to offer the
strength of his arm, on behalf of his king, to the allies of royalist
France.

The Spanish soldiers, who glittered all around in their arms and bright
uniform, looked upon the somewhat gaunt negro in his plantation dress,
dusty with travel, and his woollen cap in hand, and thought, probably,
that the king of France would not be much aided by such an ally. It is
probable; for a smile went round, in which Jean joined. It is probable
that the Marquis d'Hermona thought differently, for he said--

"The strength of your arm! Good! And the strength of your head, too, I
hope. We get more arms than heads from your side of the frontier. Is
it true that you have studied the art of war?"

"I have studied it in books."

"Very well. We want officers for our black troops--all we can raise in
the present crisis. You will have the rank of colonel in a regiment to
be immediately organised. Are you content?"

Toussaint signified his assent, and orders were given for a tent to be
prepared for his present repose. He looked around, as if for some one
whom he did not see. On being asked, he said that if there was at the
post a priest who spoke French, he could wish to converse with him.

"Laxabon understands French, I think," said the marquis to a gentleman
of his