n said. "You may be
sure that we shall be searched."

"Well, you took my advice, in changing the silver in which you
were paid into gold, though you lost pretty heavily by the
transaction. We did it to prevent lugging about a heavy bag of
silver. Now, it has its advantages. You could not hope to conceal
silver, but we may, at least, hide a few pieces of gold. Mike is a
handy fellow, and I have no doubt will be able to help us. At any
rate, let us go below and see what can be done."

Mike was summoned to the cabin.

"Now, Mike," Desmond said, "I suppose, in a campaign, a good many
of you carry what money you may have about you, and I dare say
some of you hide it so that, if you are taken prisoners, you may
have means of adding to your prison fare."

"We do, your honour; and, by the same token, I have a score of
crowns in between the soles of my boots. It does not always
succeed, for if your boots happen to be good, the chances are that
someone takes a fancy to them. Still, on the whole, that is the
best place there is, for they are sure to feel all the lining of
your clothes."

"Well, we want to hide some gold, Mike. In another hour we shall
have the English within shot of us, and, of course, fighting is
out of the question. Do you think that you will have time to hide
a dozen gold pieces in each of our boots?"

Mike looked doubtful.

"To do the thing properly, your honour, one should take off the
lower sole, take some leather out of the upper one, put some money
in, and then sew it up again; but it would take more than an hour
to do one pair."

He thought for a moment.

"The quickest way would be to get out the inside lining of the
sole, then to cut out enough leather for the money to lie in, then
to put in the lining again. It would not be soft walking on a
twenty-mile march, but I think, if I get the lining in tight, with
a few little nails to keep it from dropping out, if anyone takes
the trouble to turn the boots upside down, I might manage it."

"Well, let us commence at once, then, Mike. We have all got riding
boots, and can put them on before we are taken prisoners. Do you
take the linings out, as you say, and then we will help to cut out
some of the leather of the upper sole."

They were quickly at work. Mike cut out enough of the thin lining
to admit of a hole being made, large enough to hold ten louis in
each boot, and he and the two officers then set to work, to cut
out a sufficient depth of