before, in order that the
king, who had a great confidence in him, might consult him as to
the general plan of operations, in that country and in the north,
before despatching him to join the army in Flanders. This was
commanded by the Duke of Burgundy and the Duke of Vendome jointly;
and as both were headstrong and obstinate, and by no means agreed
as to the operations to be undertaken, the king had determined to
send Berwick there, in order that he might, by his military genius
and influence, bring matters to a better state between the two
dukes, and arrange with them some definite plan by which the tide
of fortune, which had hitherto gone against the French, might be
arrested.

The king appeared now to be in a good humour.

"And now, young sirs," he said, "I have an hour at leisure, and
would fain hear a true account of your adventures, omitting
nothing.

"I have no doubt, Monsieur Kennedy, that your ready wit had no
small share in the matter."

"With your permission, Sire, I will tell the story," O'Neil said,
"for Mr. Kennedy is not likely to place his own share of the work
in its due prominence."

The king nodded, and O'Neil gave a detailed account of the manner
in which they had made their escape, and succeeded in getting
themselves conveyed across the channel in a vessel in the
Government service, explaining that both affairs were due entirely
to Desmond's initiative and ingenuity. The king listened with
great interest, and even laughed at the story of the capture of
Lord Godolphin.

"You have all three behaved extremely well," he said.

"You, Monsieur Kennedy, have again shown that you possess unusual
shrewdness, as well as daring.

"What think you, Duke, of this young subaltern, who is, we may
tell you, the hero of whom you have doubtless heard, who twice
rescued Mademoiselle de Pointdexter from the hands of her
abductor?"

"I was told the story yesterday, Sire, and was filled with
admiration at the boldness and resource of her rescuer, who was, I
heard, an ensign in O'Brien's regiment; but certainly I did not
expect to find him so young a man. He has, indeed, a fertility of
invention that fills me with surprise. The other officers deserve
praise, for having so willingly followed the leadership of their
junior, and their generosity in assigning to him the whole merit
of their undertaking is highly commendable. It is no easy thing,
Sire, to find in young officers--especially, if I may say so,
am