r on men were doing the same. They were within easy
range of the German guns, but it was not the habit of either side to
send morning shells unless a direct attack was to be made.

John had no thought of danger. Youth was youth and one could get
hardened to anything. He had been surprised more than once in this war
to find how his spirits could go from the depths to the heights and now
they were of the best. He was full of life and the world was very
beautiful that morning. It was the fair land of France again, but it was
under a thick robe of snow, the golden tint on the white, as the large
yellow sun slowly sailed clear of the high hills on their right.

General Vaugirard stood near the first of the wagons, drinking cup after
cup of hot steaming coffee, and devouring thick slices of bread and
butter. He wore a long blue overcoat over his uniform, and high boots.
But the dominant note was given to his appearance by the thick white
beard which seemed to be touched with a light silver frost. Under the
great thatch of eyebrow the keen little eyes twinkled. He made John
think of a huge, white and inoffensive bear.

The general's roving eye caught sight of Scott and he exclaimed:

"Come here, you young Yankee! I hear that you distinguished yourself
last night by saving the life of one of our enemies, thus enabling him
perhaps to fight against us once more."

"I beg your pardon, General," said John, "but I'm no Yankee."

"What, denying your birthright! I never heard an American do that
before! Everybody knows you're a Yankee."

"Pardon me. General, you and all other Europeans make a mistake about
the Yankees. At home the people of the Southern States generally apply
it to those living in the Northern states, but in the North it is
carried still further and is properly applied to the residents of the
six New England states. I don't come from one of those states, and so
I'm not in a real sense a Yankee."

"What, sir, have I, a Frenchman, to do with your local distinctions?
Yankees you all are and Yankee you shall remain. It's a fine name, and
from what I've seen in this war you're great fighting men, worthy to
stand with Frenchmen."

"Thank you for the compliment, General," said John, smiling. "Hereafter
I shall always remain a Yankee."

"And now do you and your friends take your food there with de Rougemont.
I've had my breakfast, and a big and good one it was. I'm going to the
edge of the hill and use my glasses."