tly to his own business. He watched the rapid
march of events from a distance, and when he went to Paris he was
careful not to ally himself too closely with any particular party.
Finally the Republic was proclaimed, and Napoleon saw that there would
be an immediate chance for fighting. He had complained as a boy that the
trouble with the officers was that they had not had a real taste of
battle. He hoped to be able to learn his profession on the actual field.

At a time like this when every one doubted his neighbor, and no one knew
how long the present government would last, one quality of the young
lieutenant, his steadfast sticking to duty, made him conspicuous.
Whoever might rule the country he stuck to his work of drilling the men
under him, and step by step he advanced until he became
lieutenant-colonel. Finally his great chance came.

The city of Toulon on the Mediterranean rebelled against the Convention,
which had in turn become the governing power of France, and surrendered
itself to the English. French troops were sent to the city, and at the
very beginning of the fighting the commander of the artillery was
wounded by a ball in the shoulder. Napoleon was next in rank and took
his place. The siege lasted for days, and the young commander was
obliged to exercise all his ingenuity to hold his position before the
English lines. It was like a repetition of the old fight of the Brienne
school yard, only now Bonaparte led the attacking forces, and he found
this a more difficult task than to defend his own iced ramparts.

There was also trouble with some of the officers, and one of them
ordered Napoleon to place his guns in a certain line of attack. The
Corsican youth refused, declaring that he would not serve under a man
who was wanting in the simplest principles of warfare. The commander was
indignant, but all his friends said to him, "You had better let that
young man alone, he knows more about this than you. If his plan succeeds
the glory will all be yours; if he fails the blame will be his." The
officer took the advice and told young "Captain Cannon," as he called
Napoleon, that he might have his own way, but that he should answer for
the success of his plan with his head.

"Very well," said the youth, "I'm quite satisfied with that
arrangement."

The siege lasted a long time, and then it was finally decided to carry
the town by a grand assault. All possible forces were brought to the
attack, and at last Tou