love his chief,
and serve him with blood and bayonet; and march o' nights if need, and
limber up the guns if need, and shoe a horse if need, and draw a cork if
need, and cook a potato if need; and be a hussar, or a tirailleur, or
a trencher, or a general, if need. But yes, that's it; no pride but the
love of France and the cause, and--"

"And Monsieur Valmond," said the charcoalman slyly.

"And Monsieur the Emperor!" cried Lagroin almost savagely.

He caught Parpon's eye, and instantly his hand went to his pocket.

"Ah, he is a comrade, that! Nothing is too good for his friends, for his
soldiers. See!" he added.

He took from his pocket ten gold pieces. "'These are bagatelles,' said
His Excellency to me; 'but tell my friends, Monsieur Muroc and Monsieur
Duclosse and Monsieur Garotte, that they are buttons for the coats of my
sergeants, and that my captains' coats have ten times as many buttons.
Tell them,' said he, 'that my friends shall share my fortunes; that
France needs us; that Pontiac shall be called the nest of heroes. Tell
them that I will come to them at nine o'clock tonight, and we will swear
fidelity.'"

"And a damned good speech too--bagosh!" cried the mealman, his fingers
hungering for the gold pieces. "We're to be captains pretty soon--eh?"
asked Muroc.

"As quick as I've taught you to handle a company," answered Lagroin,
with importance.

"I was a patriot in '37," said Muroc. "I went against the English; I
held abridge for two hours. I have my musket yet."

"I am a patriot now," urged Duclosse. "Why the devil not the English
first, then go to France, and lick the Orleans!"

"They're a skittish lot, the Orleans; they might take it in their heads
to fight," suggested Muroc, with a little grin.

"What the devil do you expect?" roared the blacksmith, blowing the
bellows hard in his excitement, one arm still round his daughter's
shoulder. "D'you think we're going to play leap-frog into the Tuileries?
There's blood to let, and we're to let it!"

"Good, my leeches!" said Parpon; "you shall have blood to suck. But
we'll leave the English be. France first, then our dogs will take a
snap at the flag on the citadel yonder." He nodded in the direction of
Quebec.

Lagroin then put five gold pieces each into the hands of Muroc and
Duclosse, and said:

"I take you into the service of Prince Valmond Napoleon, and you do
hereby swear to serve him loyally, even to the shedding of your blood,
for his hon