CHAPTER I

THE GRECIANS AND THE TROJANS


There were three boys in the same class in the polytechnic school in the
mountainous Odenwald country, in Hesse Darmstadt, who were such great
friends and inseparable companions that the other pupils named them "the
three-leaved clover." They were near of an age--about eleven--and near
of a size; and their names were Fritz, Paul and Franz.

Fritz was an active, energetic boy, had coal black hair and bright,
black eyes which looked out upon the world with the alert glance of
a squirrel in a cage.

Paul had brown hair, brown eyes and brown complexion, was of reflective
manner, and willing to follow where Fritz led.

Franz was a robust boy with blonde hair, blue eyes, fair complexion, and
cheeks like cherries which had ripened in the sun.

They had been firm friends ever since the day that Fritz had had a
combat with a larger boy, and Franz and Paul ran to his assistance. But
the big boy was victor, leaving Fritz on the field of battle with a
bleeding nose, Franz with a bruise upon his forehead, and Paul with a
fiery-red cheek, caused by slaps from the hand of the foe. From that
hour the three united for life or death in an alliance for defense
against an enemy and resolved to provide themselves with weapons, also a