larger scale, and by marauding, or the private peculations of the
chicken-thieves, which afforded many an amusing story that made even
the generals laugh.

"Ah!" said Prosper, with a more serious face, "it's different here;
the fighting is done in quite another way."

And in reply to a question asked by Maurice, he told the story of
their landing at Toulon and the long and wearisome march to Luneville.
It was there that they first received news of Wissembourg and
Froeschwiller. After that his account was less clear, for he got the
names of towns mixed, Nancy and Saint-Mihiel, Saint-Mihiel and Metz.
There must have been heavy fighting on the 14th, for the sky was all
on fire, but all he saw of it was four uhlans behind a hedge. On the
16th there was another engagement; they could hear the artillery going
as early as six o'clock in the morning, and he had been told that on
the 18th they started the dance again, more lively than ever. But the
chasseurs were not in it that time, for at Gravelotte on the 16th, as
they were standing drawn up along a road waiting to wheel into column,
the Emperor, who passed that way in a victoria, took them to act as
his escort to Verdun. And a pretty little jaunt it was, twenty-six
miles at a hard gallop, with the fear of being cut off by the
Prussians at any moment!

"And what of Bazaine?" asked Rochas.

"Bazaine? they say that he is mightily well pleased that the Emperor
lets him alone."

But the Lieutenant wanted to know if Bazaine was coming to join them,