Julian was a year or two older than Humphrey, and Charles was
several years older than Fritz; but all had led a free open-air
life, and had tastes and feelings in common. They understood
woodcraft and hunting; they were hardy, self reliant, courageous.

It was of such men as these that the best soldiers were made in the
days that were at hand; although the military leaders, especially
if they came from the Old World with its code of civilized warfare,
were slow to recognize it.

A heavy storm of wind and rain--the precursor of the coming
winter--raged round the little settlement for several days, during
which the party sat round their fire, talking of the past and the
future, and learning to know each other more and more intimately.

Charles recovered rapidly from the loss of blood and the fever
weakness. His constitution triumphed easily over his recent
illness, and he was only longing to be on the road, that he might
the sooner stand face to face with the foe.

And now the storm was abating. The sun began to shine out through
the driving wrack of clouds. The woodland tracks might be wet, but
little reeked the travellers of that.

They bound upon their backs as much provision as would suffice for
their immediate needs. They looked well to their arms and
ammunition. They had mended their clothes, and were strong and
fresh and full of courage.

The journey before them seemed as nothing to the pair who had