"What sort of assistance?" the sergeant grumbled. "He must have
influence indeed if he can get you a pension."

"I don't think it was that," the boy said. "I said that I should
like to enlist as a volunteer."

The sergeant laughed. "Well, they do take volunteers as young as
you are, Hector, but they must be cadets of a noble family. You
will have to wait another couple of years before they will enlist
you, much less take you as a volunteer."

There were a good many Scottish soldiers sitting in the room, when
an officer rode up to the door and dismounted.

"It is a general officer," one of the men said, looking out of the
window, and as the door opened and the officer entered, all stood
up and saluted.

"Sit down, men," he said. "I am not here to disturb you, but to
have a talk with Sergeant MacIntosh. Have you a room, sergeant,
where we can speak privately?"

"Yes, general," the sergeant said, saluting again, and led the way
into a little room generally devoted to the use of noncommissioned
officers. The officer caught Hector's eye, and beckoned to him to
follow.

"Do you know me, sergeant?"

"Yes, general, you are Viscount Turenne."