There, my dears,
that was the Great Emperor's way, our Emperor's father's little way."
"But suppose they fired at us 'stead of at His Excellency?" asked the
mealman.
"Then, mealman, you'd settle your account for lightweights sooner than
you want."
Duclosse twisted his mouth dubiously. He was not sure how far his
enthusiasm would carry him. Muroc shook his shaggy head in mirth.
"Well, 'tis true we're getting off to France," said the lime-burner.
"We can drill as we travel, and there's plenty of us for a start."
"Morrow we go," said Lajeunesse. "The proclamation's to be out in an
hour, and you're all to be ready by ten o'clock in the morning. His
Excellency is to make a speech to us to-night; then the General--ah,
what a fine soldier, and eighty years old!--he's to give orders, and make
a speech also; and I'm to be colonel,"--he paused dramatically,--"and you
three are for captains; and you're to have five new yellow buttons to
your coats, like these." He drew out gold coins and jingled them. Every
man got to his feet, and Muroc let the coffee-tin fall.
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