“The Scottish Soldier, sir. It is near the gate of the barracks of St. Denis.”
“Do not go out tomorrow afternoon. I will have a talk with him, and maybe I can be of some assistance to you.”
So saying, he touched his horse's flank with his heel and rode on, while the boys continued their play. The next afternoon the lad remained at home, to the surprise of the sergeant.
“What keeps you in today, Hector? It is rare indeed that you are indoors in the afternoon.”
“An officer came along while we were playing,” the lad said, “and asked me some questions. I told him who I was. He said that he had some influence, and might be able to assist me.”
“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.