Socola met Dick Welford suddenly face to face, smiled and bowed. Dick hesitated, returned his recognition and offered his hand.
"Mr. Welford—"
"Signor Socola."
Dick's greeting was a little awkward, but the older man put him at once at ease with his frank, friendly manners.
"A brave show your Champ de Mars, sir!"
"Does look like business, doesn't it?" Dick responded with pride. "Would you like to go through the camps and see our men?"
"Very much."
"Come, I'll show you."
Two hundred yards from the camp of the Hampton Legion they found the Louisiana Zouaves of Wheat's command, small, tough-looking men with gleaming black eyes.
"Frenchmen!" Dick sneered. "They'll fight though—"