"You have arrived just in time," said Felix, "for we march in the morning."
"March?" I asked in surprise, "where?"
"Somewhere to the south, I believe; but the Admiral keeps his plans close. But you may be sure he isn't going to offer Anjou battle. We scarcely number three thousand, counting the handful of infantry."
"Not a large number with which to conquer a kingdom!" laughed Roger.
"We shall get more," said Felix, who had recovered his spirits, and was as sanguine as ever. "Coligny's name alone will attract men to the standard. Why, surely that must be Jacques!" as my servant approached. "Jacques, you rascal, I thought you had deserted us at Montcontour!"
"I think it was the other way about, monsieur," replied Jacques slily. "I stayed at Montcontour."
"Ah, a good thrust!" cried my comrade merrily, "a good thrust! But whichever way it is I am glad to see you again, Jacques. We are sadly in need of strong arms and stout hearts."
"Well, monsieur, I have been round the camp, and certainly I think the Admiral is quite equal to commanding a larger army."
"You should not regard mere numbers, Jacques; it is the quality that tells. Three thousand picked men are worth ten thousand ordinary troops. And then our chief is as good as an army in himself!"
To those who had fought at Roche Abeille, our camp presented a somewhat sorry spectacle. As Felix had said, we numbered barely three thousand men, and one missed a host of familiar faces. I thought with pity of the noble St. Cyr, and many others of our best and bravest who had already laid down their lives for the Cause.