As he reached the park gate he was met by two men who had just come on foot from the village. One was a yeoman, the other a soldier belonging to some infantry regiment—a man probably on furlough. Harry was struck by the similarity of their costumes. Their hats were almost alike; their doublets and knee-breeches of similar dark materials; but for the red collar and the bands around the sleeves, there was very little at a distance to distinguish the soldier from the civilian. A sudden notion flashed through Harry’s mind. It was a chance in a thousand; the risks were great; the odds were all against success; but on the other side there was the imminent danger of destruction to the house, ruin to the owners, the capture of the Dutch general, and the subsequent burning of the village. "We’ll try it," he said to himself. "Sherry, send every man up to the house, and let me know the instant our wagons appear." "Ay, I will, sir.—’Tis a pretty ticklish time o’ day for a man o’ peace," he muttered under his breath. Harry ran back to the house. The doctor from the village overtook him on horseback, and they entered together. Mademoiselle de Vaudrey showed some surprise when she saw Harry, but she made no comment. "Mademoiselle," said Harry, "the general is in good hands now. May I ask your assistance?" She gave him a keen glance, rose at once from her knees, and followed him from the room. "Mademoiselle," continued Harry eagerly, "have you any red ribbon, silk, stuff, anything, in the house?" "Perhaps. Why do you ask?" "Will you find all that you can, and with your maids sew red bands round the collars and cuffs of the men?" "To make them look like soldiers—is that what you mean?" "Yes," replied Harry, delighted that she seized his meaning so quickly. "I will do so at once. Send the men to the hall." Harry next called up old Jean, and bade him fetch the gardener. When the man appeared, Harry asked him to gather as many sticks as he could, by preference wood with the bark on, about five feet in length, and stack them at the back door. A few minutes afterwards a message reached him from Sherebiah that the wagons had arrived. He ran upstairs and, regardless of ceremony, called out: "Mademoiselle de Vaudrey!" Adèle came out of a room, holding a strip of red ribbon. "Mademoiselle," said Harry, "I must go to the gate. Will you make every unarmed man look as much like a soldier as possible, and see that each is provided with one of the sticks that the gardener is now collecting?" "Yes. Is there anything else?" "Is it possible to run up a flag on the belfry-tower?" "If you say it is to be done, it shall be done." "I do not want the flag hoisted at present; but if you will prepare to do so——’ "Very well," interrupted the girl.