"So! Then I go back the richer than I came only in the knowledge of you, but I would gladly have had one of you back with me." "Go now, boys," said Sir Denzil, "and tell Mr. Eager I would be glad of a word with him." And wrenching their eyes from this phenomenal father, whose advances evoked no slightest response within them, they got out of the door somehow and ran down to the kitchen. "Sir Denzil wants you to go up, Mr. Eager," began Jack. "Our father's up there," broke in Jim. But Mr. Eager had already heard the strange news from Mrs. Lee, and went up at once, full anxious on his own account to see what manner of man this unexpectedly-returned father might be, and rigorously endeavouring to preserve an open mind concerning him until he had something more to go upon than Mrs. Lee's curt but emphatic, "He's a divvle if ever there was one." "Ah, Mr. Eager, this is my son Denzil, father of your boys," said the old man briefly, and helped himself to snuff and leaned back in his chair and watched them. "I am glad to make your acquaintance, Mr. Eager,"--and a strong brown hand shot out to meet him. "Sir Denzil tells me that whatever good is in those boys is of your implanting. I thank you. You have done a good work there." "They are fine lads," said Eager quietly. "It would have been an eternal pity if they had run to seed. We are making men of them." "I have been trying to induce one of them to go back to France with me----" "Which one?" "Either. I don't know one from t'other yet. I could make much of either, and it would solve the difficulty you are in here." "And they?" "They won't hear of it." "I should have been surprised if they had." "I suppose so. And yet I could promise one or both a very much greater career than they are ever likely to realise here." Eager shook his head. "They have been brought up as English lads; you could hardly expect them to change sides like that, even for possibilities which I don't suppose they understand or appreciate." "It's a pity, all the same. There will be many opportunities over there----" "The Empire is peace----" interjected Eager, with a smile. "The Empire"--with a shrug--"is my very good friend Louis Napoleon, and peace just so long as it is to his interest to keep it. But"--with a knowing nod--"he has studied his people and he knows how to handle them. I'll wager you I'm a general inside five years--unless he or I come to an end before that." "I would sooner they died English subalterns than lived to be French generals." "It's throwing away a mighty chance for one of them." "Their own country will offer them all the chances they need." "How?" asked the Colonel quickly. "You think England will join us in case of necessity?" "I know nothing about that. I mean simply that our boys will do their duty whatever call is made upon them; and no man can do more than that."