Dusk fell before we had completed the unloading of our equipment and had it all stowed away in the _hangar_. Then we formed up and, with a French boy-scout as guide, started our march toward camp. The senior major, on his splendid black horse, led the van; the men, contrary to military custom, carrying a Union Jack, followed, and Captain Reggy and I, mounted, brought up the rear. The first half-mile of our march was uneventful, as there were few people in the streets of the _basse ville_; but as we passed farther up into the city the sidewalks became crowded with spectators. At first the French mistook us for English soldiers on the march, the sight of whom, while an almost hourly occurrence, was still a matter of keen interest. But as the crowd, becoming larger and larger, and pushing one another off the sidewalks into the road, caught a glimpse of our shoulder badges marked "Canada," the word was passed from mouth to mouth with lightning-like rapidity, and the excitement became intense. They broke forth into the wildest cheering and shouted again and again, "_Les Canadiens! Vive le Canada!_" until the clamour was deafening. Men, women and children surrounded us in thousands, laughing, singing and talking, shaking the soldiers by the hand, embracing and even kissing them in the excess of their welcome. That the boys weren’t always kissed on account of their irresistible beauty may be gathered from this little conversation which took place _en passant_: "_Mon Dieu!_" exclaimed one of the girls to her nearest neighbour, "why did you kiss that ugly face?" "Because," was the reply, "he looked so lonely—he seemed to need it most." They marched up the street with us, arm in arm, all who could get near enough, and threw a thousand questions at us in one unintelligible clatter of French. It was a welcome to stir the blood of the coldest, and from that moment we took France to our hearts, as she had taken us, and held her fast. What did the landing of a mere handful of Canadians mean to France? There weren’t enough of us to be of much importance, compared with the thousands of other British troops which landed daily. But the French, with their keen sense of appreciation, recognised at once that the advent of this little Canadian band had a broad significance; it meant that in her great struggle for the cause of liberty and humanity France was to be supported not only by Britain but by the far-flung elements of the Empire. It meant encouragement; it meant success!