Fritz and Charles took a strong mutual liking almost from the first.  Both were men of unwonted strength and endurance, and both were fired by a strong personal enmity towards the French and their aggressive policy.

Julian told Humphrey, in their private conferences, something of the cause of this personal rancour.

“There was a fair maid in our valley—­Renee we called her—­and her parents were French.  But we were all friends together; and Fritz and she loved each other, and were about to be betrothed.  Then came these troubles, and the priest forbade Renee to wed a heretic; and though she herself would have been faithful, her parents were afraid.  It seemed to all then that the French were going to be masters of the land.  There was another youth who loved her also, and to him they married her.  That was just before we came away—­a dozen of us English youths, who could not stand the new state of things and the strife of party.  Fritz has neither forgotten nor forgiven.  The name of France us odious in his ears.”

“And in yours, too?” asked Humphrey.

Julian’s face was grave and thoughtful.

“I have my moments of passionate anger.  I hate everything that is vile and treacherous and aggressive.  But I would seek to remember that after all we are brothers, and that we all bear the name of Christ.  That is what Father Fritz of old sought to make us remember.  Perhaps it comes the easier to me in that I have French blood in my veins, albeit I regard myself now as an English subject.  I have cast in my lot with the English.”

Humphrey and Julian drew together, much as did Charles and Fritz.  Julian was a year or two older than Humphrey, and Charles was several years older than Fritz; but all had led a free open-air life, and had tastes and feelings in common.  They understood woodcraft and hunting; they were hardy, self reliant, courageous.

It was of such men as these that the best soldiers were made in the days that were at hand; although the military leaders, especially if they came from the Old World with its code of civilized warfare, were slow to recognize it.

A heavy storm of wind and rain—­the precursor of the coming winter—­raged round the little settlement for several days, during which the party sat round their fire, talking of the past and the future, and learning to know each other more and more intimately.

Charles recovered rapidly from the loss of blood and the fever weakness.  His constitution triumphed easily over his recent illness, and he was only longing to be on the road, that he might the sooner stand face to face with the foe.

And now the storm was abating.  The sun began to shine out through the driving wrack of clouds.  The woodland tracks might be wet, but little reeked the travellers of that.

They bound upon their backs as much provision as would suffice for their immediate needs.  They looked well to their arms and ammunition.  They had mended their clothes, and were strong and fresh and full of courage.