“I will try you, Paolo.  I believe that you are in earnest, and that I can trust you; but mind, there must be no monkey tricks here.  The general must not be disturbed by the antics of a servant boy.  You are likely, in my service, to have as much excitement and adventure as you can wish for, and you must behave yourself, for if you do not do so you will be lucky if you escape with a flogging and being turned out of camp.  I am younger than you are, and am just as fond of a piece of fun, but I know when it is good to enjoy one’s self and when one must put aside boyish pranks.  I have my duties to perform, and do them to the best of my power, and shall expect you to do the same.”

“I will, sir,” the boy said respectfully.  “I will give you no cause to complain of me, at least no wilful cause.”

“Then that is settled.  Here,” he said to the boy’s brother, “are five pistoles; see that he is decently clad so as to make a fair appearance by my side.  When he is so, let him return here.  It were best that he should come this evening, for it is likely that I shall be away on duty tomorrow.”

“He shall be here, sir,” he said, “and I thank you heartily for engaging him; and I do think that he means this time to behave himself.”

“I do mean it,” the boy said.  “You shall have no reason to complain of me, sir.”

Shortly afterwards Hector met the officer who had spoken of the boy.

“Well, have you thought anything more of young ne’er-do-well?”

“I have engaged him.”

“You have, after the warning I gave you?  Well, I hope you will not have reason to repent it.”

“I do not think that I shall.  I can quite believe that he is a mischievous young varlet, he shows it in his face; but I am sure that he is shrewd, and I believe that he will be faithful.  At any rate I think that we took to each other, and that he has made up his mind to try for once to stay in a place.  He really seemed in earnest about it, and if he keeps to his promises I think that he will be just the sort of lad to suit me.”

“Well, we shall see,” the officer said; “but if he turns out badly, please remember that I warned you against him.”

“And if he turns out well,” Hector said with a laugh, “I shall not fail also to remind you of your prognostications.”

That evening when Hector returned to his room after he had finished his meal, he found Paolo waiting outside his door.  His appearance had so changed that he would not have known him.  His hair had been cut short in the front and left long behind, as was the custom of the day, hanging down on to his collar.  He was neat and tidy.  He wore a dark blue doublet reaching to the hips, with a buff leather belt, in which was stuck a dagger.  His leggings, fitting tightly down to the ankles, were of dark maroon cloth, and he wore short boots of tanned leather.  A plain white collar, some four inches deep, was worn turned down over the neck of the doublet, and a yellow cloth cap, with a dark cock’s feather, was stuck on one side of his head.  In his hand he held a bundle containing a leather jerkin and breeches of the same material, and a pair of buff leather riding boots that would reach to the knee.