You can repay me when we meet at Flushing." "That I will with thanks," replied the Frenchman; "and so will Jacques here, if you will trust him." "With pleasure," replied O'Brien, who then entered into a long conversation, by which he drew out from the Frenchmen that a party of conscripts had been ordered to Flushing, and that they had dropped behind the main body.

O'Brien passed himself off as a conscript belonging to the party, and me as his brother, who had resolved to join the army as a drummer, rather than part with him.

In about an hour we arrived at St Nicholas, and after some difficulty obtained entrance into a cabaret.

"_Vive la France_!" said O'Brien, going up to the fire, and throwing the snow off his hat.

In a short time we were seated to a good supper and very tolerable wine, the hostess sitting down by us, and listening to the true narratives of the real conscripts, and the false one of O'Brien.