magazine at Seffwegen, to which the Saxons had forced the inhabitants of the country round to bring in their corn, intending later to convey it to the headquarters

undance being retained for the use of

own on the frontier from which the enemy constantly ma

ssue of an order that the cavalry, and a portion of the infantry, were to be ready to march at daylight; and by the arrival of a large number of peas

The troops were halted in a wood, and ordered to light fires to cook food, and to prepare for a halt of some hours. Great fires were soon blazing and, af

attacked the Russian camp outside the town. Taken completely by surprise, the Russians fought feebly, and more than five hundred were killed before they entered the town, ho

of hides and leather, and a huge magazine filled with hemp, added to the fury of the conflagration, and the whole town was bu

ted with cannon, which played upon the town while the fight there was going on. As Baron Spens had no guns with him, he was unable to follow up his advantage b

y wounded, this being a small amount of loss comp

se," Charlie said, when the troops had returned

But they fought desperately

have been in its sheath, for I never struck a blow, and I think it was the same with most of our men. One could not cut dow

not having, like the Swedes, any personal animosity against the Russians, would not like the work. If it had come to storming the convent, I wo

anything more to do with surprises. However, the cavalry had a good deal more to do with it than we had; but, as you say, it was

ually favourable results; but Captain Jervoi

hase. A few days after the attack upon Pitschur, he came to Marienburg to learn all particulars of the Russian position from Colonel Schlippenbach

the game, and as many horse, in case we come across one of the parties of Russians. I want some hearty, active men for the march. I

in any desperate service; but they are healthier and more hardy, for their officers, since the battle of Narva, have kept them engaged in sports of all kinds--mimic battles, foot races, and other friendly contests. I have marked them at it several times, and w

another winter, similar games are carried on throughout the army.

ere cooking their dinners, the troops fell in, in front of their quarters,

to Harry. "You have not heard anything, fro

, when a sergeant ran up with Schlippenbach

formed up, three officers we

uttered, as Captain Jervoise gave the

ll young officer, walking with the colonel, was the king. Without speaking a word, Charle

ike my grandfather, I had some fifteen thousand of su

led up, and Captain J

condition. Colonel Schlippenbach tells me that you have kept your men in good health, all through the winter, by means of sports

hat had passed since they landed in Sweden, done their best to acqu

are fond of games of this kind. My four

ing n

e a good feeling on both sides. Present

n and bony. His face was long, and his forehead singularly high and somewhat projecting. This was the most noticeable feature of his face. His eyes were quick and keen, his face clean-shaven, and, had it no

s with me. I am going hunting tomorrow, and I asked Colonel Schlippenbach for half a company of men who could stand cold and fatigue. He told me that I could not do better than take them from among this company, and I see

the village, at the edge of the forest, where they were to halt for the night. He then walked a

tain Jervoise said. "The king gave us an hour.

y of provisions, and a barrel of wine. The tents were erected, and then the men went into the forest, and soon returned with large quantities of wood, and great

nts, as it was known that the king would arrive at daylight. Sentries were posted, for there was ne

nd the men then fell in, and remained until the king, with three or four of his officers and fift

ngry men," the king said, a

ish to breakfast at once," Captain Jervoise

. We are all sharp set already.

perhaps they would

meal before they move, then they can

int of meat was placed, for the use of the king and the officers who had come with him, and Capta

se, and we will all take breakfast tog

with mugs of wine beside them; Captain Jervoise, by the king's orders, taking his seat beside him. During

in England and Scotland, have added many a thousand good soldiers to the armies of France and Sweden, and, I may say, of every country in Europe. I be

an end of trouble; but, should she mount the throne, she would be a usurper, as Mary was up to her death in '94. As Anne has been on good terms with Will

suppose, of the action of

othing for some weeks of

k, the succession is to pass from her to the Elector of Hanover, in right of his wife Sophia, as the rest of the children of the Elector o

Still, it will be felt that for Stuart to fight against Stuart, brother against sister, would be contrary to nature. Foreigners are always unpopular, and, as against William, every Jacobite is ready to take up arms. But I think that nothi

shook

monarchs for a great country. They want fibre. William of Orange may be, as you call him, a foreigner and a usurper,

gh Jacobite as he was, had smarted under the subservience of En

rch. I do not mean a king like myself, who likes to fight in the front ranks of his soldiers; but one

against France and Spain, not so much for the benefit of England, which has not much to fe

this war, nominally, in the interest of the Duke of Holstein, but really b

h me; the rest will enter the forest with you. I have arranged for the peasants here to guide you. You will march two miles along by the edge of the

e about five miles from end to end. With the horse you will have a hundred and thirty men, so that there will be a man every sixty or seventy yards. That is too wide a space at first, but, as you close in, the distances will rapidly lessen, and they must make up, by noise

five in number. They had been posted, a hundred yards apart, at the edge of the forest. Charlie was the first officer left behind as the troop moved through the forest, and it seemed to him an endless time be

break through the lines. Then he heard the sound of firing directly in front of him. This continued for some time, occasionally single shots being heard, but more often

ather?" Harry asked, as he

h, what is more important, six stags. I do not

the forest. Charlie was in the front of his company, the king with the cavalry a few hundred y

imed, and shouted to the men, who

harged right down upon the Russians, who were at least five hundred strong.

shoulder, men. Double!" and

ket barrels; for, as yet, the modern form of bayonets was not used. The Russians fought obstinately, but the infantry pressed their way step by step throug

Russians began to draw off, the king hastening the move

pike that was carried by officers, he received a tremendous blow on his steel cap, that stretched him insensible on

taken. He was, on dismounting, too weak to stand, but he was half carried and half dragged to the quarters of the Russian o

ty you were with d

nting wolve

id you c

Marien

rong we

foot," Charlie replied, knowing there

officers must have been mad to come out, with so small a

sir, as they managed to beat

ilent for a momen

e officer i

nd was the King of Sw

r broke from the Russian general, w

tting himself in your hands, and you have let him slip through your fingers. It would have got you two steps in rank, and the favour of the czar, had you

g of Sweden was there himse

ought to have captured them, instead of allowing you

alf the horsemen befor

able, after they discharged their pieces. However, it is your own affair, and I wash my hands of it. Wha

and ordered to serve as a private in the regiment he commanded. The officer who acted a

that by your language

h, and I am an ensign

he czar has declared that he will exchange no

will be only punishing his own officers. There a

ed in a cell in the castle. His head was still swimming from the effects of the blow that had stricken him down, a

ited by someone after he had lain down, for a platter of bread and meat stood on the table, and a jug of water. He was also covered with two t

head throbbed with the pain of the wound. It had been rou

rs with us, and I don't think there are half a dozen of ours captured by the Russians. Of course, no exchange can take place until there are a good batch to

fficer entered, followed by a soldier w

better medicine than any I can give; so I told the man to throw those two barrack rugs over you, and leave your food i

orning, doctor. It is not

you can manage another breakfast. Sit down and tak

er. By this time Charlie had finished the broth. The doctor then bathed his head for some time in hot water, but was obliged to cut

and, if your skull had not been a thick one, i

t into a fit

he exclaimed, as he looked

hink we should have been talking Swedish to each other, instead of our native tong

of Westmoreland. My father is a Jacobite, and so had to leave the country

d plenty of work with wounds, early in the day, but when, after the Irish had fairly beat the Dutchman back all day, they made up their minds to march away at night, I had to lave my patients and be off too. Then I was shut up in Limerick; and I was not idle there, as you may guess. When at last the surrender came, I managed to

doctor people, when they could not tell me what was the matter with them, and I worked at one thing and another, doing anything I could turn my hands to, for four or five months. That is how I got to pick up Swedish. Then some people told me that Russia was a place where a doctor might get on, for that they had got no doctors for their army who knew anything of s

ent, of which Le Ford was colonel. That was eight years ago, and I am now a sort of surgeon general of a division, and am at the head of the hospitals about here. Till the war began I had not,

st of them in good posts. He took to them because a Scotchman, General Gordon, and other foreign officers, rescued

n this side. Perhaps it isn

ie la

son is like my brother. If there were no other reason, I could not change. Why, it was only yesterday

treated me well, and I love him. By the way, I have

zar very fier

e is as ignorant as a pig, and setting to improve himself--working in the dockyards of Holland and England, attending lectures, and all kinds of subjects. Why, man, he learnt anatomy, and can take off a leg as quickly as I can. He is buildin

long in his old ways. Didn't they get up an insurrection, only because he wanted them to cut off their beards? Any other man wou

broken down most men. Here, for years, has he been working to make an army, and the first time they meet an enemy worthy of the name, what do they do? Why, they are beaten by a tenth of their number of half-starved men, led by a mad-brained young fellow who had never heard a shot fired before, and lose all their cannon,

Russia, he would be ruling over Irela

operations being done, but I will come in again this evening. Don't eat any more of their messes, if they bring them in. You and I will have a snug little dinner together

ing about. I will speak to him when he comes