n, Doctor Kelly came

have given my pledge that you won't try to escape till it is over, or make a

giving the pledge, do

came to fetch you. It is cold enough outside, and there is no s

leman was standing, with his back to it. He was a man of some seven or eight and twenty, with larg

, Charlie Carstair

ff, a better doctor than most of th

other said, "when your pupils begi

gging his shoulders. "There is one

ng a bowl of soup and three basins. The

" Doctor Michaeloff said to Charlie. "I have not ha

Cossacks were so pressing, that I could not resist. In fact,

e you comfortable," t

ss for the cell, which was bitterly cold. Still, as the doct

d angrily. "I hear that the King o

have remonst

shrugged hi

were a prisoner, but I was told sharply to mind my own business, which was with the sick and wounded. I s

id the

I thought the prisoner would not be kept there long, and was not unaccus

rnoon, with a flag of truce, to treat for your exchange

ard anything about

or you, which you may c

his majesty thought, as it was in his special service I

nting party,

re, and my company of foot, and fifty horse. I don't think

d a grand chan

ent do you

in turned

a neighbour and great friend of my father. His son is an ensign, and my great

n service, also in that of Austria and France. They are always faithful, and to be re

om camp to camp, to visit the sick and to keep up the spirits of the men. If we live roughly, so does he, and, on the march, he will take his meals among the soldiers, and wrap himself up in his cloak, and sleep on the bare

said thoughtfully. "Why do you think we were beaten in the

red from their surprise," Charlie agreed. "But

. "They had news, two days before, brought by the cava

ollected the greater part of his troops at the spot facing us, instead of having them strung out round that big semicircle, so that, when we made an entry they were separated, and each half was ignorant of what the other was doing. Still, even then they might have concentrated between the trenches and the town. But no orders

ed; "but we shall do better next time. We shall understand Charles's t

t you would not car

r as we were to join that of King Charles. Everyone says that the czar makes strangers welcome, and that he is a liberal master to those who serve him well. As to the quarrel between them, I am not old enough to be able to give my

h, and the Swedes from the Baltic. She is smothered between them, and when she saw her chance, she took it. That is not good morality. I admit

lie said, turning the conversation, "whether

cept it, Carstairs. It had to b

hed. "He would see that I am but a lad, and that my r

, who allowed themselves to be captured by a handful of men at

em," Charlie said, "but, individually, none of the ca

tricken, there were officers enough to have gathe

left wing, as you say, had gathered together and cut their way out, the czar would have had a right to blame them for the capture of the whole of the men. How could they tell that, at daybreak, the general would no

zar may not be a soldier, but at least he is a man, which is more than can be said for

n England, because a king has no real power with us, and Peter would never put up with being thwarted in all his plans by parliament, as William is. But for a country like Russia, he is wonderful. Of course, our company being composed of Scotchmen and En

when do you think t

reply, but Michae

ed this a

arlie exclai

elly? Has he been asked about my exchange

ou will be exchang

uld ever fall into the hands of our people again, and Doctor Kelly does not h

tomorrow, doctor?" Charlie said, a

ems li

d not y

knew the czar had come, but I had not he

it might be months before there was an exchange. I

the czar to

s a captain in exchange for me; still, of course, he might have

think of my fr

man than a doctor. I will write down his name, so as not to forget it, as he says he might be able to help me if I am ever taken prisoner again, a

le that if you ever should get into a scrape again, you will be able to get tidings of me, for I am li

nd I have two or three patients I must visit again before I go to bed. T

would not have mattered a bit for one night. It

resh quarters, is to have the stove opened so that I can see one. This is a second room of mine. There were three together, you see,

was dozing off to sleep, the do

will call you an hour before that. I shall be up. I m

doctor. I am sorry t

accustomed to work at

n officer and two soldiers, the doctor accompanying him. Here he found a Swedish officer belong

nsign Carstairs for Captain Potoff, whom you

el, where he is now interned, and shall be safely delivered under an escort; and that if, either by death,

g here, Ensign Carstairs has not received such worthy treatment as the czar would have desired for him, but he has given stringent orde

saddled in readiness for him. "I am greatly obliged to you for your very great

in the position of a prisoner. However, strange things have happened already in thi

ede, and an escort of twenty troopers rode behind them

id to the Swede, "and I am really sorry that you should h

came, for yesterday evening I saw the czar himself. I conversed with him for some time. He expressed himself very courteously with respect to the king, and to our army, against who

ome of your men had seen you cut down. After the battle was over, a search was made for your body. When it could not be found, que

ans, however, told us that they had seen two of the Cossacks dismount, by the orders of one of their officers, lift you on to a horse, and ride off with you. There was therefore a certainty that you were still living, for th

one. I saw the doctor, who, I found, was a countryman of yours, and he assured me that it was n

among whom was your friend the doctor. The czar was, at first, in a furious passion. He abused the general right and left, and I almost thought, at one time, that he would hav

ured guest rather than as a prisoner, and here you disgrace us by shutting your prisoner in a cheerless cell, although he is wounded, and giving him food such as you might give to a common soldier. The Swedes will think that we are b

arge of the medical department, and that you have full authority to make such arrangements as you may think nec

ad feels the effects of it this morning, although I was quite unable to drink cup for cup with him, for, had I done so, I should have been under the table long before he rose from it, seemingly quite unm

al a wigging, for he spoke brutally to me on my arrival. You may be sure, now, that any prisoners that may be taken will be well treated; for Doctor Kelly, who has been extremely kind to me, will

there was a stir there. A man riding ahead waved the white flag that he carried, and, w

off. A meal was in readiness, and when Charlie, who was still feeling somewhat weak from the effects of h

speed, directly Charlie reached the village, to report that he had arrived there and was not serio

," he said, after the

od, and it is as much as I can do to keep my saddle, though we have been coming on quietly on purpose

e hours ago, with the news that you had arrived, and were not badly hurt. The men seemed as pleased as we were, and there was a loud burst of cheering when we to

med by Captain Jervoise and the men of the

ieve he wants to hear, especially, how you were treated. Make the best of it you can, la

said. "I will make thi

was no sentry at the door, or other sign that the house contained an occupant of speci

rising from a low settle on which he was sittin

e. I was sure that you would not have been

esty, and stunned me for some time; but, beyond making a

skull, lad, and I am heartily glad it is no

sary, I hear he was so angered that he disgraced the general, deprived him of his command, and sent him to take charge of some fortress in the interior of Russia; and I was, by his orders, allowed to occupy the doctor's quarters, and a be

looked g

water, but there is no reason why we should not behave towards each other with co

medical man; and as the former treated me as a friend, rather than as an enemy, I did not deem

at fight, and Colonel Schlippenbach did not speak in any way too warmly in their fa

in a high state of fever. It was a fortnight before he was convalescent, and the surgeon then recommended that he should have rest and quiet for a time, as he was sor

unable to support the fatigues of the campaign, until he had had entire rest and change. A few hours after the decision of t

e over, and were desirous of enlisting, but, from their ignorance of the language, their services had been declined. He said that he was so pleased, not only with the conduct of the company in that fight, but with its discipline, physique, and power of endur

s, and you and Harry as lieutenants. The colonel has authority given him to nominate Scotch and English gentlemen of good name to make up the quota of officers, while most of our own men will be appointed non

e looking forward with dread to the journey among strangers. Still, if you are all going, it will be a different thing altogether. I don't think you will be long in raising the

en up, and the roads were in a terrible state from the heavy traffic passing. There was no delay when they reached the port, as they at once marched on board a ship, which was the next

lie, and, while the company was marched to a large building assigned to their use, he was a

entered, "who would have thought of seeing you? You are

nt. Postal communications were rare and uncertain, and Captain Jervoise had not taken advantage of the one opportunity that of

indeed! I was terribly uneasy when the first news of that wonderful victory at Narva came, for we generally have to wait for the arrival of the despatches giving the lists of the killed and wounded. I saw that the regiment had not been in the thick of it, as the lists cont

here with me. I suppose

et strong and well again, and that I was to think of no other unti

king that the time would come when they would prove my means of existence. My friends here have invested the money for me, and it bears good interest, which is punctually paid. With the English and Scotc

y turn their backs upon him, when they meet him in the town, but the better class of Whigs hold altogether aloof from him, regarding his elevation, at the expense of his wife's kinsman, to be disgraceful, although of course they have no idea of the evil plot by which he brought about my ruin. There is great pity expressed for his wife, who has not once stirred beyond the grounds at Lynnwood since he took her there, and who is, the

The Stuarts must come to their own, sooner or later. U