rival home, Major Jervoise and

been a great comfort to me, to know that you and Charlie have been together always. At present you have the advantage of hi

ut he has picked up wonderfully in the last ten days, and, in as many more, I shall lo

have been suffering through the winter, for me to know that, if I had had my wish

tirely composed of Scots and Englishmen. I put the Scots first, since they will be by far the most numerous. There are always plenty of active spirits, who find but small opening for their energy at home, and are ready to take foreign service whenever the chance opens. Besides, there are always feuds there. In the old days, it was chief against chief. Now it is religion against religion; and now, as then, there are numbers of young fellows glad to exch

means or employment, in a strange country. But the number was too great for our money to go far among them, and I know that many of them are destitute and well-nigh

Swedish government, or until gentlemen of birth raised companies and regiments for service here. However, we are the gainers, for I see that we shall

e received into a regiment, specially formed of English-speaking soldiers. I will warrant that, when it is known in the Fells that I am

of captains, and commissions were given to several gentlemen of family as lieutenants and ensigns. Most of these, however, were held over, as the colonel wrote to many gentlemen of his acquaintance in Scotland, offering them commissions if they would raise and

so that they should be able to take their places in the ranks; and then, with drums bea

ad embarked, at Stockholm and other ports, to reinforce the army and enable the king to take the fie

the general organization of the regiment. He and Harry, however, found time to take part in any amusement that was going on. They were made welcome in the houses of the principal me

ncing against the Saxons, who were still besieging Riga. Their army was commanded by Marshal Steinau, and was posted on the other side of the river Dwina, a broad stream. C

d. "I had hardly hoped you could have collect

p and introduced. He spoke a few words to t

that crack on your crown, I hope. But I need not ask, your looks speak for

te enterprise to cross the river, in the teeth of their cannon and musketry. Already the king had caused a number of large flat boats to be constructed. The

ndering how the passage was to be effected, when a hand was placed on his shoulder. Looking round, he s

e are to get acr

I was thinking ov

aid. "The wind is blowing the right way, but there is no ch

inking that one might

an?" the king

e easily wetted. If we were to build great piles of it, all along on the banks here, and set it alight so as to burn very slowly, but to giv

uld be better. We will make a smoke that will bl

s soon as they did so, they were ordered to pull down the stacks, and to carry the straw to the bank of the river, and there pile it in heavy masses, twenty yar

ers, and lie down at once. Then they were to form up, half an hour before daybreak, in readiness to take

were unable to understand its meaning. Those on the watch had seen no sign of troops on the bank, before the smoke began to roll across the water, and the general was uncertain whether a great fire had broken out in the

the opposite bank was gained. Marshal Steinau, an able general, had called the Saxons under arms, and was marching towards the river, when the wind, fre

and discipline, and, charging in solid formation, they drove the cavalry back and advanced across the plain. Steinau recalled his troops and posted them in a strong position, one flank being covered by

ges, and each time almost penetrated to the point where Charles was directing the movements of his troops; but, at last, he was struck from his horse by a blow from the butt end of a musket; and his cuirassiers, with difficulty,

at the mercy of the Swedes, all the town

ime, was a country a little larger than France, though with a somewhat smaller population, but in this respect exceeding Sweden. With the Poles

diet, composed of the whole of the nobles of the country, the nobility embracing practically every free man; and, as it was necessary, according to the con

ntry. Poland was divided into two parts, the larger of which was Poland proper, which could at once place thirty thousand men in the field. The other was Lithuania, with an army of twelve thousand. These forces were entirely independent of each

was, as usual, harassed by two factions, that of the Prince Sapie

light aid from the Saxons. Oginski's forces were speedily dispersed, and roamed about the country in scattered parties, subsisting on pillage, thereby exci

had held him in high favour. There was but a few years' difference between their ages, and the suggestion, so promptly made, seemed to show the k

uld ere long set all Poland against me. At present, the Poles refuse to allow him to bring in reinforcements from his own country; but if he cannot get men he can get gold, and with gold he can buy over his chief opponents,

nd will ere long fall; but I can retake Narva when once I can depend upon the neutrality of the Poles. Would I were king of Poland

as I am, and I am thinking of sending yo

e consequence is, as there is no class between the noble and the peasant, the trade of the country is wholly in the hands of Jews and foreigners, among the latter being, I hear, many Scotchmen, who, while they make excellent soldiers, are also keen t

my hostility. But, while my agent deals with him and such nobles as he indicates as being likely to take my part against Augustus, you could ascertain the feeling of the trading class, and endeavour to induce them, not only to favour me, but to exert all the influence they possess on my behalf. As there are many Scotch merchants in the city, you could begin by making you

d doubtfully. "I have no experienc

ut it this evening. Count Piper will give you full instructions, and will obtain for you, from some of our friends, lists of the names of the men who would be likely to be most useful to us. You will please to remember that the brain does a great deal more than the sword, in enabling a man to rise above his fe

however, knew enough of the king's headstrong disposition to be aware that the matter was settled, and that he could not, without incurring the king's serious displeasur

Has his gracious majesty been blowing you

ken into his head that I am cut out for a diplomatist;" and he then

into a shout

suppose, and trying to talk over the Jewish clothiers and cannie Scotch traders, is one

in a vexed tone; "and, when he once takes a th

ll do it just as well as another, and after all, there will be some fun in it, and you will

t I should care for, Harry. However, my hope is, that

a mission, and it is possible you may get a great deal of credit for it, as the king is always ready to push forward those who

er made it," Char

hould not be talking together here, for our loss in cr

about the straw, anyone might have thought of it. I should never have given the matter another moment's consideration, and I should be much better pleased if the ki

oncerning which, let me tell you, I do not feel by any means so certain as I did in the old days. Then, you know, all our friends were of our way of thinking, and the faith that the Stuarts would return was like a matter of religion, which it was heresy to d

fighting in Ireland and elsewhere, and I doubt whether the Jacobite gentlemen, however numerous, but without training or discipline, could any more make head against them than the masses of Muscovites could against the Swedish battalions at Narva. All this means that it is necessary that we should

tinguishing yourself in another way, and of being employed in other and more important business. All this will place you much farther on the road towards making a fortune, than marching and

If I thought that I could do it well, I should not so much mind, for, as you say, there will be some fun to be got out of it, and some excitement, and ther

, Count Piper will no doubt give you full instructions as to the line you are to take, the arg

Harry, when you get back. I still hop

suade a brick wall to move out of your way, as easily as induce the King of Swe

e colonel wished to speak to Lieutenant Carstairs. Harry gave his

had left. "Do you know what the colonel can want him for,

her; but I m

been getting into

you; but really, I must not say

ng's decision, had pretty well dispelled any hopes Charlie might befor

have sent for

I am afraid

is to say, you

own that I do

I am old enough to command an army, he is old enough to carry out this mission. We know that he is courageous. He is cool, sharp, and intelligent. Why do I choose him? Has he not saved me from

he next place, I want to reward him for the service he has done for us. I cannot, at his age, make a colonel of him, but I can give him a chance of distinguishing himself in a service in which age does not count for so much,

ask what were his commands. These were simply that you are to call upon

think better of the plan than I did before. I am convinced

ver as to what it will be like. I am sure that the king's intentions are, at any rate, kind. I am glad to hear

vice, which might mean anything. Come and see me tomorrow, lad, after you have received Count Piper's instructions. As the king reminded me, there are many Scotchmen at Warsaw,

inly far better off than a Swede would be engaged on this mission. The Swedes are, of course, regarded by the Poles as enemies, but, as there is

ink anything one way or the other about my safety. I only fear that I

, but when you have to deal with a considerable number of men, some will be willing to accept your proposals, some will not, and the question of success will probably depend upon outside influences and circumstances over which you have no control whatever. I have no fear that it will be a failure. If our party in Poland triumph, or if our army here advances, or if Augustus, finding his position hopeless, leave

ning, Charlie found that, as the colonel h

you have some sort of introduction from the persons you may first meet, or who are, as far as you can learn from the report of others, ill disposed towards th

nd, but, as their sovereign has, without the slightest provocation, embarked on a war, he must fight against him and his Saxon troops, until they are driven from the country. This you will repeat, and will urge that it will be infinitely better that Poland herself shou

and especially of the capital, should use their influence in his favour. That he has himself no ambition, and no end to serve save to obtain peace and tranqui

dly monarch being placed on the throne, Charles will make a treaty with him, insuring freedom of commerce to the two countries, and will also use his friendly endeavours to obtain, fro

. Of course our friends in Warsaw have been doing their best to bring round public opinion in the capital to this direction, but the country is so torn by perpetual intrigues, that the tr

opose an exchange of prisoners, and to open negotiations for peace. All these are but pretences. His real ob

thought the matter over. I shall then be gla

can obtain private letters of introduction to Scotch traders in the city. This I cannot do, unless by mention

ssion, but I would say, do not be over anxious. We are not trying to get up a revolution in Warsaw, but seeking to ensure that the feeling in the city should be in our favour; and this, we think, may be brought about, to some extent, by such assurances as you can give of the king's friendship, and by such expressions of a belief in the justice of our cause, and in the advantages there would be in getting rid of this foreign prince, as might

what time shall I

e, I may have thought out fart