Chapter 7: Flight.
After leaving Count Platurn, with the most sincere thanks for hiskindness, Fergus went to a clothier's, where he bought clothessuitable for a trader, with warm undergarments, and an ample cloaklined with warm, though cheap, fur, and carried these to his inn.The rest of the day was spent in strolling about, and in examiningthe public buildings and art galleries.
The next morning he paid his reckoning and, taking his small trunkin one hand and his fur cloak in the other, started; wearing thecoat he had first purchased as he thought that, crossing thedefiles into Saxony, he might very well need that as well as hiscloak. As the western gate was the one nearest to his inn, it wasnot long before he issued out and, walking briskly, came inthree-quarters of an hour to a wood.
As there was no one in sight along the road, he turned in here andchanged his clothes. Then, leaving those he had taken off behindhim, he continued on his way, and in less than half an hourapproached a village, which he learned from a man he met wasGulnach. He waited by the roadside for a quarter of an hour, andthen saw a man galloping towards him, leading a riderless horse. Hedrew rein as he came up.
"What are you waiting here for?" he asked.
"Platurn," Fergus replied.
"That is right, sir. This is your horse. Here is the letter thecount bade me give you, and also this sword," and he unbuckled theone that he wore.
"He bade me wish you God speed."
"Pray tell him that I am sincerely obliged to him for hiskindness," Fergus replied, as he buckled on the sword.
The man at once rode off.
The saddle was furnished with valises. These contained severalarticles he had not thought of buying, among them a warm fur capwith flaps for the ears, and a pair of fur-lined riding gloves. Hetransferred the remaining articles from the little trunk to thevalises, and threw the former away; rolled up his cloak andstrapped it behind the saddle; and then mounted. He was glad tofind in the holsters a brace of double-barrelled pistols, a powderflask and a bag of bullets, and also a large flask full of spirits.
As he gathered the reins in his hand, he had difficulty inrestraining a shout of joy; for with an excellent horse, good arms,warm clothes and a purse sufficiently well lined, he felt he wasprepared for all contingencies.
As he moved on at a walk, he opened the count's letter. Itcontained only a few lines, wishing him a safe journey, and begginghim to tell Count Eulenfurst that he regretted he could not do morefor his messenger, to prove his goodwill and affection; and alsothe official document that he had promised to procure for him.Tearing up the count's letter, and putting the official documentcarefully in his pocket, he pressed his heel against his horse'sflank, and started at a canter.
He stopped for the night at Ips, and on the following day rode toLinz. The snow had fallen almost incessantly, and he was glad,indeed, that he had brought the coat as well as the cloak with him.
The next night he halted at Freystadt. As this was a stronglyfortified place, commanding the southern exit of the defile fromthe mountain, he was asked for his papers. The official merelyglanced at them, and returned them. He was forced to stay here forseveral days, as he was assured that it would be all but certaindeath to endeavour to cross the pass, in such weather.
On the third day the snow ceased falling and, early next morning, aforce of 500 men, comprising almost the whole of the garrison,started to beat down the snow, and cut a way through the deepdrifts. For four days this work continued, the men being assistedby a regiment that was marched down from Budweis, and opened thedefile from the northern end. The pass was an important one, as inwinter it was the one chiefly used for communication betweenBohemia and Vienna; and it was therefore highly important that itshould be maintained in a practicable state.
Fergus was in no hurry to proceed. He knew that there was not thesmallest possibility of operations being commenced until the snowdisappeared, which might not be until the end of March. Hetherefore took matters very quietly, keeping entirely indoors aslong as the snow continued to fall, and going out as little aspossible, afterwards.
He was glad, indeed, when the news came that the pass was clear. Assoon as the gates were unlocked he pressed on, in order to getahead of a large convoy of carts, laden with warm clothing for thesoldiers, that was also waiting for the pass to be opened. In spiteof all that had been done, it was rough work passing through thedefile, and he did not arrive at Krumnau until nearly sunset.Budweis lay but a few miles farther ahead, but he had made up hismind not to stop there, as it was a large garrisoned town, and thesmall places suited him better.
Passing through the town, next day, he continued his course alongthe road near the river Moldau. He made but short journeys, for thesnow had not yet hardened, and it was very heavy riding. Hetherefore took four days in getting to Prague.
He thought it probable that here a watch might be kept for him for,had he travelled straight from Spielberg, this was the point forwhich, in all probability, he would have made; unless he had gonethrough Silesia, and then travelled up through Breslau. Hetherefore made a circuit of the picturesque old city, entered it bya western gate, and then rode straight for the bridge. He had sleptat a place but four miles distant, and had started at daybreak, sothat it was still early in the day when he proceeded on his way.
He stopped at a small town, ten miles farther north. Two or threesquadrons of cavalry were quartered there. The landlord at the innwhere he put up at once asked for his papers. These he took to thetown offices, where they were stamped as being in due order. Halfan hour later, as Fergus was at his meal, two officers entered.
"Your papers appear to be right, sir," one of them saidcourteously; "but in times like these, it is our duty to examineclosely into these matters. You come from Vienna?"
"Yes, sir."
"Which way did you travel?"
"By way of Linz and Budweis," he said. "The snow began on the daybefore I left the capital, and I was advised to take that route, asthe road would be more level, and less likely to be blocked withsnow than that through Horn. You will see that my paper was stampedat Linz, and also at Freystadt.
"I was detained at the latter place seven days. For the first threeit snowed, and for the next four days the garrison was occupied,with the aid of troops from Budweis, in opening the defile."
The officer nodded.
"I happen to know that your story is correct, sir, and that itaccounts fully for your movements since leaving Vienna. Which waydo you intend to cross the passes into Saxony?"
"I must be guided by what I hear of their state. I had hoped tohave got back before the snow began to fall in earnest, but Ishould think that the road by the river will now be the best."
"I should think so," the officer said, "but even that will be badenough. However, I will not detain you farther."
They moved away to another table and, calling for a bottle of wine,sat down.
"No, we are mistaken. I don't think the fellow would have thebare-faced impudence to come through Prague," one said.
The other laughed.
"I should think that he would have impudence for anything, major.And in truth, I rather hope that they won't lay hands upon him--afellow who devised and carried out such a scheme as he did deserveshis liberty. Of course, his overpowering the warder was nothing;but that he should have had the impudence to go down into themajor's quarters, appropriate his clothes, leave his own uniformbehind him; and then, taking advantage of the arrival of anotherregiment, march calmly out through them all, pass the sentries--whotook him for one of the newly-arrived officers in charge of thewaggons--was really splendid!
"How it was that they did not overtake him the next morning, Icannot make out. He had no sword with him, and no horse; and thespectacle of a field officer on foot, without even a sword, shouldhave attracted the attention of the very first person who met him.He had not been gone two hours when troops started in pursuit; forwhen the major, whose door he had locked, had it burst open andfound that his uniform was gone, he sus
pected something was wrong,and had all the sergeants in charge of prisoners mustered.
"One was missing, the man who had charge of this young Scotchman.As he could not be found, the fellow's cell was broken open, andthere was the warder, bound and gagged. The bird had flown, andparties of horse were sent off by all the roads leading to Bohemiaand Silesia, but no signs of the man have, as far as we have heard,yet been discovered.
"The only thing that I can imagine is that, when he heard thecavalry in pursuit, he left the road and hid up somewhere; and thatafterwards he tried to make his way by unfrequented paths, and wasstarved in the snow. In that case his body is not likely to befound until the spring."
"I cannot help thinking that a fellow who could plan and carry outthat escape would hardly be likely to lose his life in a snowdrift.You see, it was not a sudden idea. On no other evening would hehave found the gate open after sunset, nor would he have beencertain to have found the major absent from his quarters. He musthave been waiting patiently for his opportunity and, as soon as heheard that another battalion was coming into the garrison, he musthave resolved to act. More than that, he must have calculated thatinstead of arriving at four o'clock, as they were timed to do, theywould be detained and not get in until after dark.
"They are clear-headed fellows, these Scotchmen; whether they arein our army or Frederick's. What makes the affair more wonderful isthat this was quite a young fellow, and probably understood noGerman; but I think that he would have acted more wisely, had hewaited until the spring."
"I don't know," the other said. "When once the troops are all inmovement north, he certainly could not have escaped in a militaryuniform without being questioned; and it scarcely seems possiblethat he could have procured any other. He must be in more of ahurry to fight again than I am."
"There can hardly be much serious fighting," the other said. "Withus, Russia, and France, and with the 50,000 Swedes who have beenbought by France, we shall have 500,000 men under arms; while weknow that 200,000 is the utmost Frederick can muster, and thesewill have to be scattered in every direction round his frontier."
"I am sorry that France has joined in," the other said. "It isunnatural enough that we and Russia should combine to crushPrussia, but when it comes to our old enemies the French helping usagainst a German power, I say frankly I don't like it. Besides,though we may get Silesia back again, that will be a smalladvantage in comparison to the disadvantage of France getting afirm foothold on this side of the Rhine. Even if her share of thepartition doesn't extend beyond the river, this will be herfrontier nearly down to the sea; and she will have the power ofpouring her troops into Germany, whenever she chooses."
Fergus had now finished his meal, and without caring to listenlonger he betook himself to bed. To avoid all appearance of haste,he did not start so early the next morning, but mounted at ten androde to the junction of the Eger with the Elbe. It was too late tocross the river that night, and he therefore put up at a village onthe bank, and crossed in a ferry boat on the following morning toLeitmeritz, a town of considerable size.
He was now within a day's ride of the defile through which the Elbefinds its way from Bohemia into Saxony. His papers were inspected,as usual, by the officer in command of a troop of cavalry there.
"You will have a rough time of it, if you push on," he said. "Thereis no traffic through the passes now, so the snow will lie as itfell, and at any moment it may come down again. As far as the mouthof the pass you will find it easy enough, for we send half a troopas far as that every day; but beyond that I should say it would beall but, if not quite, impassable. I advise you to stay herequietly, until you hear of someone having crossed; or at any rate,if you do go on, you must take three or four peasants as guides,and to help you through difficult places."
"Would it not be possible, captain," Fergus asked, "to hire aboat?"
"I did not think of that. Yes, there are flat boats that atordinary times go down to Dresden, with the rafts of timber; butwhether you would find anyone willing, now, to make such a journeyis more than I can say."
"I am very anxious to be back to my business," Fergus said; "and asI should have to pay handsomely for guides to take me over, andeven then might lose my life, it would be better for me to payhigher and get through at once."
On going down to the water side he saw several boats hauled up, andit was not long before some boatmen, seeing a stranger examiningtheir craft, came down to him.
"I want to go down to Dresden," he said.
"'Tis a bad time of the year," one of the men replied.
"It is a bad time of the year, as far as cold is concerned; but itis a good time of the year for going down the river," he said; "fornow that the frost has set in the river is low and the currentgentle, whereas in the spring, when the snow is melting, it must bea raging torrent in some of the narrow defiles."
This evidence that the stranger, whoever he was, was no fool,silenced the boatmen for a minute.
"Now," Fergus went on, "what is the lowest price that one of youwill take me and my horse down to Dresden for? I am disposed to paya fair price and not more, and if you attempt to charge anexorbitant one, I shall take guides and follow the road."
"You would never get through," one of the men said.
"Well, at any rate I would try; and if I could not succeed by theroad by the river, I would cross by some other pass. I have nodoubt, whatever, I could get through by Graber and Zittau."
The stranger's acquaintance with the country again silenced themen. They talked for a while apart, and then one said:
"We will take you for twenty rix dollars."
"Do you suppose that I am the emperor, in disguise?" Fergus saidindignantly. "'Tis but three days' journey, at most, and perhapssix for coming back against the stream."
"We shall need four men, master, and there is the food by the way."
After much bargaining the price was settled at fifteen rix dollars,both parties being satisfied with the bargain; the men because itwas more than twice the sum for which they would have been glad todo it, at ordinary times; Fergus because he had still forty rixdollars in his pocket, and had only bargained as he did in ordernot to appear too anxious on the subject. The price was to includethe erection, at one end of the boat, of a snug cover of rushes forhis use.
He found, on going down to the shore three hours later, that theboatmen were engaged in covering in the whole of the craft, withthe exception of a few feet at each end, with a roof of rushes. Theboat itself was some thirty-five feet in length and ten wide, withstraight sides and a general resemblance to a canal barge, savethat the beam was greater in comparison to the length. The roof washigh, and sloped sharply. A tall man could walk along in thecentre, while at the sides there was but three feet of height.
Hay and straw were extremely scarce, the whole supply of thecountry having been stripped by the foraging parties; but bundlesof reeds had been thickly littered down, especially near the stern.
Shortly after his return, the landlord of the inn told him that, ifhe did not want to take the horse with him, he would himself gladlybuy it.
"I have frequently to send to Prague for things for the inn; andbesides, I have to get provisions for people in the town. I sold mybest horse last autumn, to an officer whose charger had beenkilled. Now that sledging has begun, I want one which can travelfast and do the journey there in a day; so if you don't want totake it, and will accept a reasonable price, I will buy it."
The offer was a welcome one. With two splendid horses at hiscommand--for he knew that good care would have been taken of theone left in camp--a third would only have been in the way; andthis, although a good and useful beast, was scarce good-lookingenough for an officer on the marshal's staff. Therefore, after theusual amount of bargaining, he parted with it for a fair price.
The next morning early he went on board, the servant of the innfollowing with a great hamper of wine and provisions. He was gladto see that a bright fire burned on an earthen hearth in the middleof the boat;
the smoke finding its way out, partly through a holecut in the thatch above it, partly by the opening at the fore endof the boat. He brought with him his horse cloth as well as hisother belongings. The men, who were clearly in a hurry to be away,pushed the boat off from the shore as soon as he had taken hisplace.
"We want to be back as soon as we can," the owner of the boat said,"for it will not be long before the ice begins to form, and wedon't want to be frozen in."
"It does not feel to me quite so cold this morning," Fergusremarked.
"No, sir; we are going to have more snow. That won't matter to us,and if it snows for the next week, all the better. It is not oftenthat the river closes altogether until after Christmas. In themountains the river seldom freezes at all. There is too muchcurrent, and besides, in shelter of the hills the cold is not sogreat."
Two oars were got out, for the purpose of steering rather than ofhastening the progress of the boat; and once well out in thecurrent, she was allowed to drift quietly with the stream. Fergusspread his horse cloth on the rushes by the fire, and found no needfor his sheepskin coat; the cloak, loosely thrown over hisshoulders and the collar turned up, to keep off the draughts thatblew in under the bottom of the thatch, being sufficient to makehim thoroughly comfortable.
There was nothing to see outside, the shore being low and flat. Hehad brought a large supply of meat with him, and handed over aportion of this to the man who acted as the cook of the crew, andtold him to make broth for them all. This was a welcome gift to thecrew, who but seldom touched meat; and with the addition of barley,coarse flour, and herbs that they had brought for their own use, anexcellent stew was provided. The pot was kept going through thejourney, fresh meat and other ingredients being added, from time totime. In addition to this, slices of meat were grilled over thefire, and eaten with the bread they had brought. The gift of abottle of wine between the crew, each day; and of a small ration ofspirits, the last thing in the evening, added greatly to thesatisfaction of the men.
By nightfall they arrived at the entrance of the defile. The snowwas falling heavily, and they tied up against the bank. Ferguschatted with the men, and listened to their stories of the river,for some hours.
All of them had, at various times, gone on timber rafts. Theybewailed the war, which would do them much harm. It would notaltogether interrupt trade, for timber would be required, as usual,in Saxony and Hanover. As a rule, neither of the contending armiesinterfered with the river traffic; though communications by landwere greatly interrupted, owing to the peasants' carts beingimpressed for military service. This, and the anxiety of everyonefor the safety of his home and belongings, brought the tradebetween the countries to a standstill.
On the river, however, the difficulty consisted, not in anyinterference by the authorities, but from so large a number of theable-bodied men being called out for service that the amount oftimber cut and brought down was greatly diminished, while the needsof the army brought the trade in cattle and other produce to anentire cessation.
The dangers of the river were not great; although in spring, whenthe snow melted and the river was swollen, navigation was rendered,especially in the narrow reaches of the defile, difficult anddangerous; for the force of the stream was so great that it waswell-nigh impossible to direct the course of the rafts, and indeedthe poles used for that purpose were often found too short to reachthe bottom.
The men were up long before daylight; but it was two hours laterbefore Fergus roused himself and, shaking off the fine snow thathad drifted in and lay thickly on his coat, went out to have a lookat things. One of the men was already preparing breakfast. Two ofthe others stood at the bow with long poles, with which they puntedthe boat along. The captain, also provided with a pole, stood inthe stern.
The snow had ceased, but the air felt sharp and cold as it camedown from the hills, which were all thickly covered.
"So there is an end of the snow, for the present, captain," hesaid, as he pushed aside the curtain of reeds that closed the sternof the covered portion, and joined him.
"Yes. I am not altogether sorry, for we can see where we are going.We shall keep on, now, until we are through the defile."
"But there is no moon, captain."
"No, but we can tell pretty well, by the depth of water, where weare; and can manage to keep in the middle of the current. There areno obstructions there to affect us, though in some places there areplenty of ugly rocks near the shore. However, if we have luck weshall be through before midnight, and shall pass all the worstpoints before sunset."
The day passed, indeed, without adventure of any kind. The journeywas highly interesting to Fergus, for the scenery was verypicturesque. Sometimes the hills narrowed in, and the stream,straitened in its course, hastened its speed; at others the hillsreceded, and were covered far up with forests; above which bleakmountain tops, with their mantle of snow, rose high in the air. Thecaptain pointed out the spot where the Saxons had crossed; andwhere, pent in and surrounded with batteries commanding every meansof exit, they were forced to surrender.
"It is smooth work now," he said, as they were going through one ofthe narrows, "for the river is low and the current gentle; but infloods there are waves, here, that would swamp the boat did shekeep out in the middle, as we are doing; and it would be impossibleto pole her against it, even close to the shore. You see, the iceis forming already near the banks."
"How do you manage coming back?"
"In some places we can pole the boat. She will be light, and willonly draw a few inches of water. Then we hire a horse for a bit, atone of these little villages; or, where the road leaves the river,the other three will get out and tow from the edge, while I shallsteer. We shall manage it easily enough, if the ice does not formtoo thickly.
"If the worst comes to the worst, we should stop at one of thevillages, get the people to help us to haul her well up, wait tillthe snows are quite over, and then make our way back on foot, andcome and fetch the boat up when the spring floods are over."
"Then the pass is not so dangerous after all, captain," Fergus saidwith a smile.
"Not when the snow has once hardened, and to men accustomed to it.As soon as the weather gets settled there will be a little traffic,and the snow will be beaten down. Besides, where the hills comesteep to the water's edge, a man on foot can always make his wayalong when the water is low; though a horseman might not be able todo so."
"In fact, I suppose," Fergus said, "you all combine, at Leitmeritz,to represent the passes as being a great deal more dangerous thanthey are; in order to force those obliged to make the journey totake as many men as possible with him, or to pay two or three timesthe proper fare, by boat."
"The passes over the hills would be terrible, now," the man said."Most of them would be absolutely impassable, until the snowhardens.
"As for the rest," he added with a smile, "it may be that there issomething in what you say; but you see, times are hard. There islittle work to be done, and scarce any timber coming down; and ifwe did not get a good job, occasionally, it would go very hard withus."
By nightfall they were nearly through the defile. Lanterns wereplaced in the bow of the boat and, until long after Fergus wasasleep, the men continued to work at their poles. When he woke upin the morning the boat was floating down a quiet river, with theplains of Saxony on either side, and the mountain range far astern.
At noon they neared Dresden, and an hour later Fergus steppedashore. He paid the men the sum arranged, and handed over to themthe rest of his provisions, which would be sufficient to carry themfar on their way back.
He soon learnt that Marshal Keith was established in his oldquarters, and made his way thither. He met two or three officers ofhis acquaintance, but no one recognized him in his present attire.He had hired a boy, when he landed, to carry his cloak and valises.The saddle and bridle he had sold with the horse.
He was, as usual, passing the sentries at the gate without notice,when one of them stepped in front of him.
"Wh
at is your business, sir?"
"My business is with Marshal Keith," he said, "and it isparticular."
The sentry called a sergeant of the guard.
"You can pass me up," Fergus said sharply. "I am well known toMarshal Keith, and he will assuredly see me."
A soldier took him up to the anteroom. Lieutenant Lindsay, who wason duty, came forward, looked at him doubtfully for a moment, andthen shouted joyfully:
"Why, Drummond, is it you? This is indeed a joyful meeting, oldfellow. I had thought of you as immured in one of the enemy'sfortresses, and as likely to remain there till the war was over,and now here you are! The marshal will be delighted."
"He cannot be more pleased than I am to be back again, Lindsay. Ishe alone?"
"Yes. Come in at once. I won't announce you."
He opened the door.
"A gentleman to see you, marshal," he said, and Fergus walked in.
The marshal recognized him at once and, holding out both hands,shook those of Fergus cordially.
"I am indeed glad to see you," he said. "We knew that you wereunhurt, for on the morning after the battle we sent in aparlementaire to Browne with the list of prisoners taken, andreceived his list in return; and as your name was among them, andyou were not put down as wounded, my anxiety about you wasrelieved. We tried a month later to get exchanges, but they wouldnot hear of it. In the first place, there is no doubt that theking's action, in incorporating the Saxons with our army, hascaused a strong feeling against him; and in the second, they hadplenty of fortresses in which to stow their prisoners, while theywould calculate that the more prisoners we had to look after, thefewer men they would have to fight.
"And now, tell me by what miracle you have got here. I have nothingparticular to do.
"Lindsay, you may as well stop and hear the story. Tell thesergeant to call you out if any one in particular comes; toeveryone else, I am engaged.
"Or stay," he broke off, "they have just told me that luncheon isready in the next room. A story is always better told over a bottleof wine, so tell the sergeant, Lindsay, that for the next hour Ican see no one, unless it is on very particular business.
"Now, in the first place, Captain Drummond.
"Oh, of course, you have not heard!" he broke off, in answer toFergus's look of surprise. "The king and I watched you chargethrough that Austrian squadron, and when he saw you reach ourcavalry in safety, and they turned to come back, he ordered me atonce to make out your commission as captain. I ventured to objectthat you were very young. He said you had saved half his cavalry,and that he would promote you, if you were an infant in arms."
"It is really absurd, marshal. I shall feel downright ashamed to becalled captain by men still lieutenants, though a dozen years olderthan I am. I fear I have gone over Lindsay's head."
"You need not mind me, Drummond," Lindsay laughed. "I shall have achance, one of these days; but not a soul will grudge you yourpromotion. There were many of us who saw your charge; and I cantell you that it was the talk of the whole army, next day, and itwas thoroughly recognized that it saved the cavalry; for theircommander would certainly have taken them against the Austriansand, if he had, it is equally certain that none of them would havegot back again; and when your name appeared in orders the next day,we all felt that no one ever better deserved promotion."
"The king inquired especially, as soon as the list came, whetheryou were wounded, Fergus," Keith said; "and was very much pleasedwhen he heard that you were not.
"Now, let us hear how you come to be here."
The marshal laughed heartily, when Fergus told of his escape in thedisguise of an Austrian field officer.
"It was most admirably managed, Fergus," he said, when the tale wasfinished; "and your making for Vienna, instead of for the frontier,was a masterly stroke. Of course your finding a friend there wasmost fortunate; but even had you not done so, I have no doubt youwould have got through, somehow. I think the best idea of all wasyour taking the post horses, and then getting a fresh suit ofclothes from the postmaster.
"I am glad you ordered the major's suit of clothes to be sent backto him. I should have liked to have seen his face when he foundthat not only his uniform, but his prisoner, had disappeared.
"It will be a good story to tell the king. He has sore troublesenough on his shoulders, for the difficulties are thickening round;and although Frederick is a born general, he really loves peace,and quiet, and books, and the society of a few friends, far betterthan the turmoil into which we are plunged.
"The French are going to open the campaign, in the spring, with anarmy of a hundred thousand men. Russia will invade the eastfrontier with certainly as many more, perhaps a hundred and fiftythousand. They say these rascally Swedes, who have not a shadow ofquarrel against us, intend to land fifty thousand men in Pomerania;and that Austria will put two hundred and fifty thousand in thefield. Even tempered and self relying as the king is, all this isenough to drive him to despair; and anything that will interest himfor an hour, and make him forget his difficulties, is verywelcome."
The marshal asked many questions for, as he said, the king wouldlike to know all the ins and outs of the matter; and he knew thatFergus would much rather that the story should be told the king byanother, than that he should be called upon to do so.
"I hope the horse came back safely, Lindsay?" Fergus asked, as theyleft the marshal's apartments.
"Oh, yes! He went back with the convoy of wounded, and he is nowsafe in Keith's stable. The other is, of course, at the count's. Isent your things back at the same time, and when we returned here Ipacked everything up and sewed them in a sack. They are all in thestoreroom."
"What has become of Karl? Did he get safely back?"
"Yes; but he had a nasty sabre wound he got in the charge, and hewas in hospital for six weeks. The king gave him a handsomepresent, on the day after he came in; and would have given him acommission, if he would have taken it, but he declined altogether,saying that he was very comfortable as he was. His colonel wouldhave made him a sergeant at once, but he refused that also.
"Just at present he is still looking after your horse, and helpinggenerally in Keith's stable. His wound was on the head, and he isscarcely fit for duty with his regiment, so of course he will nowfall in to his place with you again."
Fergus went down to the stable, where he was received with thegreatest delight by Karl; whose pride in his master was great,after his exploit at Count Eulenfurst's, and had been heightened bythe feeling excited in the army at his having saved the cavalryfrom destruction.
"I thought that you would be back by the spring, Captain," he said."Donald and I have talked it over, many a time, and we were of onemind that, if any one could get away from an Austrian prison, youwould do it."