late in the afternoon, doctor kelly came in again to the cell.

"come along," he said; "i have got lave for you to have supper with me, and have given my pledge that you won't try to escape till it is over, or make any onslaught on the garrison, but will behave like a quiet and peaceable man."

"you are quite safe in giving the pledge, doctor," charlie laughed.

"come along then, me boy, for they were just dishing up when i came to fetch you. it is cold enough outside, and there is no sinse in putting cold victuals into one in such weather as this."

they were not long in reaching a snugly-furnished room, where a big fire was burning. another gentleman was standing, with his back to it. he was a man of some seven or eight and twenty, with large features, dark brown hair falling in natural curls over his ears, and large and powerful in build.

"this is my friend, charlie carstairs," the doctor said.

"this, carstairs, is peter michaeloff, a better doctor than most of those who mangle the czar's soldiers."

"things will better in time," the other said, "when your pupils begin to take their places in the army."

"i hope so," the doctor said, shrugging his shoulders. "there is one comfort, they can't be much worse."

at this moment a servant entered, bearing a bowl of soup and three basins. they at once seated themselves at the table.

"so you managed to get yourself captured yesterday," doctor michaeloff said to charlie. "i have not had the pleasure of seeing many of you gentlemen here."

"we don't come if we can help it," charlie laughed. "but the cossacks were so pressing, that i could not resist. in fact, i did not know anything about it, until i was well on the way."

"i hope they have made you comfortable," the other said, sharply.

"i can't say much for the food," charlie said, "and still less for the cell, which was bitterly cold. still, as the doctor gave me two rugs to wrap myself up in, i need not grumble."

"that is not right," the other said angrily. "i hear that the king of sweden treats our prisoners well.

"you should have remonstrated, kelly."

the irishman shrugged his shoulders.

"i ventured to hint to the general that i thought an officer had a right to better treatment, even if he were a prisoner, but i was told sharply to mind my own business, which was with the sick and wounded. i said, as the prisoner was wounded, i thought it was a matter that did come to some extent under my control."

"what did the pig say?"

"he grumbled something between his teeth, that i did not catch, and, as i thought the prisoner would not be kept there long, and was not unaccustomed to roughing it, it was not worthwhile pressing the matter further."

"have you heard that an officer has been here this afternoon, with a flag of truce, to treat for your exchange?" doctor michaeloff said, turning suddenly to charlie.

"no, i have not heard anything about it," charlie said.

"he offered a captain for you, which you may consider a high honour."

"it is, no doubt," charlie said, with a smile. "i suppose his majesty thought, as it was in his special service i was caught, he was bound to get me released, if he could."

"it was a hunting party, was it not?"

"yes. there was only the king with four of his officers there, and my company of foot, and fifty horse. i don't think i can call it an escort, for we went principally as beaters."

"rustoff missed a grand chance there, kelly.

"what regiment do you belong to?"

and he again turned to charlie.

"the malmoe regiment. the company is commanded by an english gentleman, who is a neighbour and great friend of my father. his son is an ensign, and my greatest friend. the men are all either scotch or english, but most of them scotch."

"they are good soldiers, the scotch; none better. there are a good many in the russian service, also in that of austria and france. they are always faithful, and to be relied upon, even when native troops prove treacherous. and you like charles of sweden?"

"there is not a soldier in his army but likes him," charlie said enthusiastically. "he expects us to do much, but he does more himself. all through the winter, he did everything in his power for us, riding long distances from 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 ground, just as they do. and as for his bravery, he exposes his life recklessly--too recklessly, we all think--and it seemed a miracle that, always in the front as he was, he should have got through narva without a scratch."

"yes, that was a bad bit of business, that narva," the other said thoughtfully. "why do you think we were beaten in the horrible way we were?--because the russians are no cowards."

"no; they made a gallant stand when they recovered from their surprise," charlie agreed. "but in the first place, they were taken by surprise."

"they ought not to have been," the doctor said angrily. "they had news, two days before, brought by the cavalry, who ought to have defended that pass, but didn't."

"still, it was a surprise when we attacked," charlie said, "for they could not suppose that the small body they saw were going to assail them. then, we had the cover of that snowstorm, and they did not see us, until we reached the edge of the ditch. of course, your general ought to have made proper dispositions, and to have collected 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 had been given. the general was one of the first we captured. the others waited for the orders that never came, until it was too late. if the general who commanded on the left had massed his troops, and marched against us as we were attacking the position they held on their right, we should have been caught between two fires."

"it was a badly managed business, altogether," doctor michaeloff growled; "but we shall do better next time. we shall understand charles's tactics better. we reckoned on his troops, but we did not reckon on him.

"kelly tells me that you would not care to change service."

"my friends are in the swedish army, and i am well satisfied with the service. i daresay, if russia had been nearer england than sweden is, and we had landed there first, we should have been as glad to enter the service of the czar 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 opinion on it, though, as far as i am concerned, it seems to me that it was not a fair thing for russia to take advantage of sweden's being at war with denmark and augustus of saxony, to fall upon her without any cause of quarrel."

"nations move less by morality than interest," doctor michaeloff said calmly. "russia wants a way to the sea--the turks cut her off to the south, 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 that it is the excuse of the poor man who robs the rich, but it is human nature, and nations act, in the long run, a good deal like individuals."

"but you have not told me yet, doctor," charlie said, turning the conversation, "whether the proposal for an exchange was accepted."

"the general had no power to accept it, carstairs. it had to be referred to the czar himself."

"i wish his majesty could see me, then," charlie laughed. "he would see that i am but a lad, and that my release would not greatly strengthen the swedish army."

"but then the czar may be of opinion that none of his officers, who allowed themselves to be captured by a handful of men at narva, would be of any use to him," doctor michaeloff laughed.

"that may, doubtless, be said of a good many among them," charlie said, "but, individually, none of the captains could be blamed for the mess they made of it."

"perhaps not, but if all the men had been panic stricken, there were officers enough to have gathered together and cut their way through the swedes."

"no doubt there were; but you must remember, doctor michaeloff, that an officer's place is with his company, and that it is his duty to think of his men, before thinking of himself. supposing all the officers of the 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 not have given orders for the left wing to attack the swedes? they were strong enough still to have eaten us up, had they made the effort, and had the czar been there in person, i will warrant he would have tried it."

"that he would," doctor michaeloff said warmly. "you are right there, young sir. the czar may not be a soldier, but at least he is a man, which is more than can be said for the officer who ordered sixty thousand men to lay down their arms to eight thousand."

"i am sure of that," charlie said. "a man who would do as he has done, leave his kingdom, and work like a common man in dockyards, to learn how to build ships, and who rules his people as he does, must be a great man. i don't suppose he would do for us in 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 englishmen, we have no prejudices against him. we think him wrong for entering upon this war against sweden, but we all consider him a wonderful fellow, just the sort of fellow one would be proud to serve under, if we did not serve under charles of sweden.

"well, doctor kelly, when do you think the czar will be here?"

the doctor did not reply, but michaeloff said quietly:

"he arrived this afternoon."

"he did!" charlie exclaimed excitedly.

"why did you not tell me before, doctor kelly? has he been asked about my exchange, and is the swedish officer still here?"

"he is here, and you will be exchanged in the morning.

"i have other things to see about now, and must say goodnight; and if you should ever fall into the hands of our people again, and doctor kelly does not happen to be near, ask for peter michaeloff, and he will do all he can for you."

"then i am really to be exchanged tomorrow, doctor?" charlie said, as doctor michaeloff left the room.

"it seems like it."

"but did not you know?"

"no, i had heard nothing for certain. i knew the czar had come, but i had not heard of his decision. i congratulate you."

"it is a piece of luck," charlie said. "i thought it might be months before there was an exchange. it is very good of the king to send over so quickly."

"yes; and of the czar to let you go."

"well, i don't see much in that, doctor, considering that he gets a captain in exchange for me; still, of course, he might have refused. it would not have been civil, but he might have done it."

"what did you think of my friend, charlie?"

"i like him. he has a pleasant face, though i should think he has got a temper of his own. he has a splendid figure, and looks more like a fighting 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, and you did not happen to be with the army. it is always nice having a friend. look at the difference it has made to me, finding a countryman here."

"yes, you may find it useful, carstairs; and he has a good deal of influence. still, i think it probable that if you ever should get into a scrape again, you will be able to get tidings of me, for i am likely to be with the advanced division of our army, wherever it is, as i am in charge of its hospitals.

"you had better turn in now, for i suppose you will be starting early, and i have two or three patients i must visit again before i go to bed. this is your room, next to mine. i managed, after all, to get it changed."

"that is very good of you, doctor, but it really would not have mattered a bit for one night. it does look snug and warm, with that great fire."

"yes, the stoves are the one thing i don't like in russia. i like to see a blazing fire, and the first thing i do, when i get into fresh 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, and as my rank is that of a colonel, i was able to get them, and it is handy, if a friend comes to see me, to have a room for him."

an hour later, just as charlie was dozing off to sleep, the doctor put his head in to the door.

"you are to start at daybreak, carstairs. my servant will call you an hour before that. i shall be up. i must put a fresh bandage on your head before you start."

"thank you very much, doctor. i am sorry to get you up so early."

"that is nothing. i am accustomed to work at all hours. good night."

at eight o'clock, having had a bowl of broth, charlie descended to the courtyard in charge of an officer and two soldiers, the doctor accompanying him. here he found a swedish officer belonging to the king's personal staff. the russian handed the lad formally over to his charge, saying:

"by the orders of the czar, i now exchange ensign carstairs for captain potoff, whom you, on your part, engage to send off at once."

"i do," the swede said; "that is, i engage that he shall be sent off, as soon as he can be fetched from revel, where he is now interned, and shall be safely delivered under an escort; and that if, either by death, illness, or escape, i should not be able to hand him over, i will return another officer of the same rank."

"i have the czar's commands," the russian went on, "to express his regret that, owing to a mistake on the part of the officer commanding here, ensign carstairs has not received such worthy treatment as the czar would have desired for him, but he has given stringent orders that, in future, any swedish officers who may be taken prisoners shall receive every comfort and hospitality that can be shown them."

"goodbye, doctor kelly," charlie said, as he mounted his horse, which had been saddled in readiness for him. "i am greatly obliged to you for your very great kindness to me, and hope that i may some day have an opportunity of repaying it."

"i hope not, carstairs. i trust that we may meet again, but hope that i sha'n't be in the position of a prisoner. however, strange things have happened already in this war, and there is no saying how fortune may go. goodbye, and a pleasant journey."

a russian officer took his place by the side of the swede, and an escort of twenty troopers rode behind them, as they trotted out through the gate of the convent.

"it was very kind of the king to send for me," charlie said to the swede, "and i am really sorry that you should have had so long a ride on my account, captain pradovich."

"as to that, it is a trifle," the officer said. "if i had not been riding here, i should be riding with the king elsewhere, so that i am none the worse. but, in truth, i am glad i 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 whom he seems to bear no sort of malice for the defeat we inflicted on him at narva. he spoke of it himself, and said, 'you will see that, some day, we shall turn the tables upon you.'

"the king will be pleased when i return with you, for we all feared that you might be very badly hurt. all that we knew was that some 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, questions were asked of some of our own men, and some wounded russians, who were lying near the spot where you had been seen to fall.

"our men had seen nothing, for, as the russians closed in behind your company as it advanced, they had shut their eyes and lay as if dead, fearing that they might be run through, as they lay, by the cossack lances. the russians, 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 the russians would assuredly not have troubled to carry off a dead body. his majesty interested himself very much in the matter, and yesterday morning sent me off to inquire if you were alive, and if so, to propose an exchange.

"i was much pleased, when i reached plescow yesterday, to learn that your wound is not a serious one. i saw the doctor, who, i found, was a countryman of yours, and he assured me that it was nothing, and made some joke that i did not understand about the thickness of north country skulls.

"the czar arrived in the afternoon, but i did not see him until late in the evening, when i was sent for. i found him with the general in command, and several other officers, 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 have struck him. he told him that he had disgraced the russian name, by not treating you with proper hospitality, and especially by placing you in a miserable cell without a fire.

"'what will the king of sweden think?' he said. 'he treats his prisoners with kindness and courtesy, and after narva gave them a banquet, at which he himself was present. the duke of croy writes to me, to say he is treated as an honoured 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 barbarians. you are released from your command, and will at once proceed to moscow and report yourself there, when a post will be assigned to you where you will have no opportunity of showing yourself ignorant of the laws of courtesy.

"'doctor,' he went on, 'you will remember that all prisoners, officers and men, will be henceforth under the charge of the medical department, and that you have full authority to make such arrangements as you may think necessary for their comfort and honourable treatment. i will not have russia made a byword among civilized peoples.'

"then he dismissed the rest of them, and afterwards sat down and chatted with me, just as if we had been of the same rank, puffing a pipe furiously, and drinking amazing quantities of wine. indeed, my head 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 unmoved by the quantity he had drank. i have no doubt he summoned me especially to hear his rebuke to the general, so that i could take word to the king how earnest he was, in his regrets for your treatment."

"there was nothing much to complain of," charlie said; "and, indeed, the cell was a palace after the miserable huts in which we have passed the winter. i am glad, however, the czar gave the general 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 certainly take good care of them. as to my wound, it is of little consequence. it fell on my steel cap, and i think i was stunned by its force, rather than rendered insensible by the cut itself."

after three hours' riding they came to a village. as soon as they were seen approaching, there was a stir there. a man riding ahead waved the white flag that he carried, and, when they entered the village, they found a party of fifty swedish cavalry in the saddle.

the russian escort, as soon as the swedish officer and charlie had joined their friends, turned and rode off. a meal was in readiness, and when charlie, who was still feeling somewhat weak from the effects of his wound, had partaken of it, the party proceeded on their way, and rode into marienburg before nightfall.

two or three miles outside the town, they met harry jervoise. two soldiers had been sent on at full speed, directly charlie reached the village, to report that he had arrived there and was not seriously wounded, and, knowing about the time they would arrive, harry had ridden out to meet his friend.

"you are looking white," he said, after the first hearty greeting.

"i am feeling desperately tired, harry. the wound is of no consequence, but i lost a good deal of blood, and it is as much as i can do to keep my saddle, though we have been coming on quietly on purpose. however, i shall soon be all right again, and i need hardly say that i am heartily glad to be back."

"we have all been in a great way about you, charlie, for we made sure that you were very badly wounded. i can tell you, it was a relief when the men rode in three 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 told them the news. cunningham and forbes would have ridden out with me; but cunningham is on duty, and forbes thought that we should like to have a chat together."

on his arrival, charlie was heartily welcomed by captain jervoise and the men of the company, who cheered lustily as he rode up.

"you are to go and see the king at once," captain jervoise said as he dismounted. "i believe he wants to hear, especially, how you were treated. make the best of it you can, lad. there is no occasion for the feeling of charles against the russians being embittered."

"i understand," charlie said. "i will make things as smooth as i can."

he walked quickly to the little house where the king had taken up his quarters. there was no sentry at the door, or other sign that the house contained an occupant of special rank. he knocked at the door, and hearing a shout of "enter," opened it and went in.

"ah, my young ensign; is it you?" the king said, rising from a low settle on which he was sitting by the fire, talking with colonel schlippenbach.

"hurt somewhat, i see, but not badly, i hope. i was sure that you would not have been taken prisoner, unless you had been injured."

"i was cut down by a blow that clove my helmet, your majesty, and stunned me for some time; but, beyond making a somewhat long gash on my skull, it did me no great harm."

"that speaks well for the thickness of your skull, lad, and i am heartily glad it is no worse. now, tell me, how did they treat you?"

"it was a somewhat rough cell into which i was thrown, sir, but i was most kindly tended by an irish doctor high in the czar's service, and, when the czar himself arrived, and learned that i had not been lodged as well as he thought necessary, 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 bedroom was assigned to me next to his. i heard that the czar spoke in terms of the warmest appreciation of your treatment of your prisoners, and said that any of your officers who fell into his hands should be treated with equal courtesy."

charles looked gratified.

"i am glad to hear it," he said. "in the field, if necessary, blood must flow like water, but there is no reason why we should not behave towards each other with courtesy, when the fighting is over. you know nothing of the force there, at present?"

"no, sir, i heard nothing. i did not exchange a word with anyone, save the doctor and another medical man; and as the former treated me as a friend, rather than as an enemy, i did not deem it right to question him, and, had i done so, i am sure that he would have given me no answer."

"well, you can return to your quarters, sir. your company did me good service in that fight, and colonel schlippenbach did not speak in any way too warmly in their favour. i would that i had more of these brave englishmen and scotchmen in my service."

charlie's head, however, was not as hard as he had believed it to be; and the long ride brought on inflammation of the wound, so that, on the following morning, he was 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 sorely pulled down, and unfit to bear the hardships of a campaign; and it was settled that he should go down with the next convoy to revel, and thence take ship for sweden.

he was so weak, that although very sorry to leave the army just as spring was commencing, he himself felt that he should be unable to support the fatigues of the campaign, until he had had entire rest and change. a few hours after the decision of the surgeon had been given, major jamieson and captain jervoise entered the room where he was sitting, propped up by pillows.

"i have a bit of news that will please you, charlie. the king sent for the major this morning, and told him that he intended to increase our company to a regiment, if he could do so. he had heard that a considerable number of scotchmen and englishmen had come 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 endurance, that he had decided to convert it into a regiment. he said he was sorry to lose its services for a time; but, as we lost twenty men in the fight, and have some fifteen still too disabled to take their places in the ranks, this was of the less importance.

"so we are all going to march down to revel with you. major jamieson is appointed colonel, and i am promoted to be major. the king himself directed that cunningham and forbes shall have commissions as captains, 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-commissioned officers, to drill the new recruits. the king has been good enough, at colonel jamieson's request, to say that, as soon as the regiment is raised and organized, it shall be sent up to the front."

"that is good news, indeed," charlie said, with more animation than he had evinced since his illness. "i have been so accustomed to be attended to, in every way, that i was quite 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 regiment. we only were a week in getting the company together, and, if they have been refusing to accept the services of our people, there must be numbers of them at gottenburg."

early on the following morning, charlie and the men unable to march were placed in waggons, and the company started on its march to revel. it was a heavy journey, for the frost had broken 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 day to start for sweden. orders from the king had already been received that the company was to be conveyed direct to gottenburg, and they entered the port on the fifth day after sailing.

the change, the sea air, and the prospect of seeing his father again greatly benefited charlie, and, while the company was marched to a large building assigned to their use, he was able to make his way on foot to his father's, assisted by his soldier servant, jock armstrong.

"why, charlie," sir marmaduke carstairs exclaimed as he entered, "who would have thought of seeing you? you are looking ill, lad; ill and weak. what has happened to you?"

charlie briefly related the events that had brought about his return to gottenburg, of which sir marmaduke was entirely ignorant. postal communications were rare and uncertain, and captain jervoise had not taken advantage of the one opportunity that offered, after charlie had been wounded, thinking it better to delay till the lad could write and give a good account of himself.

"so jervoise, and his son, and that good fellow jamieson are all back again? that is good news, charlie; and you have been promoted? that is capital too, after only a year in the service. and you have been wounded, and a prisoner among the russians? you have had adventures, 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 contained none of your names. i would have given a limb to have taken part in that wonderful battle. when you get as old as i am, my boy, you will feel a pride in telling how you fought at narva, and helped to destroy an entire russian army with the odds ten to one against you.

"of course, you will stay here with me. i suppose you have leave at present?"

"yes, father, colonel jamieson told me that my first duty was to get strong and well again, and that i was to think of no other until i had performed that. and how have you been getting on, father?"

"very well, lad. i don't pretend that it is not a great change from lynnwood, but i get along very well, and thank heaven, daily, that for so many years i had set aside a portion of my rents, little thinking 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 scotch exiles, i have as much society as i care for, and as i find i am able to keep a horse--for living here is not more than half the cost that it would be in england--i am well enough contented with my lot.

"there is but one thing that pricks me. that villain john dormay has, as he schemed for, obtained possession of my estates, and has been knighted for his distinguished services to the king. i heard of this some time since, by a letter from one of our jacobite friends to whom i wrote, asking for news. he says that the new knight has no great cause for enjoyment in his dignity and possessions, because, not only do the jacobite gentry 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, they say, a shadow of her former self. ciceley, he hears, is well. that cub of a son is in london, and there are reports that he is very wild, and puts his father to much cost. as to the man himself, they say he is surrounded by the lowest knaves, and it is rumoured that he has taken to drink for want of better company. it is some comfort to me to think that, although the villain has my estates, he is getting no enjoyment out of them.

"however, i hope some day to have a reckoning with him. the stuarts must come to their own, sooner or later. until then i am content to rest quietly here in sweden."