a small house, just outside the town, and,
having met two or three old friends, who had been obliged to leave
England at William's accession, he already began to feel at home.

"Don't you fidget about me, Charlie," he said. "Ferrers tells me
that there are at least a score of Jacobites here, and that they
form quite a society among themselves. Living is very cheap, and he
will introduce me to a man of business, who will see that my money
is well invested."

Chapter 5: Narva.

For the next fortnight, drilling went on from morning till night,
the officers receiving instructions privately from the sergeants,
and further learning the words of command by standing by while the
men were being drilled. At the end of that time, both officers and
men were sufficiently instructed to carry out the simple movements
which were, alone, in use in those days.

It was not, however, until two months later that they were called
upon to act. The English and Dutch fleets had arrived, and effected
a junction with that of Sweden, and the Danish fleet had shut
themselves up in the port of Copenhagen, which was closely
blockaded. A large army had crossed to Zeeland, and repulsed the
Danes, who had endeavoured to prevent their landing, and had then
marched up to within sight of the walls of Copenhagen, which they
were preparing to besiege; when the King of Denmark, alarmed at
this unexpected result of his aggression on Holstein, conceded
every point demanded, and peace was signed.

The negotiations were carried on in Holland, and the Swedes were
extremely angry, when they found that they were baulked of their
expected vengeance on their troublesome neighbours. The peace,
however, left Charles the Twelfth at liberty to turn his attention
to his other foes, and to hurry to the assistance of Riga, which
was beleaguered by the Saxons and Poles; and of Narva, against
which city the Russians had made several unsuccessful assaults.

Without losing an hour, the king crossed to Malmoe. The troops
there were ordered to embark, immediately, in the vessels in the
harbour. They then sailed to Revel, where the Swedish commander,
Welling, had retired from the neighbourhood of Riga, his force
being too small to meet the enemy in the open field.

No sooner had the troops landed than the king reviewed them, and
General Welling was ordered, at once, to march so as to place
himself between the enemy and Wesenberg, where a large amount of
provisions a