ey were but thirty yards away when they perceived the little
cluster of men with levelled lances. A few, unable to check their
horses, rushed upon the points, but most of them reined in their
little steeds in time. In a moment, the Swedes were surrounded by a
wall of yelling horsemen, some of whom tried to break through the
hedge of spears, while others discharged their pistols.

Charlie listened anxiously for the roll of a volley of musketry,
but no sound came, and he felt sure that the whole body of cavalry
had halted round him, and that his movement had saved the rest, who
would now, if fortunate, be able to make their way off in the
darkness. But the men were falling now from the pistol fire of the
Cossacks, and, feeling that the work had been done, he determined
to make one effort to save the men with him.

"Level your spears, and charge through them shoulder to shoulder,"
he said. "It is your only chance. Once through, throw away your
spears, and break up in the darkness. Most of you may escape.

"Now!"

With a shout, the Swedes rushed forward in a body. Horses and
riders went down before them. There was a rush from behind. Charlie
shouted to the rear rank, to face about, but in the confusion and
din his words were unheard. There was a brief struggle in the
darkness. Charlie emptied his pistols, and cut down more than one
of his opponents, then a sword fell on his shoulder, while at the
same moment he was ridden over by a Cossack, and was stunned by the
force of his fall.

When he recovered consciousness, several men with torches were
moving about him, and, at the orders of an officer, were examining
the bodies of the fallen. He saw them pass their swords through the
bodies of three of his own men, who were lying near him, and as
they came up to him he closed his eyes, expecting a similar fate.

"This is an officer, captain," one of the torch bearers said in
Russian.

"Very well. Carry him to the camp, then. If he is alive, the
general may want to question him."

Seeing that he breathed, four of the Russian soldiers took him upon
their shoulders, and carried him away. The pain of his wound,
caused by the movement, was acute, but he retained consciousness
until, after what seemed to him a journey of immense length, he was
again laid down on the ground, close to a large fire. Several
officers stood round him, and he asked, first in Polish and then in
Swedish, for water, and at the orders of one who seemed