ve struck down his general, fell on his own presumptuous arm, nearly
severing it from his shoulder. But on the instant, the white-plumed
hero wheeled, with his avenging sword uplifted, and the next thing the
drummer-boy saw, as he lay bleeding on the ground, was a great black
horse dashing riderless away.

General Murat saw at once the great service Leopold had done him, and
all that the daring act had cost the poor lad. He paused there, and
stood guard over the boy, till he had seen him carefully removed to the
rear. Then with his sword in one hand, a pistol in the other, and the
bridle in his teeth, he dashed forward again in a last wild, tremendous
charge, which carried the day for the French.

The next morning, Leopold found himself an inmate of the crowded
hospital, surrounded with the wounded and the maimed, the fevered and
the dying. But he was especially well cared for, at the command of
General Murat, to whose interest perhaps it was owing that his arm was
saved, as at first the surgeons were for taking it off, and so making
an end of a troublesome job. But with skilful treatment, aided by the
lad's youth, good habits, and patience, the great wound healed at last.

One day, while Leopold yet lay on his cot, forbidden to stir, and
feeling very lonely and homesick, the dreary hospital was illuminated
by the entrance of General Murat, accompanied by his beautiful young
wife, who was a sister of General Bonaparte. After bowing graciously
to the other patients, they came to the little drummer-boy. The
General inquired kindly after his wound, and Madame Murat thanked him
in the sweetest manner for saving the life of her husband.

"Glory gives you a rough hand-shake at first, eh, my lad? But, never
mind; it is a brusque way she has," said the General, smiling.

"I am thankful that she did not shake my hand off altogether, my
General," replied Leopold. "I fear as it is, 't will be long ere I can
hope to help drum the way to another victory."

"Ah, well, my child, when you get strong enough to handle the
drum-sticks, we may find better work for you. We shall see. Adieu!"

"Adieu, my General! Adieu, Madame!"

Well, when Leopold applied for his old position in his regiment, he was
informed by his Colonel that he was to be sent to the Polytechnic, a
military school in Paris, to be educated for a cavalry officer, under
the patronage of General Murat. This was a great up-lift in life for a
poor peasant-b