t these, alarmed by the din in the village and the sight of the
approaching figures, fired their muskets and fled. Dick uttered a low
exclamation.

"What is the matter, Dick? are you hit?"

"Yes," Dick said. "My arm is broken. Never mind, let us push on."

They leaped into a boat. Jack seized the sculls, the rope which
fastened them to the shore was cut, and with a last shout of farewell
to the count, they pulled off into the stream. For a few minutes the
sound of battle continued, and then suddenly died away, as Count
Stanislas, his object accomplished, drew off his men.

A few minutes' rowing brought the boat to the opposite bank. Here they
found Austrian sentries, who accosted them in German. As, however, the
Austrian Government offered no obstacle to Polish fugitives entering
the frontier, the lads were conducted to the officer of the troops at
the little village which faced that on the Russian bank. Here they
were questioned, first in Polish and then in German, but upon the boys
repeating the word "English," the officer, who spoke a little French,
addressed them in that language, and Dick explained that they were
English naval officers taken prisoners at Sebastopol, and making their
escape through Poland. He then asked if there was a surgeon who could
dress his wound, but was told that none was procurable nearer than a
town fifteen miles away. A country cart was speedily procured and
filled with straw, and upon this Dick lay down, while Jack took his
seat by the peasant who was to drive the cart.

It was eleven o'clock in the day when they entered the town, and the
peasant drew up, in accordance with the instructions he had received,
at the best hotel, the landlord of which was in no slight degree
surprised at such an arrival, and was disposed to refuse them
admittance. Jack, however, produced a bundle of Russian notes, at
which sight the landlord's hesitation vanished at once, and in half an
hour a surgeon stood by Dick's bedside dressing his wound. It was a
severe one, the bone being broken between the elbow and shoulder.

The next day Dick was in a state of high fever, due more to the
hardship and exposure through which he bad passed than to the wound,
and for a week lay between life and death. Then he began to mend, but
the doctor said that it would be long before he could use his arm
again, and that rest and quiet were absolutely necessary to restore
him.

A week later, therefore, the midshipmen left t