laid open, with a sword bayonet, just as I was cutting down the man
I had seen shoot my master. I was carried to the rear, but the
surgeon had gone on; and my wound stopped of itself and, when I
reached the hospital, the doctors were so busy that I asked leave
to go, and see if I could find my master."

"Where are the ambulances now?" one of the officers asked, as they
turned to ride off.

"Over in that direction. Look, sir, there are some of the
searchers, with lanterns. They will direct you, at once."

"Thanks," the officer said, riding off; "good luck in your search."

Ralph had noticed a cottage, standing by itself at the edge of a
wood, at some little distance from the bivouac of the night of the
30th of November; and had stopped for a moment, and asked a few
questions of the woman who lived there. She had appeared a
kind-hearted woman, full of hatred for the invader; and had two
sons in the Mobiles, who had marched north when Paris was first
threatened, and who were now besieged there. For this cottage Ralph
determined to make, in order--if the owners would receive him--to
take shelter in the house; otherwise, to find a refuge in the wood,
itself, where he doubted not that they would assist him to lie hid
for a few days. He had no great fear of a very active search being
made for fugitives, at present, as the Prussians had only driven
back two divisions of the French army; and had, Ralph believed,
plenty of work on their hands, for some time.

It was fortunate for Ralph that he had studied the ground so
carefully; for he soon came upon the road, and the stars--which
were shining brightly--gave him his direction and bearings. The
battle had extended over the whole of this ground. Many times Ralph
could hear groans; and saw, in places, dark forms thickly scattered
over the ground--showing where a stand had been made, or where a
regiment had lain exposed, for hours, to an artillery fire.

The distance was considerable to the place Ralph had marked out for
himself. Eight miles, at least, he thought; for it was away behind
what had, two days before, been Chanzy's left. It was, in Ralph's
state of feebleness, a very long journey. Over and over again, he
had to sit down and rest. He did not feel the cold, now; the fur
coat, and the exertion of walking, kept his body in a glow. He took
great pains, however, not to exert himself, so as to make himself
too hot; as he feared that his wound might break out, if he did