ake."

Frank thought he had heard the name before; but when, where, or how, he
could not remember. Other cares were, besides, too pressing upon him to
make him dwell on the subject, and he willingly addressed himself to the
more urgent duties of the moment.

The boat-house stood in no need of all Jekyl's apologies. Frank had
lodged in many inferior quarters since he had begun soldiering; there
were several excellent bedrooms, and a delightful little _salon_
which looked directly out upon the lake. Ravitzky, too, had rallied
considerably, and his wounds, although formidable from the loss of
blood, showed nothing likely to prove fatal. Jekyl pledged himself to
send a surgeon at once to him; and, adding all kinds of civil speeches
and offers of personal services, at last left the friends together to
exchange confidences.

"What are our hosts like, Dalton?" said the cadet

"_You_ would call them most patriotic, Ravitzky, for they would scarcely
give us shelter. Their only regret seemed that our friends yonder had
not done the work better, and finished off the rest of us."

"It is not pleasant to accept of an ungracious hospitality; but
I suppose that I, at least, shall not trouble them long. There 's
something hot goes on ebbing here that tells of internal bleeding; and
if so, a few hours ought to suffice."

Frank did his best to rally his poor comrade; but the task is a
difficult one with those whose fear of death is small.

"You'll have to write to Milan, Dalton," said he, suddenly.

"I should rather say, to hasten thither at once," said Frank. "I ought
to report myself as soon as possible."

"But you mustn't leave me, Dalton; I cannot part with you. A few hours
is not much to you; to me it is a life long. I want you also to write to
Walstein for me; he 'll take care to tell my mother."

Frank knew well the breach of discipline this compliance would entail,
and that he could scarcely be guilty of a graver offence against duty;
but Ravitzky clung to his wish with such pertinacity, throwing into the
entreaty all the eagerness of a last request, that Frank was obliged to
promise he would remain, and let the result take what shape it might.
While he, therefore, gave orders to his only unwounded comrade to hold
himself in readiness to set out for Milan by daybreak, he proceeded to
write the brief despatch which was to record his disaster. There are few
sadder passages in the life of a young soldier than that in whic