o get exchanges, but they would
not hear of it. In the first place, there is no doubt that the
king's action, in incorporating the Saxons with our army, has
caused a strong feeling against him; and in the second, they had
plenty of fortresses in which to stow their prisoners, while they
would calculate that the more prisoners we had to look after, the
fewer men they would have to fight.

"And now, tell me by what miracle you have got here. I have nothing
particular to do.

"Lindsay, you may as well stop and hear the story. Tell the
sergeant to call you out if any one in particular comes; to
everyone else, I am engaged.

"Or stay," he broke off, "they have just told me that luncheon is
ready in the next room. A story is always better told over a bottle
of wine, so tell the sergeant, Lindsay, that for the next hour I
can see no one, unless it is on very particular business.

"Now, in the first place, Captain Drummond.

"Oh, of course, you have not heard!" he broke off, in answer to
Fergus's look of surprise. "The king and I watched you charge
through that Austrian squadron, and when he saw you reach our
cavalry in safety, and they turned to come back, he ordered me at
once to make out your commission as captain. I ventured to object
that you were very young. He said you had saved half his cavalry,
and that he would promote you, if you were an infant in arms."

"It is really absurd, marshal. I shall feel downright ashamed to be
called captain by men still lieutenants, though a dozen years older
than I am. I fear I have gone over Lindsay's head."

"You need not mind me, Drummond," Lindsay laughed. "I shall have a
chance, one of these days; but not a soul will grudge you your
promotion. There were many of us who saw your charge; and I can
tell you that it was the talk of the whole army, next day, and it
was thoroughly recognized that it saved the cavalry; for their
commander would certainly have taken them against the Austrians
and, if he had, it is equally certain that none of them would have
got back again; and when your name appeared in orders the next day,
we all felt that no one ever better deserved promotion."

"The king inquired especially, as soon as the list came, whether
you were wounded, Fergus," Keith said; "and was very much pleased
when he heard that you were not.

"Now, let us hear how you come to be here."

The marshal laughed heartily, when Fergus told of his escape in the
disguise of an Austri