sts. I
left my horse in a wood, and my peasant guided me by bypaths to the
town. I did not exchange a word with anyone, except the landlord of
the hotel where I breakfasted. He was bitterly hostile to the
enemy.

"I also spoke to a solitary French vidette who had, in the hurry of
their retreat, been left behind; and told him that he had best be
off, as the whole army was in full march for the west."

"Well, if you breakfasted at six this morning, you must be hungry.
My dinner will be ready in half an hour, and you had better share
it with me. I must go now, and tell the king the news that you have
brought. I said nothing to him about my having sent you."

In twenty minutes the marshal returned.

"The king wishes to see you, Fergus. Of course he is vexed, but he
always takes bad news well, unless it is the result of the blunder
of one of the officers. He does not say much, even then; but it is
very bad for that officer when he sees him. Frederick never
forgives a blunder."

"Well, Captain Drummond, so you have been playing the spy for us?"

"I have been doing my best, your majesty."

"And the French are gone, bag and baggage?"

"Yes, sire, they have gone off west."

"To perch themselves somewhere among the mountains, I suppose.
Perhaps they will get bolder, presently, when they hear that they
are more than double my strength. Did you learn anything more than
what Marshal Keith has told me?"

"I heard a great deal of talk among a party of French
non-commissioned officers, sire. They expressed great
dissatisfaction with their general, and at the long delays. They
also spoke with absolute contempt of the Confederacy army, both
officers and men; and said that, if it had not been for the
drilling by the Austrian non-commissioned officers, they would be
nothing better than a rabble."

"I daresay Soubise is of the same opinion," the king said, "and
wants them to have a few weeks' more drill before he sets them in
line of battle. However, I have no doubt we shall manage to bring
him to book, before we return.

"Well, I am obliged to you for your zeal, Captain Drummond; and
although Keith tells me that you got in without being questioned,
such business is always dangerous. Mayhap next time you will have a
better opportunity for distinguishing yourself. As you managed to
pass so freely among them, after you made your escape from prison,
you can clearly be trusted on work of this kind."

Fergus saluted, and retir