least consequence, except a letter to Francezka, sealed and
addressed. Of this I took possession.

By nine o'clock in the morning, Count Saxe sent me across the river
with a flag of truce, to Prince Eugene's headquarters, to arrange for
the exchange of Lieutenant Brohl for Gaston Cheverny. I was instructed
to waive the required number of common men to make up the difference
in rank, if that point were raised.

On reaching the Austrian lines, I was politely escorted to headquarters,
where Prince Eugene, that little great man, that mighty hunchback,
received me courteously. I handed him Count Saxe's letter and he took
off his hat while reading it. He then said to me:

"Nothing has been heard of the expedition since it left last night. We
feared the whole party had been captured."

This was surprising, but Prince Eugene suggested, as the most probable
event, that, in the rain and darkness, the boat had been carried down
the river, and it might yet be some hours before it was heard of. It
was arranged that at the first information on either side, we should
communicate with each other.

I returned to our own side of the river, a little puzzled, but in no
way alarmed at the disappearance of the party, for so fate blinds us
when she is about to deliver her heaviest strokes. But search was made
in good earnest. Within twenty-four hours every man of the party was
accounted for, except Gaston Cheverny. As Prince Eugene had surmised,
the boat had drifted a long distance down the river in the darkness,
with the wind and tide both urging it on. At daylight an attempt was
made to land on the Austrian side where there was an outpost, and
before the character of the expedition was found out, several shots
were fired on the boat and a bullet made a slight wound in Gaston
Cheverny's head. Their greatest danger came after they were
recognized, for in attempting to land, the boat had been upset, and
every man in it narrowly escaped drowning. All had been saved,
however, and three of the Austrians declared that they had seen Gaston
Cheverny after they reached the shore. But beyond that, no one could
tell anything. They had found out he was not Count Saxe, and in the
confusion of the boat's upsetting, and the struggle for their own
lives, they had lost sight of their prisoner. This was perfectly
satisfactory to us for a time. We supposed that Gaston, seeing his
chance, had quietly walked away from his captors. We expected him
every day