e--that voice which had so often inspired them to
bold deeds in the wild whirl of battle, but whose tones were now mild
and sympathetic.

"The king!" cried both in joyful surprise, and forgetting their wounds
and helplessness, they strove to rise, but sank back with hollow groans,
with the blood streaming anew from their wounds.

"Poor children," said Frederick, "you are badly wounded."

"Yes," groaned Lieutenant von Grabow, "badly wounded, but that is of
small consequence, if, your majesty, we only knew that we had gained the
day. We had taken two redoubts, and were storming the third, when this
misfortune befell us. Tell us, your majesty, is it not true? Is not the
victory ours?"

A dark shadow passed over the face of the king, but soon disappeared.

"You must now think only of yourselves. You have proved that you are
brave--the rest is accident or fate. Do not despond, all will be well.
Have your wounds been dressed? Have you been fed?"

"Ah, sire, no devil will dress our wounds," groaned Lieutenant von
Hubenfall.

"How," cried the king, "have they left you here without care and
assistance?"

"Yes, sire, there is no earthly hope for us."

The king was about to answer, when several people, bearing hand-barrows,
accompanied by a surgeon, entered.

"What do you wish?" said the king, angrily.

"Sire," answered the surgeon, "we will remove the wounded, as your
majesty will make your night-quarters here."

The king threw a scornful glance upon them.

"And you suppose that I will allow this? The wounded men remain here. I
will seek shelter elsewhere. But, above all things, examine the wounds
of these two officers at once, and dress them."

The surgeon advanced, and examined them carefully, then drew near the
king.

"Your majesty," said he, shrugging his shoulders, "it would be all in
vain. A cannon-ball has torn off the right arm of one of these men, and
he must die of gangrene. The other has a cartridge-load of iron in his
face and in his body. It is impossible to bind up these wounds."

The king did not answer him. He stepped hastily to the straw-bed, and
took both the wounded men by the hand. Then, turning to the surgeon, he
said--

"Look, now, these two men are young and powerful--they have no fever.
With such young blood and fresh hearts Nature often does wonders. Dress
them, and bind up their wounds, and, above all things, see that they
have nourishment--they have need of it."

"Ah, yes, your m