unity offers!

It had occurred to Lancey, when the Russians had arrived, that it would
be well for him to descend and join these troops, so as to get out of
his present predicament; but, remembering that he had actually accepted
service with the Turks, and that, being clothed in a semi-Turkish
costume, he might be taken for a spy, he resolved to remain where he
was. The riot in the village after the Russian column had left
confirmed him in his intention to remain quiet.

"Your wisest plan, Jacob," he soliloquised, "is to 'old on and bide your
time. Don't 'urry yourself on any account."

Scarcely had he made this resolve when, looking through his hole of
observation, he observed a body of spearmen galloping along the road
that led to the village. The inhabitants also observed them with some
anxiety, for by that time they had come to know the difference between
regular and irregular troops.

The horsemen proved to be Cossacks. The Bulgarians, of course, regarded
them as friends. They formed a portion of the army of deliverers from
Turkish misrule. As such they were received with cheers. The cheers
were returned heartily--in some cases mingled with laughter--by the gay
cavaliers, who had also come to make "requisitions." Their mode of
proceeding, however, was quite different from that of their "regular"
brethren. Leaping from their saddles, they set about the business
without delay. Some went to the fields and cut grain for fodder.
Others entered the houses and carried off victuals and wine, while many
chased and caught pigs and poultry.

They were evidently in a hurry. So much so, that they had no time to
put off in making payment! It was obviously to be regarded as an
outstanding debt against them by the villagers. As the rear-guard
passed out of the place, the corporal in command observed a fat young
pig in the middle of a by-road. He turned aside sharply, charged,
picked the pig neatly up on the point of his lance, and galloped after
his friends, accompanied by a tune that would have done credit to a
Scotch bagpipe.

All this did Lancey see from his secret point of observation, and deeply
did his philosophic mind moralise on what he saw.

The village in which he had sought shelter was in the very heart of the
district swept by the wave of war. The panorama of incidents commenced
to move again at an early hour.

When morning light had just begun to conquer night, Lancey was once more
awakened fr