like
to hear a story of a good fight."

"I believe you would rather tell one," replied Hal.

Alexis looked very much crestfallen.

"Do you think I made that up?" he asked in consternation. "Why, I can
tell you of other fights I have had that----"

"I don't doubt it at all," said Hal. "I am willing to admit that you can
draw the long bow to the Queen's taste."

"Draw the long bow?" repeated Alexis, puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"It wouldn't do for me to tell you," replied Hal chuckling to himself.
"Ask someone else."

Alexis turned to Chester.

"Do you know what he means? Will you tell me?" he asked.

"Yes, I know what he means," replied Chester, laughing, "and I believe
he is right. However, it wouldn't do for me to tell you either. You must
ask someone else."

Alexis turned to the man on his right, and repeated his question. The
man acknowledged he knew no more what the expression meant than Alexis
himself.

Alexis accosted several other officers, but with no better luck. He
turned to Hal aggrieved.

"You should not have said that unless you tell me what you mean," he
said.

"Ask Colonel Bluekoff, perhaps he may tell you," said Hal.

Alexis approached the Colonel.

"What is it, sir?" asked the latter.

"Colonel," said Alexis, saluting, "can you tell me what drawing the long
bow means?"

The colonel looked at him in amazement. Then he said sternly:

"Get back to your place, sir. This is no time for joking."

Alexis returned to his place.

"Did he tell you?" asked Hal.

"No," replied Alexis, "but I'll find out, if I have to put off killing
one of my enemies to ask him about it."

CHAPTER IV.

LODZ.

There came a sudden command from Colonel Bluekoff, and the regiment to
which Hal and Chester were attached galloped forward. The advance guard
could be seen falling back, firing as they retreated upon the main body
of cavalry. They had encountered a force of the enemy.

With Colonel Bluekoff leading, his sword whirling about his head, the
troop dashed forward at a charge. As they went by, the retreating
advance guard reformed and also dashed forward with them. From ahead
came several puffs of smoke and the cracking of rifles, and here and
there a man fell to the ground. But the rest dashed on.

The Cossacks did not fire a shot and soon the enemy had disappeared in
the distance.

"A reconnoitering force that must have gotten around Lodz in some way,"
Colonel Bluekoff told his offic