royal
quarters, and had to recount the story of his adventures in full to
the king, who was highly interested in them, and at the conclusion
requested him to introduce Count John Staroski, in order that he
might express to him his obligation for the service he had rendered
to one of his officers. This done, Charlie drove out with the count
to the village where Colonel Jamieson's regiment was quartered, and
where his return was received with delight by Harry, and with great
pleasure by Major Jervoise and his fellow officers. He was obliged
to give a short outline of what he had been doing since he left,
but put off going into details for a future occasion.

"And are you coming back to us now, Charlie?" Harry asked.

"Certainly. My success in the diplomatic way was not sufficiently
marked for them to be likely to employ me in that line again. We
must return this afternoon, as the king has invited us both to sup
with him tonight."

Two days later, Count John Staroski started upon his return
journey, much pleased with the reception he had met with from the
King of Sweden, and determined to work vigorously, among the nobles
of his acquaintance, to bring about the dethronement of Augustus of
Saxony. Charlie had already seen Count Piper, who had told him
that, although the king and himself were both well satisfied with
the work he had done, there was not at present any mission of the
same sort on which he could be employed. Indeed, it was evident
that, until the Saxons had been decisively defeated, political
action would be useless, and that, therefore, for the present he
could either remain at headquarters, or rejoin his regiment.
Charlie at once chose the latter alternative.

"Very well, Captain Carstairs, you can rejoin when you like, but
remember I may claim your services again. You see, now that you
have acquired a knowledge of Polish, your value for this sort of
work is largely increased."

As soon as the frost had broken, the Swedish army commenced its
advance. Skirmishes frequently took place, but Augustus had, as
yet, no army with which he could meet them in the field, and he
summoned a diet at Warsaw, in hopes of persuading the Poles to
decide upon calling out the whole national force.

In this he failed altogether. The citizens, led by the foreign
traders, were already openly opposed to him, and their attitude so
encouraged his opponents in the diet, that many of these rose and
openly denounced the governme