be
multiplied into tens, and tens into hundreds, and hundred into
thousands--swelling into a gigantic host of armed men almost at a
moment's notice, ready either to guard the frontier from invasion, or to
hurl its resistless battalions on the hated foe whose defeat had been
such a long-cherished dream--the young clerk received peremptory orders
to join the headquarters of the regiment to which he was attached. The
very place and hour at which he was to report himself to his commanding
officer were named in the general order forwarded along with his railway
pass, so comprehensive were the details of the Prussian military
organisation. This latter so thoroughly embraced the entire country
after the absorption of the lesser states on the collapse of Koniggratz,
that each separate individual could be moved at any given moment to a
certain defined point; while the instructions for his guidance were so
complete and perfect, that they could not fail to be understood.

Fritz had to proceed, in the first instance, to the capital city of his
state, Hanover, now no longer a kingdom, but only a small division of
the great empire into which it was incorporated. For him there was no
chance of evasion or getting out of the obligation to serve, for the
whilom "kingdom" having withstood to the last during the six weeks' war
the onward progress to victory of the all-devouring Prussians, her
citizens would be at once suspected of disloyalty on the least sign of
any defection. Besides, a keen official eye was kept on the movements
of all Hanoverians, their patriotism to the newly formed empire being
diligently nourished by a military rule as stern and strict as that of
Draco.

"Oh, my boy, my firstborn! and must I lose thee too?" exclaimed Madame
Dort, when Fritz made her acquainted with the news of his summons to
headquarters. "Truly Providence sees fit to afflict me for my sins, to
try me with this fresh calamity!"

"Pray do not take such a sombre view of my departure, dear mother," said
Fritz. "Why, probably, in a month's time I will be back again in old
Lubeck; for, I'm sure, we'll double up the French in a twinkling."

"Ah, my child, you do not know what a campaign is, yet! The matter will
not be settled so easily as you think. War is a terrible thing, and the
Prussians may not be able to crush the whole power of the French nation
in the same way in which they conquered Austria and Saxony, and subdued
our own little state