ry that he had fidgeted
less than he would otherwise have done. Daun had, in fact, retired
hastily from Meissen, and had taken post in an almost impregnable
position at Stolpen. Neisse was being besieged and must be
relieved, but Daun now blocked Frederick's way at Stolpen, both to
that town and to Bautzen--cut him off, indeed, from Silesia, and
for the moment the royal army and that of Prince Maurice were lying
at Dresden. Fergus, therefore, was content to follow the doctor's
orders, and to spend four days on the journey down to Dresden.

Keith was there, and received him joyfully. Lindsay greeted him
vociferously.

"So you have gone up another step above me," he laughed. "Never was
a fellow with such luck as you have. Saved the king's life, I hear.
Tumbled over scores of Russians. Won the victory with your own
sword."

"Not quite as much as that, Lindsay," Fergus laughed. "The scores
of Cossacks come down to three, of whom one my horse tumbled over,
and I managed the other two. Still, although the battle was only
half finished when I was put out of all further part in it, I may
be said in one way to have won it; for had the king fallen, there
is no saying how matters might have gone. It is true that we could
not have lost it, for the Russians were past taking the offensive,
but it might have been a drawn battle."

"It was a terrible business," Lindsay said seriously. "As bad in
its way as Prague, that is to say in proportion to the numbers
engaged. Everyone says they would rather fight three Austrians than
one Russian. The marshal has rather scored off the king; for he
warned him that, though slow, the Russians were formidable foes,
but the king scoffed at the idea. He has found out now that he
greatly undervalued them, and has owned as much to Keith.

"I am sorry to say the marshal is not well. He suffers a good deal,
and I fancy that, after this campaign is over, he will ask to be
relieved from active duty in the field, and will take the command
of the army covering Dresden. He has led a hard life, you see, and
has done as much as three ordinary men.

"Still, we shall see how he is next spring. It would almost break
his heart to have to give up before this war is over."

"It is difficult to say when that will be, Lindsay. Here we are,
getting towards the third year, and the war is not one whit nearer
to the end than it was when we left Berlin. It is true that we have
no longer to count France as formidable