f. The
extreme cold had everywhere so completely frozen the sea that there was
no difficulty in crossing, which, they learned, was not often the case.
Three sledges had been engaged for their transport. The distance was
about 120 miles; but it was broken by the islands of the Aland
Archipelago, and upon one or other of these they could take refuge in
the event of any sudden change of weather. They were to start at
midnight, and would reach Bomarsund, on the main island of Aland, on the
following evening, wait there for twenty-four hours to rest the animals,
and would reach the mainland the next day.

The frost continued unbroken, and they crossed the gulf without
difficulty, travelled rapidly across Sweden, and reached England without
adventure of any kind. They waited for a day in London. Frank carried
despatches from Sir Robert Wilson, and was occupied at the War Office
all day, having a very long interview with the minister, to whom he gave
a much more detailed account of the campaign than had been given in the
general's reports. The minister expressed much satisfaction at the
information he afforded, and said at the conclusion of the interview:

"Sir Robert has spoken several times as to your services, and I am happy
to inform you that your name will appear in the next gazette as promoted
to the rank of captain. I consider that the manner in which you devoted
yourself to the acquisition of the Russian language was most highly
meritorious, and I wish that many young officers would similarly acquire
foreign or oriental languages. I trust that you will thoroughly recover
your health, so as to be able to rejoin Sir Robert Wilson by the time
that the troops take the field again. The campaign is likely to be a
most important, and--we have great grounds for hoping--a final one."

Before leaving the building Frank found out where Strelinski was at
work. He was engaged in translating a mass of Russian documents. He rose
from his seat with an exclamation of delight when he saw Frank, who,
after a short chat, asked him to come that evening to his hotel. He
there learned that the Pole was getting on very well. His knowledge of
German as well as of Russian had been very valuable to him; his salary
had already been raised, and he was now at the head of a small
department, having two of his countrymen and three Germans under him,
and his future in the office was quite assured.

"The work is somewhat hard," he said, "for when a