112 A JACOBITE EXILE

“England’s interest is similar to that of Holland,” the
king said. “I began this war nominally in the interest of
the Duke of Holstein, but really because it was Sweden’s
interest that Denmark should not become too powerful.
But we must not waste time in talking politics. I see the
men have finished their breakfast, and we are here to hunt.
I shall keep twenty horse with me; the rest will enter the
forest with you. I have arranged for the peasants here to
guide you. You will march two miles along by the edge
of the forest, and then enter it and make a wide semi-
circle, leaving men as you go, until you come down to the
edge of the forest again a mile to our left.

“As soon as you do so you will sound a trumpet, and the
men will then move forward, shouting so as to drive the
game before them. As the peasants tell me there are many
wolves and bears in the forest, I hope that you will inclose
some of them in your cordon, which will be about five
miles from end to end. With the horse you will have a
hundred and thirty men, so that there will be a man every
sixty or seventy yards. hat is too wide a space at first,
but as you close in the distances will rapidly lessen, and
they must make up by noise for the scantiness of their
numbers. If they find the animals are trying to break
through they can discharge their pieces; but do not let
them do so otherwise, as it would frighten the animals too
soon, and send them flying out all along the open side of
the semicircle.”

It was more than two hours before the whole of the
beaters were in position. Just before they had started the
king had requested Captain Jervoise to remain with him
and the officers who had accompanied him, five in number.
They had been posted a hundred yards apart at the edge of
the forest. Charlie was the first officer left behind as the
troop moved through the forest, and it seemed to him an
endless time before he heard a faint shout, followed by