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miracle that, always in the front as he was, he should have
got through Narva without a scratch.”

“Ves, that was a bad bit of business that Narva,” the
other said thoughtfully. “Why do you think we were
beaten in the horrible way we were—because the Russians
are no cowards?”

“No; they made a gallant stand when they recovered
from their surprise,” Charlie agreed. “But in the first
place, they were taken by surprise.”

“They ought not to have been,” the doctor said angrily.
“They had news two days before brought by the cavalry,
who ought to have defended that pass, but didn’t.”

“Still it was a surprise when we attacked,” Charlie said,
“for they could not suppose that the small body they saw
were going to assail them. Then we had the cover of that
snowstorm, and they did not see us until we reached the
edge of the ditch. Of course, your general ought to have
made proper dispositions, and to have collected the greater
part of his troops at the spot facing us, instead of having
them strung out round that big semicircle, so that when we
made an entry they were separated, and each half was igno-
rant of what the other was doing. Still, even then they
might have concentrated between the trenches and the
town. But no orders had been given. The general was
one of the first we captured, the others waited for the orders
that never came until it was too late. If the general who
commanded on the left had massed his troops, and marched
against us as we were attacking the position they held
on their right, we should have been caught between two
fires.”

“Tt was a badly managed business altogether,” Dr.
Michaeloff growled; “but we shall do better next time.
We shall understand Charles’s tactics better. We reckoned
on his troops, but we did not reckon on him. Kelly tells
me that you would not care to change service,”