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“Perhaps not, but if all the men had been panic-stricken,
there were officers enough to have gathered together and
cut their way through the Swedes.”

“No doubt there were; but you must remember, Dr.
Michaeloff, that an officer’s place is with his company, and
that it is his duty to think of his men before thinking of
himself. Supposing all the officers of the left wing, as you
say, had gathered together and cut their way out, the czar
would have had a right to blame them for the capture of
the whole of the men. How could they tell that at day-
break the general would not have given orders for the left
wing to attack the Swedes? ‘They were strong enough still
to have eaten us up had they made the effort, and had the
czar been there in person I will warrant he would have
tried it.”

“That he would,” Dr. Michaeloff said warmly. “You
are right there, young sir. The czar may not be a soldier,
but at least he is a man, which is more than can be said
for the officer who ordered sixty thousand men to lay down
their arms to eight thousand.”

“Tam sure of that,’ Charlie said. “A man who would
do as he has done, leave his kingdom and work like a com-
mon man in dockyards to learn how to build ships, and who
tules his people as he does, must be a great man. I don’t
suppose he would do for us in England, because a king has
no real power with us, and Peter would never put up with
being thwarted in all his plans by parliament as William is.
But for a counrty like Russia he is wonderful. Of course,
our company being composed of Scotchmen and English-
men, we have no prejudices against him. We think him
wrong for entering upon this war against Sweden, but we
all consider him a wonderful fellow, just the sort of fellow
one would be proud to serve under if we did not serve
under Charles of Sweden. Well, Dr. Kelly, when do you
think the czar will be here?”