Page 275 - A Jacobite Exile

in getting away from that Jewish scoundrel in the hut, and in killing his
master, but it was your adventure with the wolves that showed your quality.

That idea of setting fire to the tree in which you were sitting, in order at
once to warm yourself and to frighten away the wolves, would never have

occurred to a Russian, and the quickness with which you formed, with three
logs, a redoubt against the wolves, showed a quick military eye, and the
ability to think and act in a moment of danger.

"Now tell me how it was that you were the only officer captured the other

day."

Charlie briefly related how he, with the pikemen of his company, had

stayed behind to check the pursuit of the Russian horse, and to gain time for
the main body to lose themselves in the darkness. The Russian struck his

fist on the arm of his chair.

"It was well done," he said. "There is the difference. A Russian captain

would have done it, if he had been ordered, and he and his men would,
without a question, have sacrificed themselves to cover the retreat of the

rest, but he would never have done it on his own initiative. The idea would
never have struck him. He would have plodded along until the enemy's
cavalry came up and annihilated them all. By the way, why did you not ask

for me at once?"

"I had asked for Doctor Kelly the day after I was taken prisoner, and was
told that he had gone to the Volga. I thought that he would be back before
long, and it was only when I heard of his death that it occurred to me to

endeavour to find one who had kindly promised, after a few hours'
acquaintance only, to befriend me should I ever find myself in a similar

scrape."

"It would have saved you the journey down to Moscow. I heard, of course,

that a Swedish captain had been made prisoner that night, but I was myself
at Moscow at the time, and did not happen to notice the name of the officer

taken. Were you well treated at Bercov?"