〃Where　was　it？〃　said　the　king。
  〃The　night　before　the　great；　the　glorious　battle　of　Leuthen；〃　said　Fritz　Kober；　gravely；　〃at　that　time；　sir　king；　you　sat　at　our　tent…　fire　and　ate　dumplings　with　us。　Charles　Henry　knows　how　to　cook　them　so　beautifully！〃
  〃Ah！　I　remember；〃　said　the　king；　〃you　made　me　pay　my　share　of　the　costs。〃
  〃And　you　did　so；　like　a　true　king；〃　said　Fritz　Kober。　〃Afterward　you　came　back　to　our　tent…fire；　and　Charles　Henry　Buschman　told　you　fairy　tales；　nobody　can　do　that　so　beautifully　as　Charles　Henry；　and　you　slept　refreshingly　throughout。〃
  〃No；　no；　grenadier；〃　said　the　king；　〃I　did　not　sleep；　and　I　can　tell　you　to…day　all　that　Charles　Henry　related。〃
  〃Well；　what　was　it？〃　said　Fritz　Kober；　with　great　delight。
  The　king　reflected　a　moment；　and　then　said；　in　a　soft　voice：
  〃He　told　of　a　king　who　was　so　fondly　loved　by　a　beautiful　fairy；　that　she　changed　herself　into　a　sword　when　the　king　went　to　war　and　helped　him　to　defeat　his　enemies！　Is　that　it。　Fritz　Kober？〃
  〃Nearly　so；　sir　king；　I　wish　you　had　such　a　fairy　at　your　side　to…　day。〃
  〃Still；　Fritz；〃　whispered　Charles　Henry　Buschman；　〃our　king　does　not　need　the　help　of　a　fairy；　our　king　can　maintain　his　own　cause；　and　God　is　with　his　sword。〃
  〃Do　you　truly　believe　that；　my　son？〃　said　the　king；　deeply　moved。　〃Have　you　still　this　great　confidence　in　me？　Do　you　still　believe　that　I　can　sustain　myself　and　that　God　is　with　me？〃
  〃We　have　this　confidence；　and　we　will　never　lose　it！〃　cried　Charles　Henry；　quickly。　〃Our　enemies　over　there　have　no　Frederick　to　lead　them　on；　no　commander…in…chief　to　share　with　them　hunger　and　thirst；　and　danger　and　fatigue；　therefore　they　cannot　love　their　leaders　as　we　do　ours。〃
  〃And　then；〃　said　Fritz　Kober；　thoughtfully；　〃I　am　always　thinking　that　this　war　is　like　a　battle　of　the　cats　and　hounds。　Sometimes　it　looks　as　if　the　little　cats　would　get　the　better　of　the　great　bulldogs；　they　have　sharp　claws；　and　scratch　the　dogs　in　the　face　till　they　can　neither　see　nor　hear；　and　must　for　a　while　give　way；　they　go　off；　however；　give　themselves　a　good　shake；　and　open　their　eyes；　and　spring　forward　as　great　and　strong　and　full　of　courage　as　ever；　they　seize　upon　the　poor　cats　in　the　nape　of　the　neck　and　bite　them　deadly　with　their　strong；　powerful　teeth。　What　care　they　if　the　cats　do　scratch　in　the　mean　while？　No；　no；　sir　king；　the　cats　cannot　hold　out　to　the　end；　claws　are　neither　so　strong　nor　so　lasting　as　teeth。〃
  〃Yes；〃　said　the　king；　laughing；　〃but　how　do　you　know　but　our　foes　over　there　are　the　hounds　and　we　are　the　little　cats？〃
  〃What！〃　cried　Fritz　Kober；　amazed；　〃we　shall　be　the　cats？　No；　no；　sir　king；　we　are　the　great　hounds。〃
  〃But　how　can　you　prove　this？〃
  〃How　shall　I　prove　it？〃　said　Fritz　Kober。　somewhat　embarrassed。　After　a　short　pause；　he　cried　out；　gayly；　〃I　have　itI　will　prove　it。　Those　over　there　are　the　cats　because　they　are　Russians　and　Austrians；　and　do　not　serve　a　king　as　we　do；　they　have　only　two　empresses；　two　women。　Now；　sir　king；　am　I　not　right？　Women　and　cats；　are　they　not　alike？　So　those　over　there　are　the　cats　and　we　are　the　bull　dogs！〃
  Frederick　was　highly　amused。　〃Take　care；〃　said　he；　〃that　'those　over　there'　do　not　hear　you　liken　their　empresses　to　cats。〃
  〃And　if　they　are　empresses；〃　said　Fritz　Kober；　dryly；　〃they　are　still　women；　and　women　are　cats。〃
  The　king　looked　over　toward　the　camp…fires；　which　were　boldly　shining　on　the　horizon。
  〃How　far　is　it　from　here　to　those　fires？〃　said　he。
  〃About　an　hour；〃　said　Charles　Henry；　〃not　more。〃
  〃One　hour；〃　repeated　the　king；　softly。　〃In　one　hour；　then；　I　could　know　my　fate！　Listen；　children；　which　of　you　will　go　for　me？〃
  Both　exclaimed　in　the　same　moment；　〃I　will！〃
  〃It　is　a　fearful　attempt；〃　said　the　king；　earnestly；　〃the　Cossacks　are　swarming　in　every　direction；　and　if　you　escape　them；　you　may　be　caught　in　the　camp　and　shot　as　spies。〃
  〃I　will　take　care　that　they　shall　not　recognize　me　as　an　enemy；〃　said　Charles　Henry；　quietly。
  〃I　also；〃　said　Fritz　Kober；　zealously。　〃You　stay；　Charles　Henry；　we　dare　not　both　leave　the　king。　You　know　that　only　this　evening；　while　upon　the　watch；　we　swore　that；　even　if　the　whole　army　of　the　enemy　marched　against　us；　we　would　not　desert　our　king；　but　would　stand　at　our　post　as　long　as　there　was　a　drop　of　blood　in　our　veins　or　a　breath　in　our　bodies。〃
  The　king　laid　his　hands　upon　the　two　soldiers　and　looked　at　them　with　much　emotion。　The　moon；　which　stood　great　and　full　in　the　heavens；　lighted　up　this　curious　group；　and　threw　three　long；　dark　shadows　over　the　plain。
  〃And　you　have　sworn　that；　my　children？〃　said　the　king；　after　a　long　pause。　〃Ah；　if　all　my　men　thought　as　you　do　we　would　not　have　been　defeated　this　day。〃
  〃Sir　king；　your　soldiers　all　think　as　we　do；　but　fate　was　against　us。　Just　as　I　said；　the　cats　outnumbered　us　to…day；　but　we　will　bite　them　bravely　for　it　next　time。　And　now　tell　me；　sir　king；　what　shall　I　do　over　there　in　the　camp？〃
  Before　the　king　could　answer；　Charles　Henry　laid　his　hand　upon　his　arm。
  〃Let　me　go；〃　said　he；　entreatingly；　〃Fritz　Kober　is　so　daring；　so　undaunted；　he　is　not　cautious；　they　will　certainly　shoot　him；　and　then　you　have　lost　the　best　soldier　in　your　army。〃
  〃Your　loss；　I　suppose；　would　not　be　felt；　the　king　can　do　without　you。〃
  〃Listen；　children；〃　said　the　king；　〃it　is　best　that　you　both　go；　one　can　protect　the　other；　and　four　ears　are　better　than　two。〃
  〃The　king　is　right；　that　is　bestwe　will　both　go。〃
  〃And　leave　the　king　alone　and　unguarded？〃
  〃No；〃　said　the　king；　pointing　to　the　two　sleepers；　〃I　have　my　two　adjutants；　and　they　will　keep　guard　for　me。　Now；　listen　to　what　I　have　to　say　to　you。　Over　there　is　the　enemy；　and　it　is　most　important　for　me　to　know　what　he　is　doing；　and　what　he　proposes　to　do。　Go；　then；　and　listen。　Their　generals　have　certainly　taken　up　their　quarters　in　the　village。　You　must　ascertain　that　positively；　and　then　draw　near　their　quarters。　You　will　return　as　quickly　as　possible；　and　inform　me　of　all　that　you　hear　and　see。〃
  〃Is　that　all？〃　said　Fritz　Kober。
  〃That　is　all。　Now　be　off；　and　if　you　do　your　duty　well；　and　return　fresh　and　in　good　order；　you　shall　be　both　made　officers。〃　Fritz　Kober　laughed　aloud。　〃No；　no；　sir　king；　we　know　that　old　story　already。〃
  〃It　is　not　necessary　that　you　should　promise　us　any　thing；　your　majesty；〃　said　Charles　Henry；　〃we　do　not　go　for　a　reward；　but　for　respect　and　love　to　our　king。〃
  〃But　tell　me；　Fritz　Kober；　why　you　laughed　so　heartily？〃　said　the　king。
  〃Because　this　is　not　the　first　time　that　your　majesty　has　promised　to　make　us　officers。　Before　the　battle　of　Leuthen；　you　said　if　we　were　brave　and　performed　valiant　deeds；　you　would　make　us　officers。　Well；　we　were　brave。　Charles　Henry　took　seven　prisoners；　and　I　took　nine；　but　we　are　not　officers。〃
  〃You　shall　be　to…morrow；〃　said　the　king。　〃Now；　hasten　off；　and　come　back　as　quickly　as　possible。〃
  〃We　will　leave　our　muskets　here；〃　said　Charles　Henry；　〃we　dare　not　visit　our　enemies　in　Prussian　array。〃
  They　placed　their　arms　at　the　house　door；　and　then　clasping　each　other's　hands；　and　making　a　military　salute；　they　hastened　off。　The　king　looked　after　them　till　their　slender　forms　were　lost　in　the　distance。
  〃With　fifty　thousand　such　soldiers　I　could　conquer　the　world；〃　murmured　he；　〃they　are　of　the　true　metal。〃
  He　turned；　and　stepping　up　to　the　two　sleepers；　touched　them　lightly　on　the　shoulders。　They　sprang　up　alarmed　when　they　recognized　the　king。
  〃You　need　not　excuse　yourselves；〃　said　Frederick　kindly；　〃you　have　had　a　day　of　great　fatigue；　and　are；　of　course；　exhausted。　Come　into　the　house；　the　night　air　is　dangerous；　we　will　sleep　here　together。〃
  〃Where　are　the　two　grenadiers？〃　said　Goltz。
  〃I　have　sent　them　off　on　duty。〃
  〃Then　your　majesty　must　allow　us　to　remain　on　guard。　I　have　slept　well；　and　am　entirely　refreshed。〃
  〃I　also；〃　said　the　second　lieutenant。　〃Will　your　majesty　be　pleased　to　sleep？　we　will　keep　guard。〃
  〃Not　so；〃　said　the　king；　〃the　moon　will　watch　over　us　all。　Come　in。〃
  〃But　it　is　impossible　that　your　majesty　should　sleep　thus；　entirely　unguarded。　The　first　Cossack　that　dashes　by　could　take　aim　at　your　majesty　through　the　window。〃
  Frederick　shook　his　head　gravely。　〃The　ball　which　will　strike　me　will　come　from　above；　＇Footnote：　The　king's　own　words。See　Nicolai；　p。　118。＇　and　that　you　cannot　intercept。　No；　it　is　better　to　have　no　watch　before　the　door；　we　will　not　draw　the　attention　of　troops　passing　by　to　this　house。　I　think　no　one　will　suppose　that　this　miserable　and　ruinous　barrack；　through　which　the　wind　howls；　is　the　residence　of　a　king。　Come；　then；　messieurs。〃　He　stepped　into　the　hut；　followed　by　the　two　adjutants；　who　dared　no　longer　oppose　him。　〃Put　out　that　light；〃　said　the　king；　〃the　moon　will　be　our　torch；　and　will　glorify　our　bed　of　straw。〃　He　drew　his　sword；　and　grasping　it　firmly　in　his　right　hand；　he　stretched　himself　upon　the　straw。　〃There　is　room　for　both　of　youlie　down。　Good…night；　sirs。〃
  Frederick　slightly　raised　his　three…cornered　hat　in　greeting；　and　then　laid　it　over　his　face　as　a　protection　from　the　moonlight　and　the　cold　night　air。　The　adjutants　laid　down　silently　at　his　feet；　and　soon　no　sound　was　heard　in　the　room　but　the