Times of Charles XII

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1900 edition. Excerpt: ...incursion, awaited the scythe with heavy heads, and gave a part of the marauders a welcome shelter, even quite near to the house itself. Two parties, led by Bertelskold and Lfingstrom, thus succeeded in reaching the gate quite unobserved. The other parties, led by Luukkonen, Peldan, and a Kivekat by the name of Toivonen, without any hindrance approached the same point from opposite directions, after they had got rid of some importunate questioners, by the assurance that they were laborers from the vicinity, who by order of the czar had come M hither to assist in the work. Everything promised a fortunate issue, excepting that Miltopoeus did not put in an appearance with the horses. They waited, but it was impossible to wait long. The czar was eating his dinner within; they feared his eagle-eye if he should come out and see their disguises. Luukkonen had made up his mind to give the signal, when a confused alarm was heard from the highway, and immediately afterward was seen a part of the expected horses attached to the wagons and ridden by several of our adventurers, but without saddles, galloping towards the gate. After them in hot haste came a dozen Cossacks. The occasion of this was, as was afterward learned, that the Cossacks wished to capture the carts; a good prize, as they were in need of transports. But the weapons and saddles were concealed under the hay. Miltopoeus objected a long time, but he made such a brilliant fool of himself with his Russian phrases that, finally, one of the Cossacks permitted him, in a manner not very gentle, to make the acquaintance of his pikestaff. That was more than our gallant student could digest, and in a twinkling the man with the pike lay stretched on the ground. A tumult could not be avoided; the...