"That was splendid!"
"I don't think the war will show anything better!" said the Russian,
with enthusiasm. "He charged before the Germans knew that he was fairly
upon them, and the whole fight lasted less than ten minutes. Then our
fellows were through and riding for our lines. And the best of it was
that not more than fifty of our saddles were emptied. The Germans are
wonderful fighters, I believe. We shall have a hard time beating them.
But they fight too much by rule. A German cavalry commander would have
been brave enough to try to do that, but he would not have tried because
he would have known that it was an unsound plan."
"I wish Boris knew that his father was safe," said Fred, a little sadly.
"He has been worried, although he has said nothing."
"Eh--he might have known it! Yes, he got back safely enough. As to
whether he is safe now, that is another matter. He is in the thick of
the fighting around Gumbinnen, and he is not one of those generals who
stay in the rear. He is like Skobeleff. Have you heard of him?"
"He commanded at Plevna, against the Turks?"
"And in a good many other battles! Skobeleff, though he was in command
of the whole army, would insist always on being in the thick of the
fighting himself.
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