are stationed—you must imagine the northern part of the battle-field somewhat higher than it is here. On Wellington's left wing, that is to say, to the eastward—here in the grass—we have the Chateau of Hougoumont; that must be marked,' said the captain, looking about him. The serviceable Cousin Hans at once found a stick, which was fixed in the ground at this important point. 'Excellent!' cried the captain, who saw that he had found an interested and imaginative listener. 'You see it's from this side that we have to expect the Prussians.' Cousin Hans noticed that the captain picked up a stone and placed it in the grass with an air of mystery. 'Here, at Hougoumont,' the old man continued, 'the battle began. It was Jerome who made the first attack. He took the wood; but the chateau held out, garrisoned by Wellington's best troops. In the meantime Napoleon, here at Belle-Alliance, was on the point of giving Marshal Ney orders to commence the main attack upon Wellington's centre, when he observed a column of troops approaching from the east, behind the bench, over there by the tree.' Cousin Hans looked round, and began to feel uneasy: could Blucher be here already? 'Blu— Blu' he murmured tentatively. 'It was Bulow,' the captain fortunately went on, 'who approached with thirty thousand Prussians. Napoleon made his arrangements hastily to meet this new enemy, never doubting that Grouchy, at any rate, was following close on
