Three hours later all was over. The great battle had been fought and lost; the splendid Prussian army had melted into a rabble of fugitives. Napoleon, surrounded by his generals, was standing in triumph amid the ruins of the village which had been the centre of the enemy's position.
"Sire," said a big, hard-faced man in the gorgeous uniform of a Marshal of France, leading forward our friend the Captain, who, although very pale, and with a blood-stained bandage around his forehead, looked as fearless and resolute as ever, "this is the brave officer whom I saw defending his regimental colors on foot against five mounted Prussians."
"Captain Dreadnaught, is it not?" said the Emperor, who seemed to know by sight not merely every officer but even every private in his whole army. "It is the best of all names for a French soldier, and no reward is too great for the man who fears nothing. Wear this, Colonel" (and he took from his breast the cross of the Legion of Honor, which he had lately instituted), "as my gift to the bravest man in the regiment; and let it remind you that you have a commander who never lets any gallant deed go unrewarded."
Every one expected to see the new-made Colonel look overwhelmed with joy; but except for the faint flush that crossed it, his dark face never changed a whit.
"Sire," answered he, firmly, "this is the proudest moment of my life; but I can not accept what does not belong to me."
A murmur of astonishment ran through the group, and even Napoleon's marble face wore a look of surprise.
"What do you mean?" he asked. "You have fairly won this cross, and I give it to you freely."
"Your Majesty has said," replied Dreadnaught, "that you give it to the bravest in the regiment; and there is one who has this day done a far braver deed than mine."
"Indeed?" said the Emperor. "Well, I should like to see the man who could do that. Where is he?"
"Here," answered the officer, stepping suddenly back among his men, and leading out a little drummer-boy barely twelve years old, whose blue eyes widened into a stare of terrified wonder as he found himself, for the first time in his life, face to face with the great Emperor.