Fritz said that he feared he would have no chance of distinguishing himself in the campaign, as one alone of the three great army corps they had already massed along the Rhine would be sufficient to crush the hated foe.

The only men who would probably see any fighting would be those serving under the Crown Prince, who had already routed the enemy and were in active pursuit of them across the borderland.

His veteran old general, Steinmetz, every one considered to be "out of the hunt completely!" All he would see of the whole affair, they thought, would be the warriors returning home crowned with laurels after the victory.
Thus ran the tenor of Fritz's letter, the writer evidently not dreaming of the events in store for him; and that, instead of returning to Lubeck in a few weeks, it would be many weary months before he saw the blinking eyes of the ancient astronomical clock in the Dom Kirche again! Through the intricacies of the field post, too, this communication was a long time in reaching the little seaport town on the North Sea, being at least ten days old when it arrived; but what mattered that?
It contained good news when it did come, and was as welcome as if it had been dated only yesterday.
"Ah, ha!" exclaimed Lorischen, when her mistress communicated the contents of Fritz's letter.

"The young Herr will soon be back, and then we'll see him give Meinherr Burgher Jans the right-about.

I call it scandalous, I do, his persecuting an unprotected, lone widow--just because her sons are away, and there's only me to look after her! But, I keep him at arm's distance, I promise you, madame.