Hans the Grenadier was six feet two, and a little more. He was straight as a stick. His hair was long and snowy white, and it hung in a braid down his red soldier's coat. When he came walking up to the farm from his little cottage he always carried the ax on the left shoulder, like a gun, and marched stiff and straight, and kept step as if the sergeant were marching right at his heels, commanding "Left, right! Left, right!" Viggo knew that sometimes Old Hans was willing to tell about the time he served in the army. He told of the battles, and first and last about the "Prince of 'Gustenberg." "That was a man!" said Hans. "When he looked at you it was as if he would eat you in one bite. And such a nose between the eyes! The Prince of 'Gustenberg had a nose that shouted 'Get out of my way!' And therefore they did get put of his way, too, wherever he showed himself. "Do you know what the Prince of 'Gustenberg said when he spoke in front of the troops? 'One thing is a shame,' said he, 'and that is to turn your back before retreat is called.' And now you know what is a shame, my boy!" Viggo sat silent a little while. "Have you never known a little boy to become a general?" he asked at last. "No, I haven't, but I have known a drummer boy to become a sergeant. He was not much bigger than you. He could do everything you can think of. There was one thing, though, that was very hard for him to do, and that was to beat 'Retreat.' 'Forward March' he knew how to drum; he never forgot that, and sometimes he beat that instead of 'Retreat,' and the captain got angry. Usually he wasn't punished either, because he had once saved the captain's life with a snowball." "With a snowball?" said Viggo. "Yes, I said snowball; he did not use greater means. We were rushing up a hill with the enemy in front of us. It was in Winter. The captain and the drummer boy led the march; but as soon as they came to the top of the hill there stood the enemy in line. 'Aim!' commanded the enemy's officer, and all the guns pointed right at the captain. Quick as lightning the drummer boy grabbed a handful of snow and made a snowball, and, just as the officer opened his mouth to say 'Fire!' the drummer boy threw the snowball straight into the open mouth. He stood there, mouth wide open. Well, then the rest of us arrived and we had a hot fight." "Then was he made a sergeant?" asked Viggo. "Yes, when the Prince had heard of it. He was given the rank of a sergeant, and something better even than that. The Prince called him 'my son.'" "It was too bad that they didn't make him a general," said Viggo. He added half aloud: "Do you think I might become a general, Hans?" "Well, well, listen to the spring chicken!" said Hans. "So it is general you want to be? Never mind, don't blush for that; it wasn't a bad question. But it is very difficult, for you must learn much, oh, very much." "Mathematics, you mean?" said Viggo. "I have learned some of that already, and languages too."