"No, but to assemble more men. My squadron and that of Pan Stankyevich will join us. If they are already defeated,--and they may be,--the men will come to us singly. It will not pass either without a rally of nobles to us. We will bring Pan Sapyeha fresh forces with which he can easily undertake something." In fact, that reckoning was good; and the dragoons of the convoy served as the first example, though Kovalski himself resisted--all his men went over without hesitation to Pan Michael. There might be found more such men in Radzivill's ranks. It might also be supposed that the first attack on the Swedes would call forth a general uprising in the country. Pan Michael determined therefore to move that night toward Ponyevyej, assemble whom he could of the Lauda nobles in the vicinity of Upita, and thence plunge into the wilderness of Rogovsk, in which, as he expected, the remnants of the defeated resisting squadrons would be in hiding. Meanwhile he halted for rest at the river Lavecha, to refresh horses and men. They halted there till night, looking from the density of the forest to the high-road, along which were passing continually new crowds of peasants, fleeing to the woods before the expected Swedish invasion. The soldiers sent out on the road brought in from time to time single peasants as informants concerning the Swedes; but it was impossible to learn much from them. The peasants were frightened, and each repeated separately that the Swedes were here and there, but no one could give accurate information. When it had become completely dark, Pan Volodyovski commanded the men to mount their horses; but before they started a rather distinct sound of bells came to their ears. "What is that?" asked Zagloba, "it is too late for the Angelus." Volodyovski listened carefully, for a while. "That is an alarm!" said he. Then he went along the line. "And does any one here know what village or town there is in that direction?" "Klavany, Colonel," answered one of the Gostsyeviches; "we go that way with potash." "Do you hear bells?" "We hear! That is something unusual." Volodyovski nodded to the trumpeter, and in a low note the trumpet sounded in the dark forest. The squadron pushed forward. The eyes of all were fixed in the direction from which the ringing came each moment more powerful; indeed they were not looking in vain, for soon a red light gleamed on the horizon and increased every moment. "A fire!" muttered the men in the ranks. Pan Michael bent toward Skshetuski. "The Swedes!" said he. "We will try them!" answered Pan Yan. "It is a wonder to me that they are setting fire." "The nobles must have resisted, or the peasants risen if they attacked the church." "Well, we shall see!" said Pan Michael. And he was panting with satisfaction. Then Zagloba clattered up to him. "Pan Michael?" "What?" "I see that the odor of Swedish flesh has come to you. There will surely be a battle, will there not?" "As God gives, as God gives!"