G A Henty was a 19th century novelist, special correspondent and Imperalist. His best-known works are historical adventures. This adventure novel centers on a young man in the service of King Charles the XII of Sweden. Sir Marmaduke Carstairs is a Jacobite who is denounced as a plotter against King William. He and his son Charlie flee to Sweden. Charlie joins the foreign legion and is honored by his service in several campaigns against the Poles and Russians. (Jacobite refers to a political movement dedicated to restoring the Stuart kings to the throne of England. and Scotland.)