paring to substitute in its place his helmet, which hung by his
saddle.

"You had better keep on your cap, sir," said the countryman, smiling;
"it will be warmer in the night breeze than your helmet; they will
scarcely look for the Duke in this neighbourhood, and should we meet
them, we two are a match for any four of them."

The young man thought he had betrayed a want of courage; and a feeling
of shame rose in his breast, when he noticed the unconcern of his
conductor, on foot, who had nothing but a thin leathern cap on his
head, and armed only with an axe and knife. He mounted his horse, and
his guide, taking the bridle, led him down the hill.

"You believe, therefore," asked Albert, after a pause, "that the
Leaguist cavalry do not venture thus far?"

"It is not very likely," answered the fifer of Hardt; "because Neuffen
is a strong fort, and contains a good garrison; the Leaguists will,
however, soon besiege it; but vagabonds, such as Truchses' cavalry,
will not venture in small bodies so near an enemy's position."

"Look how clear and beautiful the moon shines!" cried the young man,
whose mind, still dwelling on the sight of the mountains they had left,
admired the fantastic shades of the wood, and the brilliant shining
rocks; "look how the windows in Neuffen glimmer in the moonlight."

"I would much rather she did not shine this night," replied the
countryman, who at times looked anxiously about him; "a dark night
would have suited us better; the moon has betrayed many a brave man.
She now stands directly over the Reissenstein, where a giant once
lived; it will not be long, however, before she goes down."

"What is that you say of a giant, who lived on the Reissenstein?"

"Yes," said Hans, "tradition says that many years back a giant lived on
that spot; there, just where the moon shines on the mountain, stands
his castle, called Reissenstein, or Achalm; it belongs now to the
Helfensteiners; it is built on the declivity of the rock, high up in
the air; and has no nearer neighbours than the clouds, and the moon.
Just opposite the castle, on another eminence, upon which now stands
Heimenstein, is a cavern, in which a giant formerly lived. He possessed
an enormous treasure of gold, and could have lived nobly and in luxury,
had there been other giants and giantesses besides him to keep him
company. He was determined to build a castle, such as other knights
possessed on the Alb. The rock opposite appeared to him