rolled himself, and rose from his chair, saying:

"It is getting late, Master Martin; I think we have had as much wine
and as much conversation as are good for us."

And, as they were making for the door, there appeared a young woman
with five boys, of whom the eldest might have been scarcely eight, and
the youngest scarcely half a year old. The woman was weeping and
sobbing. Rosa hastened to meet them, crying, "Ah! Heavens! Valentine
must be dead. Here are his wife and children." "What? Valentine dead?"
cried Master Martin, much shocked, "Oh, what a misfortune! What a
misfortune! My dear sir, Valentine was the best of all my workmen; a
hardworking, good, honest fellow. A short time ago he hurt himself
dangerously with an adze, during the building of a big cask. His wound
got worse and worse; he fell into a violent fever, and now he has had
to die in the prime of his years." Master Martin went up to the
disconsolate woman, who was bathed in tears, lamenting that she must
perish in misery and distress.

"What think you of _me_?" asked Master Martin. "Your husband came by
his death in my service, and do you suppose I am going to abandon
you in your need? God forbid! You all belong to my house henceforth.
To-morrow, or when you choose, we will bury your husband, poor fellow,
and then you and your boys go to my farm before the Lady-gate, where my
great workshop is, and be there with my men. You can look after the
housekeeping; I will bring up those fine young boys of yours as though
they were my own. More than that, your old father shall come and live
here too. He was a grand journeyman cooper while he had strength in
his arms for the work. If he can't wield the mallet now-a-days,
or the notching-tool, or the hooping-iron, or take his stroke at
the grooving-bench, why he can manage to turn out hoops with the
rounding-knife. Whether or not, into my house he comes with the rest of
you."

Had not Master Martin held the woman up, she would have fallen at his
feet overwhelmed with emotion. The elder boys hung upon his doublet,
and the two youngest, whom Rosa had taken in her arms, held out their
little hands to him, as if they understood what he said.

Quoth old Paumgartner, smiling, with tears in his eyes, "One can't be
vexed with you, Master Martin," and he betook himself to his dwelling.

HOW THE TWO YOUNG JOURNEYMEN, FRIEDRICH AND
REINHOLD, MADE EACH OTHER'S ACQUAINTANCE.

The evening