st be a remarkably finished and accomplished artist in
that line. You delight me in a double sense. First, your song, which
you sung so charmingly (in the tender 'Letter-Mode' of Martin
Haescher), went quite to my heart; and now I have to admire your
masterly skill in modelling. Whither are you bound to-day?"

"The goal of my journey," answered Friedrich, "lies there before our
eyes. I am bound for my home there, the renowned town of Nuernberg. As
the sun is far beneath the horizon, I shall pass the night down in the
village there; but I shall push on as early as I can in the morning,
and be in Nuernberg by noon."

"Ah, how well that falls in," cried the lad; "I am bound for Nuernberg
too. I shall pass the night along with you in the village, and we can
go on together in the morning. So let us talk together a little."

The lad, whose name was Reinhold, threw himself down on the grass
beside Friedrich, and went on as follows:

"If I do not mistake, you are a splendid metal-worker. I see that by
your style of moulding. You work in gold and silver, do you not?"

Friedrich looked sadly down, and began, quite dejectedly:

"Ah, my dear sir, you take me for something much higher and better than
I really am. I must tell you candidly that I learnt the craft of a
cooper, and I wish to go and work with a well-known master of that
craft in Nuernberg. You will despise me that I do not model and cast
glorious images, figures, groups, and only shape hoops for casks and
barrels."

"This is delightful," cried Reinhold, laughing aloud. "The idea of _my_
despising you for being a cooper, when I am nothing else myself!"

Friedrich looked at him fixedly; he did not know what to think.
Reinhold's dress was like anything rather than that of a journeyman
cooper on his travels. The doublet of fine black cloth trimmed with
velvet, the delicate lace cravat, short sword, barret cap, with long
drooping feather, seemed more appropriate to a well-to-do merchant; and
yet there was a certain wonderful something in the face and whole
bearing of the lad which excluded the idea of a merchant. Reinhold saw
Friedrich's doubts; he opened his knapsack, and brought out his
cooper's leather apron and case of tools, crying, "Look _there_,
friend; have you any doubt now as to my being your comrade? I dare say
my clothes may strike you a little; but I come from Strassburg, where
the coopers dress like gentry. Certainly, like yourself, I once had
ideas of