sheer amazement, and
cried: "Was there ever such abounding wisdom born in the land since the
time of chaste Joseph, who interpreted Pharaoh's dreams? The man who
shall catch you asleep, my lord Captain, must rise earlier than such
miserable hunted wretches as we are. He rode to Neufess, albeit Hackspann
is the better cobbler. Reichelstorf lies hard by the highway by which you
came, my lord; and if Eber does but hear the echo of your right glorious
name, my lord Baron and potent Captain. . . ."

"And what is my name--your lord Baron and potent Captain?" Starch
thundered out.

"Yours?" said the little man unabashed. "Yours? Merciful Heaven! Till
this minute I swear I could have told you; but in such straits a poor
little tailor such as I might forget his own father's honored name!" At
this Starch laughed out and clapped the little rogue in all kindness
behind the ears, and when his men-at-arms, whom he had commanded to make
ready, had mounted their horses, he cried to Uhlwurm: "I may leave the
rest to you, Master; you know where Barthel bestows the liquor!--Now,
Sebald, bind this rabble and keep them safe.--And make a pig-sty ready.
If I fail to bring the boar home this very night, may I be called Dick
Dule to the end of my days instead of Jorg Starch!"

And herewith he made his bow, sprang into his saddle, and rode away with
his men.

"A nimble fellow, after God's heart!" quoth Master Rummel to my Uncle
Conrad as they looked after him. And that he was in truth; albeit we
could scarce have looked for it, we learned on the morrow that he might
bear his good name to the grave, inasmuch as he had taken Eber of
Wichsenstein captive in the cobbler's work-place, and carried him to
Pillenreuth, whence he came to Nuremberg, and there to the gallows.

Starch had left a worthy man to fill his place; hardly had he departed
when old Uhlwurm pulled off the tailor's right shoe, and now it was made
plain wherefor Eppelein had so anxiously pointed to his feet; the letter
entrusted to him had indeed been hid in his boot. Under the lining
leather of the sole it lay, but only one from Akusch addressed to me.
Howbeit, when we had threatened the now barefoot knave with cruel
torture, he confessed that, having been an honest tailor till of late, he
had soft feet by reason that he had ever sat over his needle. And when he
pulled on the stolen shoes somewhat therein hard hurt his sole, and when
he made search under the leather, behold a lar