he wall.

We built this fortress ourselves, except that our teacher of handicrafts,
the sapper Sabum, sometimes gave us a hint. The first thing was to mark
out the plan, then with the aid of levers pry the rocks out of the
fields, and by means of a two-wheeled cart convey them to the site
chosen, fit them neatly together, stuff the interstices with moss, and
finally put on a roof made of pine logs which we felled ourselves, earth,
moss, and branches.

How quickly we learned to use the plummet, take levels, hew the stone,
wield the axes! And what a delight it was when the work was finished and
we saw our own building! Perhaps we might not have accomplished it
without the sapper, but every boy believed that if he were cast, like
Robinson Crusoe, on a desert island, he could build a hut of his own.

As soon as this citadel was completed, preparations for the impending
battle were made. The walls and encircling walls of all were prepared,
and we were drilled in the use of the poles. This, too, afforded us the
utmost pleasure. Touching the head of an enemy was strictly prohibited;
yet many a slight wound was given while fighting in the gloom of the
woods.

Each of the four Bergwachts had its leader. The captain of the first was
director of the whole game, and instead of a lance wore a rapier. I
considered it a great honour when this dignity was conferred on me. One
of its consequences was that my portrait was sketched by "Old Unger" in
the so-called "Bergwacht Book," which contained the likenesses of all my
predecessors.

During the summer months all eyes, even as early as Thursday, were
watching the weather. When Saturday evening proved pleasant and Barop had
given his consent, there was great rejoicing in the institute, and the
morning hours must have yielded the teachers little satisfaction.

Directly after dinner everybody seized his pole and the other "Bergwacht"
equipments. The alliances were formed under the captain's guidance. We
will say that the contest was to begin with the first and third Bergwacht
pitted against the second and fourth, and be followed by another, with
the first and second against the third and fourth.

We assembled in the court-yard just before sunset. Barop made a little
speech, exhorting us to fight steadily, and especially to observe all the
rules and yield ourselves captives as soon as an enemy's pole touched us.
He never neglected on these occasions to admonish us that, should our
na