quaintance--one of our own number," said Fink, looking at
the animal. The branches of the young trees parted, and Lenore, mounted
on her pony, sprang out and barred the way. "Halt! who goes there?"
cried she, laughing.

"Hurrah! the young lady!" exclaimed Karl.

"The password?" cried Lenore, in true martial style.

Fink rode up, saluted her, and whispered, "<i>Potz Blitz, das ist ja die
Gustel von Blasewitz</i>."

Lenore blushed and laughed. "All right," said she; "I shall ride with
you."

"Of course," cried Fink; "only let's go on."

The pony exerted himself to keep up with the tall horse of the stranger,
and thus they reached Kunau and stopped at the rendezvous, where the
village militia was assembled; and its commander, the smith, met the
riders with an anxious face.

"Those hidden in our wood," cried he, "are an accursed set--armed Poles.
This very day, in broad noonlight, a band of the men, carrying guns,
came to Leonard's farm, which lies out there by the wood, invested the
doors and gate, while their leader and some of the men marched into the
room where the farmer and his family were sitting, and demanded money
and the calf out of the stable. He was a blackguard fellow, with a long
gun, a peacock feather in his cap, and a red scarf around his loins,
like a thorough Klopice. The farmer refused to give up his money, at
which they took aim at him; and his wife, in terror, ran to the closet,
and threw all the money they had at the rascals. Next, they carried away
the geese from the yard, and went off with their booty into the wood,
leaving four rogues armed with guns to mount guard, and prevent any one
getting off the premises till they were far enough. Next, two of the
thieves discharged their guns into the roof, and then all ran away. The
thatch took fire, but fortunately we got it put out."

"Hours have passed since then," cried Fink; "the rogues are over the
mountains by this time."

"I do not think so," replied the smith. "I at once sent off Leonard to
the border with our mounted men, that they might watch whether the
thieves crept out of the wood or not, and a woman who crossed it two
hours ago saw Poles there. They had some beast with them too, but the
woman was too much terrified to know whether it was a calf or a dog; if
it were a calf, the hungry wolves would rather eat it than carry it
farther. I have just come from Neudorf; the men there are assembled like
ourselves. We might make a search thr