ng repose. The whole night through he kept mechanically wetting and
applying cold-water poultices to the patient's arm, and rising whenever
the latter groaned or turned; but when, toward morning, the merchant
fell into a sounder sleep, Anton forgot his task, his head fell heavy
upon his hands outstretched on the table, he neither saw nor heard; and
amid the screams of the wounded, and the thundering of cannon which
attended the taking of a stoutly-defended town, amid all the horrors of
a bloody conflict, he slept like a tired boy over his school-task.

When he awoke, after the lapse of a few hours, it had long been morning.
The merchant smiled kindly at him from his bed, and reached out his
hand. Anton pressed it with all his heart, and hurried to the window.
"They are all right," said he. He then opened the door; the guard of the
previous night had vanished; and on the street he heard the beat of
drums, and the regular tramp of regiments marching in.

CHAPTER XXI.

"We gave you up for lost," cried the newly-arrived captain to Mr.
Schroeter. "They manage inns wretchedly here, and all my inquiries after
you proved fruitless. It was a fortunate thing that your letter found me
out in this confusion."

"We have accomplished our purpose," said the merchant, "but not, as you
see, without drawbacks;" and he pointed, smiling, to his wounded arm.

"First and foremost, let me hear your adventures," said the captain,
sitting down by the bedside. "You have more tokens of the fight to show
than I."

The merchant told his story. He dwelt warmly upon Anton's courage, to
which he ascribed his safety, and ended by saying, "My wound does not
prevent my traveling, and my return is imperative. I shall go with the
wagons as far as the frontier."

"Early to-morrow morning one of our companies returns to the frontier;
you can send your wagons under its escort; besides which, the high roads
are now safe. To-morrow the mails begin to run again."

"I must still further request your assistance. I am anxious to write
home by a courier this very day."

"I will take care," promised the captain, "that your return to-morrow
shall meet with no impediments."

As soon as the officer had left the room, Mr. Schroeter said to Anton, "I
have a surprise for you, dear Wohlfart, which will, I fear, be an
unwelcome one. I wish to leave you here in my place." Anton drew nearer
in amazement. "There is no relying on our agent at a time like this,