semble at the
fountain;" and these spirited up the irresolute to join their
countrymen.

Anton and his companions paused for a moment in the midst of the dense
crowd around the wine-merchant's. About fifty men with scythes stood
before the house, near them a dozen more with guns; the doors were
still open, and people were still going in to get arms. Some young
gentlemen were addressing the crowd, but Anton remarked that the Polish
peasants did not keep their ranks, and looked doubtfully at each other.
While the forester and the smith were giving the sign to the Germans, of
whom many were assembled, Anton rushed up to a little man in working
garments, and, seizing him by the arm, said, "Locksmith Grobesch, you
standing here? Why do you not hasten to our meeting-place? You a citizen
and one of the militia, will you put up with this insult?"

"Alas! Mr. Agent," said the locksmith, taking Anton apart, "what a
misfortune! Only think, I was hammering away in my workshop, and heard
nothing of what was going on. One can't hear much at our work. Then my
wife ran in--"

"Are you going to put up with this insult?" cried Anton, shaking him
violently.

"God forbid, Mr. Wohlfart; I head a band of militia. While my wife
looked out my coat, I just ran over the way to see how many of them
there were. You are taller than I; how many are there carrying arms?"

"I count fifty scythes," replied Anton, hurriedly.

"It is not the scythes; they are a cowardly set; how many guns are
there?"

"A dozen before the door, and perhaps as many more in the house."

"We have about thirty rifles," said the little man, anxiously, "but we
can't count upon them all to-day."

"Can you get us arms?" asked Anton.

"But few," said the locksmith, shaking his head.

"There is a band of us Germans from the country," said Anton, rapidly;
"we will fight our way into the suburb as far as the Red Deer Inn, and
there I will keep the people together, and, for God's sake, send us a
patrol to report the state of things, and the number of arms you can
procure. If we can eject the nobles, the others will run away at once."

"But then the revenge these Poles will take!" said the locksmith. "The
town will have to pay for it."

"No such thing, my man. The military can be sent for to-morrow, if you
but help to eject these madmen to-day. Off with you; each moment
increases the danger."

He drove the little man away, and hurried back to the fountain. There
the