ve in
custody,' is a proverb often repeated, and I think the people of
Koenigsberg will not shoot a man they cannot catch! I would rather be
trampled to death by the horses of the enemy, than pierced by the
bullets of my German brethren. The matter is settled, Luetzow; let us
continue the struggle."

"Continue the struggle?" asked Luetzow. "I beseech you, take my advice
and do not follow the dictates of courage alone; listen also to those of
prudence. It will be utterly useless, Schill; we should husband our
strength for better times. We are threatened either by military force,
or the rigor of the law. Prussia has drawn up a corps on her frontier to
repulse us, if need be, should we come armed; and, if unarmed, she would
have us tried by a court-martial. Napoleon's corps of observation is
stationed on the boundaries of Saxony and Westphalia, and even the King
of Denmark has ordered General von Ewald to march against us."

"The stag has been surrounded, but not yet captured," exclaimed Schill.
"There is still a place where he may escape. The King of Sweden has not
yet a corps in the field against us, and Stralsund is occupied only by a
garrison of scarcely three hundred men, commanded by General Candras.
Let us march thither and surprise the fortress. When Stralsund is ours,
we are on the sea-shore, and in communication with the British; we have
ships in the harbor, on which, if every thing else should fail, we could
find an asylum, and hasten to England."

"But suppose we should not take Stralsund?" asked Luetzow. "How could we
escape? I beseech you, listen to reason, consider our hopeless
situation; save yourself--save the poor soldiers who have reposed
confidence and hope in you! Let us embark for England. There are
well-nigh thirty ships in the harbor of Warnemuende; if they refuse to
take us on board, we can compel them."

"No," exclaimed Schill, vehemently. "We shall do just as I said--march
to Stralsund and take the fortress. But Lieutenant Baersch is to seize
twenty of the ships at Warnemuende and embark on them our baggage, the
sick, and the military chest, and convey them to the island of Ruegen. We
start to-morrow and take Stralsund. That is my plan, and it must be
accomplished!"

And Schill's plan was accomplished. He marched his hussars to Stralsund,
and for a moment fortune smiled on him. The French commander, General
Candras, preferred to meet the enemy in the open field instead of
awaiting him behin