bey the command, and
that was Pixy. He, too, heard the noise outside, and sprang against the
door, barking shrilly.

"I will kill that dog if he don't keep quiet," said the butcher-boy in
an angry but subdued tone.

Fritz groped his way to his pet and put his hand over his mouth, but it
was too late. The forest-keeper outside had heard the barking, and
striking his musket upon the door, he asked, "Who's there?"

It was now no use to keep silent and Fritz took it upon himself to
answer.

"Good friend, we are three boys on our holiday journey. We have been to
Frankfort, and are on our way home to Michelstadt."

"Who is in there with you?"

"Three working people who allowed us to take shelter here from the
rain."

The forest-keeper opened the door, struck a light in his lantern and
stepped in.

"What brought you in here?" he asked of the three grown travelers.

"There is no need to ask. You know that it has been raining," replied
the butcher-boy doggedly.

"Yes, but it is not raining now. Go out of here! You might set the cabin
on fire, and then the woods would be ablaze."

The triplets were ready in a moment's time, and eager to go, but not so
the others.

"The fire is out. What is the use of moving on until daylight?"

"Because it is against orders to allow anyone to stay in this cabin.
Wake up your comrade, and all of you leave."

This was a hard task, for the blacksmith was a sound sleeper, but by
dint of calling and pushing they got him partly awake.

"What is it you want?" he said, looking sleepily at the forest-keeper.
"Go out of here. There is no room for you."

"Nor for you! Up, up, and out!"

"Out in the rain? No. I will not go," and he lay down again.

The other two drew him to his feet, and told him that it was the
forest-keeper who was commanding them to leave the cabin.

"But where are we to go?" he asked. "We cannot sleep out in the rain."

"No, you are all to follow me to my house. I can have an eye over you
there, and it will be less of an anxiety than to leave you to yourselves
in this cabin."

They all passed out, the triplets with Pixy keeping close to the
forester and his lantern.

CHAPTER XII

A WELL-SPRING OF PLEASURE

They walked what seemed to the boys a long distance through the forest.
The rain had ceased, and the moon was trying to shed its rays through
thin clouds, but in the dense shade the only light was the little circle
upon the moist earth, given by