y
elected Emperor.

He had sent word that morning to Greusel at the Golden Anker, bidding
him get together his men, and lead them up to the barge not later than
an hour before the moon rose, for Roland was anxious to reach the other
side of the Rhine unseen from either shore. He cautioned Greusel to make
his march a silent one, and this order Joseph at first found some
difficulty in carrying out, but in any case he need have entertained no
fear. The strong red wine of Assmannshausen is a potent liquid, and the
inhabitants of the town were accustomed to song and laughter on the one
street of the place at all hours of the night.

When they arrived, the men were quiet enough, and speedily stowed
themselves away in their quarters at the stern of the barge, whereupon
Roland, the last to spring aboard, waved his hand at the captain to cast
off. The nose of the boat was shoved away from land, and then the
powerful sweeps dipped into the water. Slowly but surely she made her
way across the river; silent and invisible from either bank. The
current, however, swept them down opposite the twinkling lights of
Assmannshausen, after which, in the more tranquil waters of the western
shore, they rowed steadily upstream for about half a league, and then,
with ropes tied round trees growing at the water's edge, laid up for the
remainder of the night.

Roland now counseled his company to enjoy what sleep was possible, as
they would be roused at the first glint of daybreak; so, with great
good-nature, each man wrapped himself up in his cloak and lay down on
the cabin floor.

When the eastern sky became gray, the slumberers were awakened, and a
ration of bread and wine served to each. The captain already had
received his instructions, and the men discarding their cloaks, followed
their leader into the still gloomy forest. Here, with as little noise as
might be, they climbed the steep wooded hill, and arriving at something
almost like a path, a hundred yards up from the river, they turned to
the right, and so marched, no man speaking above a whisper.

The forest became lighter and lighter, and at last Roland, holding up
his hand to sign caution, turned to the left from the path, and farther
up into the unbroken forest. They had traversed perhaps a league when
another silent order brought them to a standstill, and peering through
the trees to the east, the men caught glimpses of the grand, gray
battlements of that famous stronghold, Rhei