ered. The
interior of Falkenberg was unknown to Roland, this being one of the
strongholds where he had been compelled to sleep in an outhouse. At last
they found the door to the treasure-chamber, for Roland suggested it was
probably in a similar position to that at Rheinstein, and those who had
accompanied Hohenfels' valet made search according to this hint, and
were rewarded by coming upon a door so stoutly locked that all their
efforts to force it open were fruitless.

Deeply disappointed, with a number of the men grumbling savagely, they
were compelled to withdraw empty handed, warned by approaching shouts
that the garrison was returning, so the men crawled away as they had
come, and made for the river, where on this occasion the boat already
awaited them.

The lord of Falkenberg proved as moderate in his exactions as the men
of Rheinstein. Many bales had been cut open, and the thieves, with the
knowledge of cloth-weavers, selected in every case only the best goods,
but of these had taken merely enough for one costume each.

Although the company had made so early a beginning, it was past noon by
the time they reached the barge on the second occasion. A substantial
meal was served, for every man was ravenously hungry, besides being
disgusted to learn that there were ups and downs even in the trade
of thievery.

Early in the afternoon they made for the delicate Castle of Sonneck,
whose slender turrets stood out beautifully against the blue sky. Here
excellent cover was found within sight of the doorway, for Sonneck stood
alone on its rock without the protection of a wall.

In this case the experience of Rheinstein was repeated, with the
exception that it was not the master of the Castle they encountered, but
a frightened warder, who, with a sharp sword to influence him, produced
keys and opened the treasury. Not nearly so large a haul of gold was
made as in the first instance, yet enough was obtained to constitute a
most lucrative day's work, and with this they sought the barge in high
spirits.

They waited in the shadow of the hills until dusk, then quietly made
their way across the river behind the shelter of the two islands, and so
came to rest alongside the bank, just above the busy town of Lorch,
scarcely two leagues down the river from the berth they had occupied the
night before. After the barge was tied up, Roland walked on deck with
the captain, listening to his account of events from the level of the