now heard from outside the house. 'The
schoolmaster saw them from the top of the church tower.'

'The Swedes are coming!' was the general exclamation as every face
turned pale. 'May heaven have mercy on us!' With this cry the
frightened people rushed out of the room, leaving the terrified young
apprentice and the miller's wife alone together. The latter did not
appear to be much disturbed. She quietly counted out to the lad the
price of the little coffin, and then turned away to lay her son's body
in it. Conrad Schmidt hardly knew what he had better do. First of all
he hid the money he had just received in one of his shoes, and then
began to consider whether he should leave his hand-truck at the mill or
take it back with him to Freiberg. His uncertainty did not last long.
What the horse is to a horseman, that his truck is to a carpenter's
apprentice. Neither the one nor the other will willingly part from his
faithful companion except in great emergencies. Full of inward fears,
but without showing any outward signs of panic, the youth set forth on
his homeward way, a distance of six or eight miles.

CHAPTER II.

THE FAMILY AT HOME.

Conrad reached the town without any further adventure, and found it in
a state of high excitement. The drawbridges before the gates were up,
and the city walls and towers swarmed with armed men. 'The Swedes have
been seen,' was the general outcry, and the mere sound of the words had
been enough to throw the whole place into a ferment. To the number of
about six hundred, the Swedes had appeared and opened a parley with the
town, demanding supplies, and when--as was only to be expected--their
demands were refused, they had drawn off and retired to the
neighbourhood of Wilsdruf. As soon as ever Conrad reached home, which
he did at last, pushing his truck before him and hobbling along in a
very lame fashion over the rough pavement, he took off the shoe he had
turned into a money-box.

'I thought so,' he cried. 'I was sure those hard gulden would raise
blisters. But I say, mistress, that's a great deal better than coming
home without any money at all. I can tell you I have had a narrow
escape. Just look here; this scratch on my left hand was done by a
Swedish bullet aimed at my heart. I have lots of news to tell you
about my journey.'

And then all the people of the house gathered eagerly round to listen
while he told his adventures. Many an accomplished story-tel