!" said Pietro, his face flushing with enthusiasm,
"if we succeed, I will fill your hat with gold pieces. I will have your
name engraved upon tablets of bronze, and your statue erected in every
public square in Lombardy."

Cocco scarcely heeded the last words, so intently did he gaze towards
the distant horizon. Suddenly he seized the arm of the knight:

"Look there!" he cried, "there, near the forest; see that armor shining
in the sun. It is Barbarossa himself, followed by eighteen knights and
seventy varlets!"

"Oh! the wretch!" exclaimed the Milanese, with an expression of mingled
hatred and anger.

"I beg you, my lord," said Pietro hurriedly, "take off your helmet, and
turn your shield, or their reflection will betray our presence," and,
as his advice was followed, he at once resumed,--

"Now let us make every arrangement in order that the tyrant may not
escape. Remain here with your men, in observation, whilst I ride over
to Cinola to get reinforcements."

"Aye! and meanwhile, Barbarossa will get away. Oh! fool that I am! why
am I here, without my own brave troopers? One bold stroke, and the yoke
of my beloved country would be broken!"

"Fear nothing," said Cocco, "those iron-clad soldiers would need wings,
to escape now. Mark yonder little valley with its sloping meadows and
its narrow stream! The Germans are making toward it, for the road
passes close by, and good pastures are too rare now in Lombardy for
them to neglect so favorable a chance for resting their horses. So,
while his Imperial Majesty is taking his ease, our troops will come up,
and it will be an easy task to seize this red-headed tyrant by the
beard."

Griffi whistled and clapped his hands, and, at the sound, an active
little horse ran toward him.

"Cocco," said the knight to his companion, "my good friend, Cocco, lose
no time--but, stay, let two of my troopers go with you; an accident
might happen, and remember that you hold in your hands the liberty of
Italy."

"Bah! my lord Pietro," replied the other, "I will give you leave to
flog me, if my horse, Molo, does not easily distance your stiff
troopers!" and as he spoke he sprang upon the back of the nimble
animal, and soon left far behind him the soldiers whom the knight had
detailed as his escort.

Pietro concealed himself behind a bush, whence he could observe the
enemy's movements. The Germans continued to advance. In front, rode the
knights in complete armor,--he could even disti