emerge were on horseback, one of them hastily getting into an outer
garment, but the well-trained horses, who knew their business quite as
thoroughly as their riders, for they were accustomed to plunge into the
river if any barge disobeyed the order commanding it to halt, turned
from the gate, and dashed down the steep road that descended through the
forest. The men-at-arms poured forth with sword or pike, and in turn
went out of sight. They appeared to be leaderless, dashing forward in no
particular formation, yet, like the horses, they knew their business.
All this turmoil was not without its effect on Roland's following, who
edged forward on hands and knees to discover what was going on, everyone
breathless with excitement; but they saw their leader cool and
motionless, counting on his fingers the number of men who passed out,
for he knew exactly how many fighters the Castle contained.
"Not yet, not yet!" he whispered.
Finally three lordly individuals strode out; officers their more
resplendent clothing indicated them to be, and the trio followed the
others.
"Ha!" cried Roland, "old Baron Hugo drank too deeply last night to be so
early astir."
He was speaking aloud now.
"Take warning from that, my lads, and never allow wine to interfere with
business. Follow me, but cautiously, one after the other in single file,
and look to your footing. 'Tis perilous steep between here and the
gate;" and, indeed, so they found it, but all reached the level
forecourt in safety, and so through the open portal.
"Close and bar those gates," was the next command, instantly obeyed.
Down the stone steps of the Castle, puffing and grunting, came a
gigantic, obese individual, his face bloated with excess, his eyes
bleary with the lees of too much wine. He was struggling into his
doublet, assisted by a terrified old valet, and was swearing most
deplorably. Seeing the crowd at the gate, and half-blindly mistaking
them for his own men, he roared:
"What do you there, you hounds? To the river, every man of you, and
curse your leprous, indolent souls! Why in the fiend's name--" But here
he came to an abrupt stop on the lowest step, the sting of a sword's
point at his throat, and now, out of breath, his purple face became
mottled.
"Good morning to you, Baron Hugo von Hohenfels. These men whom you
address so coarsely obey no orders but mine."
"And who, imp of Satan, are you?" sputtered the old man.
"By profession a hangman. From our fastnesses in the hills, seeing a
barge float down the river, we thought it likely you would leave the
Castle undefended, and so came in to execute the Prince of Robbers."
The Baron was quaking like a huge jelly. It was evident that, although
noted for his cruelty, he was at heart a coward.
"You--you--you--" he stammered, "are outlaws! You are outlaws from the
Hunsruck."
"How clever of you, Baron, to recognize us at once. Now you know what to
expect. Greusel, unwind the rope I gave you last night. I will show you
its purpose."
Greusel did as he was requested without comment, but Ebearhard
approached closely to his chief, and whispered:
"Why resort to violence? We have no quarrel with this elephant. 'Tis his
gold we want, and to hang him is a waste of time."
"Hush, Ebearhard," commanded Roland sternly. "The greater includes the
less. I know this man, and am taking the quickest way to his
treasure-house."
Ebearhard fell back, but by this time the useful Greusel had made a loop
of the rope, and threw it like a cravat around the Baron's neck.
"No, no, no!" cried the frightened nobleman. "'Tis not my life you seek.
That is of no use to such as you; and, besides, I have never harmed the
outlaws."
"That is a lie," said Roland. "You sent an expedition against us just a
year ago."
"'Twas not I," protested Hohenfels, "but the pirate of Falkenberg.
Still, no matter. I'll buy my life from you. I am a wealthy man."
"How much?" asked Roland, hesitating.
"More than all of you can carry away."
"In gold?"
"Of a surety in gold."
"Where are the keys of your treasury?"
"In my chamber. I will bring them to you," and the Baron turned to mount
the steps again.
"Not so," cried Roland. "Stand where you are, and send your man for
them. If they are not here before I count twoscore, you hang, and
nothing will save you."
The Baron told the trembling valet where to find the keys.
"Greusel, you and Ebearhard accompany him, and at the first sign of
treachery, or any attempt to give an alarm, run him through with your
swords. Does your man know where the treasury is?" he continued to the
Baron.
"Oh, yes, yes!"
"How is your gold bestowed?"
"In leathern bags."
"Good. Greusel, take sixteen of the men, and bring down into the
courtyard all the gold you can carry. Then we will estimate whether or
not it is sufficient to buy the Baron's life, for I hold him in high
esteem. He is a valuable man. See to it that there is no delay, Greusel,
and never lose sight of this valet. Bring him back, laden with gold."
They all disappeared within the Castle, led by the old servitor.
"Sit you down, Baron," said Roland genially. "You seem agitated, for
which there is no cause should there prove to be gold enough to outweigh
you."
The ponderous noble seated himself with a weary sigh.
"And pray to the good Lord above us," went on Roland, "that your men may
not return before this transaction is completed, for if they do, my
first duty will be to strangle you. Even gold will not save you in that
case. But still, you have another chance for your life, should such an
untoward event take place. Shout to them through the closed gates that
they must return to the edge of the river until you join them; then, if
they obey, you are spared. Remember, I beg of you, the uselessness of an
outcry, for we are in possession of Rheinstein, and you know that the
Castle is unassailable from without."
The Baron groaned.
"Do not be hasty with your cord," he said dejectedly. "I will follow
your command."
The robbers, however, did not return, but the treasure-searchers did,
piling the bags in the courtyard, and again Hohenfels groaned dismally
at the sight. Roland indicated certain sacks with the point of his
sword, ordering them to be opened. Each was full of gold.
"Now, my lads," he cried, "oblige the Baron by burdening yourselves with
this weight of metal, then we shall make for the Hunsruck. Open the
gates. Lead the men to the point where we halted, Greusel, and there
await me."
The rich company departed, and Roland beguiled the time and the
weariness of the Baron by a light and interesting conversation to which
there was neither reply nor interruption. At last, having allowed time
for his band to reach their former halting-place, he took the rope from
the Baron's neck, tied the old robber's hands behind him, then bound his
feet, cutting the rope in lengths with his sword. He served the
trembling valet in the same way, shutting him up within the Castle, and
locking the door with the largest key in the bunch, which bunch he threw
down beside his lordship.
"Baron von Hohenfels," he said, "I have kept my word with you, and now
bid farewell. I leave you out-of-doors, because you seem rather scant of
breath, for which complaint fresh air is beneficial. Adieu, my lord
Baron."
The Baron said nothing as Roland, with a sweep of his bonnet, took leave
of him, climbed the steep path and joined his waiting men. He led them
along the hillside, through the forest for some distance, then descended
to the water's edge. The river was blank, so they all sat down under the
trees out of sight, leaving one man on watch. Here Roland spent a very
anxious half-hour, mitigated by the knowledge that the men of Rheinstein
were little versed in woodcraft, and so might not be able to trace the
fugitives. It was likely they would make a dash in quite the opposite
direction, towards the Hunsruck, because Hohenfels believed they were
outlaws from that district, and did not in any way associate them with
the plundered barge.
But if the robbers of Rheinstein took a fancy to sink the barge, an act
only too frequently committed, then were Roland and his company in a
quandary, without food, or means of crossing the river. However, he was
sure that Captain Blumenfels would follow his instructions, which were
to offer no resistance, but rather to assist the looters in their
exactions.
"Within a league," said Roland to his men, "stand three pirate castles:
Rheinstein, which we have just left; Falkenberg, but a short distance
below, and then Sonneck. If nothing happens to the barge, I expect to
finish with all three before nightfall; for, the strongholds being so
close together, we must work rapidly, and not allow news of our doings
to leap in advance of us."
"But suppose," said Kurzbold, "that Hohenfels' men hold the barge at the
landing for their own use?"
"We will wait here for another half-hour," replied Roland, "and then, if
we see nothing of the boat, proceed along the water's edge until we
learn what has become of her. I do not think the thieves will interfere
with the barge, as they have not been angered either by disobedience of
their orders to land, or resistance after the barge is by the shore.
Besides, I count on the fact that the officers, at least, will be
anxious to let the barge proceed, hoping other laden boats may follow,
and, indeed, I think for this reason they will be much more moderate in
their looting than we have been."
Before he had finished speaking, the man on watch by the water announced
the barge in sight, floating down with the current. At this they all
emerged from the forest. Captain Blumenfels, carefully scanning the
shore, saw them at once, and turned the boat's head towards the spot
where they stood.
The bags of gold were bolted away in the stout lockers extending on each
side of the cabin. While this was being done, Roland gave minute
instructions to the captain regarding the next item in the programme,
and once more entered the forest with his men.
The task before them was more difficult than the spoiling of Rheinstein,
because the huge bulk of Falkenberg stood on a summit of treeless rock;
the Castle itself, a gigantic, oblong gray mass, with a slender square
campanile some distance from it, rising high above its battlements on
the slope that went down towards the Rhine, forming thus an excellent
watch-tower. But although the conical hill of rock was bare of the large
trees that surrounded Rheinstein, there were plenty of bowlders and
shrubbery behind which cover could be sought. On this occasion the
marauding guild could not secure a position on a level with the
battlements of the Castle, as had been the case behind Rheinstein, and,
furthermore, they were compelled to make their dash for the gate up-hill.
But these disadvantages were counterbalanced by the fact that Falkenberg
was situated much higher than Rheinstein, and was farther away from the
river, so that when the garrison descended to the water's edge it could
not return as speedily as was the case with Hohenfels' men. Rheinstein
stood directly over the water, and only two hundred and sixty feet above
it, while, comparatively speaking, Falkenberg was back in the country.
Still all these castles had been so long unmolested, and considered
themselves so secure, that adequate watching had fallen into abeyance,
and at Falkenberg guard was kept by one lone man on the tall campanile.
The attacking party saw no one on the battlements of the Castle, so
worked their way round the hill until the man on the tower was hidden
from them by the bulk of the Castle itself, and thus they crawled like
lizards from bush to bush, from stone to stone, and from rock-ledge to
rock-ledge, taking their time, and not deserting one position of
obscurity until another was decided upon. The fact that the watchman was
upon the Rhine side of the Castle greatly favored a stealthy approach
from any landward point.
At last the alarm was given; the gate opened, and, as it proved, every
man in the Castle went headlong down the hill. The amateur cracksmen
therefore had everything their own way, and while this at first seemed
an advantage, they speedily found it the reverse, for although they
wandered from room to room, the treasure could not be discovered. 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
river surface. It proved that, all in all, Roland could suggest no
amendment of the day's proceedings. So far as Blumenfels was concerned,
everything had gone without a hitch.
As they promenaded thus, one of the men came forward, and said, rather
cavalierly:
"Commander, your comrades wish to see you in the cabin."
Roland made no reply, but continued his conversation with the captain
until he learned from that somewhat reticent individual all he wished to
know. Then he walked leisurely aft, and descended into the cabin, where
he found the eighteen seated on the lockers, as if the conclave were a
deliberate body like the Electors, who had come to some momentous
decision.
"We have unanimously passed a resolution," said Kurzbold, "that the
money shall be divided equally amongst us each evening. You do not
object, I suppose?"
"No; I don't object to your passing a resolution."
"Very good. We do not wish to waste time just now in the division,
because we are going to Lorch, intending to celebrate our success with a
banquet. Would Greusel, Ebearhard, and yourself care to join us?"
"I cannot speak for the other two," returned Roland quietly; "but
personally I shall be unable to attend, as there are some plans for the
future which need thinking over."
"In that case we shall not expect you," went on Kurzbold, who seemed in
no way grieved at the loss of his commander's company.
"Perhaps," suggested John Gensbein, "our chief will drop in upon us
later in the evening. We learned at Assmannshausen that the Krone is a
very excellent tavern, so we shall sup there."
"How did you know we were to stop at Lorch?" asked Roland, wondering if
in any way they had heard he was to meet Goebel's emissary in this
village.
"We were not sure," replied Gensbein, "but we made inquiries concerning
all the villages and castles down the Rhine, and have taken notes."
"Ah, in that case you are well qualified as a guide. I may find occasion
to use the knowledge thus acquired."
"We are all equally involved in this expedition," said Kurzbold
impatiently, "and you must not imagine yourself the only person to be
considered. But we lose time. What we wish at the present moment is that
you will unlock one of these chests, and divide amongst us a bag of
gold. The rest is to be partitioned when we return this evening; and
after that, Herr Roland, we shall not need to trouble you by asking for
more money."
"Are the thirty thalers I gave you the other day all spent, Herr
Kurzbold?"
"No matter for that," replied this insubordinate ex-president. "The
money in the lockers is ours, and we demand a portion of it now, with
the remainder after the banquet."
Without another word, Roland took the bunch of keys from his belt,
opened one of the lockers, lifted out a bag of gold, untied the thongs,
and poured out the coins on the lid of the chest, which he locked again.
"There is the money," he said to Kurzbold. "I shall send Greusel and
Ebearhard to share in its distribution, and thus you can invite them to
your banquet. My own portion you may leave on the lid of the locker."
With that he departed up on deck again, and said to his officers:
"Kurzbold, on behalf of the men, has demanded a bag of gold. You will go
to the cabin and receive your share. They will also invite you to a
banquet at the Krone. Accept that invitation, and if possible engage a
private room, as you did at Assmannshausen, to prevent the men talking
with any of the inhabitants. Keep them roystering there until all the
village has gone to bed; then convoy them back to the barge as quietly
as you can. A resolution has been passed that the money is to be divided
amongst our warriors on their return, but I imagine that they will be in
no condition to act as accountants when I have the pleasure of beholding
them again, so if anything is said about the apportionment, suggest a
postponement of the ceremony until morning. I need not add that I expect
you both to drink sparingly, for this is advice I intend to follow
myself."
Roland paced the deck deep in thought until his difficult contingent
departed towards the twinkling lights of the village, then he went to
the cabin, poured his share of the gold into his pouch, and followed the
company at a distance into Lorch. He avoided the Krone, and after
inquiring his way, stopped at the much smaller hostelry, Mergler's Inn.
Here he gave his name, and asking if any one waited for him, was
conducted upstairs to a room where he found Herr Kruger just about to
sit down to his supper. A stout lad nearing twenty years of age stood in
the middle of the room, and from his appearance Roland did not need the
elder man's word for it that this was his son.
"I took the precaution of bringing him with me," said Kruger, "as I
thought two horsemen were better than one in the business I had
undertaken."
"You were quite right," returned Roland, "and I congratulate you upon so
stalwart a traveling companion. With your permission I shall order a
meal, and sup with you, thus we may save time by talking while we eat,
because you will need to depart as speedily as possible."
"You mean in the darkness? To-night?"
"Yes; as soon as you can get away. There are urgent reasons why you
should be on the road without delay. How came you here?"
"On horseback; first down the Main, then along the Rhine."
"Very well. In the darkness you will return by the way you came, but
only as far as the Castle of Ehrenfels, three leagues from here. There
you are to rouse up the custodian, and in safety spend the remainder of
the night. To-morrow morning he will furnish you a guide to conduct you
through the forest to Wiesbaden, and from thence you know your way to
Frankfort, which you should reach not later than evening."
At this point the landlord, who had been summoned, came in.
"I will dine with my friends here," said Roland. "I suppose I need not
ask if you possess some of the good red wine of Lorch, which they tell
me equals that of Assmannshausen?"
"Of the very best, mein Herr, the product of my own vineyard, and I can
therefore guarantee it sound. As for equaling that of Assmannshausen, we
have always considered it superior, and, indeed, many other good judges
agree with us."
"Then bring me a stoup of it, and you will be enabled to add my opinion
to that of the others."
When the landlord produced the wine, Roland raised it to his lips, and
absorbed a hearty draught.
"This is indeed most excellent, landlord, and does credit alike to your
vines and your inn. I wish to send two large casks of so fine a wine to
a merchant of my acquaintance in Frankfort, and my friend, Herr Kruger,
has promised to convey it thither. If you can spare me two casks of such
excellent vintage, they will make an evenly balanced burden for the
horse."
"Surely, mein Herr."
"Choose two of those long casks, landlord, with bung-holes of the
largest at the sides. Do you possess such a thing as a pack-saddle?"
"Oh, yes."
"And you, my young friend," he said, turning to Kruger's son, "rode here
on a saddle?"
"No," interjected his father; "I ride a saddle, but my son was forced to
content himself with a length of Herr Goebel's coarse cloth, folded four
times, and strapped to the horse's back."
"Then the cloth may still be used as a cushion for the pack-saddle, and
you, my lad, will be compelled to walk, to which I dare venture you are
well accustomed."
The lad grinned, but made no objection.
"Now, landlord, while we eat, fill your casks with wine, then place the
pack-saddle on the back of this young man's horse, and the casks
thereon, for I dare say you have men expert in such a matter."
"There are no better the length of the Rhine," said the landlord
proudly.
"Lay the casks so that the bung-holes are upward, and do not drive the
bungs more tightly in place than is necessary, for they are to be
extracted before Frankfort is reached, that another friend of mine may
profit by the wine. When this is done, bring me word, and let me know
how much I owe you."
The landlord gone, the three men fell to their meal.
"There is more gold," said Roland, "than I expected, and it is
impossible even for two of you to carry it in bags attached to your
belts. Besides, if you are molested, such bestowal of it would prove
most unsafe. A burden of wine, however, is too common either to attract
notice or arouse cupidity. I propose, then, when we leave here, to bring
you to the barge belonging to Herr Goebel, and taking out the bungs, we
will pour the gold into the barrels, letting the wine that is displaced
overflow to the ground. Then we will stoutly drive in the bungs, and
should the guards question you at the gates of Frankfort, you may let
them taste the wine if they insist, and I dare say it will contain no
flavor of the metal."
"A most excellent suggestion," said Herr Kruger with enthusiasm. "An
admirable plan; for I confess I looked forward with some anxiety to this
journey, laden down with bags of gold under my cloak."
"Yes. You are simply an honest drinker, tired of the white wine of
Frankfort, and providing yourself with the stronger fluid that Lorch
produces. I am sure you will deliver the money safely to Herr Goebel,
somewhat in drink, it is true, but, like the rest of us, none the worse
for that when the fumes are gone."
The repast finished, and all accounts liquidated, the trio left the inn,
and, leading the two horses, reached the barge without observation. Here
the bungs were removed from the casks, and the three men, assisted by
the captain, quietly and speedily opened bag after bag, pouring the
coins down into the wine; surely a unique adulteration, astonishing even
to so heady a fluid as the vintage of Lorch. From the whole amount
Roland deducted two thousand thalers, which he divided equally between
two empty bags.