“I don’t want to hear anything more about it,” Kurt said evasively, pulling a handful of leaves from the hedge and throwing them angrily to the ground.

“But it might only have been a man after all,” Loneli continued quietly.

“Yes, yes, that is easily said, Loneli.  How can you talk when you haven’t even seen him?”

Kurt flung the last leaves away impatiently and tried to go.  But Loneli would not yield.

“Just wait a moment, Kurt,” she entreated.  “It is true that I did not see him, but Clevi told me all about him.  I know why he looked that way and why he was so enormous.  I also know where he got the armour, the long blue mantle, and the high black plumes.”

“What!” Kurt exclaimed, staring at Loneli as if she were a curious ghost herself.  How can you know anything about it?”

“Certainly I know about it,” Loneli assured him.  “Listen!  You must remember that grandmother lived a long time at the castle, so she has told me everything that went on up there.  In the lowest story there is a huge old hall, and the walls are covered with weapons and things like armour and helmets.  In one corner there is an armoured knight with a black-plumed helmet on his head.  Whenever the young gentlemen from the castle wanted to play a special prank, one of them would take the knight on his shoulders, and the knightly long mantle would be hung over his shoulders so as to cover him down to his high boot-tops.  This figure looked so terrible coming along the terrace that everybody always ran away, even in bright daylight.  Once the two young ladies shrieked loudly when they suddenly saw the fearful knight.  That pleased the young gentlemen more than anything.”

“Oh, then my mother saw him, too, and knows what he looks like,” Kurt exclaimed with a sudden start, for he had been breathlessly listening.

“Certainly, for she was one of the young ladies,” Loneli said.

“But now nobody is at the castle except Mr. Trius, and he couldn’t have been there,” Kurt objected.  “I know that he sneaks about the meadows till late in the evening in order to catch apple-thieves.  That is so far from the little woods that he could not possibly have heard us.”

“But it was Mr. Trius just the same, you can believe me, Kurt,” Loneli assured her friend.  “My grandmother has often said that Mr. Trius always knows everything that is going on.  He seems to hide behind the hedges and then suddenly comes out from behind the trees when one least expects him.  You know that the boys have known about your plan several days and that they don’t always talk in a low voice.  Besides, they have been trying to get hold of apples every night.  You can be sure that Mr. Trius heard distinctly what your plan was.”

“Yes, that is true, but I have to go to mother now,” Kurt exclaimed, as he started toward the house.  Then, turning back once more, he said:  “Thank you ever so much, Loneli, you have done me a greater service than you can realize by telling me everything.  Nothing could have made me happier than what you have said.”  As he spoke these words he shook the little girl’s hand with all his might.