“Have they made you angry, velvet panty?  I never have seen you so mad,” he exclaimed and stopped near the hedge.

He received no answer.

“You join us in the fight and strike hard; that will relieve your feelings.”

Erick shook his head.

“Don’t be such a sneak, and say something.  The fellow who has made you wrathful will no doubt be there, then you can get at him.”

“It is no boy,” grumbled Erick.

“So, who then, perhaps Kaetheli?”

“I will not go to be auctioned,” Erick burst out and his anger flashed as never before.

“Well, well, is that all.  That is nothing,” Churi thought.  “You just come with us and you will forget the auction on the spot.  Or are you afraid of the thrashing, you fine velvet pants?  Do you know what?  I could tell you something that would suit you?”

Churi had caught an idea:  he had heard something of some danger that was lurking among the Mayor’s grapes, and the others too knew something about it; so he reckoned that none of the others would go first and he himself would prefer to have some other fellow first find out whether a trap was laid somewhere, in which the first one would fall, while the rest would be warned.  For this post of inspection Erick fitted splendidly.

“Well, will you?” he urged the silent Erick.

But the latter shook his head negatively.

“And if I help you so that you need not be auctioned, will you then?”

“How can you do that?” Erick asked doubtingly.

“As soon as I want to,” boasted Churi.  “Don’t you know that my father is the sergeant here?  He goes into every house along the whole mountain, far beyond Lower Wood, and he knows all the people and can place you where he likes.  You only need to say what you want to do:  take care of the cows, deliver letters, push little children along in their carriages—­whatever you like best.”

Erick had never heard lying, he did not know what it was.  He believed word for word what the swaggering Churi told him.  He considered a moment and then he asked:  “What shall I have to do for that?”

“Something which you yourself will find more merry than anything you ever did.  You can go with me and the officers in the morning.  You are the scout and always go first to see whether the land is clear and safe for us and where we can best pitch our tents and give battle.  But one thing I have to tell you:  you have to obey me.  I am the general, and if you do not do at once what I tell you, you suffer for it.  First we go through a vineyard—­”

“One cannot give battle there, nor camp,” Erick interrupted.

“That makes no difference,” Churi continued, “you listen to what I tell you.  You have to go through the vineyard and not make a bit of noise, do you hear?  And not run away, else—­” Churi lifted his fist threateningly.  “You must not tell anyone where we are going, do you hear?”