who has followed them twice already, is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery; so if either you or the parson has a fancy to join us in the hunt, you can follow me.”  “Thanks very much,” said Mrs. Behrens, “but I’ve got my part to play already.  Braesig, can you keep a secret?” “Like a safe when the padlock is on,” he answered.  “No, no.  Do be serious.  Can you be silent?” “I beg your pardon,” he said gravely, and clapped his hand on his mouth in token of shame at his ill-timed jesting, though had any one else done it, he would have given him a black eye for his pains.  “Why well then, listen,” said Mrs. Behrens, who now proceeded to relate all that she knew of the affair.  “Wheugh!” whistled Braesig, “what a fool that nephew of yours is.”  Mrs. Behrens then read him the letters she had found.  “Hang it,” cried Braesig, “where did the young rascal get that grand way of expressing himself.  Stupid as he is in other matters, he can write much better than one would expect.”  When she came to the bit about the dragon Braesig laughed heartily, and said: 

“That’s you, Mrs. Behrens, that’s you!” “I know,” she answered sharply, “but the ass in the third letter is intended for you, so neither of us need laugh at the other.  But now, Braesig, you see that it’s quite necessary that I should get hold of the little wretch, and box his ears well for him.”  “You’re quite right, and it’s easily managed.  Listen.  You and I must hide at the bottom of the garden at eight o’clock this evening; at half past eight, Louisa must take her place in the ditch, and you’ll see that he’ll come like a bear to wild honey; and then we’ll spring out upon him, and take him prisoner before he knows where he is.”  “That won’t do at all, Braesig.  If I were going to act in that sort of way I shouldn’t require your help.  It would be a great misfortune if Louisa were ever to know anything about this, and I’d rather that neither Hawermann nor even my pastor should hear of it.”  “H’m, h’m!” said Braesig.  “Then * * * then * * * Stop!  I have it now.  Mrs. Behrens, you must make yourself as thin as possible, put on Louisa’s clothes, and go to the randyvoo in her stead.  Then, as soon as he is seated by your side, and is on the point of kissing you, you must seize him by the scruff of the neck, and hold on till I come.”  “Nay, Braesig, that would never do!” “Don’t you think so, Mrs. Behrens?  You understand that if he doesn’t see his sweet-heart in the ditch, you’ll never manage to inveigle him there; and if we don’t nab him unexpectedly, we’ll never succeed in catching him, for he’s a long-legged, thin-flanked gray-hound, and if it came to a race, we’d be nowhere with our short legs and round bodies.”  It was quite true; but no! she go to a rendezvous?  And Braesig was very stupid, how could she ever get into Louisa’s gown?  But Braesig would not be convinced, he maintained that it was the only way in which she could get the interview she wanted with her nephew, and assured her that all she had to do