“This thousand thalers,” said he to Kruger, “is to be shared by your son and yourself, in addition to whatever you may receive from Herr Goebel.  The other you will hand to the custodian of Ehrenfels Castle, saying it came from his friend Roland, and is recompense for the money he lent the other day.  That will be an effective letter of introduction to him.  Say that I ask him to send his son with you as guide through the forest to Wiesbaden; and so good-night and good luck to you.”

It was long after midnight when the guild came roystering up the bank of the Rhine to the barge.  The moon had risen, and gave them sufficient light to steer a reasonably straight course without danger of falling into the water.  Ebearhard was with them, but Greusel walked rapidly ahead, so that he might say a few words to his chief before the others arrived.

“I succeeded in preventing their talking with any stranger, but they have taken aboard enough wine to make them very difficult and rather quarrelsome if thwarted.  When I proposed that they should leave the counting until to-morrow morning they first became suspicious, and then resented the imputation that they were not in fit condition for such a task.  I recommend, therefore, that you allow them to divide the money to-night.  It will allay their fear that some trick is to be played upon them, and if you hint at intoxication, they are likely to get out of hand.  As it does not matter when the money is distributed, I counsel you to humor them to-night, and postpone reasoning until to-morrow.”

“I’ll think about it,” said Roland.

“They have bought several casks of wine, and are taking turns in carrying them.  Will you allow this wine to come aboard, even if you determine to throw it into the water to-morrow?”

“Oh, yes,” said Roland, with a shrug of the shoulders.  “Coax them into the cabin as quietly as possible, and keep them there if you can, for should they get on deck, we shall lose some of them in the river.”

Greusel turned back to meet the bellowing mob, while Roland roused the captain and his men.

“Get ready,” he said to Blumenfels, “and the moment I raise my hand, shove off.  Make for this side of the larger island, and come to rest there for the remainder of the night.  Command your rowers to put their whole force into the sweeps.”

This was done accordingly, and well done, as was the captain’s custom.  The late moon threw a ghostly light over the scene, and the barren island proved deserted and forbidding, as the crew tied up the barge alongside.  Most of the lights in Lorch had gone out, and the town lay in the silence of pallid moonbeams like a city of the dead.  Roland stood on deck with Greusel and Ebearhard by his side, the latter relating the difficulties of the evening.  There had been singing in the cabin during the passage across, then came a lull in the roar from below, followed by a shout that betokened danger.  An instant later the crowd came boiling up the short stair to the deck, Kurzbold in command, all swords drawn, and glistening in the moonlight.