“Prince Roland, there can be no gold for me at Lorch.”

“Dispatch a trustworthy man in case I receive the money.  You will be anxious to know how we prosper, and I can at least forward a budget of news.”

“But should there be gold, he cannot return safely with it to Frankfort.”

“Oh, yes, if he keeps to the eastern bank of the Rhine.  There is no castle between Lorch and Frankfort except Ehrenfels, and that, being the property of the Archbishop, may be passed safely.”

“Very well.  The man shall await you at Lorch.  Inquire for Herr Kruger at Mergler’s Inn.”

That night, in the Kaiser cellar, another excellent supper was spread before the members of the metal-workers’ league.  It was quite as hilarious as the banquet of the night before; perhaps more so, because now, for the first time in months, the athletic young men were well fed, with money in their pouches.  Each was clad in a new suit of clothes.  Nothing like uniformity in costume had been attempted, there being but one day in which to replenish the wardrobes, which involved the acquiring of garments already made.  However no trouble was experienced about this, for each branch of the metal-workers had its own recognized outfit, which was kept on hand in all sizes by various dealers catering to the wants of artisans, from apprentices to masters of their trade.  The costumes were admirably adapted to the use for which they were intended.  There was nothing superfluous in their make-up, and, being loosely cut, they allowed ample play to stalwart limbs.  For dealing with metal the wearers required a cloth tightly woven, of a texture as nearly as possible resembling leather, and better accouterment for a rough-and-tumble, freebooter’s excursion could not have been found, short of coats of mail, or, failing that, of leather itself.

Roland appeared in the trousers and doublet of a sword maker, and his comrades cheered loudly when he threw off his cloak and displayed for the first time that he was actually one of themselves.  Hitherto something in the fashioning of his wearing apparel had in a manner differentiated him from the rest of the company, but now nothing in his dress indicated that he was leader of the coterie, and this pleased the independent metal-workers.

The previous night, after the landlord’s bill was generously liquidated, each man had received upwards of thirty thalers.  Roland then related to them his adventure with the merchant, and the result of his sword-play in the vicinity of Herr Goebel’s throat.  Two accomplishments he possessed endeared Roland to his comrades:  first, the ability to sing a good song; and second, his talent for telling an interesting story, whether it was a personal adventure, a legend of the Rhine, or some tale of the gnomes which, as every one knows, haunt the gloomy forests in the mountain regions.  His account of the evening spent with Herr Goebel aroused much laughter and applause, which greatly augmented when the material advantages of the interview were distributed among the guild.