“You should not have let that butcher boy see your gold-piece,” said Paul.  “We are traveling the same way, and we don’t know what they are planning.  The thief in Frankfort got your money out of your pocket with smooth words, but this butcher boy might take a shorter way.”

“Let us lose no time in getting out of their path,” advised Franz.  “I believe the better plan would be to take a train home.”

“Oh, no!” objected Fritz; “the Trojans would never get done laughing at us.  It is bad enough that we have ridden part of the way, when we boasted so much of taking the whole trip on foot.”

“But Paul is right about that butcher boy.  I believe that he would stick a boy as willingly as he would a calf.”

“I will tell you my plan,” said Paul.  “Those three tramps have taken the main road; we will take the forest, and walk along where we can see them, and they cannot see us.  Then if they strike off in another direction we will come out in the road again.”

“That is a first-rate plan,” said Fritz; “and it will be so cool and pleasant in the woods.”

The boys now took a long look at the apprentices, fearing they would turn and see them enter the woods; but no, they were passing along quietly, and the three darted in, and felt that they had escaped a great misfortune.  For a long time they kept the road in sight, then, without them knowing how, it disappeared from view, although they believed that they had been keeping a straight course.  It seemed to have grown suddenly dark, and there was the low rumbling of thunder.

“That is the reason that it is growing dark; a storm is coming up,” remarked Paul.  “We must have a place of shelter.  Let us hurry to the road, and it may be that we will see a house or barn.”

It was raining fast by this time.  It had not occurred to them to take their rain-coats from their knapsacks, but trudged along in the downpour, the woods now so dark that they could scarcely see each other.

“I wish I had something to eat,” said Fritz.  “I am as hungry as a wolf.”

“And I,” seconded Franz.

“And I,” agreed Paul.

“Follow me, and we will soon be out of this dark woods,” commanded Fritz.

The others obeyed, stumbling over stones, tripping over roots, and running against stumps and briars; but they kept along cheerfully, believing that they would soon reach the road where it would not be so dark.

“I wish I had a piece of that cake that Uncle Braun bought for us the day we went to the tower,” remarked Fritz.

“Oh, don’t speak of it!  It makes me hungrier than ever,” said Paul.

“Oh, boys, I see a light, a dim one, but it may be in a house, and the people will give us something to eat.  I told you I would lead you right if you would follow me.”

“If it is a house, and they will give us some straw to sleep on, we will not try to reach the village where we were to stay all night, for I believe it is growing late,” suggested Paul.