Farina beheld the Thier at the entrance of a tumbledown tent.  He was ruefully rubbing a broken head.

‘Now,’ continued Guy, ’to mount him is the thing; and then after the wolves of Werner as fast as horse-flesh can carry us.  No questions!  Bound, are you?  And what am I?  But this is life and death, lad!  Hark!’

The Goshawk whispered something that sucked the blood out of Farina’s cheek.

’Look you—­what’s your lockjaw name?  Keep good faith with me, and you shall have your revenge, and the shiners I promise, besides my lord’s interest for a better master:  but, sharp! we won’t mount till we’re out of sight o’ the hell-scum you horde with.’

The Thier stood up and staggered after them through the camp.  There was no difficulty in mounting him horses were loose, and scampering about the country, not yet delivered from their terrors of the last night’s tempest.

‘Here be we, three good men!’ exclaimed Guy, when they were started, and Farina had hurriedly given him the heads of his adventure with the Monk.  ’Three good men!  One has helped to kick the devil:  one has served an apprenticeship to his limb:  and one is ready to meet him foot to foot any day, which last should be myself.  Not a man more do we want, though it were to fish up that treasure you talk of being under the Rhine there, and guarded by I don’t know how many tricksy little villains.  Horses can be ferried across at Linz, you say?’

‘Ay, thereabout,’ grunted the Thier.

’We ‘re on the right road, then!’ said Guy.  ’Thanks to you both, I’ve had no sleep for two nights—­not a wink, and must snatch it going—­not the first time.’

The Goshawk bent his body, and spoke no more.  Farina could not get a word further from him.  By the mastery he still had over his rein, the Goshawk alone proved that he was of the world of the living.  Schwartz Thier, rendered either sullen or stunned by the latest cracked crown he had received, held his jaws close as if they had been nailed.

At Linz the horses were well breathed.  The Goshawk, who had been snoring an instant before, examined them keenly, and shook his calculating head.

‘Punch that beast of yours in the ribs,’ said he to Farina.  ’Ah! not a yard of wind in him.  And there’s the coming back, when we shall have more to carry.  Well:  this is my lord’s money; but i’ faith, it’s going in a good cause, and Master Groschen will make it all right, no doubt; not a doubt of it.’

The Goshawk had seen some excellent beasts in the stables of the Kaiser’s Krone; but the landlord would make no exchange without an advance of silver.  This done, the arrangement was prompt.

‘Schwartz Thier!—­I’ve got your name now,’ said Guy, as they were ferrying across, ’you’re stiff certain they left Cologne with the maiden yesternoon, now?’

‘Ah, did they! and she’s at the Eck safe enow by this time.’

‘And away from the Eck this night she shall come, trust me!’