One of the vagabonds had certainly slipped into the garden to steal fruit or vegetables, or even honey from the bee hives.  An unprecedented offence!  Dietel’s blood boiled, for the property of The Blue Pike was as dear to him as his own.

With prompt decision he went through the entry into the yard, where he meant to unchain the butcher’s dog to help him chase the abominable robber.  But some time was to elapse ere he could execute this praiseworthy intention; for before he could cross the threshold the landlord of The Pike appeared, berated him, and ordered him to be more civil in the performance of his duties.  The words were intended less for the waiter than for the feather dealer and his friends.

The latter had complained of Dietel to the landlord of The Pike, and, after he had received a reproof, they punished him for his rudeness by ordering him to fetch one jug of wine from the cellar after another.  At last, when, with many a malediction, he had brought up the fifth, his tormentors released him, but then the best time was lost.  Nevertheless he continued the pursuit and entered the little garden with the dog, but the thief had fled.

After assuring himself of this fact he stood still, rubbing his narrow forehead with the tips of his fingers.

The rogue was most probably one of the vagrants, and like a flash it entered his mind that the ropedancer, Kuni, who in her prosperous days, instead of eating meat and vegetables, preferred to satisfy her appetite with fruits and sweet dainties, might be the culprit.  Besides, when he had looked around among the guests just before, she was no longer with the other vagabonds.

Certain of having found the right trail, he instantly went to the window below which the strollers lay, thrust his head into the room from the outside, and waked the wife of the tongueless swearer.  She had fallen asleep on the floor with the sewing in her hand.  The terror with which she started up at his call bore no favourable testimony to her good conscience, but she had already recovered her bold unconcern when he imperiously demanded to know what had become of lame Kuni.

“Ask the other travellers—­the soldiers, the musicians, the monks, for aught I care,” was the scornful, irritating answer.  But when Dietel angrily forbade such insolent mockery, she cried jeeringly: 

“Do you think men don’t care for her because she has lost her foot and has that little cough?  You ought to know better.

“Master Dieter has a sweetheart for every finger, though the lower part of his own body isn’t quite as handsome as it might be.”

“On account of my foot?” the waiter answered spitefully.  “You’ll soon find that it knows how to chase.  Besides, the Nuremberg city soldiers will help me in the search.  If you don’t tell me at once where the girl went—­by St. Eoban, my patron——­”

Here red-haired Gitta interrupted him in a totally different tone; she and her companions had nothing good to expect from the city soldiers.