ng came, and Sergeant Wiegandt went to his rendezvous as usual. An
expectant silence lay over Room IX. The recruits cleaned their things
and glanced now and then in an embarrassed way at the corner where Vogt
had seated himself close to Klitzing. The brewer had joined them also.

All was quiet until shortly before bed-time. Then heavy clanking steps
approached from the large Room VII. on the other side of the corridor,
and eight or nine old drivers pushed themselves in, armed with whips,
belts, and snaffle-reins.

Vogt placed himself full in front of Klitzing.

"You be off!" they said.

"I shan't!" answered Vogt.

"We'll soon make you!"

"We shall see about that!"

In a moment a dozen hands had seized him; but the big, strong fellow
defended himself bravely. He lashed out powerfully with fists and feet,
making the attacking party more and more furious; but finally he was
dashed to the ground, dragging several of his opponents with him. As if
they had been waiting for this, the others now threw themselves upon
him, and their blows fell thick as hail.

Klitzing, with his whole body trembling, stood by as if he had been
paralysed. But the brewer bent his round head like a furious bull, and
charged, using his skull as a battering ram, right into the middle of
the scrimmage. Now there were two against ten. The odds were still far
too great; and the brewer also was soon on the floor. The fighters made
a tremendous noise, but whereas usually at the least sound a corporal
would come running up to enjoin quiet, to-day nobody seemed to heed.

With a sudden effort Vogt succeeded in shaking two of his opponents
off, and in half raising himself; he just caught Weise's eye, who, with
his hands in his trousers pockets, was looking on at the row and
laughing a little. He shouted to him goadingly: "Is this what you call
liberty, equality, fraternity, you lousy fellow? Liberty, equality,
fraternity!"

And he gave a shrill, scornful laugh.

But, as if summoned by the words, the haggard, sombre-visaged Wolf came
to the door from the opposite room. He had at once understood why the
row was going on. It was only to be expected, after the deputy
sergeant-major's words! It was one of those injustices that he hated so
intensely; worse and a thousandfold more cowardly even than a blow
given to a soldier on the parade-ground by his superior officer.

He felt he had been summoned by those three words.

"Here I am!" he shouted, and