for
children, certainly an alarming, sight--his left leg, which had been
broken by a bullet from a howitzer, had remained stiff, and, as he leaped
up three stairs at a time, he stretched his lean body so far forward that
it seemed as though he could not help losing his balance at the next
step. He was in haste, for he thought that at last he could again acquit
himself manfully and cope with one or rather with two or three of the
burglars who, since the Duke of Bavaria had prohibited the conveyance of
provisions into Ratisbon as a punishment for its desertion of the
Catholic Church, had pursued their evil way in the city.

He first discovered with what very small ill-doers he had to deal when he
held the little lamp toward them, and, to his sincere vexation, found
that they were only little boys, who, moreover, were the children of
honest folk, and therefore could scarcely be genuine scoundrels.

Yet it could hardly be any laudable purpose which brought them at so late
an hour to the cantor house, and therefore, with the intention of turning
the serious attack into a mirthful one; he shouted in a harsh voice the
gibberish which he had compounded of scraps of all sorts of languages,
and whose effect upon unruly youngsters he had tested to his own
amusement.

As his rough "Larum gardum quantitere runze punze ke hi voi la" now
reached the little ones, the impression was far deeper than he had
intended, for the cellar man's youngest son, a little fellow six years
old, first shrieked aloud, and, when the terrible old man's long arms
barred his way, he began to cry piteously.

This troubled the kind-hearted giant, who was really fond of children,
and, ere the little lad was aware of it, the captain's free left hand
grasped the waistband of his little leather breeches and lifted him into
the air.

The swift act doubled the terror and anguish of the struggling little
wight.

As the strong man held him on his arm he fought bravely with his fat
little fists and his sturdy little legs. But though in the unequal
conflict the boy pitilessly pulled the powerful monster's grayishy yellow
imperial and bushy mustache, and the captain recognised the child from
the Red Cock as one of the rascals who often shouted their nickname of
"Turkey gobbler" after his tall figure, conspicuous from its height and
costume, he strove with honest zeal to soothe the little one.

His deep voice, meanwhile, sounded so gentle and friendly, and his
p