ly congratulated each other.

"Such nights as these make strong friendships," cried the smith, in
great delight, as he shook Anton's hand, which was little less black
than his own.

Meanwhile the axes of the besiegers were hacking away at several windows
of the lower story, the loosened boards creaked, and Fink's voice was
heard saying, "Knock them down with the butt-ends!"

Anton and the forester now betook themselves upon the window through
which the besiegers sought to enter. But the worst was over there too.
Fink came to meet them, the bloody axe of an insurgent in his hand, and,
flinging it away, he cried to Anton and his party, "Put new boards into
the windows. I hope the butchery is at an end."

A few more salvos from without, and single shots from within, and all
was still in the castle and in the field. The walls still glowed a while
in the firelight, but it faded and faded away. The wind rose and drove
away the smoke curling round the windows from the burning fragments
before the door. The pure night air filled the corridors and the halls
once more, and the starlight shone quietly on the sunken eyes and pale
faces of the garrison. On both sides the energies of the combatants were
exhausted.

"What hour of the night is it?" asked Fink, going up to Anton, who was
watching the movements of the enemy through the loop-holes of the wall.

"Past midnight," replied Anton.

They went up to the tower and looked about them. The fields around the
castle were empty.

"They have laid themselves down to sleep," said Fink. "Even the fires
below are out, and but few isolated voices sound from the village. Those
shadows all round the house alone tell us that we are besieged. We have
some hours of peace before us; and as we shall hardly get sleeping-time
to-morrow, our people must avail themselves of the present. Leave only
the necessary sentinels, and let the posts be relieved in two hours. If
you have no objection, I shall go to bed too. Let me be called as soon
as any thing is stirring outside. You will take very good care of the
night-posts, that I know." So saying, Fink turned away and went to his
room, where he threw himself on his bed, and in a few moments was fast
asleep.

Anton hurried to the guard-room, arranged the posts with the forester,
and fixed the order in which they were to be relieved.

"I shall not be sleepy," said the old man; "firstly, because of my age;
next, from my habits as a huntsman. I wil