ey will do no
harm."

"So be it," responded the battle-painter, with great seriousness;
"though, in any case, we shan't burden you with our presence very long.
For, to-morrow--" He broke off, for Elfinger gave him a warning look.
In the meanwhile, Kohle had hastened down into the cellar, and now
returned with a few slim bottles and the wine-cooler, which he had
filled afresh with ice.

He had not yet spoken a word; but his whole face beamed with an inner
content such as he seldom exhibited. The thought of the bare walls
inspired him as the happiness of a secret love does others. Meantime,
Elfinger had descended again to the bank, from which a little path led
to a bathing-house. Soon his friends who had remained behind saw him
swim out into the lake, his black, curly bead rising out of the silver
path of the moonlight, "like the head of the Baptist on Herodias's
charger," said Koble. "Except that he feels himself much better off
than that poor devil," remarked Rosenbusch, who was comfortably
drinking and smoking. "You must know that we wouldn't have had the
absurd idea of making a pilgrimage out here on Saturday evening, in
company with the whole population of Munich, had not our sweethearts
shown us the way. Papa Glovemaker has permitted them to visit a Frau
godmother, who is staying in Starnberg for the summer. We had no sooner
gotten wind of this, through a trusty go-between, than we very
naturally made up our minds that we could find no better place to spend
to-morrow than here. Of course, we have taken care to make arrangements
for meeting to-morrow. We are going to take you with us as guard of
honor, Philip Emanuel. It is to be hoped you have no objections to the
plan?"

"Not the slightest," responded Koble, good-naturedly. "Of course, the
Frau godmother will fall to my share."

"And how about Elfinger's sweetheart? Is that little bride of heaven
also in the conspiracy?" asked Fat Rossel, who was sitting in his
rocking-chair again.

"Nothing certain is known about that; but, at all events, our friend
builds great hopes upon this favor of fortune, which will permit him,
for the first time, to pass several hours in the company of his
darling. Only think; we also succeeded, a short time since, in finding
out what it really is that has disgusted the good child with the world,
and that is driving her into the convent by main force."

He cast a look upon the lake, as though he were measuring the distance
between