e; a shower of blows fell upon my head and shoulders,
and one, armed with desperate resolution, struck me on the forehead and
felled me on the spot.

'"Be quick now, be quick!" said a voice I well knew; "into the river
with him--the filets de St. Cloud will catch him by daybreak--into the
river with him!"

'They tore off my coat and shoes, and dragged me along towards the
wharf. My senses were clear, though the blow had deprived me of all the
power to resist, and I could calculate the little chance still left me
when once I had reached the river, when a loud yell and a whistle was
heard afar off--another, louder, followed; the fellows around me sprang
to their legs, and with a muttered curse and a cry of terror darted off
in different directions. I could hear now several pistol-shots following
quickly on one another, and the noise of a scuffle with swords; in an
instant it was over, and a cheer burst forth like a cry of triumph.

'"Any one wounded there?" shouted a deep manly voice, from the end of
the street. I endeavoured to call out, but my voice failed me. "Halloa,
there! any one wounded?" said the voice again, when a window was opened
over my head, and a man held a candle out, and looked into the street.

'"This way, this way!" said he, as he caught sight of my shadow where I
lay.

'"Ay, I guessed they went down here," said the same voice I heard first,
as he came along, followed by several others. "Well, friend, are you
much hurt? any blood lost?"

'"No, only stunned," said I, "and almost well already."

'"Have you any friends here? Were you quite alone?"

'"Yes; quite alone."

'"Of course you were; why should I ask? That murderous gang never dared
to face two men yet. Come, are you able to walk? Oh, you're a stout
fellow, I see; come along with us. Come, Ludwig, put a hand under him,
and we 'll soon bring him up."

'When they lifted me up, the sudden motion caused a weakness so complete
that I fainted, and knew little more of their proceedings till I found
myself lying on a sofa in a large room, where some forty persons were
seated at a long table, most of them smoking from huge pipes of regular
German proportions.

'"Where am I?" was my question, as I looked about, and perceived that
the party wore a kind of blue uniform, with fur on the collar and cuffs,
and a greyhound worked in gold on the arm.

'"Why, you're safe, my good friend," said a friendly voice beside me;
"that's quite enough to know a