your Sunday
clothes, take your boat ashore, and buy new things in the place of
those we have taken."

"That is what we shall do, sir. No one would believe us, if we told
them that three men had come on board and taken our old clothes,
and given us money to buy new ones in their place."

The three boatmen were all tall and brawny Bavarians, and their
clothes fitted Fergus and his companions well. Fishermen's hats
completed their costume. The little cabin had been almost
oppressively warm, and they had completely got over their chill
when they left it, closing the door behind them.

They took their places in the boat, crossed to the opposite shore,
which was to some extent sheltered from the wind, and rowed some
three miles up. Then they landed, pushed the boat off into the
stream, kept along the bank until they came to a road branching off
to the left, and followed it until it struck the main road, a few
hundred yards away; and then walked west.

There had been but few words spoken since they left the barge. It
had been hard work rowing against wind and stream. The oars were
clumsy, and it had needed all their efforts to keep the boat's head
straight. Now that they were in the main road, they were somewhat
more sheltered.

"Well, Drummond, we have accomplished what seemed to me, in spite
of your confidence, well-nigh impossible. We have got out, we have
obtained disguises, and we have eight or nine hours before our
escape can be discovered. I shall believe anything you tell me, in
future," Ritzer said.

"Yes," his companion agreed, "I never believed that we should
succeed; though, as you had set your heart on it, I did not like to
hang back. But it really did seem to me a wild scheme, altogether.
I thought possibly we might get out of the fort, but I believed
that your plan of getting disguises would break down altogether.
The rest seemed comparatively easy.

"The rain has ceased, and the stars are coming out, which is a
comfort indeed. One was often wet through, for days together, when
campaigning; but after five months' coddling, an eight hours' tramp
in a blinding rain would have been very unpleasant, especially as
we have no change of clothes.

"Now, commanding officer, what is to be our next tale?"

"That is simple enough," Fergus said with a laugh. "We have been
down with a raft of timber from the mountains, and are on our way
back. That must be our story till we have passed Ratisbon. There is
but one