de."

"I think Greusel's suggestion is an excellent one," put in Ebearhard.

"Very well," said Roland, "I shall adopt it, although I had made up my
mind fully to enlighten them."

"There is one more matter that I should like to speak to you about,"
continued Ebearhard. "Both at Assmannshausen, and at Lorch last night,
we heard a good deal anent Furstenberg. It is the most dangerous castle
on the Rhine to meddle with. The Laughing Baron, as they call him,
although he is a Margrave, is the only man who dared to stop a king on
his way down the Rhine, and hold him for ransom."

"Yes," said Roland; "Adolf of Nassau, on his way to be crowned at
Aix-la-Chapelle."

"Quite so. Well, this huge ruffian--I never can remember his name; can
you, Greusel?"

"No, it beats me."

"Margrave Hermann von Katznellenbogenstahleck," said Roland, so solemnly
that Ebearhard laughed and even Greusel smiled.

"That's the individual," agreed Ebearhard, "and you must admit the name
itself is a formidable thing to attack, even without the giant it
belongs to."

"Banish all apprehension," said Roland. "I have already decided to
remain here through the day, and drop quietly down the river to-night in
the darkness past Furstenberg."

"I think that is a wise decision," said Ebearhard.

"'Tis against all military rules," demurred Roland, "but nevertheless
with such an army as I lead it seems the only way. Do the men know that
Furstenberg is our point of greatest danger?"

"Yes; but they do not know so much as I. Last night I left them in
Greusel's charge, being alarmed about what I heard of Furstenberg, and
engaged a boatman to take me over there before the moon rose. I
discovered that the Laughing Baron has caused a chain to be buoyed up
just below the surface of the water, running diagonally up the river
more than half-way across it, so that any boat coming down is caught and
drawn into the landing, for the main flood of the Rhine, as you know,
runs to the westward of this island. The boatman who ferried me knew
about this chain, but thought it had been abandoned since traffic
stopped. He says it runs right up into the Castle, and the moment a
barge strikes against it, a big bell is automatically rung inside the
stronghold, causing the Baron to laugh so loudly that they sometimes
hear him over in Lorch."

"This is very interesting, Ebearhard, and an excellent feat of scouting
must be set down to your credit. Say nothing to the men, beca