'Beware, beware that you wet us not.'

'It is wrong of you thus to try to rebuke the storm,' said her
foster-father, but at his words the maiden only laughed low to herself
in the darkness.

It would seem, however, that Undine's warning had been of use, for it
was not until the cask was rolled in at the cottage door that the
storm broke.

By the bright glow of the fire they opened the cask and found that it
did indeed hold wine. They tasted it and found it very good, and soon
they were once more as gay as the maiden could wish.

Then suddenly the fisherman grew grave, grieving for him who had lost
the cask.

'Nay, grieve not,' said the knight, 'I will seek for the owner and
repay him for his loss when I come again to my castle at
Ringstetten.'

The fisherman smiled and was content.

Undine, however, was angry with the knight. 'It is foolish,' said she,
'to talk of seeking for the owner of the cask. Were you lost in the
search I should weep. Would you not rather stay by my side?'

'Yes, and that do you right well know,' answered the knight.

'Then,' said the maiden, 'why should you speak of helping other
people. It is but foolish talk.'

The foster-mother sighed as she listened to Undine's careless words,
while the fisherman forgot his usual quiet and scolded her sharply.

'Your words are wild, and are such as no Christian maiden should
utter,' he said. 'May God forgive both you and those who have allowed
you thus to speak.'

'It is indeed true,' said Undine, 'that as I think I speak. Why,
therefore, should you scold me for my words.'

'Say no more,' said the fisherman, for he was very angry.

Then the maiden, who, for all her wilfulness, was timid as a bird,
drew close to the knight and whispered, 'Are you also angry with me,
Sir Knight.'

Huldbrand could find no words with which to comfort the maiden, whom
he had learned to love. He could only hold her hand and stroke her
golden hair, but with this Undine was well content.

CHAPTER VI

THE WEDDING

Now it was on this same night on which the cask was found that, as the
storm still raged, a knock was heard at the cottage door. It startled
all within, for who was there could have crossed the stream that now
separated them from the mainland? It could surely be no mortal who
stood without.

As the inhabitants of the little cottage sat silent, thinking these
thoughts, the knock was heard again. It was followed by a low groan.
Then the knigh