by a
detachment from the battalion of infantry quartered, for training
purposes, at Emmerich. Penalties for lax discipline were severe; the
guards were supposed to live on the alert both by day and by night,
and the Emmerich commandant considered that the fewer distractions
permitted to the sentries, the more likely they were to make their
watch a thorough one. There had been too many escapes of prisoners of
war across the frontier; unpleasant remarks had been made from Berlin,
and the Commandant was on his mettle. Therefore the river-bank was
purposely lonely, and any stray figure on it was likely to attract
attention.

A mile from the northern bank a windmill loomed dark against the
horizon; a round brick building, like a big pepper-castor, with four
great arms looking like crossed combs. A rough track led to it from
the main road. Within, the building was divided into several floors,
lit by narrow windows. The heavy sails had plied lazily during the
day; now they had been secured, and two men were coming down the
ladder that led from the top. On the ground floor they paused,
looking discontentedly at some barrels that were ranged against the
wall, loosely covered with sacking.

"Those accursed barrels are leaking again," one said, in German.
"Look!" He pointed to a dark stain spreading from below. "And Rudolf
told me he had caulked them thoroughly."

"Rudolf does nothing thoroughly--do you not know that?" answered his
companion scornfully. "If one stands over him--well and good; if not,
then all that Master Rudolf cares for is how soon he may get back to
his beerhouse. Well, they must be seen to in the morning; it is too
late to begin the job to-night."

"I am in no hurry," said the first man. "If you would help me I would
attend to them now. All the stuff may not be wasted."

"Himmel! I am not going to begin work again at this hour," answered
the other with a laugh. "I am not like Rudolf, but I see no enjoyment
in working overtime; it will be dark, as it is, before we get to
Emmerich. Come on, my friend."

"You are a lazy fellow, Emil," rejoined the first man. "However, the
loss is not ours, after all, and we should be paid nothing extra for
doing the work to-night. Have you the key?"

"I do not forget it two nights running," returned Emil. "What luck it
was that the master did not come to-day!--if he had found the mill
open I should certainly have paid dearly."

"Luck for you, indeed,"