judge."

At the sound of his voice every one turned to look at Tell, as he
stood above them calm and unafraid.

"Seize him!" cried the man who had already spoken, as soon as he
recovered from his astonishment. "Seize him, it is Tell the archer."

Five or six men scrambled up the steep bank as fast as they could. But
Tell slipped quietly through the bushes, and when they reached the top
he was nowhere to be found.

The short winter's day was closing in fast, and Tell found it easy to
escape in the darkness from Gessler's soldiers. They soon gave up the
chase, and, returning to the road, took up their master's dead body
and carried it to his castle at Kuessnacht There was little sorrow
for him, for he had been a hard master. The Austrian soldiers did not
grieve, and the Swiss, wherever they heard the news, rejoiced.

As soon as he was free of the soldiers, Tell turned and made for
Stauffacher's house. All through the night he walked, until he came
to the pretty house with its red roofs and many windows which had made
Gessler so angry.

Now there was no light in any of the windows, and all was still and
quiet. But Tell knew in which of the rooms Stauffacher slept, and he
knocked softly upon the window until he had aroused his friend.

"William Tell!" said Stauffacher in astonishment. "I heard from Walter
Fuerst that you were a prisoner. Thank Heaven that you are free again."

"I am free," said Tell; "you, too, are free. Gessler is dead."

"Gessler dead!" exclaimed Stauffacher. "Now indeed have we cause for
thankfulness. Tell me, how did it happen?" and he drew William Tell
into the house.

Tell soon told all his story. Then Stauffacher, seeing how weary he
was, gave him food and made him rest.

That night Tell slept well. All next day he remained hidden in
Stauffacher's house. "You must not go," said his friend, "Gessler's
soldiers will be searching for you." But when evening came Tell crept
out into the dark again, and kind friends rowed him across the
lake back to Flueelen. There, where a few days before he had been a
prisoner, he landed, now free.

Tell went at once to Walter Fuerst's house, and soon messengers
were hurrying all through the land to gather together again the
Confederates, as those who had met on that eventful night were called.

This time they gathered with less fear and less secrecy, for was
not the dreaded governor dead? Not one but was glad, yet some of the
Confederates blamed Tell, f