Captain Baumgarten stamped with his feet, tore down
curtains, and struck with the pommel of his sword. If there were secret
hiding-places, he was not fortunate enough to find them.
"I have an idea," said he, at last, speaking in German to the sergeant.
"You will place a guard over this fellow, and make sure that he
communicates with no one."
"Yes, captain."
"And you will place four men in ambush at the front and at the back. It
is likely enough that about daybreak our bird may return to the nest."
"And the others, captain?"
"Let them have their suppers in the kitchen. The fellow will serve you
with meat and wine. It is a wild night, and we shall be better here
than on the country road."
"And yourself, captain?"
"I will take my supper up here in the dining-hall. The logs are laid
and we can light the fire. You will call me if there is any alarm.
What can you give me for supper--you?"
"Alas, monsieur, there was a time when I might have answered, 'What you
wish!' but now it is all that we can do to find a bottle of new claret
and a cold pullet."
"That will do very well. Let a guard go about with him, sergeant, and
let him feel the end of a bayonet if he plays us any tricks."
Captain Baumgarten was an old campaigner. In the Eastern provinces, and
before that in Bohemia, he had learned the art of quartering himself
upon the enemy.
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