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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/77023-0.txt b/77023-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..bb048fc --- /dev/null +++ b/77023-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3018 @@ + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 77023 *** + +Transcriber's note: Unusual and inconsistent spelling is as printed. + + + +[Illustration: A MEAN ACTION.] + + + + [Illustration] + + STICK TO THE RAFT. + + + BY + + MRS. GEORGE GLADSTONE + + _Author of_ + + "WAITING FOR SAILING ORDERS," "NORWEGIAN STORIES," + ETC. + + + London: + THE RELIGIOUS TRACT SOCIETY + 56, PATERNOSTER ROW; 65, ST. PAUL'S CHURCHYARD; + AND 164, PICCADILLY. + MANCHESTER: CORPORATION STREET. BRIGHTON: WESTERN ROAD. + + + + CONTENTS. + +CHAPTER. + + I. THE RAFT + + II. KÖSEN + + III. KARL SCHMIDT + + IV. THE MILLER'S SON + + V. THE MARTYR SPIRIT + + VI. THE PROMISED HOLIDAY + + VII. THE SECRET + + VIII. THE SCHUTZEN FEST + + IX. WRONG SET RIGHT + + X. THE INTERVIEW + + XI. THE POOL OF BETHESDA + + XII. SAVED BY THE RAFT + + + + [Illustration] + + STICK TO THE RAFT. + + [Illustration] + +CHAPTER I. + +THE RAFT. + +THE Fichtel-Gebirge, or Fir Mountains, in Bavaria, have been compared +to the garden of Eden, because four rivers rise in their midst, which +were once supposed to be rich in gold, and to abound in precious +stones. Some of the poor people in this region have been known to +search diligently, hoping to find treasures concealed in the beds of +the Maine, Eger, Saale, or Naab, which would enrich them, so that they +might dispense with hard labour and dwell in luxury for the remainder +of their days. But only a few peasants indulged in such dreams. For the +most part, the people were, and are, employed in felling the forest +trees, laying out new plantations, and burning charcoal. + +Hans Richter was a wood-cutter and charcoal-burner; he was but a poor +man, as far as this world's goods were concerned, but he was rich +towards God, for he had a large store of faith and earnest trust in +his Heavenly Father. In fact, in his simple way, he scarcely knew what +care meant, just because he realised these words in their full meaning, +and not in a halfhearted manner—"Casting all your care upon Him, for +He careth for you." He had but little book knowledge, and could with +difficulty spell out the words of his Bible, but he could pray: he +could talk to his God as he went about his daily work, or as he watched +the charcoal smouldering. And he learnt so easily, and had such a good +memory that he made many of the rich promises contained in God's Word +his own. + +Richter was a widower with one son, a lad of fifteen, who was a great +solace to him. Young Hans was a tolerable scholar, for during the +winter months the forest life was exchanged for a cottage in a little +village, and then he went to school, and applied himself to study so +eagerly that he acquired more information in the five winter months +than his fellow-companions who attended the classes regularly all the +year round. + +When our story opens, Hans Richter was suffering from a severe cold. +The winter had been a trying one, and money so scarce that very often +he could not afford to heat his stove. The long illness of his wife, +and her subsequent death, exhausted his resources, and incurred some +debts which he had only just paid off. In spite of these trials, he +did not lose his faith in God, but hoped that the spring and summer +work would be plentiful, and that the united efforts of himself and +son would enable him once more to accumulate a little hoard for future +needs. + +The snow had disappeared, and the firs looked green and fresh when +Richter and his son gave up their room in the village, removed to the +forest, and erected their hut. It did not take them long to build up +their summer dwelling-house, it was so simply constructed. The shape of +it was conical, and the poles with which it was made were covered with +the bark of the fir-tree. This rude hut served to shelter them from +storm and wind. It stood about two miles from the village to which they +had to go in order to buy bread and other necessaries. + +Richter did not remove all his household goods, though they were few +enough, to his hut. He left some of his furniture in the care of the +poor woman with whom he lodged during the cold weather, and only +carried to the forest such articles as were absolutely needed. + +"Father," said young Hans, some three weeks after the hut was +completed, "you look very tired this afternoon, and seem so weak; lie +down and rest, while I go to work. Carl and Wilhelm will come when they +have finished their dinners, and we can get along quite well without +your help." + +"I am very tired, my boy," answered Richter. "I cannot tell you exactly +why, but I have never been the same since your mother died, and I think +the cold of last winter injured me. Your young bones are not so tender +as mine, for you can run about and warm yourself; my cough prevents me +from taking sharp exercise, and lately it has hurt my chest. But don't +look so sad, Hans; if my Heavenly Father wants me home, I am ready to +go. And I am not afraid of leaving you alone, for He will not forsake +the orphan, but care for you as He has cared for me. I'll have a sleep +while you cut down the branches of your fir; you'll manage to do that +easily when Carl and Wilhelm come. But wait for me before you set to +work on the trunk." + +"Is it to go to Kösen, father?" + +"Yes; it is the last one we have to fell to complete the order sent +by the Burgomaster. I shall take you with me to Kösen so soon as the +raft is ready. When your mother was living, I did not like to leave her +alone for so many days, but now I shall be glad of your help. One pair +of hands cannot guide a large raft through the twists and turns of the +Saale. You've had good practice in your time, my boy, and I think are +as clever as your father." + +"I want to see Kösen," answered Hans. "I've never been so far; and I've +heard it's such a pretty little village." + +"It is a town, lad; the people were anxious enough to have it made into +one, thinking they would have more privileges, but all they seem to +have gained is having to pay heavier taxes and support a Burgomaster, +to whom they give a regular annual income." + +"There is more to be seen and learnt in a town than in our tiny +village, or among these fir-trees," said Hans. + +"Perhaps for you, but not for me. I spent some of my early years at +Leipzie, yet I was glad when my father accepted the post of head +forester, and we came to our quiet little village for the winter, and +lived in the forest during the fine weather." + +"But then, father, you had good reason to be glad; you have often told +me about your early life." + +"Yes, lad; I never grow weary of telling you how I learnt to know the +Lord. I was a stranger to Him before, and so was your grandfather. +Your mother first taught us there was a better world to live for than +this. But I needed sorrow to make me think. It was on the day that your +darling sister died I prayed my first prayer, and promised to give +myself to my Master's service. Ah, lad, such a world of care has been +moved off my shoulders since then! + +"How well I remember starting on a raft down the Saale some few days +after that blessed hour when I cried, 'I am not my own, Lord, for Thou +hast redeemed me with Thy precious blood, and I give myself to Thee.' + +"Your mother came to see me off, holding you, who were a baby about a +year old, in her arms. Before I unchained the raft, I kissed her and +said, 'Good-bye! Take care of yourself, and our only little one.' + +"'Good-bye, my dear husband,' she replied; 'stick to the raft, and mind +how you pass the weir at Kösen. How glad I am to think that there's +another Raft you'll stick to besides this one; a Raft which cannot come +to any harm, but which will support you in the deepest waters and amid +the fiercest storms, when the sun shines, and when the rain falls.' + +"I looked at her in astonishment, for I didn't catch her meaning. + +"But she soon cleared up the mystery, for she added, 'I mean the Lord +Jesus Christ; stick to that Raft, and pray for His Spirit to guide you.' + +"It was a good saying of hers, Hans; I've never forgotten it, and I +have ever called out to any one who was guiding a raft, 'Stick to it.' +And what's more, if I have an opportunity, I tell them there is a +heavenly Raft to stick to as well as fir-stems, and I say, 'Hold on to +the Saviour, forget self, and cling to God's promises in Christ.' + +"Hans, lad, as a sinking man would hug his raft if any accident upset +him in the river, so I beseech you cling to Jesus. Don't forget my +words. Now go to your work, and I will rest." + +Richter closed his eyes wearily when his son left him. "Some day soon +I shall fall into the sleep that knows no waking. But when my summons +comes, I shall go gladly, and without fear," he murmured. "O Father, +for Christ's sake, make my boy true to Thee." + +The sun set, and yet the sick man slept heavily, nor did he rouse up to +take his supper. + +After young Hans had finished his day's work, he watched his father for +some time, and then he too fell into a sound slumber. The morning was +breaking when the lad was awakened by hearing his name called. He was +in time to catch his father's last words. + +"I am dying," gasped Richter; "the end has been coming for some time, +but I have fast hold of the Raft, Hans; I am not afraid of crossing the +river; I hold my Saviour's hand, and He holds mine. I can say truly, +'Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will +fear no evil, for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort +me.' Stick to the Raft, my boy; stick to the Raft." + + ———————— + + + +CHAPTER II. + +KÖSEN. + +KÖSEN is a charming little city on the Saale. It lies in a valley +surrounded by hills which are well-cultivated and finely wooded. +During the summer, the river is thickly studded with rafts made of +the trunks of fir-trees, principally cut from the forests about the +Fichtel-Gebirge. These rafts are formed by boring holes at the top +and bottom of each stem, and fastening them together with twigs. When +completed, they are launched on to the river, and the stream carries +them down to their destination. + +"So help me God, I will stick to the Raft," said Hans Richter, when he +left the village cemetery about a month after his father's funeral. +He had been there to plant forest-flowers on his parent's grave, and +to pray. And with a firm step he took the road which led to his old +landlady's house. + +"I have called to bid you good-bye," he said as he entered her cottage +and shook her warmly by the hand. "I expect not to return to this part +again for at least some years to come." + +"So I hear," she replied. "You must take a cup of coffee with me this +afternoon, and tell me why you are so anxious to leave your old home. +The last time I saw you I thought you were inclined to stay in these +parts." + +"I am so lonely without my father, and feel I had rather go to some +place where I can learn more and see more. I mean to try and get some +work to do at Kösen." + +"That is a long way off, over seventy miles as the crow flies, and +perhaps double the distance by the river. It's my native place; I was +born there." + +"I know it is a good distance, but I can't help that, for business +takes me to Kösen; I am going to help Wilhelm Andrea. He is appointed +to take the wood to the Burgomaster, now father's dead. The head +forester has written to a friend of his who keeps the toll-house, and +asked him to give me some employment. He says lads are often wanted to +help the rafts over the weir." + +"That's true enough, for the weir is full four feet high. I can tell +you it needs a good rush of water to enable them to pass it at all." + +"I can't quite understand how they get over," said Hans. + +"You know what a weir is, I suppose?" + +"Oh yes." + +"Explain it to me." + +"Wherever there's a great mill to be worked, there's a weir. It's only +a dam in the river to collect enough water behind it so as to turn the +mill wheel." + +"Quite right. You'll soon see the old flour-mill; it is a very large +one, and grinds nearly all the wheat needed in Kösen for bread. Now I +will tell you how the rafts go over. Every raft, as you know, has a +man and a boy on it who steer with a fir pole, to which is attached +a boat-hook. So soon as the weir is reached, the master of the +toll-house, or his assistant, wades through the water from the shore, +and stands on the weir. He also holds a long fir pole in his hands, +with which he pushes the raft, so as to prevent it from drifting out +of the middle of the stream and missing the best point to shoot the +fall. The two on the raft have to stand perfectly still, and balance +themselves carefully while they glide down the rapid, and they very +often get a good shower-bath. I have watched many hundred rafts over +the weir at Kösen, and also under the bridge; for the little town +boasts a long and very handsome old bridge over the Saale. The moment +the raft crosses the weir, there is a deal of steering wanted, for the +water is often very shallow under the archways, and it needs some skill +to escape the buttresses." + +"I like to hear all this," said Hans, "but I thought the Saale had +always plenty of water in it." + +"Not always; I have known it almost dry in some places after a long +drought. And I have sometimes seen the river so full in the early +spring, and the current so rapid that it tore the rafts apart, and +dashed the stems of the trees against the bridge." + +"Father used to say the rafts made a noise when they passed over the +weir." + +"And he was right. I know that I often thought it thundered when +several went over in succession." + +"I must be leaving now; we start away early to-morrow morning." + +"I only wish I had some friends at Kösen, for I would speak a good word +for you, my dear," said the kind landlady. "But I've been away so long +that all my acquaintances have forgotten me. I, like you, Hans, have no +relations, for I was an only child." + +"Thank you all the same," answered the lad. "I don't feel so lonely as +I thought I should, for I have been so used to hear father talk to God +that since he's been dead, I've begun to talk to Him myself much more +than I used to do." + +"That's well. Your father was a good man, Hans; do you follow in his +footsteps. I am glad Wilhelm is to be your companion; though I hear +he does not remain at Kösen, but is going on to Halle. You'll not be +long without finding new friends; only choose those who will raise you +higher, and not sink you lower, for we've plenty to pull us down here. +We need to have the constant presence of God's Spirit in our hearts if +we would live upright and noble lives. Farewell; may God go with you." + +Hans Richter and his companion arrived at Kösen on a beautiful evening +in June. The moon was at its full, and shone directly over the weir, +giving the rapid a silvery appearance. So exquisite was the scene that +many of the townspeople and visitors gathered on the old bridge to +watch the effect of the moonlight on the water. + +Kösen is one of the smallest towns in Germany; it is not thickly +populated, save in the summer months when its saline waters attract +many strangers, as they are considered to be especially beneficial for +children. + +"We will not go so far as the toll-house," said Wilhelm Andrea; "it is +too late to pay duty to-night. We will just moor our raft to a stake." + +The raft was soon securely fastened to one of the many stakes which are +placed at intervals along the banks of the Saale. And then Hans and his +companion went off in search of a night's lodging. + +They slept soundly in the small double-bedded room which they secured +at a little inn, nor did they awake until the sun was high in the +heavens. Hans was the first to rouse up, but Wilhelm was too tired to +think of the day's work which lay before him. So the lad determined to +go at once to the forester's friend at the toll-house, and ask if he +could find him any employment, for he did not wish to lose time; he had +to win his bread by his own exertions. The bundle which lay on his bed +contained his best suit of clothes, a pair of boots, two shirts, and +his father's Bible; all besides he had disposed of, and after meeting +outstanding expenses with the results of the sale he had one thaler, or +three shillings, left. + +Before the boy set out, he read the twenty-third Psalm, and thought of +his father's dying words; then he knelt in prayer to God, and asked +for a blessing to rest on him, and that he might find friends and +employment, and be honest, and not afraid of holding on to the right +in time of temptation. When he had ended his prayer, he rolled his +Bible carefully up in his clothes, then tied the bundle in a large silk +pocket-handkerchief, and went in search of the forester's friend, who +was known in Kösen as Karl Schmidt the toll-master. + + ———————— + + + +CHAPTER III. + +KARL SCHMIDT. + +EVERY raft which passes through Kösen has to pay duty, and therefore +the little four-roomed cottage built on the banks of the Saale just +above the weir is inhabited by the toll-master. + +Karl Schmidt had served in this capacity at Kösen for many years. He +was a quaint, queer, strange-looking man, rough in his manners, but +with a good honest heart beneath a rather unpleasing exterior. He had +no wife, nor had he ever been married; his neighbours often wondered +that he was a single man. He and his God, and one other, knew why he +chose a bachelor's life, for Karl never talked about his own affairs. +Many townspeople and strangers were admitted into the pretty parlour, +which commanded a view of the river, where Schmidt transacted his +business when the weather was too wet or the days too cold to admit of +his taking his chair outside the door, but only a few of these were his +friends. + +He was known to some in Kösen as "Old Karl," and yet he was neither +grey nor infirm. It is true he had stray white hairs mingling with his +brown locks, but he was still in the prime of manhood, so perhaps he +earned his name because he was quiet in manner and naturally grave in +disposition. He was rarely found at a fête, and certainly never seen +in the public-house. Yet he filled a great place in Kösen, for he was +regarded by many as a friend in need, and his advice was sought after +and given cheerfully. By a few he was thought proud, but they were +among the prosperous people in his own class who had never asked for +his sympathy. + +On the morning when Hans Richter sought him, he was up betimes, and +busy about household matters. First he lighted the stove and put the +kettle on; then he swept out the little kitchen and dusted and arranged +the parlour. Afterwards he went upstairs again and made his bed and set +his room in order. This done, he tapped at the door which faced his +own. A feeble voice answered, "Come in." + +Karl entered. On a clean bed lay a sickly woman, his mother, who had +been partially paralysed for some years. She was his great duty in +life; for her sake he had never thought of marriage. She had always +been an invalid, and needed many luxuries; and when she grew so ill as +to be unable to move without assistance, he was doubly thankful to God +that he could keep her in tolerable comfort. He loved her intensely; to +her he showed the gentle nature which lay concealed beneath the rough +exterior. + +"How have you slept, mother dear?" he asked, coming to her side and +kissing her. + +"Much better than usual, Karl," she answered, smiling at him fondly. "I +mean to get up when Maria comes." + +Maria was an old woman employed by Karl for a few hours every day to +attend upon his mother. + +"I am so glad to hear this," he answered. "I'll make coffee at +once, and then I must go to business, for I hear the Burgomaster's +wood arrived late last night, and I know he is in a great hurry to +begin building. Besides, that boy will come on the raft who has been +recommended to me. I really think I shall try him, for I have been +obliged to dismiss Robert." + +"I am glad he is gone, for your sake, but sorry for his own. He has too +indulgent a father, and a bad companion in Paul Ebhardt, so that he has +no one to influence him for good. I did hope he would have turned over +a new leaf. I like the boy, with all his faults, though I fear he will +be a constant source of trouble to the miller. You'll read with me as +usual, Karl, before you go out?" + +"Certainly, mother. I shouldn't expect a blessing on my day's work if +we neglected to read the Bible and pray together morning and night." + +"Our daily services have been a great joy and a pleasant duty, my son, +for many years. I never understand how people like to go out into the +turmoil of this world's work without first seeking strength to struggle +with any difficulty, danger, or temptation that may arise. I should +as soon think of going without food as going without prayer; even in +my quiet life, Karl, I have my battles to fight. I often feel cross +and irritable, and, but for God's help, I should tire you with my +grumbling." + +"Never, mother. I love you too well. I can't fancy you cross or +irritable. I rarely leave the room but what I say, 'God help me to +endure trouble as she does.'" + +"And He will help you when trouble comes, Karl; the back is made to fit +the burden. I used to wonder how people who were afflicted could be so +patient, but I wonder no longer now, if they are the followers of the +Lord Jesus Christ, for I have found that as I have grown weaker and my +bodily ailments more severe, God has come nearer and nearer. You may +depend upon it, the sick ones whom Jesus loves have a closer union with +Him than those who bustle about the world. When we are ill, we are kept +quiet by God; His Spirit holds communion with our spirit, and we hail +the communion all the more because we have no hope, no help, but in +Him." + +"Oh, mother! How I like to hear you talk!—And it's not mere talk with +you. I am ashamed of myself when I see you suffer, for I would fain +keep you here, in spite of it all; and yet I know you must long to be +at rest." + +"My son, I am at rest now. This is the rest of faith; the rest of +heaven will follow in God's good time." + +The morning meal was over, and the morning reading and prayer, when +Hans Richter arrived at the toll-house. Karl Schmidt was standing +outside the door smoking his pipe. + +"If you please, sir," said Hans, "I am the boy that you had a note +about. Please can you give me employment?" + +"What can you do?" + +"Anything." + +"Anything sometimes means nothing. I'd rather know what you are able to +do." + +"I can cut down trees, sir, make rafts, and since mother died, I've +cooked for father and tidied the room; and I'm a bit of a carpenter; +and I want so much to stay here that I'll try very hard and learn to do +any work you set me." + +"I must think over all your qualifications. You seem to me to know a +little about many things, but I hope that does not mean that you are +steady to nothing." + +"No, sir; I don't think that's a bad fault of mine. But may I tell you +what I want to do most of all?" + +"Certainly." + +"I want to help the rafts over the weir. I heard you always employed a +lad for that, and I do so wish you would take me." + +"Why do you so particularly wish to help the rafts over the weir?" + +Hans hesitated, and Karl noted his hesitation. + +"Speak out, boy," he said, somewhat sternly. "If you and I are to come +to terms, you must tell the truth." + +"I never told a lie in my life, sir, and I hope I shall never be +tempted to tell one. I was only wondering if I dare just talk to you as +I used to do to my father." + +"Try me," answered Karl. + +"What I'm going to say has to do with my dead father, sir. The last +conversation we had was about the rafts, and the last words he said +were, 'Stick to the raft.' And I mean to stick to the raft, and that's +why I want to stand on the weir." + +"But I don't yet see what standing on the weir has to do with sticking +to the raft. You only stand on the weir to guide the rafts into the +right channel." + +"I know that, sir. But don't you see I can say to all the lads and men +as they come over, 'Stick to the raft,' and that'll, maybe, lead to +further conversation?" + +"What further conversation?" + +"It's my dead mother's idea, sir. Soon after father gave himself to +the Lord, he had to take a raft to a neighbouring village. And when he +started, mother told him to stick to it, and explained that she wanted +him to hold on to a Raft which would bear him at all times. She meant +the Lord Jesus Christ." + +"I like that idea. 'There is a Friend that sticketh closer than a +brother.' I'm not a man of many words, but I think I could say to +strangers, 'Stick to the raft,' and maybe in some case I could explain +my words, and bid them stick to the raft in a spiritual sense. Boy, you +have taught me something to-day. I'm a little too much inclined to let +people come and go without trying to do them good. But now tell me why +you have left your forest life." + +"Because I've no parents living, sir, and I'm very lonely. I had to +come to Kösen with the Burgomaster's wood, and I thought I'd rather +remain than go back, if I could find employment. And I want to get a +better education, for I'm at the top of the village school." + +"You'll meet with many temptations here, and with boys who have no +principle to guide them, who will try and lead you into sin. Are you +strong enough to refuse to be led away?" + +Hans thought for a moment before he answered, "I hope I am." + +"In whose strength shall you resist? Your own?" + +"No, sir; from a baby I've been taught this, 'Cast all your care on +God; He careth for you; and will not suffer you to be tempted beyond +what you are able to bear.' Father had a habit of talking to God about +everything, and I try to follow his example." + +"That's well, Hans. I like the look of you, and my friend gave you a +good character, so I'll engage you to help men and boys stick to the +raft in both senses. But mind, if I find you have only talked fairly, +and are untrue or dishonest, I shall dismiss you." + +"I am quite ready to serve you on those terms, sir. When may I come?" + +"To-day; this morning, if you like. Where did you sleep last night?" + +Hans explained that he and Wilhelm Andrea had found accommodation at a +little inn, and that his companion would soon be coming to pay duty on +his raft. + +"I know he wants to start again in good time," he added, "for some of +the wood we brought down last night is going on to Halle. It is not all +for the Burgomaster. May I go back and help him?" + +"Certainly. I have only one more question to ask, Where are you going +to lodge?" + +"Can't I be with you, sir? It will be so handy for me to be near in +case you want my services late at night or early in the morning." + +"I've no place for you. But you will have little difficulty in finding +a room in one of the cottages. I will arrange that matter for you." + +Hans left Karl Schmidt with a light heart, and spent the rest of the +morning in assisting Wilhelm. There was plenty to do, for the raft +was an unusually large and heavy one, and it took some time to break +it in pieces. Then the stems for the Burgomaster had to be dragged up +the bank, and the rest tied together again, so that it was late in the +afternoon before Wilhelm was ready to leave Kösen. His raft was now so +small he was quite able to manage it by himself. + +Hans was waiting, pole in hand, on the weir when Andrea came, and Karl +was close behind, ready to give the lad his first lesson. He proved an +apt scholar, and guided the raft skilfully on to the lowest part of the +weir, crying, "Stick to it, Wilhelm!" as it passed over. + +Wilhelm called back, "I will stick to the raft, Hans, and I'll remember +all you mean by those words. Good-bye. I hope you'll be happy at Kösen." + + ———————— + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +THE MILLER'S SON. + +HERR KLEIN, to whom the mill at Kösen belonged, was a hard-working +man who had a wife and eight children to support; morning, noon, and +sometimes far into the night, he was at his business. He was a good +husband and an indulgent father. Perhaps it was the easy manner he +had of dealing with the faults of his young ones that made his eldest +and only son Robert so determined to lead an idle life. He was a lad +of sixteen who had no particular principle to guide him, and liked to +do nothing that gave him any trouble. The only thing he excelled in +was archery; he had carried off the Burgomaster's prize for two years +in succession at the Schutzen Fest (shooting festival), and they were +about the only prizes he had ever won, or tried after, in his life. + +Finding that his son was so averse to work in his mill, Herr Klein +asked Karl Schmidt to allow him to try his hand at helping the rafts +over the weir. And as the toll-master was just then without a boy, he +engaged Robert. But the latter, instead of helping, so often nearly +brought both men and rafts into dangerous positions that at last +Schmidt was compelled to dismiss him, and, as we know, Hans was engaged +in his stead. + +In all probability Robert would have seen his place filled without +being at all troubled had it not been for a very bad companion of his, +the closest and dearest friend he had, one Paul Ebhardt, the son of the +master tailor in Kösen, who considered that it was an infringement upon +the rights of the town for a stranger to come and, as he termed it, +"turn out a fellow who was born and bred close to the weir." + +It was evident that Herr Klein admired the look and bearing of Hans, +for he said to his son soon after the lad came to live with the +toll-master, "I do wish, Robert, you were as steady as Schmidt's new +boy; I very much dislike seeing you constantly idling about." + +But the miller did not enforce obedience, and truly he had no +confidence in his first-born, and was afraid of giving him any position +of trust connected with the mill. He hoped that as he grew older he +would be wiser. Nevertheless he did not set before him the miseries +which must accrue from laziness, nor that "Satan finds some mischief +still for idle hands to do." He was proud of his son, who was a +well-grown, handsome, good-natured lad, but beyond this had nothing +much to commend him. + +Hans had been in his situation for several weeks, and had given the +toll-master so much satisfaction that the latter proposed to his mother +that a bed should be placed in the kitchen to accommodate him. "He is +so handy at accounts, I shall be glad to have him to help me with the +books," said Karl. + +Frau Schmidt gave her hearty consent to the arrangement, and added, +"He will be a companion for you during the winter. I like the boy very +much, and I think if he is in the house, you can carry on his education +during the long evenings." + +So a bed was bought, and Hans was installed in his new quarters. +The orphan was very happy to be there, and thankful to God that the +influences of his home were such that he would be helped forward in the +pilgrimage of life. He already loved patient Frau Schmidt, and hailed +the days when she was well enough to sit up in her easy-chair and chat +to him. + +Hans was in the habit of taking off his boots and socks when he stood +in the water to help the rafts over the weir. He removed them as usual +one morning, and left them on the shore, without giving a thought as to +their safety, while he went, pole in hand, to assist four rafts, which +had been waiting for a good supply of water to pass over the weir. + +Robert and his friend Paul were sauntering along the banks of the river +when they observed Hans take off his boots and socks. + +"Let's hide them," suggested Paul. "I hate that boy, and should like to +make Kösen too hot for him." + +"It's not worth while," answered Robert. "If any one owes him a grudge, +I do, for he turned me out of my situation. But he's not worth a +thought." + +"That's one reason why I dislike him so much," said Paul. And he might +have added, "the chief reasons are that he rather avoids me than seeks +to know me, and on several occasions when I've invited him to go for +a walk, he has refused to accompany me. And one evening when I was +drinking at a public-house, he turned away." + +This was true, for Hans had been warned by his master to have no +companionship with Robert or Paul. "One is idle, and the other bad," +added Karl Schmidt; "therefore you had better try to keep clear of +them." + +Hans knew this was sound advice, for he had seen Paul behave in such a +manner that his own good sense would have told him to avoid Ebhardt if +he would cling to the good. + +"Now do let's pay him off," urged Paul. + +"Well, just as you like. We'll put his boots and socks under that +rubbish." + +Accordingly they were pushed under a nasty heap of refuse, and then the +boys hid behind the trunk of an old tree, and waited to see how Hans +would behave. + +In the meantime, the latter was fully employed. The first raft had only +one man in it, who was accompanied by a favourite dog. The creature +whined piteously, and was evidently frightened by the noise of the +rushing water. + +"Stick to the raft, and mind your dog," shouted Hans. + +The stranger, thus admonished, took the animal into his arms, and +planting his feet down firmly, passed the weir in safety. + +"Give me a help with your pole until I'm under the bridge," called the +man; "I'm not strong enough to keep clear of it single-handed, my cough +is so bad." + +Hans sprang on to the raft, and gave a few vigorous thrusts with his +pole. + +"It's all right now," he said. "I'm afraid you are very ill. It seems +to me you are not fit to come down alone on this raft." + +"I know that as well as you can tell me," answered the stranger, +curtly, "but a man must live. Mine will be a short life, and by no +means a merry one." + +"You managed to stick well to the raft as you passed over the weir," +replied Hans; "and if you'll stick to another kind of Raft, you'll be +able to meet any sickness that comes." + +"What do you mean?" + +"Why, the Bible tells us that Jesus Christ came into the world to save +us from sin; and if we cling to Him in all our troubles, we shall be +able to bear them." + +"What stuff are you talking to me, boy?" exclaimed the man, angrily. "I +want no more help, now we are safely under the bridge. Thank you for +what you've done, but let me give you a word of advice: if you use that +sort of talk to strangers, you'll get a thrashing one of these days. +The idea of a child like you setting up to teach grown men!" + +Hans felt very sore as he walked quickly back to the weir; he was more +than sore, quite cross, and indignant that his words had been received +in such an uncourteous spirit. But he had no time then to indulge his +vexation, for the three remaining rafts had to be helped over. He +did his best, save only that no words escaped him beyond what he was +compelled to say; he did not cry out cheerily, "Stick to the raft; take +care; keep in the current!" + +So soon as he had completed his morning's work, he prepared to go home, +but, to his dismay, he found that his boots and socks were gone. + +Hans looked about in every direction in vain, and at last relinquished +the search, fearing his master would be waiting dinner for him. Paul +had no mind to allow his victim to escape thus easily, so he broke into +a derisive laugh. Then, for the first time, Hans discovered that Robert +and his friend were watching his movements, and he felt sure they had +played him a trick. + +"Where are my boots? You've taken them away," he called out. + +"That's like your impudence, young fellow," said Paul, coming toward +him, followed by Robert; "it's as good as calling us thieves. Take that +for being so impertinent!" And he struck Hans a violent blow across the +mouth. + +As we know, Hans was out of temper, not only annoyed at the stranger, +but vexed at losing his boots. He sprang on to Paul, and before the +latter could defend himself, he was stretched full length on the grass. + +"You coward! How dare you hit me?" he cried. "You're in my power now. +Tell me where are my boots, or I will thrash you." + +"Help me, help me!" screamed Paul, "Robert, he'll kill me." + +"No, I shall not," answered Hans. "Give me your hand; I'm sorry I was +in such a temper." For a still small voice whispered, "Is that sticking +to the Raft?" + +"I really call that first-rate behaviour," said easy Robert, roused for +once to have an opinion of his own. "He had you down, and no mistake, +Paul. You'll find your boots under the rubbish heap, Hans." + +"You shall answer for this," muttered Paul, slowly rising from the +ground. "I will be revenged on you, Hans Richter. Paul Ebhardt +generally remembers to pay off any grudge he owes. Come along, Robert." + +Hans found his boots and socks, but it took him some minutes to shake +off the dust and dirt with which they were covered. And thus he was +fully a quarter of an hour late for dinner. + +The toll-master was busy with a customer, so that he made no comment on +his want of punctuality. + +The meal passed almost in silence, for the lad was so busy with +himself, and though his master addressed him once or twice he only +replied in monosyllables. + +It was Karl Schmidt's habit to spend half-an-hour with his mother after +dinner, and latterly Hans had been admitted to the conference, and very +much he valued the advice and counsel he received from the sick woman. +On this day, a friend came to see Karl, so Hans went up alone to the +invalid. + +"Oh, Frau Schmidt, may I tell you all—everything?" he asked, kneeling +down by the side of her arm-chair. + +"What have you to tell me?" she asked, passing her hands over the +upturned face. "There has been something amiss to-day; you have been +crying." + +"And I'm sure you will say I ought to cry, dear frau, for I have been +so very wicked. I am a regular hypocrite." And Hans poured into her +ears the history of the morning's adventures. + +"Poor boy!" she said, kindly. "Yes, you have failed to stick to the +Raft; you have forgotten to cling to the One who is mighty to save, +and have allowed self to gain a victory. The hardest battle we have to +fight in our Christian course is the battle with ourselves. We think we +are doing great things, and then perhaps a rebuff comes, and, instead +of searching into our motives and crying out for the Spirit of the +living God to show us ourselves and bring us anew to Jesus, we grow +angry and vexed that we are despised and misunderstood." + +"Yes, yes; you are right, dear frau," said Hans, the tears coming +afresh at the words he heard. "I was so angry with the stranger, and +wounded because he scolded me." + +"The next time you receive a rebuff, contrast your trials with His who +endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself—who was tempted +in all points, and yet without sin. Pray for the indwelling of His +Spirit when you try to do His work, and ever remember that when He was +reviled, He reviled not again, but was despised and rejected of men, +a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief, and we hid as it were +our faces from Him. We have many lessons to learn, which will only be +learnt through tears, but they will be blessed tears, for 'they that +sow in tears shall reap in joy.'" + +Karl entered the room at this moment, and Hans made his escape, and +left Frau Schmidt to explain to his master why he went away so abruptly. + +"I am sorry all this has happened," remarked Karl, when he had heard +the particulars. "I do not mean that I am sorry Hans received a +scolding from the man on the raft, for in the Master's service he +must not expect all sunshine. But I am sorry he has provoked Paul +Ebhardt, for that boy will not easily forget that he has for once been +conquered." + + ———————— + + + +CHAPTER V. + +THE MARTYR SPIRIT. + +HANS never found his days too long; he had lessons to learn when his +master did not require his services, and besides this, he practised +shooting at the target. The festival was to be held in August, when the +Burgomaster invited all the boys of Kösen to enter their names among +the lists of competitors for his prize, and Karl Schmidt advised him to +try for it, promising to give him instruction in archery. + +The toll-keeper's cottage stood alone in quiet nook, and behind it +a pathway ran up a slope—which was richly carpeted with flowers and +furze, with here and there an old tree standing—on to higher ground, +where was a pretty pine-wood with rustic seats placed in all directions +for the accommodation of visitors. This spot commanded a delightful +view of the town of Kösen and its winding river. + +Hans was able to set up his target behind the toll-house, and practise +there under the superintendence of his master, who had shot well in +his youthful days, and who not only gave him lessons in the art, but +furnished his pupil with his own bow and arrows. No sort of teaching +came amiss to Hans; he was naturally so clever that he soon mastered +difficulties, for he gave his whole attention to whatever he undertook. + +"They say that Hans Richter has entered his name on the list of +competitors for the Burgomaster's prize," said Paul Ebhardt to his +friend Robert. "Do you mean to let him win it away from you?" + +"He is not likely to get it," answered Robert. "He is only a raw fellow +from the forest who has had no practice; I'm not afraid of him." + +"I say he means to win," said Paul. "I am told he has put his target +on the low ground by the toll-house and that he practises there every +evening, and Karl Schmidt helps him. My father says Karl knows what he +is about; some years ago he was the best shot in Kösen." + +"For all that, I'm not afraid," replied Robert. + +"Don't be such a dolt!" exclaimed his friend, angrily. "I detest Hans, +and I can't think what you mean by being so careless over your prize. I +suppose if he wins it away from you, you will say, Thank you." + +"No, indeed I shan't," answered Robert, with some spirit. "But," he +added, more quietly, "he'll stand no chance, never fear." + +"You don't know how well he shoots. Come with me this evening, and let +us watch him. And then you will better understand that you will be +beaten if you don't take care." + +Accordingly, that evening Paul and his friend secreted themselves +behind a tree which stood very near to the target, where they could +see, yet not be seen, without running any risk of being struck by a +stray arrow. + +It was well that Karl Schmidt was present, otherwise Paul would have +done his best to excite his friend to pick a quarrel with Hans. Robert +found that the arrows went near the bull's-eye, and even into its +centre now and then—showing that Hans had a correct eye, and only +needed to persevere in order to equal if not excel him. + +Every time he shot an arrow, Paul whispered triumphantly, "I told you +he would be a match for you." + +Yes, certainly Robert had a rival to fear. + +When Hans and his master went into the cottage, the friends emerged +from their hiding-place. Paul's face expressed his gladness, for he +saw that Robert was more annoyed and vexed than he had ever seen him +before. So, instead of deriding his companion, he changed his tactics +and began to pity him. + +"Old fellow," he said, laying his hand on Robert's shoulder, "I'm sorry +for you. He is sure to win, and you'll lose. It is a great shame that +this fellow who is a stranger in Kösen, should put himself forward and +gain a prize from our Burgomaster, over one who belongs to our town." + +"But he has not won it yet. And what is more, he shall not win it," +said Robert—"that is, if I can beat him." + +"You may try, but as sure as my name is Paul Ebhardt, so sure am I +he'll win; so make up your mind to lose. His hand is more steady and +his eye more correct than yours; he only wants practice." + +"He will not win the prize," said Robert, confidently. + +"He ought not to, but I am afraid he will succeed. I wish, with all my +heart, we could contrive some means of preventing him from shooting in +the match." + +"Shall we go to the Burgomaster and say that he is a stranger here, and +that we pray he will only permit our Kösen boys to compete?" + +"No; that won't do exactly. The Burgomaster will tell you that he can +make no rules of the kind. Perhaps I shall think of some other plan. I +have to pay the rascal off for insulting me." + +Paul felt he had a right to annoy Hans, and he wanted to be revenged on +him,—forgetting he had in the first instance thrown down the gauntlet, +and that, before that unfortunate encounter by the river-side, he had +no real reason to dislike him. + +It was on Saturday evening when the friends watched Hans Richter shoot; +we will see in what spirit they awoke on Sunday morning. + +Robert's first thoughts were these: "I'll lose no time, but practise +hard, so that I may enter into fair competition with Richter—for, after +all, he has as much right to try for the Burgomaster's prize as I have, +but he is not going to succeed." Away from his friend he was more +inclined to act fairly towards Hans. + +Paul Ebhardt's waking thoughts were these: "That fellow, Richter, shall +not have the prize if I can make him lose it. This shall be my revenge +for his behaviour to me. I must try and work out some plan to prevent +him from winning, for I see he is very anxious to be first. But how +it's to be done I don't exactly know. There are, fortunately, some days +before the festival." + +To Hans, this Sunday morning brought very different feelings. When he +awoke, he remembered it was God's own day, and that he would hear the +gospel of Jesus Christ preached in the old church. He would go to a +Bible-class in the afternoon, and the remainder of the day would be +spent with Frau Schmidt and his master. + +The hours sped along only too quickly for him. And as soon as he had +taken afternoon coffee to the invalid and his master, he joined them, +Bible in hand. + +Frau Schmidt had been unusually well, and had enjoyed the beautiful +summer day from her open window; the air was so still, the sun so +bright, and the peace and rest of the scene without harmonised so well +with the abiding sense of peace and rest which filled her own soul. +Though she was unable to go beyond her bedroom, she was thankful to be +able to sit in her comfortable arm-chair and enjoy the pretty landscape. + +"I have something very interesting to read to you," said Karl Schmidt, +as Hans entered the room. "You will be surprised to hear that it has to +do with a fête and that I mean to give you a holiday to attend it." + +"Thank you, sir, but please tell me something about the fête before you +begin to read." + +"It is called a 'cherry feast.' The reason why this name is given to +it, I will explain later." + +"Where is it held, sir?" + +"At Naumburg, a town about five miles from here. Thither many young +men and maidens, as well as old folks and children, repair on the 28th +of July. The name of John Huss, the great reformer, is associated with +this fête. Do you know who he was?" + +"No, sir." + +"I thought, if you approved, mother, I would read Hans an account of +this good man, because he will learn from it how much a true Christian +can endure, who rests entirely on his Saviour." + +"Do, Karl; I shall enjoy listening to it," answered Frau Schmidt. "John +Huss was a very great man, and above all, great in his abounding love +towards God. He cared not for prison, nor chains, nor mockings. His +persecutors could not hurt his soul, however much they might inflict +pain on his body. Read on, Karl." + +"John Huss was born at Hussineez, a town on the borders of Bavaria, in +July, 1369. His parents were poor, and he was early accustomed to do +hard work and take very sparingly of food. At the age of twenty-seven +he entered the university of Prague, and at the close of the 14th +century became confessor to Sophia, Queen of Bohemia, and preacher in +what was called the Bethlehem Chapel, attached to the university. + +"Wycliffe, who has been justly styled the greatest of all reformers +before the Reformation, was at this time creating a formidable +revolution in the religious life of England and Scotland by his +preaching, and writing; nor was it long before this new teaching +penetrated to the Continent, and spread even into Bohemia, where it +stirred the spirits of some good men. Among the number was John Huss, +who said, when speaking of the effect of these writings of Wycliffe on +his mind, 'I am drawn to them by the manner in which they strive to +lead all men back to Christ.' + +"In the year 1414 Huss was charged with teaching heresy, and summoned +by the Emperor Sigismund to appear before the Council of Constance. He +obeyed the summons, and went in the strength of God, having besought +of his Heavenly Father wisdom to answer his accusers and strength to +remain firm to his Saviour. The Emperor furnished him with a letter to +ensure his safe-conduct; and, accompanied by several friends, he set +out to Constance, and reached that town on the 3rd of November. + +"He was permitted to remain unmolested during four weeks; and that time +he employed in freely explaining his opinions and entreating to be +heard publicly. But such was not the intention of his enemies, for on +the 28th of November he was thrown into a dungeon; nor did the Emperor +interfere, in spite of his promise, beyond procuring poor Huss a more +airy prison. + +"For seven months he remained in confinement, and during this period +his health became greatly impaired from the rigorous treatment he +received at the hands of his tormentors. In the month of June he was +brought before the Council, and ordered to abjure errors which he had +never believed. Nor was it only on one occasion, for four times did +Huss appear before these cruel men. 'How can I abjure what I never +held?' he asked repeatedly. + +"After his fourth appearance the Council gave him a choice of two +things—recantation or death; and sent him back to prison to deliberate +as to which of the two he would accept. + +"But Huss needed no time for deliberation; he made his choice when he +determined to know only Christ, and Him crucified; and he never proved +false to his Master, though his friends entreated him to save his life +at any cost. 'I write in prison and chains,' he says in a letter to +some friends, 'expecting to-morrow to receive sentence of death, but +full of hope in God that I shall not swerve from the truth, nor abjure +errors imputed to me by false witnesses.' + +"The sentence of death was soon passed upon John Huss. It was read to +him in the presence of the Emperor and Council. The persecuted man fell +on his knees, and cried, 'Lord Jesus, forgive my enemies. Thou knowest +I have been falsely accused by them; forgive them for the sake of Thy +great mercy.' + +"His persecutors answered this prayer with loud laughter and shouts of +derision, which followed him even to the place of execution. When he +was heavily laden with chains and led to the stake, he exclaimed, 'I +willingly wear these for Christ's sake, who bore still more grievous +ones.' + +"Before the fire was kindled he was again besought to recant. 'What +error should I recant,' he cried, 'when I am conscious of none? The +chief aim of my preaching has been to teach men repentance and the +forgiveness sins, according to the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.' + +"So the fire was kindled, and the smoke and flames rose around him; but +in the midst of it all his voice was heard, and these were his words: +'Jesus, Son of the living God, have mercy on me.'" + +Hans drew a deep sigh when Karl closed the little book from which he +had been reading. + +"What a grand death to die!" he said. "It reminds me of the martyr +Stephen. I've been reading about him to-day. He fell asleep in Jesus +after he had cried with a loud voice, 'Lord, lay not this sin to their +charge.' I wonder if I could forgive my enemies like that!" + +"Yes, my dear boy, you could, if you were sticking to the Raft," +said Frau Schmidt. "The law of forgiveness was taught these good men +by their blessed Master, and they were His followers. Methinks that +Master's words were yet ringing in the ears of Stephen, 'Father, +forgive them, they know not what they do.' He found it no hard task to +pray, as did his Lord, that his cruel tormentors might be forgiven." + +"I see it all," answered Hans; "mother's words must be felt in my heart +if I mean them to come out in my life. I must really 'stick to the +Raft' so tightly that God's promises will be mine. But, sir, I don't +quite understand what the death of John Huss has to do with the fête." + +"I am going to tell you now," answered Karl; "I only waited until my +mother had spoken. In the year 1482, Procopius, the wild leader of +the Hussites, came with his army to Naumburg, and besieged the city, +because Bishop Gerhard of that town, who was a member of the Council +of Constance, was one of the men who condemned the noble Huss to be +burnt at the stake. He was induced to raise the siege by the entreaties +of the children who flocked to his camp, and prayed him to depart and +leave them in peace. So earnestly did these young ones plead that +Procopius heard them, and promised to withdraw his army. Nor did he +send the children away empty, for he gave them a liberal supply of +cherries; hence this event is commemorated by what is called 'the +cherry feast.'" + +"How much I shall like to go! I suppose it is very gay at Naumburg. +What do the people do?" said Hans. + +"You shall see for yourself," replied his master. "And now come, my +boy, let us stroll along the river-side this beautiful summer evening." + + ———————— + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +THE PROMISED HOLIDAY. + +THE 28th of July came on the following Thursday. Hans counted the days, +nay, almost the hours, which must intervene; he longed so much to see +what the cherry feast was like. The special train which left Kösen at +mid-day was not to return until late in the evening; for fireworks were +to conclude the entertainment, and they could not be let off until +after nine o'clock. + +Hans was dressed in a new suit of clothes, a present from his master. +Karl was growing increasingly fond of him; he had never met his equal +before, and was fast forgetting the relations they bore to one another. +The lad was growing to be more like an adopted son than a hired servant. + +"I have come to show myself in my new suit," said Hans, after tapping +at Frau Schmidt's door to ascertain if he might enter. "Isn't it a nice +one? It fits capitally. Oh, I am so happy, dear frau, I have such a +kind master; and I love you so much—you seem to help me on my way." + +[Illustration: HANS IN HIS NEW SUIT.] + +The invalid smiled kindly on the boy. "I'm glad I help you, my dear," +she replied; "it's pleasant for a sick woman to know she is some use +in God's world. Yes, Hans, even I have my work to do, or my Master +would call me hence. Perhaps it is to cheer and strengthen you on in +your pilgrimage. But I will not sermonise to-day, but wish that you may +enjoy yourself, and remember you can do so and yet stick to the Raft." + +Hans reached the railway-station in good time, and before the train +started some hundred and fifty young people, and children, with a +sprinkling of old folks, were gathered on the platform. Among the +number were Paul Ebhardt and Robert Klein. Hans had not spoken to the +former since their quarrel by the river-side, and the latter had only +addressed him once, and then it was to say, "How could you attack Paul? +He hates you now, and will not forgive you in a hurry." + +Naumburg is pleasantly situated in the valley of the Saale; it lies in +the midst of vine-covered hills: for this is one of the most northerly +places in Europe where the vine is cultivated, though the wine it +produces is little better than vinegar. An old wall runs round part +of the town, which contains some fine streets and handsome public +buildings. Just without the wall is a meadow in which the Friedens +Hügel, or Hill of Peace, stands, where Procopius pitched his camp, and +where the children flocked to entreat him to spare their beloved city. + +The fête was unusually well attended. There were sports of all kinds +which lasted through the day and into which the young people entered +heartily, while their parents sat under the trees and looked on. + +Hans enjoyed the fun intensely. It was quite a new scene for this +forest boy. He came across Paul and Robert several times, but they +seemed quite as anxious as he was to avoid any intercourse; indeed, +only Robert returned the nod which Hans gave when he recognised them +on the platform. Nor were refreshments forgotten; various places were +established in different parts of the meadow where a good supper could +be had, and cherries abounded. It seemed as if all the old women in +Naumburg had turned out, so many were there, with baskets full of +cherries, from which they filled plates and offered them for sale at +the rate of an English halfpenny per plate. + +Hans had money given to him by his master for refreshment, and he very +soon settled what he should eat. There was an old man who had taken up +his position in a quiet corner, just within the wooden paling that ran +on one side of the meadow; he sold hot sausages, and to him the lad +repaired when he felt hungry. + +The old man was bent with age, but looked shrewd and quite competent +to execute the work he had undertaken. He had a strange sort of +cooking-stove; he put twelve bricks side by side, on to a wooden table, +and made a fire on them, so that the gridiron could stand on the hot +embers and thus keep the sausages simmering; while some rolls and +half-a-dozen plates were ranged round the bricks to be in readiness for +customers. + +Hans entered into conversation with him, for it so happened no other +customer was waiting to be served. Thus he learnt that the old man +earned his living by going about the country selling sausages. + +"It's a hard life, young master," he said, "and sometimes I long for a +room where I may end my days, but the money doesn't come in fast enough +for that. I can just manage to get a living, and that's all. But I +thank my God for His great mercy to me. If I grow downhearted, I think +of my dear Jesus, who said, 'Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air +have nests; but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his head,' and +that comforts me." + +"You stick to the Raft, I can see," answered Hans, and then he +explained what he meant by these words. + +Afterwards they chatted about the different fêtes the old man had in +prospect, and the latter said he expected to be at the Schutzen Fest, +and that he went to it every year because he always did a brisk trade +after the match was over. + +"The exercise seems to give them all an appetite," he added; "and even +those who don't take any part in the shooting, but only look on, get +very hungry. Sometimes I stay at Kösen for several days." + +On hearing this, Hans told his new friend his name, where he lived, +what a good master he had, and that he was practising at the target +every day, for he meant to try and win the Burgomaster's prize. + +"I shall be sure to find you out at the festival," continued the boy, +"and I will recommend all the people I know to buy sausages of you, for +I've taken a great liking to you." + +"So have I to you," replied the old man, shaking the hand that Richter +held out to him. "Good-bye." + +Just as Hans was saying the last words, Robert and his friend came up. + +"Has that fellow been eating sausages?" asked Paul, pointing to Hans, +and addressing the old man. + +"Yes; and a nice, civil-spoken young lad he is." + +"Smooth-tongued enough, I dare say," sneered Paul. "Give me three +sausages, and my friend wants three." + +The old man was so accustomed to hear rough words that he made no +reply, but busied himself in preparing the sausages, while the boys sat +down and watched him. + +"Robert, I've a splendid idea just come into my head—how odd that I +never thought of it before! I see how we can pay Hans off," said Paul. +"I've been worrying and worrying to no purpose, but now I've got it, +and no mistake. When the fireworks are let off, in the darkness we may +thrust a squib which is fired into his hand, and that'll give him such +a dose that he won't be able to shoot at the festival." + +"But it will hurt him," answered Robert; "and though I want the prize, +I should be ashamed to be such a coward as to injure another to gain my +own end. Richter has as good a right to try and win as I have. No, no, +Paul; I'm not quite such a bad fellow as that." + +"I've no patience with you!" exclaimed Paul, angrily. "You may go your +own way, and lose the prize. Here come the sausages; let us eat them +while they are hot." + +The old man had not been too much engrossed with his cooking to listen +to what Paul and Robert said. He noted every word that passed, and +resolved to look out for Hans and warn him to be careful not to go near +any boys who had squibs, and also to tell him of the conversation he +had overheard. But the customers came so fast that he was too full of +business to carry out his kind intention, for the shades of evening +were falling before the last one was served, and then the fireworks +began, and the old man dared not venture into the crowd which had +gathered at the lower end of the meadow. + +When Paul found Robert so averse to his plan of revenge, he determined +to part company with him, and carry out his scheme alone. So he made +the excuse of wishing to see some particular friends, and promised +to meet him at the station when the fireworks were over. He had been +so accustomed all his life to do just what pleased him best, without +heeding if it were right or wrong, that he gloried in the cleverness of +his plot, only regretting that he had mentioned it to Robert. + + +There was a great concourse of people round the ring from whence the +rockets, wheels, and other pretty devices were let off. And at the same +time, a few boys began letting off squibs, though it had been strictly +forbidden by the authorities. + +Hans was standing at the edge of the crowd lost in wonder, for he +had never seen such a display before, when he felt something thrust +into his left hand which exploded almost instantaneously, but in the +explosion, he was severely burnt. Just at this moment came the grand +finale, which closed the evening's entertainment. And the shouting and +clapping were so noisy that the report of the squib was not noticed, +and it fortunately harmed no one else. + +In the first few moments, Hans was bewildered, and scarcely realised +what had happened; he was only conscious of sharp pain in his hand. +The crowd dispersed quickly, and he knew the train would start almost +immediately, so he wrapped it in his handkerchief, and, trying to bear +the pain as he best could, walked to the station and jumped into the +first carriage. + +His condition excited the attention of his fellow-travellers, and +induced many questions. Every one had some particular remedy to +recommend, but poor Hans paid little heed to their words. He sat still, +holding his wounded left hand with his right, and suffering too much to +be able to enter into conversation. + +At last he reached home, and found his master standing outside the +toll-house awaiting his arrival. + +"I've had an accident, sir," he said, trying to speak cheerfully. "I'm +afraid my hand is very much burnt." And then he remembered no more +until he returned to consciousness, and found himself stretched on his +bed, for thither Karl Schmidt had carried him in a fainting condition. + +"You'll soon be better, my boy. You're a brave fellow to come home +alone after such an accident," said his master. "I expect the pain was +too much for you to bear. You have a nasty burn. How did it happen? But +perhaps you had better not tell me until to-morrow, you look so pale. +I've wrapped your hand in cotton wool; let it stay on until you see the +doctor, and be very careful that the air does not get to it." + +"I feel quite comfortable now, sir, and able to talk. I wish I could +tell you how it happened. I only know I felt as if some one forced a +squib into my hand which went off directly." + +"It must have been a pure accident. I don't think any boy would be +so cruel as to harm another for amusement," remarked Karl. "The +authorities ought to punish the rascals who dare to let off squibs. I +know this is not the first time some one has been hurt. You must show +your hand to the doctor early to-morrow morning. I am afraid you will +have no more shooting for many days to come." + +"Won't it soon be well, sir? I did not think that I should lose the +chance of the prize because of this burn." + +"And don't think of it now; but go to sleep, and try to forget you have +been hurt." + + +Next day Hans paid an early visit to the doctor, who pronounced that +the hand must be put into a sling, it was so much injured, and would +require care for some weeks. + +The boy went slowly home, feeling thoroughly depressed and ill. The +world and his prospects looked very gloomy; he could not work—for how +could he push rafts over the weir with one hand? And perhaps his master +would dismiss him if he did not get well quickly; and last, though not +least, there was the shooting match coming on, and he would be unable +to join in it, and that was a sore disappointment. In the short walk +from the doctor's house to the toll-master's cottage, Hans managed to +conjure up all kinds of dismal things: so is it that we often make +troubles before they really exist. + +Karl was in his mother's room when Richter appeared in sight. He called +him from the window to come up, for Frau Schmidt was anxious to hear +the doctor's opinion. + +"You look as if you had all the cares of the world on your shoulders, +Hans," he exclaimed, when he saw the boy's face. "What's the matter?" + +Hans tried to speak in a clear, unconcerned tone, but his voice failed, +and he burst into tears instead. + +"Come, don't be so downhearted," said Karl. "It will only be a matter +of a few weeks; you will not learn idle habits in that time. In fact, +you can work all the same; we shall only change places: you must take +the tolls, and will look after the rafts. Why, I used to do both in +former days—levy the duty on the raft, and afterwards help it over the +weir!" + +"Then you will keep me on, sir, even if my hand is a long time getting +well?" + +"Certainly. This explains why you look so dismal; you thought I should +turn you away because you could not work. Why, Hans, I hoped you knew +me better." + +"His faith in you has only failed for the moment," said Frau Schmidt. +"Hans feels ill, and his depression of body dims his trust in you. My +dear boy, it is an old, old fault—this want of faith; would that it did +not run through our lives. In your walk home from the doctor's, you +have lost the Raft, and in losing the Raft you have conjured up doubts +and difficulties which have no foundation." + +"Mother, mother, you are in a higher world than we are," replied Karl. +"Poor Hans has not reached it, and I am sure I have not; nevertheless, +would that we were as patient and trustful as you are. You see the boy +has another cause of disappointment which you have not thought of, +perhaps: he will be unable to shoot at the match." + +"And I lose my lessons from you, sir," added Hans, in a doleful voice; +"and I did so enjoy having them every evening." + +"I hope they will be renewed some day. My dear boy, I am a stern +teacher when I bid you rouse up to see your mercies, and be thankful +for your many blessings," answered Frau Schmidt. "Are you only going to +stick to the Raft when the sun is high and the water smooth? You must +take all your disappointments in life as part of the education which is +to fit you for a higher and better world." + +Hans smiled through his tears as the invalid spoke. He felt ashamed of +murmuring over his temporary sickness when he contrasted it with her +days, weeks, months, nay, years of continuous suffering. He had only +time to say, "Thank you, dear frau, for your advice," for his master +exclaimed, "There are a couple of rafts in sight. We had better go +down, Hans; the men are pushing along as if they are in a hurry to pay +toll and pass over the weir. Can you take the money?" + +"Oh yes, sir, quite well," replied the lad, hurrying away after his +master. + + ———————— + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +THE SECRET. + +AFTER Paul had shaken off his companion, he accomplished, as we know, +his cruel purpose, and according to appointment joined Robert after +the fireworks were over. He was careful not to run across Hans, as he +did not wish to tell his friend what he had done until the following +morning; for Paul was sure that he was revenged on Hans when he heard +the exclamation of intense pain which escaped him before he had time to +glide away. + +"Let me see you first thing to-morrow," said Paul, when he parted +from Robert, just after they had passed the bridge. "I've some work +to finish off, but shall be ready by ten o'clock; I want to tell you +something." + +"Tell me now." + +"I'm afraid there are too many people about. It's a great secret. +To-morrow is time enough. Good night." + +Robert wondered for a few moments what secret Paul could have to tell +him, but he forgot all about it when he reached home, for he had to +give an account of his day spent at Naumburg to his mother and sisters, +who had not ventured to the fête. + +The next morning Robert was taking his coffee in the kitchen with the +rest of the family, except his father, who came in before the meal was +ended. + +"I've been talking to Karl Schmidt," he said, "and didn't know it was +so late. Did you hear of an accident which happened to young Hans last +night?" he asked his son. + +"No, father." + +"He managed to get his left hand badly burnt by a squib; and what is +very odd about the accident is that he felt the squib was pushed into +his hand, and then it exploded." + +Robert turned pale, and red. No one was observing him, for all eyes +were fixed on the miller, so he had time to regain his self-possession; +and right glad was he that a customer came to see his father on +business, and he was able to make his escape. + +Robert was not a bad boy at heart, nor would he ever have injured +another in the cruel manner in which Paul had injured Hans. He was +appalled at what he had heard, and all that was noble in his character +rose up for the moment in judgment against Paul. He walked quickly +away from the mill, and took the back road into the town, nor did he +slacken his pace until he reached Herr Ebhardt's house. He found his +friend stitching away diligently in a little parlour at the back of his +father's shop. + +"You're early, old fellow," said Paul, scarcely looking up from +his work, "but I've nearly done, and then we'll go as far as the +Hümmel-reich, for I've to take this coat home to a customer who lives +on the way." + +"All right; I'll wait outside until you're ready," replied Robert. + +As he passed into the street again, he found himself face to face +with Hans, who was going to the doctor. He looked pale and ill, very +different to the bright lad of the previous day. + +Robert could not help stopping him, and asking, in a concerned tone, +"Is your hand very bad? I heard from my father that you met with an +accident last night." + +"It's very bad," answered Hans, "dreadfully burnt. Good-bye, I'm going +to see the doctor." + +Robert was thoroughly unhinged; though he was really innocent, he felt +in some degree guilty, and he was glad when Paul joined him, for he +was most anxious to hear his secret, and was sure that it had some +connection with the accident that had befallen Hans. + +"Now for your secret," he said to Paul. + +"Wait a bit; let's get up the Hümmel-reich." + +"It will take us a good half-hour to walk there, and I want to hear +what you've got to say," urged Robert, impatiently. + +"Gently, old fellow; we've plenty of time before us. It's a jolly +morning for an outing. Let us get rid of the coat, and then we'll enjoy +ourselves. You will be right glad to hear what I've got to tell you." + +"I know what it is before you speak, and I call it a wicked shame of +you to hurt a fellow as you've hurt Hans. I've a great mind to tell of +you, that I have!" burst out Robert. + +The boys were out of the village and walking through a field when he +spoke thus angrily. + +"What do you mean?" asked Paul, scowling at his companion. + +"Why, I mean that I've a great mind to tell every one in Kösen that it +was you who put the squib into the hand of poor Hans, and that you did +it out of revenge." + +There was something so resolute in Robert's face, and so different from +the idle, careless expression it usually wore, that Paul felt a little +afraid, for he was a coward at heart. + +"Oh, Robert, how can you be so unkind! It was all for you I did it; and +now you find fault with me." And his voice trembled as if he were about +to cry. + +"It wasn't all for me, and you know that, Paul; you hate Hans, and you +made up your mind to pay him off after he tripped you up. But you've +gone too far this time, and what's more, I think you've put me in such +a corner that I can't shoot for the prize this year." + +"Not shoot, Robert!" answered Paul, standing still in his astonishment. +"You don't mean what you say. Why, I've made it an easy matter for you. +Now, old fellow, shake hands, and tell me you're glad I got rid of your +rival thus. He would certainly have come off conqueror, so you must +thank me, for I'm a true friend to you. And, really, if I hadn't been +so fond of you, I shouldn't have interfered, but suffered Hans to win." + +"I'm not so sure he would have won; and I declare I'd rather he had +beaten than see him look so ill." + +"When did you see him?" + +"A few minutes ago; he was on his way to the doctor's." + +"Then he is really hurt?" + +"How can you ask me that question? You know he is, Paul. It was nothing +but revenge that made you push the squib into his hand; I see it in +your face, you look so spiteful." + +"What's come to you to-day, Robert? I tell you what it is, you may try +me too far. You're my friend, and I'm your friend, but I can't stand +being preached at. Now, let's forget this little difference; what is +done can't be undone. And, remember, if I have acted unkindly to Hans, +it was all for you, so don't blame me. I'll just run in, and leave this +coat at yonder house, and then we'll go on to the Hümmel-reich, as we +are so near, and be jolly for the rest of the way." + +This pretty spot derives its name from the great beauty of its +situation. It merely consists of a little hotel built on a flat +hill-top, which commands the valley of the Saale at a point where the +river makes a bend in the shape of a horse-shoe. On the opposite side +are the ruins of two old castles, the Rudolsburg and the Saalech; +while, as far as the eye can reach, little villages with their quaint +old churches lie nestling among the trees of this highly-cultivated +valley, and thus add to the picturesqueness of the scene. + +Robert was not convinced, but he nevertheless accompanied Paul on to +the Hümmel-reich, which was not thronged with visitors so early in the +day. The friends spent a couple of hours pleasantly, for there was a +target so that Robert was able to practise for the festival, and Paul +stood by and praised him. They only left off in time to reach home by +one o'clock, and, as Paul was going out with his father, they parted at +Herr Ebhardt's door, and made no plans for the evening. + +"Ain't we just as good friends as ever?" Paul asked Robert, as they +entered the village. + +"Oh yes," he replied. + +But though Robert answered Paul in the affirmative, he was oppressed +and out of spirit, and could not resist taking a stroll in the +direction of the toll-house after dinner; he had no definite object in +view beyond a sort of restless feeling to see Hans. + +The latter was sitting outside the door with a book on his knee, +looking very pale, and with his left arm in a sling. He was so absorbed +in the contents of his volume that he started when Robert addressed him +in these words: "I'm so sorry you're hurt. I am alone this afternoon, +and thought I would come and see if I could do anything for you." + +Hans was very much surprised, but Robert seemed so thoroughly in +earnest that he answered: "Thank you; no one can help me bear the pain, +but it is very kind of you to think of me. My master does not mind my +being idle until I am better. It would be much worse if I were thrown +out of my place." + +"What are you reading out of? You seem to have got a queer old book +there," asked Robert, by way of continuing the conversation. + +"Queer outside, perhaps," replied Hans, "but the inside is all gold." + +"Let me see it." + +Hans opened his father's old Bible. + +"Why, it's a Bible!" exclaimed Robert, in a tone of disappointment. "I +thought it was something very particular." + +"So it is," answered Hans; "if you will sit down, I will read you a few +verses that are worth more than thousands of sovereigns." + +At another time Robert would have laughed, and jeered, and perhaps run +away, but he was softened towards Hans, and wanted to show him some +attention, so he quietly sat down on the door-step by his side. + +Hans felt sure his master would not be angry at his speaking to Robert +when he told him that he had an opportunity of bidding him stick to +the Raft; so he turned over the pages of his Bible to find a suitable +passage to read, and in that moment he asked God to help him for +Christ's sake to say something to Robert that would make him think. + +"I declare it is difficult to settle what to read to you, there are +so many beautiful things in this book; but, of course, you know your +Bible?" said Hans. + +"I can't say I'm much up to it," replied his companion. + +"But you read it, or hear it read, every day, don't you?" + +"No, I don't; please go on where you were reading when I came up." + +"I had just got to these words: 'A new commandment I give unto you, +That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one +another.' I will read the chapter through." + +"You read splendidly," said Robert, at its conclusion. "Where did you +learn?" + +"In our village, and in the forest. My mother was a very good scholar, +and I'm so fond of learning. My master gives me lessons every evening. +Are not those grand words, 'A new commandment I give unto you, That ye +love one another'? Oddly enough, you were in my thoughts when I first +read them—I mean just before you spoke to me." + +"I! How?" + +"I will tell you. I have been practising hard at the target, and meant +to try for the Burgomaster's prize, which you have won for the last two +years. My master said that you had no rival to fear in Kösen, and that +the Burgomaster wished to find another who would compete with you; for +though many boys usually entered their names on the list, it was only +for the pleasure of being mixed up with the fête, but with no chance +of success. My master found I had a steady hand and a correct eye, so +he lent me his bow and arrows, and I have been practising regularly +with him every evening; and I think I had a fair chance of winning the +prize. But this morning the doctor said that I should be unable to use +my hand for at least three weeks, and, as you know, the Schutzen Fest +comes off in eight days. I was very jealous of you this morning, and +inclined to murmur and rebel because I could not use my hand. But, +thank God, the feeling is passing away, for it came into my mind that +if I were to encourage it, I should break Christ's new commandment, and +shut out love, for love and jealousy cannot live together; and, Robert, +I had rather stick to the Raft than win the prize." + +Robert looked his astonishment, and Hans explained his meaning, and +added: "Christ gave Himself for us—that was His love; and He asks us in +return to give ourselves to Him. Will you give yourself to Him? I shall +bear my pain and disappointment without murmuring if any words which +I have read out of God's book make you think about Him, for I shall +remember that you would not have spoken to me if you had not been sorry +for my accident, and that it was because you knew I was in pain that +you took the trouble to come here to see me." + +Robert could scarcely bear these words, they made him inclined to tell +Hans the whole truth, but the fear of Paul kept him silent, and right +glad was he to see Karl Schmidt walking towards them. + +"Your master is coming," he said; "I had better be off. I know he will +not care to see me here, so good-bye. I dare say I shall come again +soon to hear how you are getting on." + +And Robert walked away in a more thoughtful mood than usual. There was +something so manly and noble about Hans. He was so different to his +chosen friend Paul. He felt a few pricks of conscience too when he +recalled the words which Hans had spoken about the Burgomaster's prize. + +"I wish Paul hadn't interfered," he muttered, "that I do, with all my +heart. I would rather have been beaten fairly than win and carry about +the secret knowledge that if it hadn't been for Ebhardt's cowardly +behaviour to Hans, we should have tried our luck together. And to think +of his saying that he didn't mind the pain if it made me stick to the +Raft; that beat's all." + + ———————— + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +THE SCHUTZEN FEST. + +ROBERT could not shake off the impression which Hans had produced upon +him, and he did not awake in a very good humour with himself next +morning. When he met Paul, he entered at once upon the subject which +engrossed his thoughts, and ended by saying: "I've almost made up my +mind not to shoot. I feel as if I were a great rascal to stand up +before the people of Kösen and carry away the prize, knowing what I do." + +Paul was very angry. "I tell you what it is, Robert," he replied, "I've +had enough of this sort of thing. If you don't shoot, I declare I'll +go to Hans and tell him you pushed the squib into his hand because you +didn't want him to shoot against you." + +"You dare not, Paul. But if you were to be so wicked, it would be easy +for me to tell the truth about you." + +"One against the other, my boy. My word is as good as yours; we are +known as close friends in Kösen. But now, Robert, don't be stupid; I +shall be all right if you will just shoot for the prize, and win it, +and that will make an end of the matter. And to show you that I am +sorry I have vexed you, I promise I will never tease Hans again. Don't +let us fall out; we are old chums, and Kösen boys, and it wouldn't +sound well if we were to give evidence against one another; nor would +your parents, or even mine, care to have this affair made a matter of +talk in the town." + +Robert was afraid to refuse Paul's terms; and so he tried to forget +that Hans had been ill-used, nor did he call on him again before the +Schutzen Fest. Paul felt secretly thankful he had constrained his +friend to keep silence; for, bad as he was, he did not relish the +affair being sifted, so certain was he that if the truth were made +public, even he would feel uncomfortable and cowed by the black looks +which he knew his companions and acquaintances would cast upon him. His +fear was for himself; he was not ashamed of his sin. + +The market-place in Kösen consists of a clump of green trees which +stand in the high street, and this was the meeting-place of those who +competed for the Burgomaster's prize. + +Kösen put on its gayest appearance for the fête; the day was exquisite, +the sky blue, and the air still; flags were flying in all directions, +and parents and children appeared in their holiday attire. + +The shooting began at four o'clock. Long before that hour, there was +quite a crowd in the market-place waiting for the band to come and +strike up the national air, which was a signal for the twenty boys who +competed for the prize to form themselves into a double column. Each of +the boys carried his own bow and arrows and wore a scarlet cap wreathed +with oak-leaves. + +The marker led the way, dressed in a scarlet tunic, white trousers, and +a cap with a plume of many colours; the band came next, then banners +carried by boys, and lastly the twenty competitors for the prize. In +this order they proceeded to the Burgomaster's house. He was awaiting +their arrival arrayed in his robes of office; and now he took the lead, +and marched away in the direction of the bridge. Instead of crossing +it, the procession turned off to the right, passed the mill, and +onwards until it reached the Katze—a pretty, elevated spot covered with +green trees, with the Saale running a few feet below. Here many chairs +and tables were ranged; and there were temporary tents erected where +refreshments could be had, for most of the company remained to supper +after the shooting was over. + +Every one of the twenty competitors shot twelve arrows, and if the +bull's-eye were hit, the marker signified the fact by dancing in front +of the target, flag in hand, while at the same moment a gun fired. + +Robert was quite himself; the excitement of the scene made him forget +everything but his own enjoyment and importance. He did not meet Hans +on the way, so he had nothing to damp his pleasure. + +Paul was as close to his friend as the rules permitted, for only those +who competed for the prize were allowed to enter the ring. + +The boys shot better than on the previous year, but Robert shot the +best, and so to him the prize was awarded. He had to come before the +Burgomaster, who complimented him on his skill, and crowned him with a +wreath of laurel-leaves. Afterwards, he presented a drinking-cup to him +mounted in silver. + +[Illustration: ROBERT WINS THE PRIZE.] + +When this ceremony was concluded, the Burgomaster returned home, and +Robert became the hero of the evening. At ten o'clock the band left the +orchestra in order to conduct him home, and a large concourse of young +friends and acquaintances accompanied him, lighting the way with their +many coloured lanterns, and shouting, "Hoch, Hoch" (Hurrah). + +The music ceased when the mill was reached, and amid renewed shouts +Robert entered his father's house, and the rest of his friends +dispersed to their several homes, save Paul, for Robert could not spare +him. He wanted to chat over the events of the day with his friend, and +to express his surprise at not seeing Hans Richter. + +But even Paul bade him "Good night" as soon as he found there was +company in the kitchen, for he did not care to face kind Pastor Hahn +who was chatting with the miller and his wife. When he caught sight of +him through the open door, he whispered to Robert: "Good night, old +fellow. I shall slip off, for I don't care to have a lecture from the +minister to-night. Come to me in the morning." + +"All hail to the conqueror!" exclaimed the pastor, as Robert entered +the kitchen. + +"You shot well, my boy," said his father, "better than usual, I +thought." + +"And you had an easy victory," added Pastor Hahn; "you had no +competitor. I think you would have found your match if Hans Richter +had been able to try his skill. Poor fellow! I have been so sorry for +him; he set his heart on shooting for the prize. At the same time, I +must say I never saw a lad take his disappointment so well. Ah, Robert, +would that you had the same strong principle to guide you, that Hans +has. It is such a mystery how that lad met with his accident. I confess +from his account it seems to me as if some one had thrust the squib +into his hand out of sheer mischief, or even revenge, and—" + +"Hold up your cup, Robert," called out the miller; "you will drop your +prize. My boy, you are tired out, you look deadly pale. Now your colour +is returning: I thought you were going to faint. Get your supper, and +go to bed at once." + +"I've had enough to eat, thank you, father," answered Robert, "but I +will go to bed, for I am very tired, so good night all. Good night, +Pastor Hahn." + +"Good night," said the pastor, taking the hand Robert stretched out to +him, and holding it in his own. "You have won an earthly prize to-day; +how I wish you would be as eager in striving to win a heavenly prize. +God has given us many prizes, but the greatest and best is His Son, and +I fear you despise this prize. The day will come when your Father in +heaven will ask why you have neglected your Saviour; what answer will +you give then?" + +"The lad is too tired to think to-night, good pastor," said the miller; +"don't damp his pleasure by a long sermon." + +"It seems to me as if it were never the right moment to speak to you +of those things which make for our everlasting salvation," answered +the pastor, sadly: for he was rarely permitted to enlarge on the theme +he loved so well within those walls. And yet he did not cease his +visits, hoping that the seed he dropped from time to time would, by the +Spirit's blessing, bear fruit at last. + +Robert went to bed, but not to sleep. Now that the excitement was over, +and Paul away from him, he began to be uncomfortable again. He would +willingly have relinquished his prize if he could have undone the cruel +injury which Paul had inflicted on Hans. He tossed about his bed, +wondering why he could not sleep, for he never remembered lying awake +for five minutes before. But turn as he might, he got no real rest, for +if he fell asleep, he dreamed of terrible things and was thankful to +awake and find them unreal. He was very glad to see morning dawn, and +watch the sun rise, for he did not feel quite so miserable as during +the long hours of the night. + + +Hans was not present at the Schutzen Fest, for a very good reason. +He and his master had fully determined to go, but at the last moment +several rafts came along, and the men were anxious to pay duty on their +wood and start forward at once. As soon as they had been attended to, +another delay came: a friend from Naumburg called to see Karl; so, as +his master was engaged, Hans went quietly upstairs to chat with Frau +Schmidt. + +"Not gone!" she said, when he entered her room. "Surely, dear boy, you +are not smarting so much under your disappointment that you cannot see +another win!" + +"No, dear frau, but we've been so busy, and now my master's engaged, +and I feel very tired. There is really no other reason why I do not go. +I could see Robert win, and not be one bit jealous of him. I have had a +battle to fight, nevertheless," he added, smiling, "so don't think me +better than I am. It's sticking to the Raft, dear frau, that enabled me +to think quietly of Robert's currying off a prize that might have been +mine. I seem to understand better since this struggle has passed away +how easily those who have no Raft to cling to may commit any sin to +gain their ends." + +"You are quite right, Hans; had you encouraged the feeling of jealousy, +it might have grown so fast that it would have mastered you at last. +Christ's new commandment carried out into daily life is the best cure +for the indulgence of sin." + +"There is an old man coming to the fest to-day," Hans said, after +a pause, "in whom I am much interested; he is such a fine, manly +Christian, and yet so poor. I cannot forget my talk with him, though I +have never told you about it." And Hans gave Frau Schmidt an account of +his conversation with the old man who sold sausages, adding, "I must +try and find him out to-morrow; he told me he intended to spend a few +days at Kösen." + +"There is a sort of freemasonry between Christians," answered Frau +Schmidt. "I hope you may find him; I should like to see him if I am +tolerably well." + +Hans little thought when he spoke about the old man how much he was +engrossing the thoughts of the latter. Among the spectators who +watched the shooting was Franz Nieper, the seller of sausages. He +arranged his apparatus some little distance from the ring, but in a +good position for trade. And when the attention of all was directed +to the competitors for the Burgomaster's prize, he also joined the +crowd and watched the progress of the match. He recognised one face +inside the ring, and one just without. He would have known Robert and +Paul anywhere; their countenances were impressed on his memory. He +looked about in vain for another face he expected to see—a pleasant +one, which had smiled on him, and given him cheery words. But though +he looked again and again at the twenty boys wearing scarlet caps, he +could not find it. At length he ventured to make a remark to a pretty, +bright-looking girl who stood beside him looking on: + +"I thought the lad who lives with the toll-master was going to try his +luck," he said. + +"So he was," replied the maiden, who happened to be one of the miller's +daughters, "but he has had an accident and burnt his hand." + +"How did it happen?" + +"He was at the cherry feast at Naumburg, and some of the rough boys +of the town began letting off squibs, though it is forbidden by the +authorities. And in some way, I don't know how, Hans Richter got hold +of a squib, which went off in his hand and hurt him dreadfully. He's +getting better now, but is not well enough to shoot." + +"Who's likely to win the day?" + +"I don't know for certain, but I think my brother, for he's the best +shot in Kösen. They do say that if Hans had been able to shoot, Robert +might have lost the prize." + +"Where is your brother Robert?" + +"There, standing close to that large tree," replied the girl, pointing +to one of the faces Franz had recognised. + +"And the boy talking to him, who is he?" + +"That's Paul Ebhardt, his greatest friend." + +"Where do you live?" + +"At the mill." + +"And where does Paul Ebhardt live?" + +"In the town; his father is a master tailor. But why do you ask so many +questions, do you want any help? You look so very old, and seem very +poor." + +"Yes, young girl, I am both old and poor," replied Franz, "but I don't +require help, for my Master never forgets me, and He can send me all +the help I want. Thank you for answering my questions." And the old man +turned away. + +He walked slowly back to his wooden table, and attended to his fire, +muttering, "Poor lad, poor lad, I'm so sorry for him! I wish I'd left +my sausages and found him. Well, well, it can't be helped now, but old +Franz must try and set wrong right." + +He seated himself on his wooden stool, nor did he rise when a great +noise of shouting announced that the prize was won. He made no comment +when he heard Robert Klein was the victor, he merely stamped on the +ground impatiently, and then he seemed to remember that such a feeling +was wrong, for he said aloud: "That won't do, Franz; that's not the way +to set wrong right; be a Christian, and just do the Master's work, and +copy Him. Did He ever grow impatient?" + +When customers came, the old man was calm as before, and served +them with the care he generally exercised. But all the time, he was +thinking, and the results of his meditations were comprised in these +words, which fell from his lips before he lay down upon a heap of straw +in an out-house: "To-morrow morning, the first thing you do, Franz, +must be to go to the toll-house and ask to see the toll-master." + + ———————— + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +WRONG SET RIGHT. + +THE next morning, Hans started off early to make some purchases in the +town, and find out if the old man who sold sausages had arrived on the +previous day. He had been absent more than an hour when Franz Nieper +reached the toll-keeper's house. + +"Is Hans Richter at home?" he asked of Karl Schmidt, who was sitting in +the parlour making up his books. + +"No; he is gone over to the town. I expect him back every minute; in +fact, I can't think why he is so long away. Do you want him?" + +"I presume my business is with you as much as with him," answered +Franz. "Did he tell you he bought sausages at Naumburg of an old man?" + +"Yes, to be sure he did; and one of his errands this morning is to try +and find him, for he expects he came to Kösen yesterday." + +"I am that old man. I want to greet the lad once more; and I have +something important to say to him, and to you too, for I suppose I'm +speaking to the toll-master." + +"Yes, I am Karl Schmidt, but I do not quite understand what you have of +importance to say to me, seeing we are strangers to one another, and +Hans only knows you because he bought your sausages and had a chat with +you while he ate them." + +"I wish to set wrong right, master," replied old Franz, emphatically. +"The lad has been cruelly wronged." + +"How?" asked Karl, feeling and looking sorely puzzled. + +"It's a long story, master, and I am an old man. I can only tell it my +own way. Will you listen to all I have to say?" + +"Certainly I will. Sit down, my friend, for you look tired, and don't +hurry yourself." + +Old Franz took the chair that Karl offered him, and began his story by +speaking first of his interview with Hans, and how much he liked the +boy. Then he repeated the substance of the conversation which passed +between Paul and Robert, and alluded to his own determination of trying +to find Hans out in order to tell him to take care of himself; and how +his customers came and prevented him from carrying out his intention. +He further spoke of missing Hans among the twenty boys with scarlet +caps on the previous day, and that he made inquiry of the miller's +daughter, and learnt the sad truth. + +"It needs no words of mine to tell you," he said, in conclusion, "how +that lad met with his accident, and I really think the boy, or boys, +who had to do with it ought to be punished, or some one else will be +served in like manner." + +Karl was extremely angry. "I thought Paul was a very bad fellow," he +replied, "but scarcely so bad as this proves him to be. I wonder if +Robert was persuaded to be a party to the cowardly action, or whether +he maintained his refusal. At any rate, he knew when Hans was hurt that +it was no accident, but foul play, and certainly he should have refused +to accept the Burgomaster's prize; an honourable boy would have quietly +withdrawn from the contest. I scarcely know how to move in this matter." + +"Try and set the wrong right, master," reiterated old Franz. "The prize +is given now, so I suppose it can't be taken away, but the miller's son +has not won it fairly." + +"No; for I am almost sure Hans would have come off conqueror had he +been able to take his place. The grave question to be settled now is, +how to prove that Paul deliberately thrust the squib into Richter's +hand. But here comes Hans; he is the one who has the best right to +decide what steps we should take. Let us consult with him." + +"I'm so glad to see you once more!" exclaimed the boy, shaking old +Franz warmly by the hand. "I've just come from the town, and I looked +about for you everywhere. I was sorry to miss seeing you yesterday. +I have had an accident, and that prevented me from shooting, but I'm +getting better, and I hope very soon to be able to use my hand again +and do all my work." + +"Your old friend came to see me about your so-called accident," said +Karl. "I think we have found out how it happened." + +"Yes, young lad. I ought to have saved you from it, but my customers +came so quickly I could not leave them to find you. I overheard the +tailor's son propose to the miller's boy that you should have a fired +squib pushed into your hand. I must give credit where credit is due, +and say that the miller's boy was up in arms when his friend proposed +this; but one or both of them did the deed, or your hand would not have +been hurt." + +"Paul fired the squib, and thrust it into my hand," answered Hans, +quietly; "Robert had nothing to do with it." + +"How do you know this?" asked Karl. + +"Because I left Robert half-an-hour ago, and he gave me a full account +of the whole thing." + +"Robert told you all about it!" exclaimed Karl. "I wonder he was not +too ashamed for that." + +"It is because he is so repentant, master; and he has promised me to +give up Paul's friendship and turn over a new leaf." + +"He has promised that a hundred times before," said Karl. + +"But I believe he is in earnest this time. I am sure if he will keep +away from Paul's influence, he will be a better fellow." + +"Still, I fear it is all talk with him; he is not to be trusted." + +"Let us try him once more, master." + +"But what did he say to you?" + +"I should like to tell you, if you will agree not to let his confession +go further until we have decided what it is best to do," said Hans, +looking first at Karl Schmidt, and then at the old man. + +"Certainly, I will keep my counsel," replied his master. + +"And so will I; indeed, I only want to set wrong right, my boy. And if +you, who are injured, are satisfied, I ought to be," remarked Franz. + +"I crossed the river in your boat, master," said Hans, smiling at the +old man, "and went directly to the mill to order the flour. As I came +out, I met Robert, so I stopped and asked him how he enjoyed himself +yesterday, and I congratulated him on winning the prize, adding, 'I +was not miserable about it, for I lived down my first feelings of +vexation; they were nearly gone when you came to see me the day after +my accident, so I was able to be glad that the sun shone, and it was so +still and bright.' To my astonishment, Robert burst out: + +"'Oh, Hans, don't talk to me like that; I'm the most unhappy fellow +living.' + +"'What's the matter?' I asked. And seeing that he looked ready to cry, +I said, 'Come along with me and have a talk.' + +"So we walked by the side of the river until we found a nook where we +could sit down and be quite out of the way of any one who chanced to +pass by. + +"'Now, tell me why you are unhappy,' I asked, 'for I must confess you +look wretched and ill; let me be your friend.' + +"When I said this, he gave a great sob, and then he began to laugh, and +then he cried, and it was some time before I could get him to speak +out. At last he told me what it was that weighed on his mind. He said +that Paul Ebhardt had disliked me from the very first time he saw me, +but since the day we had quarrelled by the river-side, he had hated me, +and watched for an opportunity of paying me off. Then he spoke of the +conversation that my old friend there overheard, and he assured me he +had no idea Paul would carry out his cruel purpose. + +"'I give you my word,' he continued, 'that, careless as I am, I should +never have been such a dastard as to hurt you. I have been wretched +ever since I heard that you were injured. I went home miserable after +you had spoken to me about sticking to the Raft, and had read to me +out of the Bible. The next morning I fell out with Paul about you, but +we made it up again, and I tried to forget you, because I was afraid +of him. But last night I could not sleep for thinking, so I made up my +mind to tell you all about it, and I want you to show that you forgive +me by taking the prize I won yesterday.' + +"'I am glad you have told me this, but I don't want your prize,' I +answered. 'You may be happy again, Robert, for I forgive you entirely, +though I scarcely know what I have to forgive; and, now, will you do me +a very great favour?' + +"'What is it?' he asked 'I will do anything to prove to you that I +would not have had you injured; and if only you would take my prize, I +should think we were quits.' + +"'I don't want to be quits with you in that manner,' I replied; 'we +shall be quits, and true friends, if you will "stick to the Raft," for +then you will learn to love good company, and work, and study. Oh, will +you come to Jesus?' + +"'I wish I could, if it would make me as happy as you are, Hans,' he +answered; 'but I am bound to Paul, for I am afraid of him. I hardly +dare think how angry he will be with me when he learns what I have +done.' + +"'Avoid him for the present, or at least until I have consulted my +master,' I said. 'Will you begin a new life at once by asking your +father to give you work at the mill, and will you pray to God, Robert, +to help you?' + +"'I never prayed in my life, Hans,' he replied. + +"'Then begin at once, to-day,' I urged. 'There will be no real change +in you unless you change towards God. He says to you, "My son, give Me +thine heart." Oh! Do not withhold it from Him.' + +"We parted then. Robert went to the mill, and I made my way to the +village. And all the way, I've been thinking how it will be best to +act; and really, master, if you do not object, I should like to go and +see Paul and try and win him over." + +"Well done, my boy!" exclaimed Franz Nieper. "That's the way to set +wrong right; and depend upon it, you are showing the same mercy to Paul +that God shows to us. You have hit the nail on the head. It's the Raft +that has done this; it is your faith and trust in your Saviour, and +clinging fast to His teaching, that enables you to love your enemy." + +"Yes, Hans," remarked his master, "you have found the best way of +taking your revenge on Paul. But whether he will receive your advances +cordially and be sorry for what he has done, is more than I can tell. +At any rate, I wish you God speed on your errand. Go to him at once, my +boy—that is, if you are not too tired—for it is better for you to see +him before he meets Robert. But remember, if you come back and tell me +that Paul has refused to hear you, and added insult to injury, I must +act for you." + +"I'll accompany you as far as the village," said Franz Nieper, "for I +ought not to lose a day's trade." + +"You must have something to eat first, and then see my mother," +exclaimed Schmidt, adding, "she will like to thank you for coming here +when I tell her why you paid us a visit." + +So Franz Nieper remained at the toll-house, and Hans Richter went alone +to the master tailor's house in search of Paul. + + + +CHAPTER X. + +THE INTERVIEW. + +PAUL wondered why Robert did not come, and he was on the point of going +in search of his friend when he saw Hans standing in the doorway of his +father's shop. His was the last face in the world he wished to see, +and to have him there boded no good. Paul would have liked to make his +escape, but he could not do this very well, for Hans came up close to +him and said, "I want to speak to you." + +"What do you want? What have you to say to me?" he stammered out. + +"A great deal. Let us go into some room where we can talk quietly." + +"There's no place in this house. Father has only gone on an errand into +the village. He will be back in a few minutes, and then he'll want +the parlour for his work. People may come in here at any moment to +give orders, so I can't say that we shall be quite alone. But I'm sure +mother doesn't want us upstairs, so if you have anything to say, you +must say it at once, and take the chance of being interrupted." + +"Let us go into the fields, or by the river-side beyond the town. I +don't mind where we go, so that I can talk to you quietly." + +"I suppose you want to fight me again. No, I'm not going into the +fields or anywhere with you." + +"I mean to speak to you, Paul," said Hans, firmly. "And if you will not +give me an opportunity of saying what I have to say to you alone, why, +you must listen to it in your father's shop, and it's not my fault if +any one overhears our conversation." + +Paul began to quake. He felt sure that Richter had something important +to communicate, for he showed it in his determined manner. But as he +would not appear to be afraid, he exclaimed, in a loud, coarse voice, +"I can't think what you want with me; I hate you, and you hate me, so +the less we have to say to one another the better." + +Hans touched his arm, and replied, "This hurt of mine was no accident; +the squib was pushed into my hand deliberately. You know the name of +the boy who did it, and so do I. Let me have a quiet talk with you. If +you refuse me, my master will be very angry, and I fear he will tell +your father. I am sure it is better for us to be friends than enemies. +But if you won't hear me, and persist in treating me so rudely, I shall +have to go back home, and I don't know what turn matters will take." + +"Let your master come to my father and talk to him, if he likes; I +don't care. If Robert has been telling lies of me, he shall be well +paid off for it, that he shall! I suppose you mean me to understand +that I hurt your hand?" + +"Yes, you did. But oh, Paul, I really am not here to blame you, but +to forgive you. Don't go on being so wicked, but do remember you must +stand before God one day, and answer to Him if you persist in living in +sin. Stop before it is too late, and give up your bad habits, and try +and live a nobler life." + +"What stuff you are talking! Just leave off preaching, and give up the +name of the fellow who told you I hurt your hand. Do you know I will +make you answer for accusing me falsely, for neither you nor any one +else can prove that I did it! Name the fellow, I say." + +"I shall not," answered Hans. + +"Because you dare not. But, just to show you how wrong you are in +suspecting me, I will tell you who did the deed. Robert hurt you +because he was afraid you would win the prize away from him." + +"Robert did not hurt me, and did not know that you intended to carry +out your wicked thought; when you proposed to injure me, he refused to +be a party to such a cowardly act." + +"Robert has told of me," said Paul, forgetting in his passion that he +betrayed the truth and confessed his guilt. "He shall smart for this, +he shall rue the day that he turned tell-tale. And as for you, I detest +you. I can't think of any name to call you which is bad enough to show +how much I hate you. Go and tell everybody in Kösen that I hurt you for +the purpose; I don't care. I only wish your hand had been blown off, or +so bad that you could not use it again." + +What more Paul would have added, it is hard to say. He stopped +suddenly, for he saw his father. Herr Ebhardt had listened to nearly +all the conversation between his son and Hans. He had entered the +parlour by the back of the house, and hearing voices in the shop had +opened the door softly, and thus overheard what passed. He now came +forward, and asked Hans, "What is all this ado about? Tell me of what +you accuse my son." + +"I had much rather have spoken to Paul alone," answered Hans, +respectfully. "I came to him in the spirit of love, and hoped he would +have received me more kindly." + +"The spirit of love!" echoed the master tailor, scornfully. "None of +that cant here, please. What has my son done to you? It sounded to me +very much as if he had hurt your hand on purpose. Is that what you +accuse him of? Answer me at once, yes or no." + +"Yes," said Hans. + +"And you are guilty, Paul. I know it by the last words I heard you +speak; your passion got the better of you, young gentleman. You shall +be well punished for this. And you, young fellow, had better go home, +and if you meet any acquaintances by the way, and ask for their pity by +telling them how badly you have been treated, say to them that Ebhardt, +the master tailor of Kösen, condemns his son for committing such a +cowardly act as to stab you in the dark. I go in for fair play, and not +foul play. Will it satisfy you to know that that boy of mine has had +his reward in the shape of a punishment he will remember as long as he +lives?" + +"No, it will not, Herr Ebhardt," answered Hans, boldly. "I did not come +here to provoke you to be hard upon your son. I came to forgive him, +and I ask you to unsay what you have said. I do not wish him to be +punished and, what is more, if I can help it, he shall go free." + +"How can you help it?" + +"Not by force, because you are stronger than either Paul or I; and +you can thrash us both if you like. But will you hear me out without +sneering at me?" + +"Yes; speak up, lad. I don't think you are quite such a sneak as I took +you for at first." + +"I came here to forgive Paul, because I am a follower of the Lord Jesus +Christ, and as He forgave His enemies, so I wish to forgive mine. If +I forgive him of my own free will, I don't think you need punish him. +But there is one thing I will ask you to obtain for me, that is, his +promise not to abuse Robert Klein, nor fight him, nor serve him out in +any way." + +Paul had stood by in sullen silence, and now his father turned to him, +and said, "Do you hear what Hans asks? Give me your word that you will +not touch Robert, and I will let you go free." + +There was only one person in the world whom Paul feared, that was his +father, and he had good reason to be afraid of him. He was a powerful +man with a violent temper, who was very often partially intoxicated, +and then he cared for no one, but dealt out his blows freely on whoever +ventured to contradict or offend him. + +"I will promise not to touch Robert, father," answered Paul, in a +very different way to what he had spoken when addressing Hans. He was +so glad to escape punishment that he would have pledged his word to +anything that was required of him. + +"And mind," added his father, "you will keep your promise this time, or +my name is not Ebhardt. Do you hear me, sir?" + +"Yes, I do," whimpered Paul. + +"And now I hope you are satisfied. I wish you good morning," said the +master tailor, waving his hand as if to dismiss his visitor. + +So Hans was obliged to leave the shop, for he was afraid to make +another effort to soften Paul's heart, lest his father should grow +impatient and visit his anger on his son in a summary manner. + +He was glad to reach home without meeting any of his acquaintances, for +he was in no mood to indulge in every-day chat. He was chafed in spirit +and disappointed at the rebuff he had received at the hands of Paul, +and also annoyed at the rough manner in which he had been addressed by +the master tailor. + +Old Franz had not left the toll-keeper's cottage. He had just come +downstairs after seeing Frau Schmidt. + +"Well, what success have you had?" asked Karl. + +"Poor enough," answered Hans, sighing. "Oh, master, I had such a +beautiful plan in my head. Paul was to be so sorry, he was to turn over +a new leaf and promise to reform, but it has all gone to the winds. I +have gained nothing by my visit to him, except a promise that he will +not fight Robert." And Hans gave an account of his interview with Herr +Ebhardt and Paul. + +"Well, well, you've done all you could; you've tried to carry out the +Master's new commandment," said old Franz. "You can't make him sorry, +you can't change his heart, my boy, but there is One who can. While +there is life there is hope; so hope on, and pray that something will +happen that will induce the lad to arise and go to his Father and say, +'I have sinned against heaven, and before Thee.'" + +"And in the meantime let Robert be your care," added Karl; "for if he +will no longer idle his time away, I do not mind his coming here. There +seems better material to work upon in him, and you may be sure that he +and Paul will never be friends again. The master tailor will take care +of that. Depend upon it, this affair will be known in Kösen; indeed, it +ought to be, and I think I should do well if I went to the Burgomaster, +for he is certain to hear a garbled account from some one." + +"No, no, sir; please don't do that. Let it rest now," said Richter. "My +hand will be quite well in another week, and then the affair will die +out. I shall be so sorry to keep up ill-will between Paul and Robert." + +"Then you do not wish me to go and see Herr Ebhardt?" + +"No, no, sir; it will only make Paul hate me the more; and I do want to +win him over to be my friend at last." + +"I don't think you will do that, but at any rate, the less said the +soonest mended. I think you have right on your side," replied Karl. +"But you must be prepared to hear more about it, for the miller is not +a man to keep a secret, and he is sure to be told all the facts of the +case by Robert. Must you go?" he added, addressing Franz Nieper, who +made a movement towards the door. + +"Yes, I have to say good-bye. I leave Kösen first thing to-morrow. +There is a great fair in Halle soon, and as the weather is warm, I +mean to take my time and move along slowly, for I did a good trade +yesterday. I intended to stay longer, but somehow I feel unhinged, and +more inclined to push on than to linger here." + +"Good-bye," said Hans; "I hope we shall meet again one of these days." + +"If we don't meet here, we shall meet yonder," replied the old man, +pointing up to the blue sky, "for we all three have our faces turned +in one direction. May it be our greatest joy so long as God spares +our lives to do as yon man is doing who is just coming in sight—you +see I have not forgotten our first conversation—'stick to the Raft.' +Farewell." + + ———————— + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +THE POOL OF BETHESDA. + +ROBERT went directly to his father after he left Hans. The miller was +writing a letter in his counting-house; he looked up with a troubled +expression on his face when he saw his son enter, for Robert rarely +came there unless he wanted to borrow or beg money, or to tell him of +some mischief he had done. + +"What is the matter now?" he said, impatiently. + +"I am come to ask you to give me some work to do," stammered out +Robert. "Father, I know you will say that I only bring you into +trouble, and lose the business if I have anything to do with it, but I +really am in earnest this time. I will tell you why." And the boy gave +a detailed account of all that had occurred. + +"Hans Richter is a noble fellow," exclaimed the miller. "I liked that +boy from the first: he has a fine face, and looks as if he could not do +a mean trick. And if he makes you a better lad, Robert, I shall indeed +owe him a debt of gratitude." + +"I think I've got hold of the secret of his goodness. Father, I'm +beginning to believe there is something true in religion, and that it +is because Hans loves God he is such a noble fellow. I mean to try and +see if I can follow his example, and serve my God, too. Why should we +not all turn over a new leaf, and go and hear Pastor Hahn preach on +Sunday?" + +"I can't quite do that, my boy, for I'm satisfied with the life I lead, +and I don't care to be made gloomy by too much religion. I often think +Pastor Hahn calls me to account without good reason, for I harm no one, +pay my debts, don't drink, and am a good husband and father." + +"I fancy Hans would say that was not enough; he told me the other day +that I must give myself to Christ, and cling to Him as the men do to +the raft when it shoots the weir, for that Christ died on the cross to +save us from our sins. But I can't remember all he said, for I know so +little about these things. I will soon know more, though, for Hans will +teach me; and I mean to go with him to Pastor Hahn's Bible-class. I do +very much wish I had read my Bible before this." + +The miller felt uncomfortable; he could not but remember that if he had +been a God-fearing man, the Bible would have been an honoured book. As +it was, neither he nor his wife nor his children cared for its sacred +pages. + +"I'm not going to stop you from going to the Bible-class, or church," +he answered, hurriedly; "you may do just as you like. And now tell me, +Robert," he added, more quietly, "are you really anxious to give up +your idle habits, and work?" + +"Yes, father. I dare say it will be hard at first, but you must bear +with me. I don't think really I'm such a very bad fellow at heart. +But I've been under Paul; he has managed me, and I have not had pluck +enough to shake him off." + +"This is good hearing for me, and will make your mother very happy. You +see, lad—to go back to what you said about our going to hear Pastor +Hahn—we've been very comfortable all these years, and enjoyed our +Sunday holidays right merrily, and I think it would make our neighbours +chatter if we took to church-going now. As to the Bible, I don't so +much mind hearing it read." + +"Let me learn a little more from Hans first, father, and then by +degrees we'll begin to read together; now tell me how I can help you." + +"There's no lack of work, my boy. Trade has never been better. I wish +you would keep my books for me; you write a good hand. But can I depend +upon your being correct?" + +"Try me, father. It's no use for me to talk about what I want to do; +just see if I do it." + +So Robert was installed as his father's bookkeeper. And he applied +himself so diligently to the task that the miller hoped he really was +going to reform and be a man of business at last. When the rest of the +men left off work, Robert made himself neat and clean and set out to +the toll-keeper's cottage, for he wanted to know if Hans had seen or +heard anything of Paul. + +He received a kind welcome from Karl Schmidt, who told him he hoped +he would yet be a great comfort to his father. "But don't trust in +yourself, Robert," he said. "'Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; +and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge +Him, and He shall direct thy paths.'" + +When Hans and Robert were left alone, the former made light of his +interview with Herr Ebhardt and his son, save when he spoke of the +promise Paul had given him. + +"Mind, Robert," he said, "that you never come to an open quarrel with +your former friend. If Paul breaks his word, his father will treat him +so violently that I do not like to think of what the consequences might +be; avoid crossing his path, if possible, for the present." + +"I will; indeed, I will, Hans. It shall not be my fault if we fall out, +but it will be rather difficult to avoid Paul." + +"Not so difficult as you think. It is some little distance from the +mill to the master tailor's house at the far end of the village. If you +become a man of business, you will have no time to idle away, and be +less likely to meet Paul." + +"Hans, I want to ask you a question," said Robert: "is it enough for +us to live good lives—I mean, is that what you call 'sticking to the +Raft'?" + +"No, no, Robert, 'sticking to the Raft' is quite another sort of +life. Instead of depending on yourself, you depend on the finished +work of your Saviour, who shed His most precious blood on the cross +for sinners. You feel how utterly impossible it is to do, or to say, +or to think anything that is right, so you cast your care on Christ, +and believe in Him as the only Saviour, and you yield yourself to Him +broken-hearted for your sin, and say, 'Lord, I believe; help Thou mine +unbelief.'" + +"Oh, Hans, how I wish I had not wasted my life; I am so ignorant, +compared with you." + +"There is time for you to learn, and to repent; thank God for life and +health, and come to Him at once. Cry to Him for the guidance of the +Holy Spirit before you lie down to rest." + +"When you pray, what do you say, Hans? I don't believe I ever said a +prayer in all these years!" + +"Did you ever ask your father for anything that you wanted very much?" + +"Yes, very often." + +"Then just ask God in the same way to forgive your sins for Christ's +sake. Don't pray with your lips only, for that is no prayer, but let +your words come straight from your heart. Now, Robert, I must not stay +here any longer, for it is just the time the master and I go to read +with Frau Schmidt." + +"Do you think I might come too?" + +"I don't know, but I will ask." And Hans ran upstairs to prefer his +request. + +"By all means let Robert join us," answered the frau. + +Accordingly Hans went to fetch his companion. + +"I like to have you here," said the invalid to Robert, when he entered +her room; "and I rejoice to know that you come here of your own free +will; and I rejoice still more in learning from Hans that you mean, God +helping you, to become a respectable member of society. I always felt, +my dear boy, that Paul Ebhardt was a very unfortunate friend for you to +have chosen. Poor Paul! I only wish we could lead him to pause in his +unhappy course, and come to Christ." + +"I am afraid, mother, he has nothing in his home surroundings to +influence him for good," said Karl. + +"Perhaps not, but I always hope on, for with God nothing is impossible. +I never forget that that mighty Spirit which comes like the wind can +soften the heart of stone and turn it into a heart of flesh. And now +let us proceed with our evening reading. We are going through St. +John's Gospel, Robert, and our subject to-night is the healing of the +infirm man at the Pool of Bethesda. Give Robert a Bible, Hans, that he +may follow my son." + +Karl Schmidt read the first twenty verses of the fifth chapter of St. +John's Gospel in a clear voice. When he closed his Bible, his mother, +as was her wont, made her comments on the passage he had just finished. + +"It is evident," she said, "that this Pool of Bethesda was endowed with +a miraculous virtue; and what a boon it must have been to the sick +ones! I can picture those five porches filled with the lame, the halt, +and the maimed; and I know better than any of you here how eagerly they +would wait for the troubling of the water. Health was within their +reach again, and we only understand what a precious gift it is when we +lose it. Thirty-eight years is a long time to be crippled. It may be +the poor man had come to the pool time after time, hoping he would be +fortunate enough to move the hearts of some strong ones to help him +into the water—for evidently he had no power of his own to crawl there. +How many times he had come to this pool and gone away disappointed we +are not told. No one was found to take pity on his infirmities, until +the Saviour passed by. The Man of Sorrows marked that wan, careworn +face, which He had seen lit up with anxious hope when the angel +troubled the pool, and then the hope was darkened with despair, for +again another had stepped in before him. + +"'Wilt thou be made whole?' asked the Master. + +"Would he be made whole? Ay, that he would; but how was this to be? + +"'Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the +pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.' + +"Jesus said unto him, 'Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.' + +"There was no questioning, no doubting, no waiting. The infirm man +believed that this God-Physician had almighty power to grant what He +offered; so he forgot his infirmity of thirty-eight years' standing, +and arose, rolled up the mat on which he had been lying, and walked. He +had faith in the Lord's healing power, else he never had obeyed. Would +he have tried to do what he did if one of us had said, 'Rise up'? No; +he would have replied, 'You mock me, friend. I am helpless; I have been +diseased for more than half my life.' + +"Now tell me, Robert, what was the first thing this poor man did after +he was healed. Read the fourteenth verse of the chapter." + +Robert read: "'Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto +him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come +unto thee.'" + +"Yes; his first step seems to have been to go to the temple. Jesus +found him there; perhaps in the fulness of his heart he longed to thank +God for His great mercy to him, in His own house. Ah, Robert, the day +may come when you, too, will be stricken down with disease, as this +poor man was, and then you may long in vain to frequent God's temple, +and sigh that you neglected His service while your limbs were lissom, +and you could move about at will. I used to pine to hear the Gospel +preached once more, and the sound of the church bells made me sad +because I knew they did not ring to summon me to the house of prayer +and praise. But now I thank my God through Christ that the longing to +do aught but what He wills has passed away. I realise increasingly that +my disease brings my Saviour very near; and the nearer He is to me, the +more I am sustained by His almighty power. + + "'Lord Jesus, as Thou wilt! + Oh, may Thy will be mine. + Into Thy hand of love + I would my all resign. + Through sorrow, or through joy, + Conduct me as Thine own, + And help me still to say, + "My Lord, Thy will be done." + + "'Lord Jesus, as Thou wilt + All shall be well for me + Each changing future scene + I gladly trust with Thee. + Straight to my home above + I travel calmly on, + And sing in life or death, + "My Lord, Thy will be done."' + +"Now, Karl, will you offer up prayer?" + +Robert took leave of the little party as soon as the evening prayer +was ended. He returned to the mill deeply touched with the simple, +earnest words he had listened to. Religion felt very real to him when +he thought over Frau Schmidt's remarks, and the account of the sick man +being healed by the Master. He felt very sick, sin-sick, weary, and +troubled. Oh, if he could but hear the Master's voice speaking to him! +He would rise up and obey. When he found himself alone in his room, +he knelt in prayer; yes, and there were sobs mingling with his words. +It was the cry of a broken spirit going up to heaven and pleading for +mercy at the throne of grace. + + ———————— + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +SAVED BY THE RAFT. + +HERR EBHARDT'S relations towards his son did not improve after the +scene which took place in his shop with Hans. He grew increasingly +stern and angry with Paul—found fault with his work, and constantly +watched him. Thus the boy's heart hardened towards his father, and +towards Robert too, for he looked upon him as the author of all his +misery. + +What provoked the master tailor still more was that the affair oozed +out in Kösen, and became the common talk of the townspeople for some +days. Hans was exalted up to the skies—and it was well that he knew his +own shortcomings, else he might have been spoilt by the flattery—while +Paul came in for his full share of disgrace. In the meantime Robert +had his part of the odium to endure. Some said he was as much to blame +in the business as Paul, and that he ought to have confessed to the +Burgomaster and refused his prize. Robert was better able to bear these +remarks because he had Hans for his friend, and this fact disarmed the +outside chatterers, who argued that if Richter associated with Robert +Klein, he must be satisfied with the part the latter had played. + +Robert offered his prize many, many times to Hans, without being able +to persuade him to accept it, and at last Frau Schmidt settled the +question by saying, "Do not ask Hans again to take your prize, Robert; +he will never consent to what you wish, and it is foolish to waste more +words over it. Keep it where you can see it constantly, for it may +prevent you from indulging in boastful feelings, and help you to walk +softly by recalling the events connected with an important period in +your life." + +Paul was very angry that Hans and Robert were friends, and he would +have liked to quarrel with his former companion, but he dare not, +for even he was cowed by his father's violent temper. A crisis came +at last, which made him take a desperate step. Herr Ebhardt returned +home earlier than he was expected one afternoon, and found Paul idling +instead of completing some work which had to be done at a given time. A +stormy scene ensued, and the next morning the lad was missing, and no +one knew in which direction he had gone. His mother wept for him, his +father cursed him, but neither of them made any effort to reclaim the +wanderer. + +"God grant that he may be spared long enough to see the error of his +ways!" said Hans, when Robert told him of Paul's flight. "Oh, Robert, I +wish I'd tried more earnestly to win him to Christ." + +Many days sped along, and Hans became quite well and strong again. +These were happy days for Robert, who kept steadily to his business, +and tried hard to undo the bad habits of the past. It must not be +supposed that he became suddenly changed from a godless, careless boy +to an earnest, God-fearing boy; no, it was the work of days, weeks, +and months of struggle with himself against old inclinations and lazy +feelings. But he struggled in no strength of his own, but found help +for daily needs by seeking aid from heaven. Pastor Hahn became one of +his best friends; whereas, he formerly tried to run away, he now sought +to profit by what the good man said, and delighted in attending his +Sunday class and hearing him preach in the old church of Kösen. + +Robert's influence told on his sisters by degrees, and at last on the +miller and his wife, who in the end became too much interested in the +truths of the Gospel to think of how their movements would be canvassed +by their neighbours, for they were more anxious to find peace with God +through Christ than to stand well with man. + +The summer was ended, and autumn set in. It was a very rainy season, +and the Saale became so full that the rafts had not to wait before +shooting the weir, for the water fell over in a body and turned the old +mill wheel merrily. At one time the current ran so swiftly that some of +the foresters were afraid to bring their wood down, and Hans required +all his strength to keep those who ventured over the weir in the right +current, lest they should be swept across too rapidly. + +He found himself repeatedly crying, "Stick well to the raft; stick on; +the current runs faster than usual." + + +At length the rain ceased, and the last day of October was ushered in +with brilliant sunshine. The river presented a busy scene. Karl Schmidt +and Hans had more business to do than they could well manage, and were +glad when the shades of evening fell, and thus prevented the raftsmen +from going on their way, and obliged them to rest at Kösen until the +following morning. So it came to pass that many rafts were moored above +and below the old bridge. + +Schmidt had gone into the town on business, and Hans was sitting in the +toll-house parlour, feeling very weary and sleepy, when Robert entered. + +"I didn't mean to call in this evening," he said, "because I knew you +would be tired, but I was obliged to come and tell you the good news. +See what I've got!" And he pointed to a long narrow parcel. + +"What is it?" asked Hans. + +"Something for you." + +"For me?" + +"Yes, for you, and it's from father. But before you take off the paper, +you must let me tell you all about it. You know, Hans, I've never +been quite happy about the Burgomaster's prize, and though I've said +nothing about it for a long time, I always wanted to make up for it. +The other day father offered me money as a reward for being so steady +at business, and then I told him what I would rather have than all the +money he could give me; and here is what I wanted. Undo it." + +Hans unfastened the long unwieldy parcel, wondering what it contained. +But when it was free from its covering, and he lifted up the lid of the +narrow box, his eyes sparkled with pleasure, for there was such a bow +and such arrows as he had never seen the like of before. + +"They are for you," exclaimed Robert. "Your hand is quite well now, and +next year we'll shoot as friends for the prize; or I will shoot, and +you shall win as easily as I did last time." + +"This for me, Robert? How kind of you! It must have cost a lot of +money; why, it's much better than my master's." + +"Never mind what it cost, Hans; that's father's business. He ordered +it from Halle, for we have an uncle there who understands what's what. +Then you really like it?" + +"Like it, Robert! Why how can I help liking such a splendid present? +But I don't think I ought to take it, for you've denied yourself a good +deal to give it me." + +"And I wish you would tell me who in the world I should deny myself for +like you? I owe you almost everything, Hans, for you taught me to love +and serve God, and made me first think. You saved me." + +"Not I, Robert, but Christ in me," answered Hans, reverently. "If I had +not found the treasure first, I should not have known its worth." + +"You're right, as you always are. Oh, I'm so happy! But I mustn't stay +too late, for I promised father to cast up some bills we've been too +busy to look after during the day. I shall go home as I came, over the +bridge. It was too dark and foggy and the current too strong to bring +out the boat." + +"Is it foggy?" exclaimed Hans, moving towards the door. "I'd no idea of +it. How suddenly it must have come on; and after such a glorious day +too. The fact is, I'm so tired that unless you'd come in, I should have +fallen asleep. Why, the mist is so thick you cannot see a few yards +before you," he added, looking out. "You'd better not venture into it; +you'll be walking into the river." + +"Don't be afraid," laughed Robert. "I know every inch of the road." + +"So you may, but in a fog like this it's very easy to make a mistake; I +only wish my master was safe at home," said Hans, anxiously. + +Robert walked away from the toll-house, but he soon had to slacken his +pace. He managed to reach the weir, and now he had a little distance +to traverse by the river-side before he came to a narrow pathway which +led him to the foot of the bridge. He had to grope his way carefully +along, for at every step he took the fog grew denser. At last, he stood +still and wished he had a torch; he would gladly have returned to the +toll-house, but it was as difficult to make his way back as to go +forward. + +"Courage, courage," he said to himself. "I won't be a coward, after +boasting to Hans that I was not afraid." + +But with all his care and knowledge of "every inch of the road," he +crept so close to the river's bank, which is steep at this point, that +he lost his footing, and though he made a tremendous effort to save +himself from falling, he could not regain his balance. + +Robert could swim. He was paralysed for a few moments by feeling the +waters close round him, then he knew that he was being hurried along +by the stream. He tried to struggle into smoother water, but failed. +So all he could do was to cry, "Help, help!" and keep away from the +bridge. This he just managed to accomplish, but he grew weaker every +minute. When he was past the bridge, he made a last effort to get clear +of the current, and this time he succeeded, for as he struck out, he +clasped something with his hands. + +It was a raft, which had swung round at its moorings. He had only +strength enough left to crawl on to it; but he was saved from a watery +grave. + + +Hans longed for his master to return; he looked out of the door again +and again, but he heard no sound of approaching footsteps. He felt very +uneasy, too, on Robert's account, and debated whether it would be well +to take a light with him and go out, but then he could not leave Frau +Schmidt alone in the house. At last, he carried a wooden table outside +the door and set a lamp upon it, then he went up to the frau's room and +chatted with her, she meanwhile wondering why her son was so late. + +Hans did not tell her that he was uneasy at his master's absence +because there was a thick mist over the river; though while he tried +to amuse her, he was straining every nerve to discover if Herr Schmidt +were coming. + +At last they heard his well-known step, and a few moments afterwards, +he entered the room. + +"I'm sorry to have kept you awake so much over your usual hour, +mother," he said. "But when you know why I have been detained, you will +not be surprised. It was clever of you, Hans, to put the lamp outside +to guide me home. Did you suggest it, mother?" + +"The frau doesn't know about the fog," interrupted Hans. + +"Well done, my boy; it was thoughtful of you to save her the anxiety. +Now, mother, let me explain everything: you may well look as if we were +speaking in an unknown tongue. The heavy rains and the hot sun have +brought about such a dense mist as I have only seen twice before in my +life; it is so dense that if I had not borrowed a torch, I could not +have found my way. That good lad kept his anxiety to himself, but set +up a beacon outside the house for me; he lighted the great lamp and put +it on a table, or I might have groped about for some time longer, or +perhaps have done as Robert did, walked into the river. But he's quite +safe, now," added Karl, "though he has had a great shock." + +"What has happened?" asked Hans, eagerly. "He was here this evening, +and I wanted him so much not to go out in the fog." + +"On his way from here, then, it must have been, that he fell in the +river. As I was nearing the bridge I heard cries for help, so I made +my way to the spot from whence they came as well as I could, and two +or three others with torches joined me; we had a hard matter to find +the lad, and but for the mist lifting just at the right moment, Robert +might have laid on the raft until morning. I carried him home and +waited until he became conscious." + +"Poor fellow!" said Frau Schmidt. "He must have missed his way. I thank +God he is saved." + +"I do thank God," added Hans. "And was he really saved by a raft?" + +"Yes, saved by a raft," reiterated Karl. "Now, mother, let us have our +evening reading." + + +Robert was so much shaken by his accident, that two days passed before +he was permitted to see Hans. + +The friends were delighted to meet again, and had a long and serious +conversation together, for Robert's heart was full of gratitude to God +for his deliverance from death. + +"We have been talking so hard," said Hans, just before he left, "that +I have not yet asked you how you managed to hold on to the raft as you +did, until help came." + +"I don't think I held on; I had just enough strength to crawl on to the +top, and then I suppose I became unconscious." + +"Still you were saved by a raft!" + +"Yes," answered Robert; "the raft in its double meaning has been my +best friend. There is the raft of wood which saved me when strength was +fast failing; there is that almighty Raft which upholds me day by day, +and which I can cling to at all times—even the Lord Jesus Christ." + +"Old fellow, my mother's words will have a deeper meaning than ever to +us both after this," said Hans, earnestly. "You and I will indeed feel +the truth of what we say when we cry on behalf of ourselves and all +men, 'STICK TO THE RAFT.'" + +[Illustration] + + + + ———————————————— + LONDON: B. K. BURT AND CO., PRINTERS. + + + + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 77023 *** diff --git a/77023-h/77023-h.htm b/77023-h/77023-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f86fbf4 --- /dev/null +++ b/77023-h/77023-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,3270 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html> +<html lang="en"> +<head> + <meta charset="UTF-8"> + <title> + Stick to the Raft, by Mrs. George Gladstone │ Project Gutenberg + </title> + <link rel="icon" href="images/image001.jpg" type="image/cover"> + <style> + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + font-size:12.0pt; + font-family:"Verdana"; +} + +p {text-indent: 2em;} + + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; +} + +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: 33.5%; + margin-right: 33.5%; + clear: both; +} + +/* Images */ + +img { + max-width: 100%; + height: auto; +} + +.w100 { + width: auto + } + +.figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; + page-break-inside: avoid; + max-width: 100%; +} + +p.t1 {text-indent: 0%; + font-size: 125%; + text-align: center + } + +p.t2 { + text-indent: 0%; + font-size: 150%; + text-align: center + } + +p.t3 { + text-indent: 0%; + font-size: 100%; + text-align: center + } + +p.t3b { + text-indent: 0%; + font-size: 100%; + font-weight: bold; + text-align: center + } + +p.t4 { + text-indent: 0%; + font-size: 80%; + text-align: center + } + +p.poem { + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + padding: 20px 0; + text-align: left; + width: 555px; + } + + </style> +</head> +<body> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 77023 ***</div> + + +<p>Transcriber's note: Unusual and inconsistent spelling is as printed.</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<figure class="figcenter" id="image001" style="max-width: 33.8125em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/image001.jpg" alt="image001"> +</figure> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<figure class="figcenter" id="image002" style="max-width: 25.3125em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/image002.jpg" alt="image002"> +</figure> +<p class="t4"> +<b>A MEAN ACTION.</b><br> +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<figure class="figcenter" id="image003" style="max-width: 25.3125em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/image003.jpg" alt="image003"> +</figure> + +<h1>STICK TO THE RAFT.</h1> + +<p><br></p> + +<p class="t3"> +BY<br> +</p> + +<p class="t1"> +MRS. GEORGE GLADSTONE<br> +<br> +</p> + +<p class="t3"> +<em>Author of</em><br> +</p> + +<p class="t4"> +"WAITING FOR SAILING ORDERS," "NORWEGIAN STORIES,"<br> +ETC.<br> +</p> + +<p><br><br></p> + +<p class="t3"> +London:<br> +THE RELIGIOUS TRACT SOCIETY<br> +</p> + +<p class="t4"> +56, PATERNOSTER ROW; 65, ST. PAUL'S CHURCHYARD;<br> +AND 164, PICCADILLY.<br> +MANCHESTER: CORPORATION STREET. BRIGHTON: WESTERN ROAD.<br> +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<p class="t3b"> +CONTENTS.<br> +</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p>CHAPTER.</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p><a href="#Chapter_1">I. THE RAFT</a></p> + +<p><a href="#Chapter_2">II. KÖSEN</a></p> + +<p><a href="#Chapter_3">III. KARL SCHMIDT</a></p> + +<p><a href="#Chapter_4">IV. THE MILLER'S SON</a></p> + +<p><a href="#Chapter_5">V. THE MARTYR SPIRIT</a></p> + +<p><a href="#Chapter_6">VI. THE PROMISED HOLIDAY</a></p> + +<p><a href="#Chapter_7">VII. THE SECRET</a></p> + +<p><a href="#Chapter_8">VIII. THE SCHUTZEN FEST</a></p> + +<p><a href="#Chapter_9">IX. WRONG SET RIGHT</a></p> + +<p><a href="#Chapter_10">X. THE INTERVIEW</a></p> + +<p><a href="#Chapter_11">XI. THE POOL OF BETHESDA</a></p> + +<p><a href="#Chapter_12">XII. SAVED BY THE RAFT</a></p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<figure class="figcenter" id="image004" style="max-width: 30.3125em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/image004.jpg" alt="image004"> +</figure> + +<p class="t2"> +<b>STICK TO THE RAFT.</b><br> +</p> + +<figure class="figcenter" id="image005" style="max-width: 25.3125em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/image005.jpg" alt="image005"> +</figure> + +<h3><a id="Chapter_1">CHAPTER I.</a></h3> + +<p class="t3"> +<b>THE RAFT.</b><br> +</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p>THE Fichtel-Gebirge, or Fir Mountains, in Bavaria, have been compared +to the garden of Eden, because four rivers rise in their midst, which +were once supposed to be rich in gold, and to abound in precious +stones. Some of the poor people in this region have been known to +search diligently, hoping to find treasures concealed in the beds of +the Maine, Eger, Saale, or Naab, which would enrich them, so that they +might dispense with hard labour and dwell in luxury for the remainder +of their days. But only a few peasants indulged in such dreams. For the +most part, the people were, and are, employed in felling the forest +trees, laying out new plantations, and burning charcoal.</p> + +<p>Hans Richter was a wood-cutter and charcoal-burner; he was but a poor +man, as far as this world's goods were concerned, but he was rich +towards God, for he had a large store of faith and earnest trust in +his Heavenly Father. In fact, in his simple way, he scarcely knew what +care meant, just because he realised these words in their full meaning, +and not in a halfhearted manner—"Casting all your care upon Him, for +He careth for you." He had but little book knowledge, and could with +difficulty spell out the words of his Bible, but he could pray: he +could talk to his God as he went about his daily work, or as he watched +the charcoal smouldering. And he learnt so easily, and had such a good +memory that he made many of the rich promises contained in God's Word +his own.</p> + +<p>Richter was a widower with one son, a lad of fifteen, who was a great +solace to him. Young Hans was a tolerable scholar, for during the +winter months the forest life was exchanged for a cottage in a little +village, and then he went to school, and applied himself to study so +eagerly that he acquired more information in the five winter months +than his fellow-companions who attended the classes regularly all the +year round.</p> + +<p>When our story opens, Hans Richter was suffering from a severe cold. +The winter had been a trying one, and money so scarce that very often +he could not afford to heat his stove. The long illness of his wife, +and her subsequent death, exhausted his resources, and incurred some +debts which he had only just paid off. In spite of these trials, he +did not lose his faith in God, but hoped that the spring and summer +work would be plentiful, and that the united efforts of himself and +son would enable him once more to accumulate a little hoard for future +needs.</p> + +<p>The snow had disappeared, and the firs looked green and fresh when +Richter and his son gave up their room in the village, removed to the +forest, and erected their hut. It did not take them long to build up +their summer dwelling-house, it was so simply constructed. The shape of +it was conical, and the poles with which it was made were covered with +the bark of the fir-tree. This rude hut served to shelter them from +storm and wind. It stood about two miles from the village to which they +had to go in order to buy bread and other necessaries.</p> + +<p>Richter did not remove all his household goods, though they were few +enough, to his hut. He left some of his furniture in the care of the +poor woman with whom he lodged during the cold weather, and only +carried to the forest such articles as were absolutely needed.</p> + +<p>"Father," said young Hans, some three weeks after the hut was +completed, "you look very tired this afternoon, and seem so weak; lie +down and rest, while I go to work. Carl and Wilhelm will come when they +have finished their dinners, and we can get along quite well without +your help."</p> + +<p>"I am very tired, my boy," answered Richter. "I cannot tell you exactly +why, but I have never been the same since your mother died, and I think +the cold of last winter injured me. Your young bones are not so tender +as mine, for you can run about and warm yourself; my cough prevents me +from taking sharp exercise, and lately it has hurt my chest. But don't +look so sad, Hans; if my Heavenly Father wants me home, I am ready to +go. And I am not afraid of leaving you alone, for He will not forsake +the orphan, but care for you as He has cared for me. I'll have a sleep +while you cut down the branches of your fir; you'll manage to do that +easily when Carl and Wilhelm come. But wait for me before you set to +work on the trunk."</p> + +<p>"Is it to go to Kösen, father?"</p> + +<p>"Yes; it is the last one we have to fell to complete the order sent +by the Burgomaster. I shall take you with me to Kösen so soon as the +raft is ready. When your mother was living, I did not like to leave her +alone for so many days, but now I shall be glad of your help. One pair +of hands cannot guide a large raft through the twists and turns of the +Saale. You've had good practice in your time, my boy, and I think are +as clever as your father."</p> + +<p>"I want to see Kösen," answered Hans. "I've never been so far; and I've +heard it's such a pretty little village."</p> + +<p>"It is a town, lad; the people were anxious enough to have it made into +one, thinking they would have more privileges, but all they seem to +have gained is having to pay heavier taxes and support a Burgomaster, +to whom they give a regular annual income."</p> + +<p>"There is more to be seen and learnt in a town than in our tiny +village, or among these fir-trees," said Hans.</p> + +<p>"Perhaps for you, but not for me. I spent some of my early years at +Leipzie, yet I was glad when my father accepted the post of head +forester, and we came to our quiet little village for the winter, and +lived in the forest during the fine weather."</p> + +<p>"But then, father, you had good reason to be glad; you have often told +me about your early life."</p> + +<p>"Yes, lad; I never grow weary of telling you how I learnt to know the +Lord. I was a stranger to Him before, and so was your grandfather. +Your mother first taught us there was a better world to live for than +this. But I needed sorrow to make me think. It was on the day that your +darling sister died I prayed my first prayer, and promised to give +myself to my Master's service. Ah, lad, such a world of care has been +moved off my shoulders since then!</p> + +<p>"How well I remember starting on a raft down the Saale some few days +after that blessed hour when I cried, 'I am not my own, Lord, for Thou +hast redeemed me with Thy precious blood, and I give myself to Thee.'</p> + +<p>"Your mother came to see me off, holding you, who were a baby about a +year old, in her arms. Before I unchained the raft, I kissed her and +said, 'Good-bye! Take care of yourself, and our only little one.'</p> + +<p>"'Good-bye, my dear husband,' she replied; 'stick to the raft, and mind +how you pass the weir at Kösen. How glad I am to think that there's +another Raft you'll stick to besides this one; a Raft which cannot come +to any harm, but which will support you in the deepest waters and amid +the fiercest storms, when the sun shines, and when the rain falls.'</p> + +<p>"I looked at her in astonishment, for I didn't catch her meaning.</p> + +<p>"But she soon cleared up the mystery, for she added, 'I mean the Lord +Jesus Christ; stick to that Raft, and pray for His Spirit to guide you.'</p> + +<p>"It was a good saying of hers, Hans; I've never forgotten it, and I +have ever called out to any one who was guiding a raft, 'Stick to it.' +And what's more, if I have an opportunity, I tell them there is a +heavenly Raft to stick to as well as fir-stems, and I say, 'Hold on to +the Saviour, forget self, and cling to God's promises in Christ.'</p> + +<p>"Hans, lad, as a sinking man would hug his raft if any accident upset +him in the river, so I beseech you cling to Jesus. Don't forget my +words. Now go to your work, and I will rest."</p> + +<p>Richter closed his eyes wearily when his son left him. "Some day soon +I shall fall into the sleep that knows no waking. But when my summons +comes, I shall go gladly, and without fear," he murmured. "O Father, +for Christ's sake, make my boy true to Thee."</p> + +<p>The sun set, and yet the sick man slept heavily, nor did he rouse up to +take his supper.</p> + +<p>After young Hans had finished his day's work, he watched his father for +some time, and then he too fell into a sound slumber. The morning was +breaking when the lad was awakened by hearing his name called. He was +in time to catch his father's last words.</p> + +<p>"I am dying," gasped Richter; "the end has been coming for some time, +but I have fast hold of the Raft, Hans; I am not afraid of crossing the +river; I hold my Saviour's hand, and He holds mine. I can say truly, +'Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will +fear no evil, for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort +me.' Stick to the Raft, my boy; stick to the Raft."</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p class="t3"> +————————<br> +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<h3><a id="Chapter_2">CHAPTER II.</a></h3> + +<p class="t3"> +<b>KÖSEN.</b><br> +</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p>KÖSEN is a charming little city on the Saale. It lies in a valley +surrounded by hills which are well-cultivated and finely wooded. +During the summer, the river is thickly studded with rafts made of +the trunks of fir-trees, principally cut from the forests about the +Fichtel-Gebirge. These rafts are formed by boring holes at the top +and bottom of each stem, and fastening them together with twigs. When +completed, they are launched on to the river, and the stream carries +them down to their destination.</p> + +<p>"So help me God, I will stick to the Raft," said Hans Richter, when he +left the village cemetery about a month after his father's funeral. +He had been there to plant forest-flowers on his parent's grave, and +to pray. And with a firm step he took the road which led to his old +landlady's house.</p> + +<p>"I have called to bid you good-bye," he said as he entered her cottage +and shook her warmly by the hand. "I expect not to return to this part +again for at least some years to come."</p> + +<p>"So I hear," she replied. "You must take a cup of coffee with me this +afternoon, and tell me why you are so anxious to leave your old home. +The last time I saw you I thought you were inclined to stay in these +parts."</p> + +<p>"I am so lonely without my father, and feel I had rather go to some +place where I can learn more and see more. I mean to try and get some +work to do at Kösen."</p> + +<p>"That is a long way off, over seventy miles as the crow flies, and +perhaps double the distance by the river. It's my native place; I was +born there."</p> + +<p>"I know it is a good distance, but I can't help that, for business +takes me to Kösen; I am going to help Wilhelm Andrea. He is appointed +to take the wood to the Burgomaster, now father's dead. The head +forester has written to a friend of his who keeps the toll-house, and +asked him to give me some employment. He says lads are often wanted to +help the rafts over the weir."</p> + +<p>"That's true enough, for the weir is full four feet high. I can tell +you it needs a good rush of water to enable them to pass it at all."</p> + +<p>"I can't quite understand how they get over," said Hans.</p> + +<p>"You know what a weir is, I suppose?"</p> + +<p>"Oh yes."</p> + +<p>"Explain it to me."</p> + +<p>"Wherever there's a great mill to be worked, there's a weir. It's only +a dam in the river to collect enough water behind it so as to turn the +mill wheel."</p> + +<p>"Quite right. You'll soon see the old flour-mill; it is a very large +one, and grinds nearly all the wheat needed in Kösen for bread. Now I +will tell you how the rafts go over. Every raft, as you know, has a +man and a boy on it who steer with a fir pole, to which is attached +a boat-hook. So soon as the weir is reached, the master of the +toll-house, or his assistant, wades through the water from the shore, +and stands on the weir. He also holds a long fir pole in his hands, +with which he pushes the raft, so as to prevent it from drifting out +of the middle of the stream and missing the best point to shoot the +fall. The two on the raft have to stand perfectly still, and balance +themselves carefully while they glide down the rapid, and they very +often get a good shower-bath. I have watched many hundred rafts over +the weir at Kösen, and also under the bridge; for the little town +boasts a long and very handsome old bridge over the Saale. The moment +the raft crosses the weir, there is a deal of steering wanted, for the +water is often very shallow under the archways, and it needs some skill +to escape the buttresses."</p> + +<p>"I like to hear all this," said Hans, "but I thought the Saale had +always plenty of water in it."</p> + +<p>"Not always; I have known it almost dry in some places after a long +drought. And I have sometimes seen the river so full in the early +spring, and the current so rapid that it tore the rafts apart, and +dashed the stems of the trees against the bridge."</p> + +<p>"Father used to say the rafts made a noise when they passed over the +weir."</p> + +<p>"And he was right. I know that I often thought it thundered when +several went over in succession."</p> + +<p>"I must be leaving now; we start away early to-morrow morning."</p> + +<p>"I only wish I had some friends at Kösen, for I would speak a good word +for you, my dear," said the kind landlady. "But I've been away so long +that all my acquaintances have forgotten me. I, like you, Hans, have no +relations, for I was an only child."</p> + +<p>"Thank you all the same," answered the lad. "I don't feel so lonely as +I thought I should, for I have been so used to hear father talk to God +that since he's been dead, I've begun to talk to Him myself much more +than I used to do."</p> + +<p>"That's well. Your father was a good man, Hans; do you follow in his +footsteps. I am glad Wilhelm is to be your companion; though I hear +he does not remain at Kösen, but is going on to Halle. You'll not be +long without finding new friends; only choose those who will raise you +higher, and not sink you lower, for we've plenty to pull us down here. +We need to have the constant presence of God's Spirit in our hearts if +we would live upright and noble lives. Farewell; may God go with you."</p> + +<p>Hans Richter and his companion arrived at Kösen on a beautiful evening +in June. The moon was at its full, and shone directly over the weir, +giving the rapid a silvery appearance. So exquisite was the scene that +many of the townspeople and visitors gathered on the old bridge to +watch the effect of the moonlight on the water.</p> + +<p>Kösen is one of the smallest towns in Germany; it is not thickly +populated, save in the summer months when its saline waters attract +many strangers, as they are considered to be especially beneficial for +children.</p> + +<p>"We will not go so far as the toll-house," said Wilhelm Andrea; "it is +too late to pay duty to-night. We will just moor our raft to a stake."</p> + +<p>The raft was soon securely fastened to one of the many stakes which are +placed at intervals along the banks of the Saale. And then Hans and his +companion went off in search of a night's lodging.</p> + +<p>They slept soundly in the small double-bedded room which they secured +at a little inn, nor did they awake until the sun was high in the +heavens. Hans was the first to rouse up, but Wilhelm was too tired to +think of the day's work which lay before him. So the lad determined to +go at once to the forester's friend at the toll-house, and ask if he +could find him any employment, for he did not wish to lose time; he had +to win his bread by his own exertions. The bundle which lay on his bed +contained his best suit of clothes, a pair of boots, two shirts, and +his father's Bible; all besides he had disposed of, and after meeting +outstanding expenses with the results of the sale he had one thaler, or +three shillings, left.</p> + +<p>Before the boy set out, he read the twenty-third Psalm, and thought of +his father's dying words; then he knelt in prayer to God, and asked +for a blessing to rest on him, and that he might find friends and +employment, and be honest, and not afraid of holding on to the right +in time of temptation. When he had ended his prayer, he rolled his +Bible carefully up in his clothes, then tied the bundle in a large silk +pocket-handkerchief, and went in search of the forester's friend, who +was known in Kösen as Karl Schmidt the toll-master.</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p class="t3"> +————————<br> +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<h3><a id="Chapter_3">CHAPTER III.</a></h3> + +<p class="t3"> +<b>KARL SCHMIDT.</b><br> +</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p>EVERY raft which passes through Kösen has to pay duty, and therefore +the little four-roomed cottage built on the banks of the Saale just +above the weir is inhabited by the toll-master.</p> + +<p>Karl Schmidt had served in this capacity at Kösen for many years. He +was a quaint, queer, strange-looking man, rough in his manners, but +with a good honest heart beneath a rather unpleasing exterior. He had +no wife, nor had he ever been married; his neighbours often wondered +that he was a single man. He and his God, and one other, knew why he +chose a bachelor's life, for Karl never talked about his own affairs. +Many townspeople and strangers were admitted into the pretty parlour, +which commanded a view of the river, where Schmidt transacted his +business when the weather was too wet or the days too cold to admit of +his taking his chair outside the door, but only a few of these were his +friends.</p> + +<p>He was known to some in Kösen as "Old Karl," and yet he was neither +grey nor infirm. It is true he had stray white hairs mingling with his +brown locks, but he was still in the prime of manhood, so perhaps he +earned his name because he was quiet in manner and naturally grave in +disposition. He was rarely found at a fête, and certainly never seen +in the public-house. Yet he filled a great place in Kösen, for he was +regarded by many as a friend in need, and his advice was sought after +and given cheerfully. By a few he was thought proud, but they were +among the prosperous people in his own class who had never asked for +his sympathy.</p> + +<p>On the morning when Hans Richter sought him, he was up betimes, and +busy about household matters. First he lighted the stove and put the +kettle on; then he swept out the little kitchen and dusted and arranged +the parlour. Afterwards he went upstairs again and made his bed and set +his room in order. This done, he tapped at the door which faced his +own. A feeble voice answered, "Come in."</p> + +<p>Karl entered. On a clean bed lay a sickly woman, his mother, who had +been partially paralysed for some years. She was his great duty in +life; for her sake he had never thought of marriage. She had always +been an invalid, and needed many luxuries; and when she grew so ill as +to be unable to move without assistance, he was doubly thankful to God +that he could keep her in tolerable comfort. He loved her intensely; to +her he showed the gentle nature which lay concealed beneath the rough +exterior.</p> + +<p>"How have you slept, mother dear?" he asked, coming to her side and +kissing her.</p> + +<p>"Much better than usual, Karl," she answered, smiling at him fondly. "I +mean to get up when Maria comes."</p> + +<p>Maria was an old woman employed by Karl for a few hours every day to +attend upon his mother.</p> + +<p>"I am so glad to hear this," he answered. "I'll make coffee at +once, and then I must go to business, for I hear the Burgomaster's +wood arrived late last night, and I know he is in a great hurry to +begin building. Besides, that boy will come on the raft who has been +recommended to me. I really think I shall try him, for I have been +obliged to dismiss Robert."</p> + +<p>"I am glad he is gone, for your sake, but sorry for his own. He has too +indulgent a father, and a bad companion in Paul Ebhardt, so that he has +no one to influence him for good. I did hope he would have turned over +a new leaf. I like the boy, with all his faults, though I fear he will +be a constant source of trouble to the miller. You'll read with me as +usual, Karl, before you go out?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly, mother. I shouldn't expect a blessing on my day's work if +we neglected to read the Bible and pray together morning and night."</p> + +<p>"Our daily services have been a great joy and a pleasant duty, my son, +for many years. I never understand how people like to go out into the +turmoil of this world's work without first seeking strength to struggle +with any difficulty, danger, or temptation that may arise. I should +as soon think of going without food as going without prayer; even in +my quiet life, Karl, I have my battles to fight. I often feel cross +and irritable, and, but for God's help, I should tire you with my +grumbling."</p> + +<p>"Never, mother. I love you too well. I can't fancy you cross or +irritable. I rarely leave the room but what I say, 'God help me to +endure trouble as she does.'"</p> + +<p>"And He will help you when trouble comes, Karl; the back is made to fit +the burden. I used to wonder how people who were afflicted could be so +patient, but I wonder no longer now, if they are the followers of the +Lord Jesus Christ, for I have found that as I have grown weaker and my +bodily ailments more severe, God has come nearer and nearer. You may +depend upon it, the sick ones whom Jesus loves have a closer union with +Him than those who bustle about the world. When we are ill, we are kept +quiet by God; His Spirit holds communion with our spirit, and we hail +the communion all the more because we have no hope, no help, but in +Him."</p> + +<p>"Oh, mother! How I like to hear you talk!—And it's not mere talk with +you. I am ashamed of myself when I see you suffer, for I would fain +keep you here, in spite of it all; and yet I know you must long to be +at rest."</p> + +<p>"My son, I am at rest now. This is the rest of faith; the rest of +heaven will follow in God's good time."</p> + +<p>The morning meal was over, and the morning reading and prayer, when +Hans Richter arrived at the toll-house. Karl Schmidt was standing +outside the door smoking his pipe.</p> + +<p>"If you please, sir," said Hans, "I am the boy that you had a note +about. Please can you give me employment?"</p> + +<p>"What can you do?"</p> + +<p>"Anything."</p> + +<p>"Anything sometimes means nothing. I'd rather know what you are able to +do."</p> + +<p>"I can cut down trees, sir, make rafts, and since mother died, I've +cooked for father and tidied the room; and I'm a bit of a carpenter; +and I want so much to stay here that I'll try very hard and learn to do +any work you set me."</p> + +<p>"I must think over all your qualifications. You seem to me to know a +little about many things, but I hope that does not mean that you are +steady to nothing."</p> + +<p>"No, sir; I don't think that's a bad fault of mine. But may I tell you +what I want to do most of all?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly."</p> + +<p>"I want to help the rafts over the weir. I heard you always employed a +lad for that, and I do so wish you would take me."</p> + +<p>"Why do you so particularly wish to help the rafts over the weir?"</p> + +<p>Hans hesitated, and Karl noted his hesitation.</p> + +<p>"Speak out, boy," he said, somewhat sternly. "If you and I are to come +to terms, you must tell the truth."</p> + +<p>"I never told a lie in my life, sir, and I hope I shall never be +tempted to tell one. I was only wondering if I dare just talk to you as +I used to do to my father."</p> + +<p>"Try me," answered Karl.</p> + +<p>"What I'm going to say has to do with my dead father, sir. The last +conversation we had was about the rafts, and the last words he said +were, 'Stick to the raft.' And I mean to stick to the raft, and that's +why I want to stand on the weir."</p> + +<p>"But I don't yet see what standing on the weir has to do with sticking +to the raft. You only stand on the weir to guide the rafts into the +right channel."</p> + +<p>"I know that, sir. But don't you see I can say to all the lads and men +as they come over, 'Stick to the raft,' and that'll, maybe, lead to +further conversation?"</p> + +<p>"What further conversation?"</p> + +<p>"It's my dead mother's idea, sir. Soon after father gave himself to +the Lord, he had to take a raft to a neighbouring village. And when he +started, mother told him to stick to it, and explained that she wanted +him to hold on to a Raft which would bear him at all times. She meant +the Lord Jesus Christ."</p> + +<p>"I like that idea. 'There is a Friend that sticketh closer than a +brother.' I'm not a man of many words, but I think I could say to +strangers, 'Stick to the raft,' and maybe in some case I could explain +my words, and bid them stick to the raft in a spiritual sense. Boy, you +have taught me something to-day. I'm a little too much inclined to let +people come and go without trying to do them good. But now tell me why +you have left your forest life."</p> + +<p>"Because I've no parents living, sir, and I'm very lonely. I had to +come to Kösen with the Burgomaster's wood, and I thought I'd rather +remain than go back, if I could find employment. And I want to get a +better education, for I'm at the top of the village school."</p> + +<p>"You'll meet with many temptations here, and with boys who have no +principle to guide them, who will try and lead you into sin. Are you +strong enough to refuse to be led away?"</p> + +<p>Hans thought for a moment before he answered, "I hope I am."</p> + +<p>"In whose strength shall you resist? Your own?"</p> + +<p>"No, sir; from a baby I've been taught this, 'Cast all your care on +God; He careth for you; and will not suffer you to be tempted beyond +what you are able to bear.' Father had a habit of talking to God about +everything, and I try to follow his example."</p> + +<p>"That's well, Hans. I like the look of you, and my friend gave you a +good character, so I'll engage you to help men and boys stick to the +raft in both senses. But mind, if I find you have only talked fairly, +and are untrue or dishonest, I shall dismiss you."</p> + +<p>"I am quite ready to serve you on those terms, sir. When may I come?"</p> + +<p>"To-day; this morning, if you like. Where did you sleep last night?"</p> + +<p>Hans explained that he and Wilhelm Andrea had found accommodation at a +little inn, and that his companion would soon be coming to pay duty on +his raft.</p> + +<p>"I know he wants to start again in good time," he added, "for some of +the wood we brought down last night is going on to Halle. It is not all +for the Burgomaster. May I go back and help him?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly. I have only one more question to ask, Where are you going +to lodge?"</p> + +<p>"Can't I be with you, sir? It will be so handy for me to be near in +case you want my services late at night or early in the morning."</p> + +<p>"I've no place for you. But you will have little difficulty in finding +a room in one of the cottages. I will arrange that matter for you."</p> + +<p>Hans left Karl Schmidt with a light heart, and spent the rest of the +morning in assisting Wilhelm. There was plenty to do, for the raft +was an unusually large and heavy one, and it took some time to break +it in pieces. Then the stems for the Burgomaster had to be dragged up +the bank, and the rest tied together again, so that it was late in the +afternoon before Wilhelm was ready to leave Kösen. His raft was now so +small he was quite able to manage it by himself.</p> + +<p>Hans was waiting, pole in hand, on the weir when Andrea came, and Karl +was close behind, ready to give the lad his first lesson. He proved an +apt scholar, and guided the raft skilfully on to the lowest part of the +weir, crying, "Stick to it, Wilhelm!" as it passed over.</p> + +<p>Wilhelm called back, "I will stick to the raft, Hans, and I'll remember +all you mean by those words. Good-bye. I hope you'll be happy at Kösen."</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p class="t3"> +————————<br> +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<h3><a id="Chapter_4">CHAPTER IV.</a></h3> + +<p class="t3"> +<b>THE MILLER'S SON.</b><br> +</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p>HERR KLEIN, to whom the mill at Kösen belonged, was a hard-working +man who had a wife and eight children to support; morning, noon, and +sometimes far into the night, he was at his business. He was a good +husband and an indulgent father. Perhaps it was the easy manner he +had of dealing with the faults of his young ones that made his eldest +and only son Robert so determined to lead an idle life. He was a lad +of sixteen who had no particular principle to guide him, and liked to +do nothing that gave him any trouble. The only thing he excelled in +was archery; he had carried off the Burgomaster's prize for two years +in succession at the Schutzen Fest (shooting festival), and they were +about the only prizes he had ever won, or tried after, in his life.</p> + +<p>Finding that his son was so averse to work in his mill, Herr Klein +asked Karl Schmidt to allow him to try his hand at helping the rafts +over the weir. And as the toll-master was just then without a boy, he +engaged Robert. But the latter, instead of helping, so often nearly +brought both men and rafts into dangerous positions that at last +Schmidt was compelled to dismiss him, and, as we know, Hans was engaged +in his stead.</p> + +<p>In all probability Robert would have seen his place filled without +being at all troubled had it not been for a very bad companion of his, +the closest and dearest friend he had, one Paul Ebhardt, the son of the +master tailor in Kösen, who considered that it was an infringement upon +the rights of the town for a stranger to come and, as he termed it, +"turn out a fellow who was born and bred close to the weir."</p> + +<p>It was evident that Herr Klein admired the look and bearing of Hans, +for he said to his son soon after the lad came to live with the +toll-master, "I do wish, Robert, you were as steady as Schmidt's new +boy; I very much dislike seeing you constantly idling about."</p> + +<p>But the miller did not enforce obedience, and truly he had no +confidence in his first-born, and was afraid of giving him any position +of trust connected with the mill. He hoped that as he grew older he +would be wiser. Nevertheless he did not set before him the miseries +which must accrue from laziness, nor that "Satan finds some mischief +still for idle hands to do." He was proud of his son, who was a +well-grown, handsome, good-natured lad, but beyond this had nothing +much to commend him.</p> + +<p>Hans had been in his situation for several weeks, and had given the +toll-master so much satisfaction that the latter proposed to his mother +that a bed should be placed in the kitchen to accommodate him. "He is +so handy at accounts, I shall be glad to have him to help me with the +books," said Karl.</p> + +<p>Frau Schmidt gave her hearty consent to the arrangement, and added, +"He will be a companion for you during the winter. I like the boy very +much, and I think if he is in the house, you can carry on his education +during the long evenings."</p> + +<p>So a bed was bought, and Hans was installed in his new quarters. +The orphan was very happy to be there, and thankful to God that the +influences of his home were such that he would be helped forward in the +pilgrimage of life. He already loved patient Frau Schmidt, and hailed +the days when she was well enough to sit up in her easy-chair and chat +to him.</p> + +<p>Hans was in the habit of taking off his boots and socks when he stood +in the water to help the rafts over the weir. He removed them as usual +one morning, and left them on the shore, without giving a thought as to +their safety, while he went, pole in hand, to assist four rafts, which +had been waiting for a good supply of water to pass over the weir.</p> + +<p>Robert and his friend Paul were sauntering along the banks of the river +when they observed Hans take off his boots and socks.</p> + +<p>"Let's hide them," suggested Paul. "I hate that boy, and should like to +make Kösen too hot for him."</p> + +<p>"It's not worth while," answered Robert. "If any one owes him a grudge, +I do, for he turned me out of my situation. But he's not worth a +thought."</p> + +<p>"That's one reason why I dislike him so much," said Paul. And he might +have added, "the chief reasons are that he rather avoids me than seeks +to know me, and on several occasions when I've invited him to go for +a walk, he has refused to accompany me. And one evening when I was +drinking at a public-house, he turned away."</p> + +<p>This was true, for Hans had been warned by his master to have no +companionship with Robert or Paul. "One is idle, and the other bad," +added Karl Schmidt; "therefore you had better try to keep clear of +them."</p> + +<p>Hans knew this was sound advice, for he had seen Paul behave in such a +manner that his own good sense would have told him to avoid Ebhardt if +he would cling to the good.</p> + +<p>"Now do let's pay him off," urged Paul.</p> + +<p>"Well, just as you like. We'll put his boots and socks under that +rubbish."</p> + +<p>Accordingly they were pushed under a nasty heap of refuse, and then the +boys hid behind the trunk of an old tree, and waited to see how Hans +would behave.</p> + +<p>In the meantime, the latter was fully employed. The first raft had only +one man in it, who was accompanied by a favourite dog. The creature +whined piteously, and was evidently frightened by the noise of the +rushing water.</p> + +<p>"Stick to the raft, and mind your dog," shouted Hans.</p> + +<p>The stranger, thus admonished, took the animal into his arms, and +planting his feet down firmly, passed the weir in safety.</p> + +<p>"Give me a help with your pole until I'm under the bridge," called the +man; "I'm not strong enough to keep clear of it single-handed, my cough +is so bad."</p> + +<p>Hans sprang on to the raft, and gave a few vigorous thrusts with his +pole.</p> + +<p>"It's all right now," he said. "I'm afraid you are very ill. It seems +to me you are not fit to come down alone on this raft."</p> + +<p>"I know that as well as you can tell me," answered the stranger, +curtly, "but a man must live. Mine will be a short life, and by no +means a merry one."</p> + +<p>"You managed to stick well to the raft as you passed over the weir," +replied Hans; "and if you'll stick to another kind of Raft, you'll be +able to meet any sickness that comes."</p> + +<p>"What do you mean?"</p> + +<p>"Why, the Bible tells us that Jesus Christ came into the world to save +us from sin; and if we cling to Him in all our troubles, we shall be +able to bear them."</p> + +<p>"What stuff are you talking to me, boy?" exclaimed the man, angrily. "I +want no more help, now we are safely under the bridge. Thank you for +what you've done, but let me give you a word of advice: if you use that +sort of talk to strangers, you'll get a thrashing one of these days. +The idea of a child like you setting up to teach grown men!"</p> + +<p>Hans felt very sore as he walked quickly back to the weir; he was more +than sore, quite cross, and indignant that his words had been received +in such an uncourteous spirit. But he had no time then to indulge his +vexation, for the three remaining rafts had to be helped over. He +did his best, save only that no words escaped him beyond what he was +compelled to say; he did not cry out cheerily, "Stick to the raft; take +care; keep in the current!"</p> + +<p>So soon as he had completed his morning's work, he prepared to go home, +but, to his dismay, he found that his boots and socks were gone.</p> + +<p>Hans looked about in every direction in vain, and at last relinquished +the search, fearing his master would be waiting dinner for him. Paul +had no mind to allow his victim to escape thus easily, so he broke into +a derisive laugh. Then, for the first time, Hans discovered that Robert +and his friend were watching his movements, and he felt sure they had +played him a trick.</p> + +<p>"Where are my boots? You've taken them away," he called out.</p> + +<p>"That's like your impudence, young fellow," said Paul, coming toward +him, followed by Robert; "it's as good as calling us thieves. Take that +for being so impertinent!" And he struck Hans a violent blow across the +mouth.</p> + +<p>As we know, Hans was out of temper, not only annoyed at the stranger, +but vexed at losing his boots. He sprang on to Paul, and before the +latter could defend himself, he was stretched full length on the grass.</p> + +<p>"You coward! How dare you hit me?" he cried. "You're in my power now. +Tell me where are my boots, or I will thrash you."</p> + +<p>"Help me, help me!" screamed Paul, "Robert, he'll kill me."</p> + +<p>"No, I shall not," answered Hans. "Give me your hand; I'm sorry I was +in such a temper." For a still small voice whispered, "Is that sticking +to the Raft?"</p> + +<p>"I really call that first-rate behaviour," said easy Robert, roused for +once to have an opinion of his own. "He had you down, and no mistake, +Paul. You'll find your boots under the rubbish heap, Hans."</p> + +<p>"You shall answer for this," muttered Paul, slowly rising from the +ground. "I will be revenged on you, Hans Richter. Paul Ebhardt +generally remembers to pay off any grudge he owes. Come along, Robert."</p> + +<p>Hans found his boots and socks, but it took him some minutes to shake +off the dust and dirt with which they were covered. And thus he was +fully a quarter of an hour late for dinner.</p> + +<p>The toll-master was busy with a customer, so that he made no comment on +his want of punctuality.</p> + +<p>The meal passed almost in silence, for the lad was so busy with +himself, and though his master addressed him once or twice he only +replied in monosyllables.</p> + +<p>It was Karl Schmidt's habit to spend half-an-hour with his mother after +dinner, and latterly Hans had been admitted to the conference, and very +much he valued the advice and counsel he received from the sick woman. +On this day, a friend came to see Karl, so Hans went up alone to the +invalid.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Frau Schmidt, may I tell you all—everything?" he asked, kneeling +down by the side of her arm-chair.</p> + +<p>"What have you to tell me?" she asked, passing her hands over the +upturned face. "There has been something amiss to-day; you have been +crying."</p> + +<p>"And I'm sure you will say I ought to cry, dear frau, for I have been +so very wicked. I am a regular hypocrite." And Hans poured into her +ears the history of the morning's adventures.</p> + +<p>"Poor boy!" she said, kindly. "Yes, you have failed to stick to the +Raft; you have forgotten to cling to the One who is mighty to save, +and have allowed self to gain a victory. The hardest battle we have to +fight in our Christian course is the battle with ourselves. We think we +are doing great things, and then perhaps a rebuff comes, and, instead +of searching into our motives and crying out for the Spirit of the +living God to show us ourselves and bring us anew to Jesus, we grow +angry and vexed that we are despised and misunderstood."</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes; you are right, dear frau," said Hans, the tears coming +afresh at the words he heard. "I was so angry with the stranger, and +wounded because he scolded me."</p> + +<p>"The next time you receive a rebuff, contrast your trials with His who +endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself—who was tempted +in all points, and yet without sin. Pray for the indwelling of His +Spirit when you try to do His work, and ever remember that when He was +reviled, He reviled not again, but was despised and rejected of men, +a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief, and we hid as it were +our faces from Him. We have many lessons to learn, which will only be +learnt through tears, but they will be blessed tears, for 'they that +sow in tears shall reap in joy.'"</p> + +<p>Karl entered the room at this moment, and Hans made his escape, and +left Frau Schmidt to explain to his master why he went away so abruptly.</p> + +<p>"I am sorry all this has happened," remarked Karl, when he had heard +the particulars. "I do not mean that I am sorry Hans received a +scolding from the man on the raft, for in the Master's service he +must not expect all sunshine. But I am sorry he has provoked Paul +Ebhardt, for that boy will not easily forget that he has for once been +conquered."</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p class="t3"> +————————<br> +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<h3><a id="Chapter_5">CHAPTER V.</a></h3> + +<p class="t3"> +<b>THE MARTYR SPIRIT.</b><br> +</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p>HANS never found his days too long; he had lessons to learn when his +master did not require his services, and besides this, he practised +shooting at the target. The festival was to be held in August, when the +Burgomaster invited all the boys of Kösen to enter their names among +the lists of competitors for his prize, and Karl Schmidt advised him to +try for it, promising to give him instruction in archery.</p> + +<p>The toll-keeper's cottage stood alone in quiet nook, and behind it +a pathway ran up a slope—which was richly carpeted with flowers and +furze, with here and there an old tree standing—on to higher ground, +where was a pretty pine-wood with rustic seats placed in all directions +for the accommodation of visitors. This spot commanded a delightful +view of the town of Kösen and its winding river.</p> + +<p>Hans was able to set up his target behind the toll-house, and practise +there under the superintendence of his master, who had shot well in +his youthful days, and who not only gave him lessons in the art, but +furnished his pupil with his own bow and arrows. No sort of teaching +came amiss to Hans; he was naturally so clever that he soon mastered +difficulties, for he gave his whole attention to whatever he undertook.</p> + +<p>"They say that Hans Richter has entered his name on the list of +competitors for the Burgomaster's prize," said Paul Ebhardt to his +friend Robert. "Do you mean to let him win it away from you?"</p> + +<p>"He is not likely to get it," answered Robert. "He is only a raw fellow +from the forest who has had no practice; I'm not afraid of him."</p> + +<p>"I say he means to win," said Paul. "I am told he has put his target +on the low ground by the toll-house and that he practises there every +evening, and Karl Schmidt helps him. My father says Karl knows what he +is about; some years ago he was the best shot in Kösen."</p> + +<p>"For all that, I'm not afraid," replied Robert.</p> + +<p>"Don't be such a dolt!" exclaimed his friend, angrily. "I detest Hans, +and I can't think what you mean by being so careless over your prize. I +suppose if he wins it away from you, you will say, Thank you."</p> + +<p>"No, indeed I shan't," answered Robert, with some spirit. "But," he +added, more quietly, "he'll stand no chance, never fear."</p> + +<p>"You don't know how well he shoots. Come with me this evening, and let +us watch him. And then you will better understand that you will be +beaten if you don't take care."</p> + +<p>Accordingly, that evening Paul and his friend secreted themselves +behind a tree which stood very near to the target, where they could +see, yet not be seen, without running any risk of being struck by a +stray arrow.</p> + +<p>It was well that Karl Schmidt was present, otherwise Paul would have +done his best to excite his friend to pick a quarrel with Hans. Robert +found that the arrows went near the bull's-eye, and even into its +centre now and then—showing that Hans had a correct eye, and only +needed to persevere in order to equal if not excel him.</p> + +<p>Every time he shot an arrow, Paul whispered triumphantly, "I told you +he would be a match for you."</p> + +<p>Yes, certainly Robert had a rival to fear.</p> + +<p>When Hans and his master went into the cottage, the friends emerged +from their hiding-place. Paul's face expressed his gladness, for he +saw that Robert was more annoyed and vexed than he had ever seen him +before. So, instead of deriding his companion, he changed his tactics +and began to pity him.</p> + +<p>"Old fellow," he said, laying his hand on Robert's shoulder, "I'm sorry +for you. He is sure to win, and you'll lose. It is a great shame that +this fellow who is a stranger in Kösen, should put himself forward and +gain a prize from our Burgomaster, over one who belongs to our town."</p> + +<p>"But he has not won it yet. And what is more, he shall not win it," +said Robert—"that is, if I can beat him."</p> + +<p>"You may try, but as sure as my name is Paul Ebhardt, so sure am I +he'll win; so make up your mind to lose. His hand is more steady and +his eye more correct than yours; he only wants practice."</p> + +<p>"He will not win the prize," said Robert, confidently.</p> + +<p>"He ought not to, but I am afraid he will succeed. I wish, with all my +heart, we could contrive some means of preventing him from shooting in +the match."</p> + +<p>"Shall we go to the Burgomaster and say that he is a stranger here, and +that we pray he will only permit our Kösen boys to compete?"</p> + +<p>"No; that won't do exactly. The Burgomaster will tell you that he can +make no rules of the kind. Perhaps I shall think of some other plan. I +have to pay the rascal off for insulting me."</p> + +<p>Paul felt he had a right to annoy Hans, and he wanted to be revenged on +him,—forgetting he had in the first instance thrown down the gauntlet, +and that, before that unfortunate encounter by the river-side, he had +no real reason to dislike him.</p> + +<p>It was on Saturday evening when the friends watched Hans Richter shoot; +we will see in what spirit they awoke on Sunday morning.</p> + +<p>Robert's first thoughts were these: "I'll lose no time, but practise +hard, so that I may enter into fair competition with Richter—for, after +all, he has as much right to try for the Burgomaster's prize as I have, +but he is not going to succeed." Away from his friend he was more +inclined to act fairly towards Hans.</p> + +<p>Paul Ebhardt's waking thoughts were these: "That fellow, Richter, shall +not have the prize if I can make him lose it. This shall be my revenge +for his behaviour to me. I must try and work out some plan to prevent +him from winning, for I see he is very anxious to be first. But how +it's to be done I don't exactly know. There are, fortunately, some days +before the festival."</p> + +<p>To Hans, this Sunday morning brought very different feelings. When he +awoke, he remembered it was God's own day, and that he would hear the +gospel of Jesus Christ preached in the old church. He would go to a +Bible-class in the afternoon, and the remainder of the day would be +spent with Frau Schmidt and his master.</p> + +<p>The hours sped along only too quickly for him. And as soon as he had +taken afternoon coffee to the invalid and his master, he joined them, +Bible in hand.</p> + +<p>Frau Schmidt had been unusually well, and had enjoyed the beautiful +summer day from her open window; the air was so still, the sun so +bright, and the peace and rest of the scene without harmonised so well +with the abiding sense of peace and rest which filled her own soul. +Though she was unable to go beyond her bedroom, she was thankful to be +able to sit in her comfortable arm-chair and enjoy the pretty landscape.</p> + +<p>"I have something very interesting to read to you," said Karl Schmidt, +as Hans entered the room. "You will be surprised to hear that it has to +do with a fête and that I mean to give you a holiday to attend it."</p> + +<p>"Thank you, sir, but please tell me something about the fête before you +begin to read."</p> + +<p>"It is called a 'cherry feast.' The reason why this name is given to +it, I will explain later."</p> + +<p>"Where is it held, sir?"</p> + +<p>"At Naumburg, a town about five miles from here. Thither many young +men and maidens, as well as old folks and children, repair on the 28th +of July. The name of John Huss, the great reformer, is associated with +this fête. Do you know who he was?"</p> + +<p>"No, sir."</p> + +<p>"I thought, if you approved, mother, I would read Hans an account of +this good man, because he will learn from it how much a true Christian +can endure, who rests entirely on his Saviour."</p> + +<p>"Do, Karl; I shall enjoy listening to it," answered Frau Schmidt. "John +Huss was a very great man, and above all, great in his abounding love +towards God. He cared not for prison, nor chains, nor mockings. His +persecutors could not hurt his soul, however much they might inflict +pain on his body. Read on, Karl."</p> + +<p>"John Huss was born at Hussineez, a town on the borders of Bavaria, in +July, 1369. His parents were poor, and he was early accustomed to do +hard work and take very sparingly of food. At the age of twenty-seven +he entered the university of Prague, and at the close of the 14th +century became confessor to Sophia, Queen of Bohemia, and preacher in +what was called the Bethlehem Chapel, attached to the university.</p> + +<p>"Wycliffe, who has been justly styled the greatest of all reformers +before the Reformation, was at this time creating a formidable +revolution in the religious life of England and Scotland by his +preaching, and writing; nor was it long before this new teaching +penetrated to the Continent, and spread even into Bohemia, where it +stirred the spirits of some good men. Among the number was John Huss, +who said, when speaking of the effect of these writings of Wycliffe on +his mind, 'I am drawn to them by the manner in which they strive to +lead all men back to Christ.'</p> + +<p>"In the year 1414 Huss was charged with teaching heresy, and summoned +by the Emperor Sigismund to appear before the Council of Constance. He +obeyed the summons, and went in the strength of God, having besought +of his Heavenly Father wisdom to answer his accusers and strength to +remain firm to his Saviour. The Emperor furnished him with a letter to +ensure his safe-conduct; and, accompanied by several friends, he set +out to Constance, and reached that town on the 3rd of November.</p> + +<p>"He was permitted to remain unmolested during four weeks; and that time +he employed in freely explaining his opinions and entreating to be +heard publicly. But such was not the intention of his enemies, for on +the 28th of November he was thrown into a dungeon; nor did the Emperor +interfere, in spite of his promise, beyond procuring poor Huss a more +airy prison.</p> + +<p>"For seven months he remained in confinement, and during this period +his health became greatly impaired from the rigorous treatment he +received at the hands of his tormentors. In the month of June he was +brought before the Council, and ordered to abjure errors which he had +never believed. Nor was it only on one occasion, for four times did +Huss appear before these cruel men. 'How can I abjure what I never +held?' he asked repeatedly.</p> + +<p>"After his fourth appearance the Council gave him a choice of two +things—recantation or death; and sent him back to prison to deliberate +as to which of the two he would accept.</p> + +<p>"But Huss needed no time for deliberation; he made his choice when he +determined to know only Christ, and Him crucified; and he never proved +false to his Master, though his friends entreated him to save his life +at any cost. 'I write in prison and chains,' he says in a letter to +some friends, 'expecting to-morrow to receive sentence of death, but +full of hope in God that I shall not swerve from the truth, nor abjure +errors imputed to me by false witnesses.'</p> + +<p>"The sentence of death was soon passed upon John Huss. It was read to +him in the presence of the Emperor and Council. The persecuted man fell +on his knees, and cried, 'Lord Jesus, forgive my enemies. Thou knowest +I have been falsely accused by them; forgive them for the sake of Thy +great mercy.'</p> + +<p>"His persecutors answered this prayer with loud laughter and shouts of +derision, which followed him even to the place of execution. When he +was heavily laden with chains and led to the stake, he exclaimed, 'I +willingly wear these for Christ's sake, who bore still more grievous +ones.'</p> + +<p>"Before the fire was kindled he was again besought to recant. 'What +error should I recant,' he cried, 'when I am conscious of none? The +chief aim of my preaching has been to teach men repentance and the +forgiveness sins, according to the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.'</p> + +<p>"So the fire was kindled, and the smoke and flames rose around him; but +in the midst of it all his voice was heard, and these were his words: +'Jesus, Son of the living God, have mercy on me.'"</p> + +<p>Hans drew a deep sigh when Karl closed the little book from which he +had been reading.</p> + +<p>"What a grand death to die!" he said. "It reminds me of the martyr +Stephen. I've been reading about him to-day. He fell asleep in Jesus +after he had cried with a loud voice, 'Lord, lay not this sin to their +charge.' I wonder if I could forgive my enemies like that!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, my dear boy, you could, if you were sticking to the Raft," +said Frau Schmidt. "The law of forgiveness was taught these good men +by their blessed Master, and they were His followers. Methinks that +Master's words were yet ringing in the ears of Stephen, 'Father, +forgive them, they know not what they do.' He found it no hard task to +pray, as did his Lord, that his cruel tormentors might be forgiven."</p> + +<p>"I see it all," answered Hans; "mother's words must be felt in my heart +if I mean them to come out in my life. I must really 'stick to the +Raft' so tightly that God's promises will be mine. But, sir, I don't +quite understand what the death of John Huss has to do with the fête."</p> + +<p>"I am going to tell you now," answered Karl; "I only waited until my +mother had spoken. In the year 1482, Procopius, the wild leader of +the Hussites, came with his army to Naumburg, and besieged the city, +because Bishop Gerhard of that town, who was a member of the Council +of Constance, was one of the men who condemned the noble Huss to be +burnt at the stake. He was induced to raise the siege by the entreaties +of the children who flocked to his camp, and prayed him to depart and +leave them in peace. So earnestly did these young ones plead that +Procopius heard them, and promised to withdraw his army. Nor did he +send the children away empty, for he gave them a liberal supply of +cherries; hence this event is commemorated by what is called 'the +cherry feast.'"</p> + +<p>"How much I shall like to go! I suppose it is very gay at Naumburg. +What do the people do?" said Hans.</p> + +<p>"You shall see for yourself," replied his master. "And now come, my +boy, let us stroll along the river-side this beautiful summer evening."</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p class="t3"> +————————<br> +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<h3><a id="Chapter_6">CHAPTER VI.</a></h3> + +<p class="t3"> +<b>THE PROMISED HOLIDAY.</b><br> +</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p>THE 28th of July came on the following Thursday. Hans counted the days, +nay, almost the hours, which must intervene; he longed so much to see +what the cherry feast was like. The special train which left Kösen at +mid-day was not to return until late in the evening; for fireworks were +to conclude the entertainment, and they could not be let off until +after nine o'clock.</p> + +<p>Hans was dressed in a new suit of clothes, a present from his master. +Karl was growing increasingly fond of him; he had never met his equal +before, and was fast forgetting the relations they bore to one another. +The lad was growing to be more like an adopted son than a hired servant.</p> + +<p>"I have come to show myself in my new suit," said Hans, after tapping +at Frau Schmidt's door to ascertain if he might enter. "Isn't it a nice +one? It fits capitally. Oh, I am so happy, dear frau, I have such a +kind master; and I love you so much—you seem to help me on my way."</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<figure class="figcenter" id="image006" style="max-width: 25.3125em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/image006.jpg" alt="image006"></figure> +<p class="t4"> +<b>HANS IN HIS NEW SUIT.</b><br> +</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p>The invalid smiled kindly on the boy. "I'm glad I help you, my dear," +she replied; "it's pleasant for a sick woman to know she is some use +in God's world. Yes, Hans, even I have my work to do, or my Master +would call me hence. Perhaps it is to cheer and strengthen you on in +your pilgrimage. But I will not sermonise to-day, but wish that you may +enjoy yourself, and remember you can do so and yet stick to the Raft."</p> + +<p>Hans reached the railway-station in good time, and before the train +started some hundred and fifty young people, and children, with a +sprinkling of old folks, were gathered on the platform. Among the +number were Paul Ebhardt and Robert Klein. Hans had not spoken to the +former since their quarrel by the river-side, and the latter had only +addressed him once, and then it was to say, "How could you attack Paul? +He hates you now, and will not forgive you in a hurry."</p> + +<p>Naumburg is pleasantly situated in the valley of the Saale; it lies in +the midst of vine-covered hills: for this is one of the most northerly +places in Europe where the vine is cultivated, though the wine it +produces is little better than vinegar. An old wall runs round part +of the town, which contains some fine streets and handsome public +buildings. Just without the wall is a meadow in which the Friedens +Hügel, or Hill of Peace, stands, where Procopius pitched his camp, and +where the children flocked to entreat him to spare their beloved city.</p> + +<p>The fête was unusually well attended. There were sports of all kinds +which lasted through the day and into which the young people entered +heartily, while their parents sat under the trees and looked on.</p> + +<p>Hans enjoyed the fun intensely. It was quite a new scene for this +forest boy. He came across Paul and Robert several times, but they +seemed quite as anxious as he was to avoid any intercourse; indeed, +only Robert returned the nod which Hans gave when he recognised them +on the platform. Nor were refreshments forgotten; various places were +established in different parts of the meadow where a good supper could +be had, and cherries abounded. It seemed as if all the old women in +Naumburg had turned out, so many were there, with baskets full of +cherries, from which they filled plates and offered them for sale at +the rate of an English halfpenny per plate.</p> + +<p>Hans had money given to him by his master for refreshment, and he very +soon settled what he should eat. There was an old man who had taken up +his position in a quiet corner, just within the wooden paling that ran +on one side of the meadow; he sold hot sausages, and to him the lad +repaired when he felt hungry.</p> + +<p>The old man was bent with age, but looked shrewd and quite competent +to execute the work he had undertaken. He had a strange sort of +cooking-stove; he put twelve bricks side by side, on to a wooden table, +and made a fire on them, so that the gridiron could stand on the hot +embers and thus keep the sausages simmering; while some rolls and +half-a-dozen plates were ranged round the bricks to be in readiness for +customers.</p> + +<p>Hans entered into conversation with him, for it so happened no other +customer was waiting to be served. Thus he learnt that the old man +earned his living by going about the country selling sausages.</p> + +<p>"It's a hard life, young master," he said, "and sometimes I long for a +room where I may end my days, but the money doesn't come in fast enough +for that. I can just manage to get a living, and that's all. But I +thank my God for His great mercy to me. If I grow downhearted, I think +of my dear Jesus, who said, 'Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air +have nests; but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his head,' and +that comforts me."</p> + +<p>"You stick to the Raft, I can see," answered Hans, and then he +explained what he meant by these words.</p> + +<p>Afterwards they chatted about the different fêtes the old man had in +prospect, and the latter said he expected to be at the Schutzen Fest, +and that he went to it every year because he always did a brisk trade +after the match was over.</p> + +<p>"The exercise seems to give them all an appetite," he added; "and even +those who don't take any part in the shooting, but only look on, get +very hungry. Sometimes I stay at Kösen for several days."</p> + +<p>On hearing this, Hans told his new friend his name, where he lived, +what a good master he had, and that he was practising at the target +every day, for he meant to try and win the Burgomaster's prize.</p> + +<p>"I shall be sure to find you out at the festival," continued the boy, +"and I will recommend all the people I know to buy sausages of you, for +I've taken a great liking to you."</p> + +<p>"So have I to you," replied the old man, shaking the hand that Richter +held out to him. "Good-bye."</p> + +<p>Just as Hans was saying the last words, Robert and his friend came up.</p> + +<p>"Has that fellow been eating sausages?" asked Paul, pointing to Hans, +and addressing the old man.</p> + +<p>"Yes; and a nice, civil-spoken young lad he is."</p> + +<p>"Smooth-tongued enough, I dare say," sneered Paul. "Give me three +sausages, and my friend wants three."</p> + +<p>The old man was so accustomed to hear rough words that he made no +reply, but busied himself in preparing the sausages, while the boys sat +down and watched him.</p> + +<p>"Robert, I've a splendid idea just come into my head—how odd that I +never thought of it before! I see how we can pay Hans off," said Paul. +"I've been worrying and worrying to no purpose, but now I've got it, +and no mistake. When the fireworks are let off, in the darkness we may +thrust a squib which is fired into his hand, and that'll give him such +a dose that he won't be able to shoot at the festival."</p> + +<p>"But it will hurt him," answered Robert; "and though I want the prize, +I should be ashamed to be such a coward as to injure another to gain my +own end. Richter has as good a right to try and win as I have. No, no, +Paul; I'm not quite such a bad fellow as that."</p> + +<p>"I've no patience with you!" exclaimed Paul, angrily. "You may go your +own way, and lose the prize. Here come the sausages; let us eat them +while they are hot."</p> + +<p>The old man had not been too much engrossed with his cooking to listen +to what Paul and Robert said. He noted every word that passed, and +resolved to look out for Hans and warn him to be careful not to go near +any boys who had squibs, and also to tell him of the conversation he +had overheard. But the customers came so fast that he was too full of +business to carry out his kind intention, for the shades of evening +were falling before the last one was served, and then the fireworks +began, and the old man dared not venture into the crowd which had +gathered at the lower end of the meadow.</p> + +<p>When Paul found Robert so averse to his plan of revenge, he determined +to part company with him, and carry out his scheme alone. So he made +the excuse of wishing to see some particular friends, and promised +to meet him at the station when the fireworks were over. He had been +so accustomed all his life to do just what pleased him best, without +heeding if it were right or wrong, that he gloried in the cleverness of +his plot, only regretting that he had mentioned it to Robert.</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p>There was a great concourse of people round the ring from whence the +rockets, wheels, and other pretty devices were let off. And at the same +time, a few boys began letting off squibs, though it had been strictly +forbidden by the authorities.</p> + +<p>Hans was standing at the edge of the crowd lost in wonder, for he +had never seen such a display before, when he felt something thrust +into his left hand which exploded almost instantaneously, but in the +explosion, he was severely burnt. Just at this moment came the grand +finale, which closed the evening's entertainment. And the shouting and +clapping were so noisy that the report of the squib was not noticed, +and it fortunately harmed no one else.</p> + +<p>In the first few moments, Hans was bewildered, and scarcely realised +what had happened; he was only conscious of sharp pain in his hand. +The crowd dispersed quickly, and he knew the train would start almost +immediately, so he wrapped it in his handkerchief, and, trying to bear +the pain as he best could, walked to the station and jumped into the +first carriage.</p> + +<p>His condition excited the attention of his fellow-travellers, and +induced many questions. Every one had some particular remedy to +recommend, but poor Hans paid little heed to their words. He sat still, +holding his wounded left hand with his right, and suffering too much to +be able to enter into conversation.</p> + +<p>At last he reached home, and found his master standing outside the +toll-house awaiting his arrival.</p> + +<p>"I've had an accident, sir," he said, trying to speak cheerfully. "I'm +afraid my hand is very much burnt." And then he remembered no more +until he returned to consciousness, and found himself stretched on his +bed, for thither Karl Schmidt had carried him in a fainting condition.</p> + +<p>"You'll soon be better, my boy. You're a brave fellow to come home +alone after such an accident," said his master. "I expect the pain was +too much for you to bear. You have a nasty burn. How did it happen? But +perhaps you had better not tell me until to-morrow, you look so pale. +I've wrapped your hand in cotton wool; let it stay on until you see the +doctor, and be very careful that the air does not get to it."</p> + +<p>"I feel quite comfortable now, sir, and able to talk. I wish I could +tell you how it happened. I only know I felt as if some one forced a +squib into my hand which went off directly."</p> + +<p>"It must have been a pure accident. I don't think any boy would be +so cruel as to harm another for amusement," remarked Karl. "The +authorities ought to punish the rascals who dare to let off squibs. I +know this is not the first time some one has been hurt. You must show +your hand to the doctor early to-morrow morning. I am afraid you will +have no more shooting for many days to come."</p> + +<p>"Won't it soon be well, sir? I did not think that I should lose the +chance of the prize because of this burn."</p> + +<p>"And don't think of it now; but go to sleep, and try to forget you have +been hurt."</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p>Next day Hans paid an early visit to the doctor, who pronounced that +the hand must be put into a sling, it was so much injured, and would +require care for some weeks.</p> + +<p>The boy went slowly home, feeling thoroughly depressed and ill. The +world and his prospects looked very gloomy; he could not work—for how +could he push rafts over the weir with one hand? And perhaps his master +would dismiss him if he did not get well quickly; and last, though not +least, there was the shooting match coming on, and he would be unable +to join in it, and that was a sore disappointment. In the short walk +from the doctor's house to the toll-master's cottage, Hans managed to +conjure up all kinds of dismal things: so is it that we often make +troubles before they really exist.</p> + +<p>Karl was in his mother's room when Richter appeared in sight. He called +him from the window to come up, for Frau Schmidt was anxious to hear +the doctor's opinion.</p> + +<p>"You look as if you had all the cares of the world on your shoulders, +Hans," he exclaimed, when he saw the boy's face. "What's the matter?"</p> + +<p>Hans tried to speak in a clear, unconcerned tone, but his voice failed, +and he burst into tears instead.</p> + +<p>"Come, don't be so downhearted," said Karl. "It will only be a matter +of a few weeks; you will not learn idle habits in that time. In fact, +you can work all the same; we shall only change places: you must take +the tolls, and will look after the rafts. Why, I used to do both in +former days—levy the duty on the raft, and afterwards help it over the +weir!"</p> + +<p>"Then you will keep me on, sir, even if my hand is a long time getting +well?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly. This explains why you look so dismal; you thought I should +turn you away because you could not work. Why, Hans, I hoped you knew +me better."</p> + +<p>"His faith in you has only failed for the moment," said Frau Schmidt. +"Hans feels ill, and his depression of body dims his trust in you. My +dear boy, it is an old, old fault—this want of faith; would that it did +not run through our lives. In your walk home from the doctor's, you +have lost the Raft, and in losing the Raft you have conjured up doubts +and difficulties which have no foundation."</p> + +<p>"Mother, mother, you are in a higher world than we are," replied Karl. +"Poor Hans has not reached it, and I am sure I have not; nevertheless, +would that we were as patient and trustful as you are. You see the boy +has another cause of disappointment which you have not thought of, +perhaps: he will be unable to shoot at the match."</p> + +<p>"And I lose my lessons from you, sir," added Hans, in a doleful voice; +"and I did so enjoy having them every evening."</p> + +<p>"I hope they will be renewed some day. My dear boy, I am a stern +teacher when I bid you rouse up to see your mercies, and be thankful +for your many blessings," answered Frau Schmidt. "Are you only going to +stick to the Raft when the sun is high and the water smooth? You must +take all your disappointments in life as part of the education which is +to fit you for a higher and better world."</p> + +<p>Hans smiled through his tears as the invalid spoke. He felt ashamed of +murmuring over his temporary sickness when he contrasted it with her +days, weeks, months, nay, years of continuous suffering. He had only +time to say, "Thank you, dear frau, for your advice," for his master +exclaimed, "There are a couple of rafts in sight. We had better go +down, Hans; the men are pushing along as if they are in a hurry to pay +toll and pass over the weir. Can you take the money?"</p> + +<p>"Oh yes, sir, quite well," replied the lad, hurrying away after his +master.</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p class="t3"> +————————<br> +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<h3><a id="Chapter_7">CHAPTER VII.</a></h3> + +<p class="t3"> +<b>THE SECRET.</b><br> +</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p>AFTER Paul had shaken off his companion, he accomplished, as we know, +his cruel purpose, and according to appointment joined Robert after +the fireworks were over. He was careful not to run across Hans, as he +did not wish to tell his friend what he had done until the following +morning; for Paul was sure that he was revenged on Hans when he heard +the exclamation of intense pain which escaped him before he had time to +glide away.</p> + +<p>"Let me see you first thing to-morrow," said Paul, when he parted +from Robert, just after they had passed the bridge. "I've some work +to finish off, but shall be ready by ten o'clock; I want to tell you +something."</p> + +<p>"Tell me now."</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid there are too many people about. It's a great secret. +To-morrow is time enough. Good night."</p> + +<p>Robert wondered for a few moments what secret Paul could have to tell +him, but he forgot all about it when he reached home, for he had to +give an account of his day spent at Naumburg to his mother and sisters, +who had not ventured to the fête.</p> + +<p>The next morning Robert was taking his coffee in the kitchen with the +rest of the family, except his father, who came in before the meal was +ended.</p> + +<p>"I've been talking to Karl Schmidt," he said, "and didn't know it was +so late. Did you hear of an accident which happened to young Hans last +night?" he asked his son.</p> + +<p>"No, father."</p> + +<p>"He managed to get his left hand badly burnt by a squib; and what is +very odd about the accident is that he felt the squib was pushed into +his hand, and then it exploded."</p> + +<p>Robert turned pale, and red. No one was observing him, for all eyes +were fixed on the miller, so he had time to regain his self-possession; +and right glad was he that a customer came to see his father on +business, and he was able to make his escape.</p> + +<p>Robert was not a bad boy at heart, nor would he ever have injured +another in the cruel manner in which Paul had injured Hans. He was +appalled at what he had heard, and all that was noble in his character +rose up for the moment in judgment against Paul. He walked quickly +away from the mill, and took the back road into the town, nor did he +slacken his pace until he reached Herr Ebhardt's house. He found his +friend stitching away diligently in a little parlour at the back of his +father's shop.</p> + +<p>"You're early, old fellow," said Paul, scarcely looking up from +his work, "but I've nearly done, and then we'll go as far as the +Hümmel-reich, for I've to take this coat home to a customer who lives +on the way."</p> + +<p>"All right; I'll wait outside until you're ready," replied Robert.</p> + +<p>As he passed into the street again, he found himself face to face +with Hans, who was going to the doctor. He looked pale and ill, very +different to the bright lad of the previous day.</p> + +<p>Robert could not help stopping him, and asking, in a concerned tone, +"Is your hand very bad? I heard from my father that you met with an +accident last night."</p> + +<p>"It's very bad," answered Hans, "dreadfully burnt. Good-bye, I'm going +to see the doctor."</p> + +<p>Robert was thoroughly unhinged; though he was really innocent, he felt +in some degree guilty, and he was glad when Paul joined him, for he +was most anxious to hear his secret, and was sure that it had some +connection with the accident that had befallen Hans.</p> + +<p>"Now for your secret," he said to Paul.</p> + +<p>"Wait a bit; let's get up the Hümmel-reich."</p> + +<p>"It will take us a good half-hour to walk there, and I want to hear +what you've got to say," urged Robert, impatiently.</p> + +<p>"Gently, old fellow; we've plenty of time before us. It's a jolly +morning for an outing. Let us get rid of the coat, and then we'll enjoy +ourselves. You will be right glad to hear what I've got to tell you."</p> + +<p>"I know what it is before you speak, and I call it a wicked shame of +you to hurt a fellow as you've hurt Hans. I've a great mind to tell of +you, that I have!" burst out Robert.</p> + +<p>The boys were out of the village and walking through a field when he +spoke thus angrily.</p> + +<p>"What do you mean?" asked Paul, scowling at his companion.</p> + +<p>"Why, I mean that I've a great mind to tell every one in Kösen that it +was you who put the squib into the hand of poor Hans, and that you did +it out of revenge."</p> + +<p>There was something so resolute in Robert's face, and so different from +the idle, careless expression it usually wore, that Paul felt a little +afraid, for he was a coward at heart.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Robert, how can you be so unkind! It was all for you I did it; and +now you find fault with me." And his voice trembled as if he were about +to cry.</p> + +<p>"It wasn't all for me, and you know that, Paul; you hate Hans, and you +made up your mind to pay him off after he tripped you up. But you've +gone too far this time, and what's more, I think you've put me in such +a corner that I can't shoot for the prize this year."</p> + +<p>"Not shoot, Robert!" answered Paul, standing still in his astonishment. +"You don't mean what you say. Why, I've made it an easy matter for you. +Now, old fellow, shake hands, and tell me you're glad I got rid of your +rival thus. He would certainly have come off conqueror, so you must +thank me, for I'm a true friend to you. And, really, if I hadn't been +so fond of you, I shouldn't have interfered, but suffered Hans to win."</p> + +<p>"I'm not so sure he would have won; and I declare I'd rather he had +beaten than see him look so ill."</p> + +<p>"When did you see him?"</p> + +<p>"A few minutes ago; he was on his way to the doctor's."</p> + +<p>"Then he is really hurt?"</p> + +<p>"How can you ask me that question? You know he is, Paul. It was nothing +but revenge that made you push the squib into his hand; I see it in +your face, you look so spiteful."</p> + +<p>"What's come to you to-day, Robert? I tell you what it is, you may try +me too far. You're my friend, and I'm your friend, but I can't stand +being preached at. Now, let's forget this little difference; what is +done can't be undone. And, remember, if I have acted unkindly to Hans, +it was all for you, so don't blame me. I'll just run in, and leave this +coat at yonder house, and then we'll go on to the Hümmel-reich, as we +are so near, and be jolly for the rest of the way."</p> + +<p>This pretty spot derives its name from the great beauty of its +situation. It merely consists of a little hotel built on a flat +hill-top, which commands the valley of the Saale at a point where the +river makes a bend in the shape of a horse-shoe. On the opposite side +are the ruins of two old castles, the Rudolsburg and the Saalech; +while, as far as the eye can reach, little villages with their quaint +old churches lie nestling among the trees of this highly-cultivated +valley, and thus add to the picturesqueness of the scene.</p> + +<p>Robert was not convinced, but he nevertheless accompanied Paul on to +the Hümmel-reich, which was not thronged with visitors so early in the +day. The friends spent a couple of hours pleasantly, for there was a +target so that Robert was able to practise for the festival, and Paul +stood by and praised him. They only left off in time to reach home by +one o'clock, and, as Paul was going out with his father, they parted at +Herr Ebhardt's door, and made no plans for the evening.</p> + +<p>"Ain't we just as good friends as ever?" Paul asked Robert, as they +entered the village.</p> + +<p>"Oh yes," he replied.</p> + +<p>But though Robert answered Paul in the affirmative, he was oppressed +and out of spirit, and could not resist taking a stroll in the +direction of the toll-house after dinner; he had no definite object in +view beyond a sort of restless feeling to see Hans.</p> + +<p>The latter was sitting outside the door with a book on his knee, +looking very pale, and with his left arm in a sling. He was so absorbed +in the contents of his volume that he started when Robert addressed him +in these words: "I'm so sorry you're hurt. I am alone this afternoon, +and thought I would come and see if I could do anything for you."</p> + +<p>Hans was very much surprised, but Robert seemed so thoroughly in +earnest that he answered: "Thank you; no one can help me bear the pain, +but it is very kind of you to think of me. My master does not mind my +being idle until I am better. It would be much worse if I were thrown +out of my place."</p> + +<p>"What are you reading out of? You seem to have got a queer old book +there," asked Robert, by way of continuing the conversation.</p> + +<p>"Queer outside, perhaps," replied Hans, "but the inside is all gold."</p> + +<p>"Let me see it."</p> + +<p>Hans opened his father's old Bible.</p> + +<p>"Why, it's a Bible!" exclaimed Robert, in a tone of disappointment. "I +thought it was something very particular."</p> + +<p>"So it is," answered Hans; "if you will sit down, I will read you a few +verses that are worth more than thousands of sovereigns."</p> + +<p>At another time Robert would have laughed, and jeered, and perhaps run +away, but he was softened towards Hans, and wanted to show him some +attention, so he quietly sat down on the door-step by his side.</p> + +<p>Hans felt sure his master would not be angry at his speaking to Robert +when he told him that he had an opportunity of bidding him stick to +the Raft; so he turned over the pages of his Bible to find a suitable +passage to read, and in that moment he asked God to help him for +Christ's sake to say something to Robert that would make him think.</p> + +<p>"I declare it is difficult to settle what to read to you, there are +so many beautiful things in this book; but, of course, you know your +Bible?" said Hans.</p> + +<p>"I can't say I'm much up to it," replied his companion.</p> + +<p>"But you read it, or hear it read, every day, don't you?"</p> + +<p>"No, I don't; please go on where you were reading when I came up."</p> + +<p>"I had just got to these words: 'A new commandment I give unto you, +That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one +another.' I will read the chapter through."</p> + +<p>"You read splendidly," said Robert, at its conclusion. "Where did you +learn?"</p> + +<p>"In our village, and in the forest. My mother was a very good scholar, +and I'm so fond of learning. My master gives me lessons every evening. +Are not those grand words, 'A new commandment I give unto you, That ye +love one another'? Oddly enough, you were in my thoughts when I first +read them—I mean just before you spoke to me."</p> + +<p>"I! How?"</p> + +<p>"I will tell you. I have been practising hard at the target, and meant +to try for the Burgomaster's prize, which you have won for the last two +years. My master said that you had no rival to fear in Kösen, and that +the Burgomaster wished to find another who would compete with you; for +though many boys usually entered their names on the list, it was only +for the pleasure of being mixed up with the fête, but with no chance +of success. My master found I had a steady hand and a correct eye, so +he lent me his bow and arrows, and I have been practising regularly +with him every evening; and I think I had a fair chance of winning the +prize. But this morning the doctor said that I should be unable to use +my hand for at least three weeks, and, as you know, the Schutzen Fest +comes off in eight days. I was very jealous of you this morning, and +inclined to murmur and rebel because I could not use my hand. But, +thank God, the feeling is passing away, for it came into my mind that +if I were to encourage it, I should break Christ's new commandment, and +shut out love, for love and jealousy cannot live together; and, Robert, +I had rather stick to the Raft than win the prize."</p> + +<p>Robert looked his astonishment, and Hans explained his meaning, and +added: "Christ gave Himself for us—that was His love; and He asks us in +return to give ourselves to Him. Will you give yourself to Him? I shall +bear my pain and disappointment without murmuring if any words which +I have read out of God's book make you think about Him, for I shall +remember that you would not have spoken to me if you had not been sorry +for my accident, and that it was because you knew I was in pain that +you took the trouble to come here to see me."</p> + +<p>Robert could scarcely bear these words, they made him inclined to tell +Hans the whole truth, but the fear of Paul kept him silent, and right +glad was he to see Karl Schmidt walking towards them.</p> + +<p>"Your master is coming," he said; "I had better be off. I know he will +not care to see me here, so good-bye. I dare say I shall come again +soon to hear how you are getting on."</p> + +<p>And Robert walked away in a more thoughtful mood than usual. There was +something so manly and noble about Hans. He was so different to his +chosen friend Paul. He felt a few pricks of conscience too when he +recalled the words which Hans had spoken about the Burgomaster's prize.</p> + +<p>"I wish Paul hadn't interfered," he muttered, "that I do, with all my +heart. I would rather have been beaten fairly than win and carry about +the secret knowledge that if it hadn't been for Ebhardt's cowardly +behaviour to Hans, we should have tried our luck together. And to think +of his saying that he didn't mind the pain if it made me stick to the +Raft; that beat's all."</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p class="t3"> +————————<br> +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<h3><a id="Chapter_8">CHAPTER VIII.</a></h3> + +<p class="t3"> +<b>THE SCHUTZEN FEST.</b><br> +</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p>ROBERT could not shake off the impression which Hans had produced upon +him, and he did not awake in a very good humour with himself next +morning. When he met Paul, he entered at once upon the subject which +engrossed his thoughts, and ended by saying: "I've almost made up my +mind not to shoot. I feel as if I were a great rascal to stand up +before the people of Kösen and carry away the prize, knowing what I do."</p> + +<p>Paul was very angry. "I tell you what it is, Robert," he replied, "I've +had enough of this sort of thing. If you don't shoot, I declare I'll +go to Hans and tell him you pushed the squib into his hand because you +didn't want him to shoot against you."</p> + +<p>"You dare not, Paul. But if you were to be so wicked, it would be easy +for me to tell the truth about you."</p> + +<p>"One against the other, my boy. My word is as good as yours; we are +known as close friends in Kösen. But now, Robert, don't be stupid; I +shall be all right if you will just shoot for the prize, and win it, +and that will make an end of the matter. And to show you that I am +sorry I have vexed you, I promise I will never tease Hans again. Don't +let us fall out; we are old chums, and Kösen boys, and it wouldn't +sound well if we were to give evidence against one another; nor would +your parents, or even mine, care to have this affair made a matter of +talk in the town."</p> + +<p>Robert was afraid to refuse Paul's terms; and so he tried to forget +that Hans had been ill-used, nor did he call on him again before the +Schutzen Fest. Paul felt secretly thankful he had constrained his +friend to keep silence; for, bad as he was, he did not relish the +affair being sifted, so certain was he that if the truth were made +public, even he would feel uncomfortable and cowed by the black looks +which he knew his companions and acquaintances would cast upon him. His +fear was for himself; he was not ashamed of his sin.</p> + +<p>The market-place in Kösen consists of a clump of green trees which +stand in the high street, and this was the meeting-place of those who +competed for the Burgomaster's prize.</p> + +<p>Kösen put on its gayest appearance for the fête; the day was exquisite, +the sky blue, and the air still; flags were flying in all directions, +and parents and children appeared in their holiday attire.</p> + +<p>The shooting began at four o'clock. Long before that hour, there was +quite a crowd in the market-place waiting for the band to come and +strike up the national air, which was a signal for the twenty boys who +competed for the prize to form themselves into a double column. Each of +the boys carried his own bow and arrows and wore a scarlet cap wreathed +with oak-leaves.</p> + +<p>The marker led the way, dressed in a scarlet tunic, white trousers, and +a cap with a plume of many colours; the band came next, then banners +carried by boys, and lastly the twenty competitors for the prize. In +this order they proceeded to the Burgomaster's house. He was awaiting +their arrival arrayed in his robes of office; and now he took the lead, +and marched away in the direction of the bridge. Instead of crossing +it, the procession turned off to the right, passed the mill, and +onwards until it reached the Katze—a pretty, elevated spot covered with +green trees, with the Saale running a few feet below. Here many chairs +and tables were ranged; and there were temporary tents erected where +refreshments could be had, for most of the company remained to supper +after the shooting was over.</p> + +<p>Every one of the twenty competitors shot twelve arrows, and if the +bull's-eye were hit, the marker signified the fact by dancing in front +of the target, flag in hand, while at the same moment a gun fired.</p> + +<p>Robert was quite himself; the excitement of the scene made him forget +everything but his own enjoyment and importance. He did not meet Hans +on the way, so he had nothing to damp his pleasure.</p> + +<p>Paul was as close to his friend as the rules permitted, for only those +who competed for the prize were allowed to enter the ring.</p> + +<p>The boys shot better than on the previous year, but Robert shot the +best, and so to him the prize was awarded. He had to come before the +Burgomaster, who complimented him on his skill, and crowned him with a +wreath of laurel-leaves. Afterwards, he presented a drinking-cup to him +mounted in silver.</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<figure class="figcenter" id="image007" style="max-width: 25.3125em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/image007.jpg" alt="image007"></figure> +<p class="t4"> +<b>ROBERT WINS THE PRIZE.</b><br> +</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p>When this ceremony was concluded, the Burgomaster returned home, and +Robert became the hero of the evening. At ten o'clock the band left the +orchestra in order to conduct him home, and a large concourse of young +friends and acquaintances accompanied him, lighting the way with their +many coloured lanterns, and shouting, "Hoch, Hoch" (Hurrah).</p> + +<p>The music ceased when the mill was reached, and amid renewed shouts +Robert entered his father's house, and the rest of his friends +dispersed to their several homes, save Paul, for Robert could not spare +him. He wanted to chat over the events of the day with his friend, and +to express his surprise at not seeing Hans Richter.</p> + +<p>But even Paul bade him "Good night" as soon as he found there was +company in the kitchen, for he did not care to face kind Pastor Hahn +who was chatting with the miller and his wife. When he caught sight of +him through the open door, he whispered to Robert: "Good night, old +fellow. I shall slip off, for I don't care to have a lecture from the +minister to-night. Come to me in the morning."</p> + +<p>"All hail to the conqueror!" exclaimed the pastor, as Robert entered +the kitchen.</p> + +<p>"You shot well, my boy," said his father, "better than usual, I +thought."</p> + +<p>"And you had an easy victory," added Pastor Hahn; "you had no +competitor. I think you would have found your match if Hans Richter +had been able to try his skill. Poor fellow! I have been so sorry for +him; he set his heart on shooting for the prize. At the same time, I +must say I never saw a lad take his disappointment so well. Ah, Robert, +would that you had the same strong principle to guide you, that Hans +has. It is such a mystery how that lad met with his accident. I confess +from his account it seems to me as if some one had thrust the squib +into his hand out of sheer mischief, or even revenge, and—"</p> + +<p>"Hold up your cup, Robert," called out the miller; "you will drop your +prize. My boy, you are tired out, you look deadly pale. Now your colour +is returning: I thought you were going to faint. Get your supper, and +go to bed at once."</p> + +<p>"I've had enough to eat, thank you, father," answered Robert, "but I +will go to bed, for I am very tired, so good night all. Good night, +Pastor Hahn."</p> + +<p>"Good night," said the pastor, taking the hand Robert stretched out to +him, and holding it in his own. "You have won an earthly prize to-day; +how I wish you would be as eager in striving to win a heavenly prize. +God has given us many prizes, but the greatest and best is His Son, and +I fear you despise this prize. The day will come when your Father in +heaven will ask why you have neglected your Saviour; what answer will +you give then?"</p> + +<p>"The lad is too tired to think to-night, good pastor," said the miller; +"don't damp his pleasure by a long sermon."</p> + +<p>"It seems to me as if it were never the right moment to speak to you +of those things which make for our everlasting salvation," answered +the pastor, sadly: for he was rarely permitted to enlarge on the theme +he loved so well within those walls. And yet he did not cease his +visits, hoping that the seed he dropped from time to time would, by the +Spirit's blessing, bear fruit at last.</p> + +<p>Robert went to bed, but not to sleep. Now that the excitement was over, +and Paul away from him, he began to be uncomfortable again. He would +willingly have relinquished his prize if he could have undone the cruel +injury which Paul had inflicted on Hans. He tossed about his bed, +wondering why he could not sleep, for he never remembered lying awake +for five minutes before. But turn as he might, he got no real rest, for +if he fell asleep, he dreamed of terrible things and was thankful to +awake and find them unreal. He was very glad to see morning dawn, and +watch the sun rise, for he did not feel quite so miserable as during +the long hours of the night.</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p>Hans was not present at the Schutzen Fest, for a very good reason. +He and his master had fully determined to go, but at the last moment +several rafts came along, and the men were anxious to pay duty on their +wood and start forward at once. As soon as they had been attended to, +another delay came: a friend from Naumburg called to see Karl; so, as +his master was engaged, Hans went quietly upstairs to chat with Frau +Schmidt.</p> + +<p>"Not gone!" she said, when he entered her room. "Surely, dear boy, you +are not smarting so much under your disappointment that you cannot see +another win!"</p> + +<p>"No, dear frau, but we've been so busy, and now my master's engaged, +and I feel very tired. There is really no other reason why I do not go. +I could see Robert win, and not be one bit jealous of him. I have had a +battle to fight, nevertheless," he added, smiling, "so don't think me +better than I am. It's sticking to the Raft, dear frau, that enabled me +to think quietly of Robert's currying off a prize that might have been +mine. I seem to understand better since this struggle has passed away +how easily those who have no Raft to cling to may commit any sin to +gain their ends."</p> + +<p>"You are quite right, Hans; had you encouraged the feeling of jealousy, +it might have grown so fast that it would have mastered you at last. +Christ's new commandment carried out into daily life is the best cure +for the indulgence of sin."</p> + +<p>"There is an old man coming to the fest to-day," Hans said, after +a pause, "in whom I am much interested; he is such a fine, manly +Christian, and yet so poor. I cannot forget my talk with him, though I +have never told you about it." And Hans gave Frau Schmidt an account of +his conversation with the old man who sold sausages, adding, "I must +try and find him out to-morrow; he told me he intended to spend a few +days at Kösen."</p> + +<p>"There is a sort of freemasonry between Christians," answered Frau +Schmidt. "I hope you may find him; I should like to see him if I am +tolerably well."</p> + +<p>Hans little thought when he spoke about the old man how much he was +engrossing the thoughts of the latter. Among the spectators who +watched the shooting was Franz Nieper, the seller of sausages. He +arranged his apparatus some little distance from the ring, but in a +good position for trade. And when the attention of all was directed +to the competitors for the Burgomaster's prize, he also joined the +crowd and watched the progress of the match. He recognised one face +inside the ring, and one just without. He would have known Robert and +Paul anywhere; their countenances were impressed on his memory. He +looked about in vain for another face he expected to see—a pleasant +one, which had smiled on him, and given him cheery words. But though +he looked again and again at the twenty boys wearing scarlet caps, he +could not find it. At length he ventured to make a remark to a pretty, +bright-looking girl who stood beside him looking on:</p> + +<p>"I thought the lad who lives with the toll-master was going to try his +luck," he said.</p> + +<p>"So he was," replied the maiden, who happened to be one of the miller's +daughters, "but he has had an accident and burnt his hand."</p> + +<p>"How did it happen?"</p> + +<p>"He was at the cherry feast at Naumburg, and some of the rough boys +of the town began letting off squibs, though it is forbidden by the +authorities. And in some way, I don't know how, Hans Richter got hold +of a squib, which went off in his hand and hurt him dreadfully. He's +getting better now, but is not well enough to shoot."</p> + +<p>"Who's likely to win the day?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know for certain, but I think my brother, for he's the best +shot in Kösen. They do say that if Hans had been able to shoot, Robert +might have lost the prize."</p> + +<p>"Where is your brother Robert?"</p> + +<p>"There, standing close to that large tree," replied the girl, pointing +to one of the faces Franz had recognised.</p> + +<p>"And the boy talking to him, who is he?"</p> + +<p>"That's Paul Ebhardt, his greatest friend."</p> + +<p>"Where do you live?"</p> + +<p>"At the mill."</p> + +<p>"And where does Paul Ebhardt live?"</p> + +<p>"In the town; his father is a master tailor. But why do you ask so many +questions, do you want any help? You look so very old, and seem very +poor."</p> + +<p>"Yes, young girl, I am both old and poor," replied Franz, "but I don't +require help, for my Master never forgets me, and He can send me all +the help I want. Thank you for answering my questions." And the old man +turned away.</p> + +<p>He walked slowly back to his wooden table, and attended to his fire, +muttering, "Poor lad, poor lad, I'm so sorry for him! I wish I'd left +my sausages and found him. Well, well, it can't be helped now, but old +Franz must try and set wrong right."</p> + +<p>He seated himself on his wooden stool, nor did he rise when a great +noise of shouting announced that the prize was won. He made no comment +when he heard Robert Klein was the victor, he merely stamped on the +ground impatiently, and then he seemed to remember that such a feeling +was wrong, for he said aloud: "That won't do, Franz; that's not the way +to set wrong right; be a Christian, and just do the Master's work, and +copy Him. Did He ever grow impatient?"</p> + +<p>When customers came, the old man was calm as before, and served +them with the care he generally exercised. But all the time, he was +thinking, and the results of his meditations were comprised in these +words, which fell from his lips before he lay down upon a heap of straw +in an out-house: "To-morrow morning, the first thing you do, Franz, +must be to go to the toll-house and ask to see the toll-master."</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p class="t3"> +————————<br> +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<h3><a id="Chapter_9">CHAPTER IX.</a></h3> + +<p class="t3"> +<b>WRONG SET RIGHT.</b><br> +</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p>THE next morning, Hans started off early to make some purchases in the +town, and find out if the old man who sold sausages had arrived on the +previous day. He had been absent more than an hour when Franz Nieper +reached the toll-keeper's house.</p> + +<p>"Is Hans Richter at home?" he asked of Karl Schmidt, who was sitting in +the parlour making up his books.</p> + +<p>"No; he is gone over to the town. I expect him back every minute; in +fact, I can't think why he is so long away. Do you want him?"</p> + +<p>"I presume my business is with you as much as with him," answered +Franz. "Did he tell you he bought sausages at Naumburg of an old man?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, to be sure he did; and one of his errands this morning is to try +and find him, for he expects he came to Kösen yesterday."</p> + +<p>"I am that old man. I want to greet the lad once more; and I have +something important to say to him, and to you too, for I suppose I'm +speaking to the toll-master."</p> + +<p>"Yes, I am Karl Schmidt, but I do not quite understand what you have of +importance to say to me, seeing we are strangers to one another, and +Hans only knows you because he bought your sausages and had a chat with +you while he ate them."</p> + +<p>"I wish to set wrong right, master," replied old Franz, emphatically. +"The lad has been cruelly wronged."</p> + +<p>"How?" asked Karl, feeling and looking sorely puzzled.</p> + +<p>"It's a long story, master, and I am an old man. I can only tell it my +own way. Will you listen to all I have to say?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly I will. Sit down, my friend, for you look tired, and don't +hurry yourself."</p> + +<p>Old Franz took the chair that Karl offered him, and began his story by +speaking first of his interview with Hans, and how much he liked the +boy. Then he repeated the substance of the conversation which passed +between Paul and Robert, and alluded to his own determination of trying +to find Hans out in order to tell him to take care of himself; and how +his customers came and prevented him from carrying out his intention. +He further spoke of missing Hans among the twenty boys with scarlet +caps on the previous day, and that he made inquiry of the miller's +daughter, and learnt the sad truth.</p> + +<p>"It needs no words of mine to tell you," he said, in conclusion, "how +that lad met with his accident, and I really think the boy, or boys, +who had to do with it ought to be punished, or some one else will be +served in like manner."</p> + +<p>Karl was extremely angry. "I thought Paul was a very bad fellow," he +replied, "but scarcely so bad as this proves him to be. I wonder if +Robert was persuaded to be a party to the cowardly action, or whether +he maintained his refusal. At any rate, he knew when Hans was hurt that +it was no accident, but foul play, and certainly he should have refused +to accept the Burgomaster's prize; an honourable boy would have quietly +withdrawn from the contest. I scarcely know how to move in this matter."</p> + +<p>"Try and set the wrong right, master," reiterated old Franz. "The prize +is given now, so I suppose it can't be taken away, but the miller's son +has not won it fairly."</p> + +<p>"No; for I am almost sure Hans would have come off conqueror had he +been able to take his place. The grave question to be settled now is, +how to prove that Paul deliberately thrust the squib into Richter's +hand. But here comes Hans; he is the one who has the best right to +decide what steps we should take. Let us consult with him."</p> + +<p>"I'm so glad to see you once more!" exclaimed the boy, shaking old +Franz warmly by the hand. "I've just come from the town, and I looked +about for you everywhere. I was sorry to miss seeing you yesterday. +I have had an accident, and that prevented me from shooting, but I'm +getting better, and I hope very soon to be able to use my hand again +and do all my work."</p> + +<p>"Your old friend came to see me about your so-called accident," said +Karl. "I think we have found out how it happened."</p> + +<p>"Yes, young lad. I ought to have saved you from it, but my customers +came so quickly I could not leave them to find you. I overheard the +tailor's son propose to the miller's boy that you should have a fired +squib pushed into your hand. I must give credit where credit is due, +and say that the miller's boy was up in arms when his friend proposed +this; but one or both of them did the deed, or your hand would not have +been hurt."</p> + +<p>"Paul fired the squib, and thrust it into my hand," answered Hans, +quietly; "Robert had nothing to do with it."</p> + +<p>"How do you know this?" asked Karl.</p> + +<p>"Because I left Robert half-an-hour ago, and he gave me a full account +of the whole thing."</p> + +<p>"Robert told you all about it!" exclaimed Karl. "I wonder he was not +too ashamed for that."</p> + +<p>"It is because he is so repentant, master; and he has promised me to +give up Paul's friendship and turn over a new leaf."</p> + +<p>"He has promised that a hundred times before," said Karl.</p> + +<p>"But I believe he is in earnest this time. I am sure if he will keep +away from Paul's influence, he will be a better fellow."</p> + +<p>"Still, I fear it is all talk with him; he is not to be trusted."</p> + +<p>"Let us try him once more, master."</p> + +<p>"But what did he say to you?"</p> + +<p>"I should like to tell you, if you will agree not to let his confession +go further until we have decided what it is best to do," said Hans, +looking first at Karl Schmidt, and then at the old man.</p> + +<p>"Certainly, I will keep my counsel," replied his master.</p> + +<p>"And so will I; indeed, I only want to set wrong right, my boy. And if +you, who are injured, are satisfied, I ought to be," remarked Franz.</p> + +<p>"I crossed the river in your boat, master," said Hans, smiling at the +old man, "and went directly to the mill to order the flour. As I came +out, I met Robert, so I stopped and asked him how he enjoyed himself +yesterday, and I congratulated him on winning the prize, adding, 'I +was not miserable about it, for I lived down my first feelings of +vexation; they were nearly gone when you came to see me the day after +my accident, so I was able to be glad that the sun shone, and it was so +still and bright.' To my astonishment, Robert burst out:</p> + +<p>"'Oh, Hans, don't talk to me like that; I'm the most unhappy fellow +living.'</p> + +<p>"'What's the matter?' I asked. And seeing that he looked ready to cry, +I said, 'Come along with me and have a talk.'</p> + +<p>"So we walked by the side of the river until we found a nook where we +could sit down and be quite out of the way of any one who chanced to +pass by.</p> + +<p>"'Now, tell me why you are unhappy,' I asked, 'for I must confess you +look wretched and ill; let me be your friend.'</p> + +<p>"When I said this, he gave a great sob, and then he began to laugh, and +then he cried, and it was some time before I could get him to speak +out. At last he told me what it was that weighed on his mind. He said +that Paul Ebhardt had disliked me from the very first time he saw me, +but since the day we had quarrelled by the river-side, he had hated me, +and watched for an opportunity of paying me off. Then he spoke of the +conversation that my old friend there overheard, and he assured me he +had no idea Paul would carry out his cruel purpose.</p> + +<p>"'I give you my word,' he continued, 'that, careless as I am, I should +never have been such a dastard as to hurt you. I have been wretched +ever since I heard that you were injured. I went home miserable after +you had spoken to me about sticking to the Raft, and had read to me +out of the Bible. The next morning I fell out with Paul about you, but +we made it up again, and I tried to forget you, because I was afraid +of him. But last night I could not sleep for thinking, so I made up my +mind to tell you all about it, and I want you to show that you forgive +me by taking the prize I won yesterday.'</p> + +<p>"'I am glad you have told me this, but I don't want your prize,' I +answered. 'You may be happy again, Robert, for I forgive you entirely, +though I scarcely know what I have to forgive; and, now, will you do me +a very great favour?'</p> + +<p>"'What is it?' he asked 'I will do anything to prove to you that I +would not have had you injured; and if only you would take my prize, I +should think we were quits.'</p> + +<p>"'I don't want to be quits with you in that manner,' I replied; 'we +shall be quits, and true friends, if you will "stick to the Raft," for +then you will learn to love good company, and work, and study. Oh, will +you come to Jesus?'</p> + +<p>"'I wish I could, if it would make me as happy as you are, Hans,' he +answered; 'but I am bound to Paul, for I am afraid of him. I hardly +dare think how angry he will be with me when he learns what I have +done.'</p> + +<p>"'Avoid him for the present, or at least until I have consulted my +master,' I said. 'Will you begin a new life at once by asking your +father to give you work at the mill, and will you pray to God, Robert, +to help you?'</p> + +<p>"'I never prayed in my life, Hans,' he replied.</p> + +<p>"'Then begin at once, to-day,' I urged. 'There will be no real change +in you unless you change towards God. He says to you, "My son, give Me +thine heart." Oh! Do not withhold it from Him.'</p> + +<p>"We parted then. Robert went to the mill, and I made my way to the +village. And all the way, I've been thinking how it will be best to +act; and really, master, if you do not object, I should like to go and +see Paul and try and win him over."</p> + +<p>"Well done, my boy!" exclaimed Franz Nieper. "That's the way to set +wrong right; and depend upon it, you are showing the same mercy to Paul +that God shows to us. You have hit the nail on the head. It's the Raft +that has done this; it is your faith and trust in your Saviour, and +clinging fast to His teaching, that enables you to love your enemy."</p> + +<p>"Yes, Hans," remarked his master, "you have found the best way of +taking your revenge on Paul. But whether he will receive your advances +cordially and be sorry for what he has done, is more than I can tell. +At any rate, I wish you God speed on your errand. Go to him at once, my +boy—that is, if you are not too tired—for it is better for you to see +him before he meets Robert. But remember, if you come back and tell me +that Paul has refused to hear you, and added insult to injury, I must +act for you."</p> + +<p>"I'll accompany you as far as the village," said Franz Nieper, "for I +ought not to lose a day's trade."</p> + +<p>"You must have something to eat first, and then see my mother," +exclaimed Schmidt, adding, "she will like to thank you for coming here +when I tell her why you paid us a visit."</p> + +<p>So Franz Nieper remained at the toll-house, and Hans Richter went alone +to the master tailor's house in search of Paul.</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<h3><a id="Chapter_10">CHAPTER X.</a></h3> + +<p class="t3"> +<b>THE INTERVIEW.</b><br> +</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p>PAUL wondered why Robert did not come, and he was on the point of going +in search of his friend when he saw Hans standing in the doorway of his +father's shop. His was the last face in the world he wished to see, +and to have him there boded no good. Paul would have liked to make his +escape, but he could not do this very well, for Hans came up close to +him and said, "I want to speak to you."</p> + +<p>"What do you want? What have you to say to me?" he stammered out.</p> + +<p>"A great deal. Let us go into some room where we can talk quietly."</p> + +<p>"There's no place in this house. Father has only gone on an errand into +the village. He will be back in a few minutes, and then he'll want +the parlour for his work. People may come in here at any moment to +give orders, so I can't say that we shall be quite alone. But I'm sure +mother doesn't want us upstairs, so if you have anything to say, you +must say it at once, and take the chance of being interrupted."</p> + +<p>"Let us go into the fields, or by the river-side beyond the town. I +don't mind where we go, so that I can talk to you quietly."</p> + +<p>"I suppose you want to fight me again. No, I'm not going into the +fields or anywhere with you."</p> + +<p>"I mean to speak to you, Paul," said Hans, firmly. "And if you will not +give me an opportunity of saying what I have to say to you alone, why, +you must listen to it in your father's shop, and it's not my fault if +any one overhears our conversation."</p> + +<p>Paul began to quake. He felt sure that Richter had something important +to communicate, for he showed it in his determined manner. But as he +would not appear to be afraid, he exclaimed, in a loud, coarse voice, +"I can't think what you want with me; I hate you, and you hate me, so +the less we have to say to one another the better."</p> + +<p>Hans touched his arm, and replied, "This hurt of mine was no accident; +the squib was pushed into my hand deliberately. You know the name of +the boy who did it, and so do I. Let me have a quiet talk with you. If +you refuse me, my master will be very angry, and I fear he will tell +your father. I am sure it is better for us to be friends than enemies. +But if you won't hear me, and persist in treating me so rudely, I shall +have to go back home, and I don't know what turn matters will take."</p> + +<p>"Let your master come to my father and talk to him, if he likes; I +don't care. If Robert has been telling lies of me, he shall be well +paid off for it, that he shall! I suppose you mean me to understand +that I hurt your hand?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, you did. But oh, Paul, I really am not here to blame you, but +to forgive you. Don't go on being so wicked, but do remember you must +stand before God one day, and answer to Him if you persist in living in +sin. Stop before it is too late, and give up your bad habits, and try +and live a nobler life."</p> + +<p>"What stuff you are talking! Just leave off preaching, and give up the +name of the fellow who told you I hurt your hand. Do you know I will +make you answer for accusing me falsely, for neither you nor any one +else can prove that I did it! Name the fellow, I say."</p> + +<p>"I shall not," answered Hans.</p> + +<p>"Because you dare not. But, just to show you how wrong you are in +suspecting me, I will tell you who did the deed. Robert hurt you +because he was afraid you would win the prize away from him."</p> + +<p>"Robert did not hurt me, and did not know that you intended to carry +out your wicked thought; when you proposed to injure me, he refused to +be a party to such a cowardly act."</p> + +<p>"Robert has told of me," said Paul, forgetting in his passion that he +betrayed the truth and confessed his guilt. "He shall smart for this, +he shall rue the day that he turned tell-tale. And as for you, I detest +you. I can't think of any name to call you which is bad enough to show +how much I hate you. Go and tell everybody in Kösen that I hurt you for +the purpose; I don't care. I only wish your hand had been blown off, or +so bad that you could not use it again."</p> + +<p>What more Paul would have added, it is hard to say. He stopped +suddenly, for he saw his father. Herr Ebhardt had listened to nearly +all the conversation between his son and Hans. He had entered the +parlour by the back of the house, and hearing voices in the shop had +opened the door softly, and thus overheard what passed. He now came +forward, and asked Hans, "What is all this ado about? Tell me of what +you accuse my son."</p> + +<p>"I had much rather have spoken to Paul alone," answered Hans, +respectfully. "I came to him in the spirit of love, and hoped he would +have received me more kindly."</p> + +<p>"The spirit of love!" echoed the master tailor, scornfully. "None of +that cant here, please. What has my son done to you? It sounded to me +very much as if he had hurt your hand on purpose. Is that what you +accuse him of? Answer me at once, yes or no."</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Hans.</p> + +<p>"And you are guilty, Paul. I know it by the last words I heard you +speak; your passion got the better of you, young gentleman. You shall +be well punished for this. And you, young fellow, had better go home, +and if you meet any acquaintances by the way, and ask for their pity by +telling them how badly you have been treated, say to them that Ebhardt, +the master tailor of Kösen, condemns his son for committing such a +cowardly act as to stab you in the dark. I go in for fair play, and not +foul play. Will it satisfy you to know that that boy of mine has had +his reward in the shape of a punishment he will remember as long as he +lives?"</p> + +<p>"No, it will not, Herr Ebhardt," answered Hans, boldly. "I did not come +here to provoke you to be hard upon your son. I came to forgive him, +and I ask you to unsay what you have said. I do not wish him to be +punished and, what is more, if I can help it, he shall go free."</p> + +<p>"How can you help it?"</p> + +<p>"Not by force, because you are stronger than either Paul or I; and +you can thrash us both if you like. But will you hear me out without +sneering at me?"</p> + +<p>"Yes; speak up, lad. I don't think you are quite such a sneak as I took +you for at first."</p> + +<p>"I came here to forgive Paul, because I am a follower of the Lord Jesus +Christ, and as He forgave His enemies, so I wish to forgive mine. If +I forgive him of my own free will, I don't think you need punish him. +But there is one thing I will ask you to obtain for me, that is, his +promise not to abuse Robert Klein, nor fight him, nor serve him out in +any way."</p> + +<p>Paul had stood by in sullen silence, and now his father turned to him, +and said, "Do you hear what Hans asks? Give me your word that you will +not touch Robert, and I will let you go free."</p> + +<p>There was only one person in the world whom Paul feared, that was his +father, and he had good reason to be afraid of him. He was a powerful +man with a violent temper, who was very often partially intoxicated, +and then he cared for no one, but dealt out his blows freely on whoever +ventured to contradict or offend him.</p> + +<p>"I will promise not to touch Robert, father," answered Paul, in a +very different way to what he had spoken when addressing Hans. He was +so glad to escape punishment that he would have pledged his word to +anything that was required of him.</p> + +<p>"And mind," added his father, "you will keep your promise this time, or +my name is not Ebhardt. Do you hear me, sir?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I do," whimpered Paul.</p> + +<p>"And now I hope you are satisfied. I wish you good morning," said the +master tailor, waving his hand as if to dismiss his visitor.</p> + +<p>So Hans was obliged to leave the shop, for he was afraid to make +another effort to soften Paul's heart, lest his father should grow +impatient and visit his anger on his son in a summary manner.</p> + +<p>He was glad to reach home without meeting any of his acquaintances, for +he was in no mood to indulge in every-day chat. He was chafed in spirit +and disappointed at the rebuff he had received at the hands of Paul, +and also annoyed at the rough manner in which he had been addressed by +the master tailor.</p> + +<p>Old Franz had not left the toll-keeper's cottage. He had just come +downstairs after seeing Frau Schmidt.</p> + +<p>"Well, what success have you had?" asked Karl.</p> + +<p>"Poor enough," answered Hans, sighing. "Oh, master, I had such a +beautiful plan in my head. Paul was to be so sorry, he was to turn over +a new leaf and promise to reform, but it has all gone to the winds. I +have gained nothing by my visit to him, except a promise that he will +not fight Robert." And Hans gave an account of his interview with Herr +Ebhardt and Paul.</p> + +<p>"Well, well, you've done all you could; you've tried to carry out the +Master's new commandment," said old Franz. "You can't make him sorry, +you can't change his heart, my boy, but there is One who can. While +there is life there is hope; so hope on, and pray that something will +happen that will induce the lad to arise and go to his Father and say, +'I have sinned against heaven, and before Thee.'"</p> + +<p>"And in the meantime let Robert be your care," added Karl; "for if he +will no longer idle his time away, I do not mind his coming here. There +seems better material to work upon in him, and you may be sure that he +and Paul will never be friends again. The master tailor will take care +of that. Depend upon it, this affair will be known in Kösen; indeed, it +ought to be, and I think I should do well if I went to the Burgomaster, +for he is certain to hear a garbled account from some one."</p> + +<p>"No, no, sir; please don't do that. Let it rest now," said Richter. "My +hand will be quite well in another week, and then the affair will die +out. I shall be so sorry to keep up ill-will between Paul and Robert."</p> + +<p>"Then you do not wish me to go and see Herr Ebhardt?"</p> + +<p>"No, no, sir; it will only make Paul hate me the more; and I do want to +win him over to be my friend at last."</p> + +<p>"I don't think you will do that, but at any rate, the less said the +soonest mended. I think you have right on your side," replied Karl. +"But you must be prepared to hear more about it, for the miller is not +a man to keep a secret, and he is sure to be told all the facts of the +case by Robert. Must you go?" he added, addressing Franz Nieper, who +made a movement towards the door.</p> + +<p>"Yes, I have to say good-bye. I leave Kösen first thing to-morrow. +There is a great fair in Halle soon, and as the weather is warm, I +mean to take my time and move along slowly, for I did a good trade +yesterday. I intended to stay longer, but somehow I feel unhinged, and +more inclined to push on than to linger here."</p> + +<p>"Good-bye," said Hans; "I hope we shall meet again one of these days."</p> + +<p>"If we don't meet here, we shall meet yonder," replied the old man, +pointing up to the blue sky, "for we all three have our faces turned +in one direction. May it be our greatest joy so long as God spares +our lives to do as yon man is doing who is just coming in sight—you +see I have not forgotten our first conversation—'stick to the Raft.' +Farewell."</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p class="t3"> +————————<br> +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<h3><a id="Chapter_11">CHAPTER XI.</a></h3> + +<p class="t3"> +<b>THE POOL OF BETHESDA.</b><br> +</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p>ROBERT went directly to his father after he left Hans. The miller was +writing a letter in his counting-house; he looked up with a troubled +expression on his face when he saw his son enter, for Robert rarely +came there unless he wanted to borrow or beg money, or to tell him of +some mischief he had done.</p> + +<p>"What is the matter now?" he said, impatiently.</p> + +<p>"I am come to ask you to give me some work to do," stammered out +Robert. "Father, I know you will say that I only bring you into +trouble, and lose the business if I have anything to do with it, but I +really am in earnest this time. I will tell you why." And the boy gave +a detailed account of all that had occurred.</p> + +<p>"Hans Richter is a noble fellow," exclaimed the miller. "I liked that +boy from the first: he has a fine face, and looks as if he could not do +a mean trick. And if he makes you a better lad, Robert, I shall indeed +owe him a debt of gratitude."</p> + +<p>"I think I've got hold of the secret of his goodness. Father, I'm +beginning to believe there is something true in religion, and that it +is because Hans loves God he is such a noble fellow. I mean to try and +see if I can follow his example, and serve my God, too. Why should we +not all turn over a new leaf, and go and hear Pastor Hahn preach on +Sunday?"</p> + +<p>"I can't quite do that, my boy, for I'm satisfied with the life I lead, +and I don't care to be made gloomy by too much religion. I often think +Pastor Hahn calls me to account without good reason, for I harm no one, +pay my debts, don't drink, and am a good husband and father."</p> + +<p>"I fancy Hans would say that was not enough; he told me the other day +that I must give myself to Christ, and cling to Him as the men do to +the raft when it shoots the weir, for that Christ died on the cross to +save us from our sins. But I can't remember all he said, for I know so +little about these things. I will soon know more, though, for Hans will +teach me; and I mean to go with him to Pastor Hahn's Bible-class. I do +very much wish I had read my Bible before this."</p> + +<p>The miller felt uncomfortable; he could not but remember that if he had +been a God-fearing man, the Bible would have been an honoured book. As +it was, neither he nor his wife nor his children cared for its sacred +pages.</p> + +<p>"I'm not going to stop you from going to the Bible-class, or church," +he answered, hurriedly; "you may do just as you like. And now tell me, +Robert," he added, more quietly, "are you really anxious to give up +your idle habits, and work?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, father. I dare say it will be hard at first, but you must bear +with me. I don't think really I'm such a very bad fellow at heart. +But I've been under Paul; he has managed me, and I have not had pluck +enough to shake him off."</p> + +<p>"This is good hearing for me, and will make your mother very happy. You +see, lad—to go back to what you said about our going to hear Pastor +Hahn—we've been very comfortable all these years, and enjoyed our +Sunday holidays right merrily, and I think it would make our neighbours +chatter if we took to church-going now. As to the Bible, I don't so +much mind hearing it read."</p> + +<p>"Let me learn a little more from Hans first, father, and then by +degrees we'll begin to read together; now tell me how I can help you."</p> + +<p>"There's no lack of work, my boy. Trade has never been better. I wish +you would keep my books for me; you write a good hand. But can I depend +upon your being correct?"</p> + +<p>"Try me, father. It's no use for me to talk about what I want to do; +just see if I do it."</p> + +<p>So Robert was installed as his father's bookkeeper. And he applied +himself so diligently to the task that the miller hoped he really was +going to reform and be a man of business at last. When the rest of the +men left off work, Robert made himself neat and clean and set out to +the toll-keeper's cottage, for he wanted to know if Hans had seen or +heard anything of Paul.</p> + +<p>He received a kind welcome from Karl Schmidt, who told him he hoped +he would yet be a great comfort to his father. "But don't trust in +yourself, Robert," he said. "'Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; +and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge +Him, and He shall direct thy paths.'"</p> + +<p>When Hans and Robert were left alone, the former made light of his +interview with Herr Ebhardt and his son, save when he spoke of the +promise Paul had given him.</p> + +<p>"Mind, Robert," he said, "that you never come to an open quarrel with +your former friend. If Paul breaks his word, his father will treat him +so violently that I do not like to think of what the consequences might +be; avoid crossing his path, if possible, for the present."</p> + +<p>"I will; indeed, I will, Hans. It shall not be my fault if we fall out, +but it will be rather difficult to avoid Paul."</p> + +<p>"Not so difficult as you think. It is some little distance from the +mill to the master tailor's house at the far end of the village. If you +become a man of business, you will have no time to idle away, and be +less likely to meet Paul."</p> + +<p>"Hans, I want to ask you a question," said Robert: "is it enough for +us to live good lives—I mean, is that what you call 'sticking to the +Raft'?"</p> + +<p>"No, no, Robert, 'sticking to the Raft' is quite another sort of +life. Instead of depending on yourself, you depend on the finished +work of your Saviour, who shed His most precious blood on the cross +for sinners. You feel how utterly impossible it is to do, or to say, +or to think anything that is right, so you cast your care on Christ, +and believe in Him as the only Saviour, and you yield yourself to Him +broken-hearted for your sin, and say, 'Lord, I believe; help Thou mine +unbelief.'"</p> + +<p>"Oh, Hans, how I wish I had not wasted my life; I am so ignorant, +compared with you."</p> + +<p>"There is time for you to learn, and to repent; thank God for life and +health, and come to Him at once. Cry to Him for the guidance of the +Holy Spirit before you lie down to rest."</p> + +<p>"When you pray, what do you say, Hans? I don't believe I ever said a +prayer in all these years!"</p> + +<p>"Did you ever ask your father for anything that you wanted very much?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, very often."</p> + +<p>"Then just ask God in the same way to forgive your sins for Christ's +sake. Don't pray with your lips only, for that is no prayer, but let +your words come straight from your heart. Now, Robert, I must not stay +here any longer, for it is just the time the master and I go to read +with Frau Schmidt."</p> + +<p>"Do you think I might come too?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know, but I will ask." And Hans ran upstairs to prefer his +request.</p> + +<p>"By all means let Robert join us," answered the frau.</p> + +<p>Accordingly Hans went to fetch his companion.</p> + +<p>"I like to have you here," said the invalid to Robert, when he entered +her room; "and I rejoice to know that you come here of your own free +will; and I rejoice still more in learning from Hans that you mean, God +helping you, to become a respectable member of society. I always felt, +my dear boy, that Paul Ebhardt was a very unfortunate friend for you to +have chosen. Poor Paul! I only wish we could lead him to pause in his +unhappy course, and come to Christ."</p> + +<p>"I am afraid, mother, he has nothing in his home surroundings to +influence him for good," said Karl.</p> + +<p>"Perhaps not, but I always hope on, for with God nothing is impossible. +I never forget that that mighty Spirit which comes like the wind can +soften the heart of stone and turn it into a heart of flesh. And now +let us proceed with our evening reading. We are going through St. +John's Gospel, Robert, and our subject to-night is the healing of the +infirm man at the Pool of Bethesda. Give Robert a Bible, Hans, that he +may follow my son."</p> + +<p>Karl Schmidt read the first twenty verses of the fifth chapter of St. +John's Gospel in a clear voice. When he closed his Bible, his mother, +as was her wont, made her comments on the passage he had just finished.</p> + +<p>"It is evident," she said, "that this Pool of Bethesda was endowed with +a miraculous virtue; and what a boon it must have been to the sick +ones! I can picture those five porches filled with the lame, the halt, +and the maimed; and I know better than any of you here how eagerly they +would wait for the troubling of the water. Health was within their +reach again, and we only understand what a precious gift it is when we +lose it. Thirty-eight years is a long time to be crippled. It may be +the poor man had come to the pool time after time, hoping he would be +fortunate enough to move the hearts of some strong ones to help him +into the water—for evidently he had no power of his own to crawl there. +How many times he had come to this pool and gone away disappointed we +are not told. No one was found to take pity on his infirmities, until +the Saviour passed by. The Man of Sorrows marked that wan, careworn +face, which He had seen lit up with anxious hope when the angel +troubled the pool, and then the hope was darkened with despair, for +again another had stepped in before him.</p> + +<p>"'Wilt thou be made whole?' asked the Master.</p> + +<p>"Would he be made whole? Ay, that he would; but how was this to be?</p> + +<p>"'Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the +pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.'</p> + +<p>"Jesus said unto him, 'Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.'</p> + +<p>"There was no questioning, no doubting, no waiting. The infirm man +believed that this God-Physician had almighty power to grant what He +offered; so he forgot his infirmity of thirty-eight years' standing, +and arose, rolled up the mat on which he had been lying, and walked. He +had faith in the Lord's healing power, else he never had obeyed. Would +he have tried to do what he did if one of us had said, 'Rise up'? No; +he would have replied, 'You mock me, friend. I am helpless; I have been +diseased for more than half my life.'</p> + +<p>"Now tell me, Robert, what was the first thing this poor man did after +he was healed. Read the fourteenth verse of the chapter."</p> + +<p>Robert read: "'Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto +him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come +unto thee.'"</p> + +<p>"Yes; his first step seems to have been to go to the temple. Jesus +found him there; perhaps in the fulness of his heart he longed to thank +God for His great mercy to him, in His own house. Ah, Robert, the day +may come when you, too, will be stricken down with disease, as this +poor man was, and then you may long in vain to frequent God's temple, +and sigh that you neglected His service while your limbs were lissom, +and you could move about at will. I used to pine to hear the Gospel +preached once more, and the sound of the church bells made me sad +because I knew they did not ring to summon me to the house of prayer +and praise. But now I thank my God through Christ that the longing to +do aught but what He wills has passed away. I realise increasingly that +my disease brings my Saviour very near; and the nearer He is to me, the +more I am sustained by His almighty power.</p> + +<p class="poem"> +<br> +"'Lord Jesus, as Thou wilt!<br> + Oh, may Thy will be mine.<br> + Into Thy hand of love<br> + I would my all resign.<br> + Through sorrow, or through joy,<br> + Conduct me as Thine own,<br> + And help me still to say,<br> + "My Lord, Thy will be done."<br> + <br> +"'Lord Jesus, as Thou wilt<br> + All shall be well for me<br> + Each changing future scene<br> + I gladly trust with Thee.<br> + Straight to my home above<br> + I travel calmly on,<br> + And sing in life or death,<br> + "My Lord, Thy will be done."'<br> +<br> +</p> + +<p>"Now, Karl, will you offer up prayer?"</p> + +<p>Robert took leave of the little party as soon as the evening prayer +was ended. He returned to the mill deeply touched with the simple, +earnest words he had listened to. Religion felt very real to him when +he thought over Frau Schmidt's remarks, and the account of the sick man +being healed by the Master. He felt very sick, sin-sick, weary, and +troubled. Oh, if he could but hear the Master's voice speaking to him! +He would rise up and obey. When he found himself alone in his room, +he knelt in prayer; yes, and there were sobs mingling with his words. +It was the cry of a broken spirit going up to heaven and pleading for +mercy at the throne of grace.</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p class="t3"> +————————<br> +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<h3><a id="Chapter_12">CHAPTER XII.</a></h3> + +<p class="t3"> +<b>SAVED BY THE RAFT.</b><br> +</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p>HERR EBHARDT'S relations towards his son did not improve after the +scene which took place in his shop with Hans. He grew increasingly +stern and angry with Paul—found fault with his work, and constantly +watched him. Thus the boy's heart hardened towards his father, and +towards Robert too, for he looked upon him as the author of all his +misery.</p> + +<p>What provoked the master tailor still more was that the affair oozed +out in Kösen, and became the common talk of the townspeople for some +days. Hans was exalted up to the skies—and it was well that he knew his +own shortcomings, else he might have been spoilt by the flattery—while +Paul came in for his full share of disgrace. In the meantime Robert +had his part of the odium to endure. Some said he was as much to blame +in the business as Paul, and that he ought to have confessed to the +Burgomaster and refused his prize. Robert was better able to bear these +remarks because he had Hans for his friend, and this fact disarmed the +outside chatterers, who argued that if Richter associated with Robert +Klein, he must be satisfied with the part the latter had played.</p> + +<p>Robert offered his prize many, many times to Hans, without being able +to persuade him to accept it, and at last Frau Schmidt settled the +question by saying, "Do not ask Hans again to take your prize, Robert; +he will never consent to what you wish, and it is foolish to waste more +words over it. Keep it where you can see it constantly, for it may +prevent you from indulging in boastful feelings, and help you to walk +softly by recalling the events connected with an important period in +your life."</p> + +<p>Paul was very angry that Hans and Robert were friends, and he would +have liked to quarrel with his former companion, but he dare not, +for even he was cowed by his father's violent temper. A crisis came +at last, which made him take a desperate step. Herr Ebhardt returned +home earlier than he was expected one afternoon, and found Paul idling +instead of completing some work which had to be done at a given time. A +stormy scene ensued, and the next morning the lad was missing, and no +one knew in which direction he had gone. His mother wept for him, his +father cursed him, but neither of them made any effort to reclaim the +wanderer.</p> + +<p>"God grant that he may be spared long enough to see the error of his +ways!" said Hans, when Robert told him of Paul's flight. "Oh, Robert, I +wish I'd tried more earnestly to win him to Christ."</p> + +<p>Many days sped along, and Hans became quite well and strong again. +These were happy days for Robert, who kept steadily to his business, +and tried hard to undo the bad habits of the past. It must not be +supposed that he became suddenly changed from a godless, careless boy +to an earnest, God-fearing boy; no, it was the work of days, weeks, +and months of struggle with himself against old inclinations and lazy +feelings. But he struggled in no strength of his own, but found help +for daily needs by seeking aid from heaven. Pastor Hahn became one of +his best friends; whereas, he formerly tried to run away, he now sought +to profit by what the good man said, and delighted in attending his +Sunday class and hearing him preach in the old church of Kösen.</p> + +<p>Robert's influence told on his sisters by degrees, and at last on the +miller and his wife, who in the end became too much interested in the +truths of the Gospel to think of how their movements would be canvassed +by their neighbours, for they were more anxious to find peace with God +through Christ than to stand well with man.</p> + +<p>The summer was ended, and autumn set in. It was a very rainy season, +and the Saale became so full that the rafts had not to wait before +shooting the weir, for the water fell over in a body and turned the old +mill wheel merrily. At one time the current ran so swiftly that some of +the foresters were afraid to bring their wood down, and Hans required +all his strength to keep those who ventured over the weir in the right +current, lest they should be swept across too rapidly.</p> + +<p>He found himself repeatedly crying, "Stick well to the raft; stick on; +the current runs faster than usual."</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p>At length the rain ceased, and the last day of October was ushered in +with brilliant sunshine. The river presented a busy scene. Karl Schmidt +and Hans had more business to do than they could well manage, and were +glad when the shades of evening fell, and thus prevented the raftsmen +from going on their way, and obliged them to rest at Kösen until the +following morning. So it came to pass that many rafts were moored above +and below the old bridge.</p> + +<p>Schmidt had gone into the town on business, and Hans was sitting in the +toll-house parlour, feeling very weary and sleepy, when Robert entered.</p> + +<p>"I didn't mean to call in this evening," he said, "because I knew you +would be tired, but I was obliged to come and tell you the good news. +See what I've got!" And he pointed to a long narrow parcel.</p> + +<p>"What is it?" asked Hans.</p> + +<p>"Something for you."</p> + +<p>"For me?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, for you, and it's from father. But before you take off the paper, +you must let me tell you all about it. You know, Hans, I've never +been quite happy about the Burgomaster's prize, and though I've said +nothing about it for a long time, I always wanted to make up for it. +The other day father offered me money as a reward for being so steady +at business, and then I told him what I would rather have than all the +money he could give me; and here is what I wanted. Undo it."</p> + +<p>Hans unfastened the long unwieldy parcel, wondering what it contained. +But when it was free from its covering, and he lifted up the lid of the +narrow box, his eyes sparkled with pleasure, for there was such a bow +and such arrows as he had never seen the like of before.</p> + +<p>"They are for you," exclaimed Robert. "Your hand is quite well now, and +next year we'll shoot as friends for the prize; or I will shoot, and +you shall win as easily as I did last time."</p> + +<p>"This for me, Robert? How kind of you! It must have cost a lot of +money; why, it's much better than my master's."</p> + +<p>"Never mind what it cost, Hans; that's father's business. He ordered +it from Halle, for we have an uncle there who understands what's what. +Then you really like it?"</p> + +<p>"Like it, Robert! Why how can I help liking such a splendid present? +But I don't think I ought to take it, for you've denied yourself a good +deal to give it me."</p> + +<p>"And I wish you would tell me who in the world I should deny myself for +like you? I owe you almost everything, Hans, for you taught me to love +and serve God, and made me first think. You saved me."</p> + +<p>"Not I, Robert, but Christ in me," answered Hans, reverently. "If I had +not found the treasure first, I should not have known its worth."</p> + +<p>"You're right, as you always are. Oh, I'm so happy! But I mustn't stay +too late, for I promised father to cast up some bills we've been too +busy to look after during the day. I shall go home as I came, over the +bridge. It was too dark and foggy and the current too strong to bring +out the boat."</p> + +<p>"Is it foggy?" exclaimed Hans, moving towards the door. "I'd no idea of +it. How suddenly it must have come on; and after such a glorious day +too. The fact is, I'm so tired that unless you'd come in, I should have +fallen asleep. Why, the mist is so thick you cannot see a few yards +before you," he added, looking out. "You'd better not venture into it; +you'll be walking into the river."</p> + +<p>"Don't be afraid," laughed Robert. "I know every inch of the road."</p> + +<p>"So you may, but in a fog like this it's very easy to make a mistake; I +only wish my master was safe at home," said Hans, anxiously.</p> + +<p>Robert walked away from the toll-house, but he soon had to slacken his +pace. He managed to reach the weir, and now he had a little distance +to traverse by the river-side before he came to a narrow pathway which +led him to the foot of the bridge. He had to grope his way carefully +along, for at every step he took the fog grew denser. At last, he stood +still and wished he had a torch; he would gladly have returned to the +toll-house, but it was as difficult to make his way back as to go +forward.</p> + +<p>"Courage, courage," he said to himself. "I won't be a coward, after +boasting to Hans that I was not afraid."</p> + +<p>But with all his care and knowledge of "every inch of the road," he +crept so close to the river's bank, which is steep at this point, that +he lost his footing, and though he made a tremendous effort to save +himself from falling, he could not regain his balance.</p> + +<p>Robert could swim. He was paralysed for a few moments by feeling the +waters close round him, then he knew that he was being hurried along +by the stream. He tried to struggle into smoother water, but failed. +So all he could do was to cry, "Help, help!" and keep away from the +bridge. This he just managed to accomplish, but he grew weaker every +minute. When he was past the bridge, he made a last effort to get clear +of the current, and this time he succeeded, for as he struck out, he +clasped something with his hands.</p> + +<p>It was a raft, which had swung round at its moorings. He had only +strength enough left to crawl on to it; but he was saved from a watery +grave.</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p>Hans longed for his master to return; he looked out of the door again +and again, but he heard no sound of approaching footsteps. He felt very +uneasy, too, on Robert's account, and debated whether it would be well +to take a light with him and go out, but then he could not leave Frau +Schmidt alone in the house. At last, he carried a wooden table outside +the door and set a lamp upon it, then he went up to the frau's room and +chatted with her, she meanwhile wondering why her son was so late.</p> + +<p>Hans did not tell her that he was uneasy at his master's absence +because there was a thick mist over the river; though while he tried +to amuse her, he was straining every nerve to discover if Herr Schmidt +were coming.</p> + +<p>At last they heard his well-known step, and a few moments afterwards, +he entered the room.</p> + +<p>"I'm sorry to have kept you awake so much over your usual hour, +mother," he said. "But when you know why I have been detained, you will +not be surprised. It was clever of you, Hans, to put the lamp outside +to guide me home. Did you suggest it, mother?"</p> + +<p>"The frau doesn't know about the fog," interrupted Hans.</p> + +<p>"Well done, my boy; it was thoughtful of you to save her the anxiety. +Now, mother, let me explain everything: you may well look as if we were +speaking in an unknown tongue. The heavy rains and the hot sun have +brought about such a dense mist as I have only seen twice before in my +life; it is so dense that if I had not borrowed a torch, I could not +have found my way. That good lad kept his anxiety to himself, but set +up a beacon outside the house for me; he lighted the great lamp and put +it on a table, or I might have groped about for some time longer, or +perhaps have done as Robert did, walked into the river. But he's quite +safe, now," added Karl, "though he has had a great shock."</p> + +<p>"What has happened?" asked Hans, eagerly. "He was here this evening, +and I wanted him so much not to go out in the fog."</p> + +<p>"On his way from here, then, it must have been, that he fell in the +river. As I was nearing the bridge I heard cries for help, so I made +my way to the spot from whence they came as well as I could, and two +or three others with torches joined me; we had a hard matter to find +the lad, and but for the mist lifting just at the right moment, Robert +might have laid on the raft until morning. I carried him home and +waited until he became conscious."</p> + +<p>"Poor fellow!" said Frau Schmidt. "He must have missed his way. I thank +God he is saved."</p> + +<p>"I do thank God," added Hans. "And was he really saved by a raft?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, saved by a raft," reiterated Karl. "Now, mother, let us have our +evening reading."</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p>Robert was so much shaken by his accident, that two days passed before +he was permitted to see Hans.</p> + +<p>The friends were delighted to meet again, and had a long and serious +conversation together, for Robert's heart was full of gratitude to God +for his deliverance from death.</p> + +<p>"We have been talking so hard," said Hans, just before he left, "that +I have not yet asked you how you managed to hold on to the raft as you +did, until help came."</p> + +<p>"I don't think I held on; I had just enough strength to crawl on to the +top, and then I suppose I became unconscious."</p> + +<p>"Still you were saved by a raft!"</p> + +<p>"Yes," answered Robert; "the raft in its double meaning has been my +best friend. There is the raft of wood which saved me when strength was +fast failing; there is that almighty Raft which upholds me day by day, +and which I can cling to at all times—even the Lord Jesus Christ."</p> + +<p>"Old fellow, my mother's words will have a deeper meaning than ever to +us both after this," said Hans, earnestly. "You and I will indeed feel +the truth of what we say when we cry on behalf of ourselves and all +men, 'STICK TO THE RAFT.'"</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<figure class="figcenter" id="image008" style="max-width: 25.3125em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/image008.jpg" alt="image008"></figure> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<p class="t4"> +————————————————<br> +LONDON: B. K. BURT AND CO., PRINTERS.<br> +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<div style='text-align:center'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 77023 ***</div> +</body> +</html> + diff --git a/77023-h/images/image001.jpg b/77023-h/images/image001.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b1a4f65 --- /dev/null +++ b/77023-h/images/image001.jpg diff --git a/77023-h/images/image002.jpg b/77023-h/images/image002.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..e072cd5 --- /dev/null +++ b/77023-h/images/image002.jpg diff --git a/77023-h/images/image003.jpg b/77023-h/images/image003.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..2580078 --- /dev/null +++ b/77023-h/images/image003.jpg diff --git a/77023-h/images/image004.jpg b/77023-h/images/image004.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..14be554 --- /dev/null +++ b/77023-h/images/image004.jpg diff --git a/77023-h/images/image005.jpg b/77023-h/images/image005.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f6a7eef --- /dev/null +++ b/77023-h/images/image005.jpg diff --git a/77023-h/images/image006.jpg b/77023-h/images/image006.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..aa3b2f0 --- /dev/null +++ b/77023-h/images/image006.jpg diff --git a/77023-h/images/image007.jpg b/77023-h/images/image007.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f8e905a --- /dev/null +++ b/77023-h/images/image007.jpg diff --git a/77023-h/images/image008.jpg b/77023-h/images/image008.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..1e60d4e --- /dev/null +++ b/77023-h/images/image008.jpg diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b5dba15 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This book, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. 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