He could not resist giving a glad hurra and a cheerful whistle, pretty sure that only the right people would hear him. The next minute, he was at the door, giving the concerted signal; and it was instantly opened by Hofer, with his wife peering anxiously over his shoulder, and Johann pressing closely to her side.
"Rudolf, my dear lad!" cried Hofer, embracing him. Anna embraced him too; and Johann, seeing the basket of provisions, began to cry with joy.
"Fie, Johann!" said his mother, cheerfully; "we are going to have a merry feasting, after all! Only think, Rudolf, this silly child thought we were going to starve!"
"A likely thing we would let you!" cried Rudolf. "Why, I'd eat my own fingers first. Come and see what a heap of good things there are in this basket Johann! Here are some sausages, to begin with; and a seasoned pie; and cheese—oh, what a cheese!"
"That's famous!" said Johann, hungrily; while his mother sought to appease him by immediately giving him something to eat.
A miserable little oil-lamp twinkled in the corner of the stable; there was a cattle-trough, plenty of hay and straw,—nothing more.
"And how goes it with you, Sandwirth?" said Rudolf, seizing his hand, as soon as he had secured the door.
"As well as may be, boy. A little down, of course, now and then, with so much leisure for thinking of the troubles I helped to bring on our poor country."
"Never think that, I pray you, Sandwirth! You tried to bring us out of them—and did. It was only that we were deserted by our natural liege-protectors."