The bandits had disappeared, and I was standing beside the body of the count's dead horse when the leading hussars galloped up.
Von Theyer was not amongst them, I saw at a glance, and smiled.
The leader was the young sublieutenant who had attacked me so furiously in the fight.
He had mounted a fresh horse, but his sword was sheathed, and he looked at me quite good-naturedly.
"You must surrender!" cried he genially. "You have made a good fight, but the odds are against you. One man, though a Magyar, cannot overthrow a hundred."
He spoke in German, and I replied in the same tongue, giving him my sword, and acknowledging myself his prisoner.
Just then Von Theyer arrived, and with a savage scowl exclaimed harshly,--
"Tie that fellow up. Make sure of him, Ober, and put him on your horse. If he gets away, you'll swing in his place."
Ober, a spare but muscular hussar, saluted respectfully, and, helped by another fellow, tied my arms tightly.
Then they lifted me into the saddle; Ober sprang up behind, and we were all galloping hard after Batori and his men.