'I know both parole and countersign.'

'What are they?' he asked, in a gentler tone.

'"Mathias" and "Vienna."'

'False, by St. Nicholas! Here is a spy!' exclaimed Schreckhorn, seizing me.

'These words were given to me by the Count in person.'

'Thou liest! The Count has not been seen among us to-day.'

'And the passwords——'

'Are "Gallas" and "Prague."'

'Then the villain has deceived me,' said I, as the petardiers laid hold of me; and just at that moment a soldier came running breathlessly towards us, crying, as the devil would have it—

'Hola, M. Schreckhorn! hola?