At that moment a light flashed up from the settlement, horses clattered. Seeing that help was approaching, Slimak dashed behind the barn and called out: 'Hey there! who are you?'
Something heavy fell to the ground.
'You wait! policeman for the Swabians, you shall soon know who we are!' answered a voice in the darkness.
'Catch him!' cried Slimak and Maciek simultaneously, but the thief had escaped to the ravines. When the Germans on horseback came up, Slimak lit a torch and ran behind the barn. A pig's carcass lay in a puddle.
'That's our hog,' cried Fritz, 'they stole it from under our noses and while there was a light in the house.'
'Daredevils!' muttered Maciek.
'To tell you the truth,' laughed Earner's farmhand, 'we thought it was you who had done it.'
'Go to the devil!'
'Let's go after them,' Fritz interrupted quickly.
'Go on! I… steal your hog! indeed!'