After a long time Fritz asked:
“Have you heard nothing, Caspar?”
“No,” said he, and the others also said “no”; and Frank thought, perhaps, it was only the wind. At this they took courage, and, in order to show they were not afraid, they sang:
O wind, in the wood whistle all the day long,
We’ll whistle as boldly, we’ll whistle as strong,
and they began to whistle, with all their strength, against the wind.
When they had come out of the wood they saw the shepherd’s hut standing quite alone; in the distance the sheep were peacefully feeding, and their little bells sounded merrily along the meadows. Only an old ram saw the young band of heroes, and it ventured nearer in order to look wonderingly. But Caspar rode against it, brandishing his sword, which made the ram bleat and gallop away.
“Now is the time!” said Caspar; “we will first walk three times round the hut, but no one must make any noise!”
“Bessy still stops behind!” cried Fritz, out of the strength of his love.
“Once more I say,” exclaimed Caspar loudly and forcibly, “no one must make a noise. We will now walk around, and when we are about to attack, Fritz shall give the signal with his drum.”