His musket was at his shoulder in a moment, and his voice rang out clear and stern,—
“Stand! Who goes there?”
“A friend,” replied the unknown.
“Advance, friend, and give the pass-word.”
“‘The Prussian eagle.’”
“Pass, friend; all’s well.”
But instead of passing on, the stranger came close up to the sentry, who could just make out by a stray gleam of moonlight, that his visitor was wrapped in a horseman’s cloak, and had a hat drawn over his eyes in such a way as to hide his face.
“You seem to have rather damp quarters here, comrade,” said he. “Why don’t you have a smoke to warm yourself a bit?”
“Smoke!” replied the sentry. “Why, where do you come from, brother, not to know that smoking on duty is forbidden?”
“But suppose the king gave you leave to smoke?” said the stranger.