'You may,' said Rudel, 'but I shall go and speak to the soldiers, and ask them what they want. And mind, Lisbeth, don't come out or speak, but stay till they are gone.'
The children ran down the hill to a cave they knew of, which could hardly be found by any one who did not know where to look, and Lisbeth went in. But her terror may be imagined when she found it already occupied. A fierce-looking man rose up at her entrance, seized her, and pressed his hand over her mouth.
'Silence,' he whispered into her ear, 'or it will be the worse for you.'
Meantime, Rudel went to face the soldiers.
'Hallo!' cried a rough-looking soldier, who seemed in authority, 'is this the spy and deserter we are seeking?--truly a dangerous ruffian!'
The other men laughed loudly, and pressed round Rudel, who began to be frightened.
'Where's your father, boy?' asked the leader.
'You know where he is. I remember your face now; aren't you the grandson of old Peter Klinger, who holds yonder farm? Well, we are looking for his son, Rudolf Klinger, whose children we know live with the grandparents. We believe that he came here last night, and is hiding somewhere in the neighbourhood. Tell us where he is, and you shall have as many sugarplums as you can eat.'
'You are not looking for my father,' said Rudel boldly; 'he would not be a spy and deserter, and if he were I should not betray him.'
'We shall soon see that. If you don't tell us where he is you shall be shot as a deserter in his place. We have no time to waste.'
The soldiers laughed. They were accustomed to their leader's cruel jokes, but Rudel was not. He turned pale, and began to tremble a little.
'You may kill me,' said Rudel, 'but I will not tell.'
Full well did Rudel guess now the cause of his grandmother's tears last night, and who the visitor had been.
'Fall in, men,' commanded the leader, winking at the next in command; 'form a shooting party.'
Soldiers were rough and cruel in those times, especially in time of war, and poor Rudel fully believed he was going to be shot. He watched the preparations with fascinated eyes, and allowed himself to be placed in position against a low stone wall. Then he burst into tears.
Rudel did not answer, but shut his eyes and began rapidly to repeat the Lord's Prayer. The leader glanced round with a grim smile, and the men clicked the locks of their muskets. Then fear overcame the poor little fellow, and he sank down in a heap on the ground.