"Wait, boys," he said, "there is danger of being arrested on the way.
Don't you know that it is against the law to carry weapons?"

"But, father, people do carry them."

"Yes, but they take good care to keep them hidden."

"We could keep ours hidden."

"But where? Could Paul hide his pistol in his hat, and could Franz put
the cutlass in his vest pocket as if it were a tooth-pick? Oh no, boys,
lay aside the old weapons and travel along the public road as peaceable
citizens with no thought of being harmed or of harming anyone. The roads
of our beloved Fatherland are not infested with bandits and footpads,
and you can go with contented minds and with no fear of danger upon your
travels. Now it is time to part; good-night, boys. Go home to a good
supper and a good sleep. Come, Franz."

The next day came the selecting of things that were to go in the
knapsacks and each boy had collected enough of what they considered
really needed to fill them to overflowing.

"What is this?" asked the mother of Franz, who was about to help him
with his knapsack, as they were to take an early start the next morning.

"It is my checker-board. We can play in the evenings before we go to
bed."

"Oh, you cannot take it! see, it would take up half the room in the
knapsack. You will be so tired in the evenings that you will be ready to