"And to-day the time which the Bavarians have given us is up,"
growled George Hinnthal; "if our young lads do not report
voluntarily to the enrolling officers by this evening, they will be
arrested to-morrow."

"They shall not be arrested," exclaimed one of the Tyrolese,
striking the table with his powerful fist.

"No, they shall not be arrested," echoed all, in loud, defiant
tones.

"But you will not be able to prevent them," said old Thurnwalden,
when all were silent again and had drunk a long draught from their
glasses as if to confirm their words. "You know there is a whole
company of soldiers at Castle Weissenstein, and Ulrich von
Hohenberg, the castellan's nephew, is their captain. He is a
Bavarian, body and soul, and, if we resist the authorities, he will
lead his men with muskets and field-pieces against us."

"Why, you have become greatly discouraged, Caspar Thurnwalden," said
Anthony Wallner, sneeringly, "and one would almost think you had
turned a friend of the Bavarians. We have got as good muskets as the
Bavarians, and if they shoot we shall shoot back. And as for the
field-pieces, why, we have got wheels and may roll down cannon from
Castle Weissenstein to Windisch-Matrey. But come, my dear friends, I
see the Bavarian tax-collectors walking across the market-place
yonder. They look very grim and stern, as if they meant to devour us
all. Let us go out and see what is going on."