"Be silent yourself!" said Anthony Wallner, seizing him violently by
the arm. "Sir, you are our prisoner, and so are the two bailiffs
yonder. Seize them, my friends, and if they shout or resist, shoot
them down. And if you utter a cry or a word, Mr. Tax-collector, so
help me God if I do not kill you for a Boafok, as you are! Keep
quiet, therefore, be a sensible man, and deliver your funds to us.
Come, men, we will accompany this gentleman to the tax-collector's
office; and now let us sing a good Tyrolese song:"

"D'Schoergen and d'Schreiber and d'Richter allsammt,
Sind'n Teufel auskomma, druck'n ueberall auf's Land,
Und schinden Bauern, es is kam zum sog'n,
Es waer ja koan Wunder, wir thaeten's allsammt erschlog'n."


[Footnote: Song of the Tyrolese in 1809.--See Mayr, "Joseph
Spechbacher," p. 22.
"The pushing--the writers, and magistrates all,
Possessed by the devil, our country enthrall,
And grind the poor peasants; alas, 'tis a shame!
No wonder if we too share ruin the same."]


He concluded with a long and joyous Jodler, and shouted
triumphantly: "Dear brethren, Andreas Hofer sends you his greetings,
and informs you that the Austrians have invaded the Tyrol. Hurrah,
'tis time!"

"Yes, 'tis time," murmured Anna Maria, Anthony Wallner's wife, to
herself; "'tis time for me to give Lizzie the signal, for the