Abenberger, a little fellow of no note, had found in some ancient papers
a recipe for discovering treasure, and had told the secret to Herdegen
and some other few. To begin, they went at his bidding to the graveyard
with him, and there, at the full moon, they poured hot lead into the left
eye-hole of a skull and made it into arrow-heads. Yesternight they had
journeyed forth as far as Sinterspuhel, and there, at midnight, had stood
at the cross-roads and shot with these same arrow-heads to the four
quarters, to the end that they might dig for treasure wheresoever the
shafts might fall. But they found no treasure, but a newly-buried body,
and on this had taken to their heels in all haste. Herdegen only had
tarried behind with Abenberger, and when he saw that there were deep
wounds on the head of the dead man his intent was to carry the tidings to
the justices in council; nevertheless he would delay a while, because
Abenberger had besought him to keep silence and not to bring him to an
evil end. But as he had gone past the school of arms he had learnt that
an apprentice was missing, and that it was feared lest he had been
waylaid by pillagers, or had fallen into evil hands; so he now deemed it
his plain duty to keep no longer silence concerning the finding of the
body, and desired to be advised by me and Ann. While I, for my part,
shortly and clearly declared that information must at once be laid
before his worship the Mayor, a strange trembling fell on Ann, and
notwithstanding she could not say me nay, she was in such fear that grave
mischief might overtake Herdegen by reason of his thoughtless deed, that
tears ran in streams down her cheeks, and it cost me great pains or ever
I could comfort her, so brave and reasonable as she commonly was. But
Herdegen was greatly pleased by her too great terrors; and albeit he
laughed at her, he called her his faithful, fearful little hare, and
stuck the pink he wore in his jerkin into her hair. At this she was soon
herself again; she counselled him forthwith to do that it was his duty to
do; and when thereafter the authorities had made inquisition, it came to