"The more it is, the more cordially I shall congratulate you," cried the
violinist, and then looked back toward the other travellers.

Wolf did the same, and turned his horse. If he did not urge on the
loiterers the gate, which was closed at nightfall, would need to be
opened for them, for the five troopers who acted as escort had deemed
their duty done when Winzer was reached, and made themselves comfortable
in the excellent tavern there.

The carters had used the lash stoutly, yet it had been no easy matter to
advance rapidly. The rain had softened the road, and the horses and
beasts of burden were sorely wearied by the long trip from Brussels to
Ratisbon, which had been made in hurried days' journeys. The train of
horsemen and wagons stretched almost beyond the range of vision, for it
comprised the whole world-renowned orchestra of the Emperor Charles, and
Queen Mary's boy choir.

Only the leaders were absent. Gombert had left Brussels later than the
others, and hastened after them with post-horses, overtaking them about
an hour before, when he induced Appenzelder, the leader of the boy choir,
to enter his carriage, though the latter was reluctant to leave the young
singers who were intrusted to his care. As to the other travellers, the
Queen and Don Luis Quijada had made a great mistake in their
calculations--the number considerably exceeded a hundred. Neither had
thought of the women and children who accompanied the musicians.

Most of the women were the wives of the members of the orchestra, who
had availed themselves of this opportunity to see something of the world.
Others, from motives of love or jealousy, would not part from their