"Turkey gobbler" after his tall figure, conspicuous from its height and
costume, he strove with honest zeal to soothe the little one.

His deep voice, meanwhile, sounded so gentle and friendly, and his
promise to give him a piece of spice cake which he was bringing home to
Ursel to sweeten the disagreeable taste of her medicine produced so
soothing an influence, that little Hans at last looked up at him
trustingly and hopefully.

The cellar man's oldest son, who had violently assaulted the old
gentleman to release his little brother, now stood penitently before him,
and the landlord's boy related, in somewhat confused but perfectly
intelligible words, the object of their coming, and in whose name they
were bringing the roll and yonder little package to old Ursel.

The story sounded humble enough, but as soon as the captain had set
little Hans on his feet and bent curiously over the forerunners of the
dear friend, which had been placed on the little bench by the door, the
three boys dashed down the stairs, and the shrill voice of the landlord's
son shrieked from the lowest step one "Turkey gobbler" and "Pope's slave"
after another.

"Satan's imps!" shouted the old man; but the outer door, which banged
below him, showed that pursuit of the naughty mockers would result to his
disadvantage. Then as, with an angry shake of the head, he drew back
from the banisters, he saw his daughter's playmate.

How dear the latter was to him, and how fully his aged heart had retained
its capacity of feeling, were proved by the reception which he gave the
returning knight. The injury just inflicted seemed to have been entirely