Roland paced the deck deep in thought until his difficult contingent departed towards the twinkling lights of the village, then he went to the cabin, poured his share of the gold into his pouch, and followed the company at a distance into Lorch.  He avoided the Krone, and after inquiring his way, stopped at the much smaller hostelry, Mergler’s Inn.  Here he gave his name, and asking if any one waited for him, was conducted upstairs to a room where he found Herr Kruger just about to sit down to his supper.  A stout lad nearing twenty years of age stood in the middle of the room, and from his appearance Roland did not need the elder man’s word for it that this was his son.

“I took the precaution of bringing him with me,” said Kruger, “as I thought two horsemen were better than one in the business I had undertaken.”

“You were quite right,” returned Roland, “and I congratulate you upon so stalwart a traveling companion.  With your permission I shall order a meal, and sup with you, thus we may save time by talking while we eat, because you will need to depart as speedily as possible.”

“You mean in the darkness?  To-night?”

“Yes; as soon as you can get away.  There are urgent reasons why you should be on the road without delay.  How came you here?”

“On horseback; first down the Main, then along the Rhine.”

“Very well.  In the darkness you will return by the way you came, but only as far as the Castle of Ehrenfels, three leagues from here.  There you are to rouse up the custodian, and in safety spend the remainder of the night.  To-morrow morning he will furnish you a guide to conduct you through the forest to Wiesbaden, and from thence you know your way to Frankfort, which you should reach not later than evening.”

At this point the landlord, who had been summoned, came in.

“I will dine with my friends here,” said Roland.  “I suppose I need not ask if you possess some of the good red wine of Lorch, which they tell me equals that of Assmannshausen?”

“Of the very best, mein Herr, the product of my own vineyard, and I can therefore guarantee it sound.  As for equaling that of Assmannshausen, we have always considered it superior, and, indeed, many other good judges agree with us.”

“Then bring me a stoup of it, and you will be enabled to add my opinion to that of the others.”

When the landlord produced the wine, Roland raised it to his lips, and absorbed a hearty draught.

“This is indeed most excellent, landlord, and does credit alike to your vines and your inn.  I wish to send two large casks of so fine a wine to a merchant of my acquaintance in Frankfort, and my friend, Herr Kruger, has promised to convey it thither.  If you can spare me two casks of such excellent vintage, they will make an evenly balanced burden for the horse.”

“Surely, mein Herr.”

“Choose two of those long casks, landlord, with bung-holes of the largest at the sides.  Do you possess such a thing as a pack-saddle?”