The afternoon of Easter Day however passed away without any movement
on the part of the enemy, and it was not till the following day that
they could be seen struggling through the ford, and preparing to
ascend the mountain. Attacks had sometimes been disconcerted by
posting men in the most dangerous passes; but, in the lack of
numbers, and of trustworthy commanders, the Freiherrinn had judged it
wiser to trust entirely to her walls, and keep her whole force within
them.
The new comers could hardly have had any hostile intentions, for,
though well armed and accoutred, their numbers did not exceed twenty-
five. The banner borne at their head was an azure one, with a white
eagle, and their leader could be observed looking with amazement at
the top of the watch-tower, where the same eagle had that morning
been hoisted for the first time since the fall of the two Freiherren.
So soon as the ascent had been made, the leader wound his horn, and,
before the echoes had died away among the hills, Hatto, acting as
seneschal, was demanding his purpose.
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