“And so you think the plan feasible?” said I to Trump,
after detailing to him the Pappenheim plot.

“Perfectly so. You may rely upon me. How did
you think Judith looked last night?”

“As beautiful as Jezebel, and worthy of king Solomon,”
said I.

“Spare me, my good fellow, those Hebrew allusions,
and look upon her only as a Countess Von Toggenburg,
and a future mother of a race of Toggenburgs.”

“Very well—I am off for Popp. Where do you think
I shall find him?”

“Most probably at his own house, packing up his
portmanteau for Paris.”

[figure description] Page 024.[end figure description]

“Well—perhaps I may borrow half-a-dozen shirts of
him, for the use of Mr.— what's his travelling
name, Trump?”

“Wildheim—it is a name collaterally connected with
my own.”

“Very well—you will give Mr. Von Wildheim the
necessary instructions then, and hold yourself in readiness.”

“Yes. Good morning.”

I went down the street, and had not advanced twenty
paces, before I met Popp. He was toddling along, with
his nose in the air, and thinking, I suppose, of Paris and
Professor Poodleberg.

“Good morning, Mr. Deputy, Sub-Deputy, and the
rest of it, Popp!”

“Ah, my Cherokee friend, Mr. Morton,—good morning,
Mein Herr—good morning. Is it really true, then,
that you are a sachem and emperor in your own country?
Baron Poodleberg says it is a fact; and if Baron
Poodle—”

“Yes, yes—all true—all true; but we have not time
for that just now. I have a particular request for your
ear, Mr. Deputy, Sub-Deputy, &c. &c. Popp.”

“Plain Popp—plain Popp, among friends. It is only
on formal occasions that the etiquette of society requires
the whole of our German titles.”

“Well then, plain Popp, I am sure your generous
heart will not deny me—”

“Proceed, Mein Herr Morton. I am sure that I shall
be proud to gratify you. There is no person I have a
more profound respect for than yourself. Baron Poodleberg
says your pronunciation of the Chickasaw and
Squantabago is perfect. When I get to Paris, whither I

[figure description] Page 025.[end figure description]

am going directly after having conveyed the charming
daughter of Baron Poodleberg to Brunswick, I shall certainly
mention your—”

“Very well, very well—my obligations will be great—
my request touches your immediate journey. There
is a young friend of mine, Baron Wildheim, who is proceeding
to Brunswick, on a matter of—”

“To Brunswick! my mission is also thither. The
great Baron Poo—”

“D—n the great Baron Poodleberg! Mr. Popp, do
have the kindness to listen to me an instant;” and so
Mr. Popp, struck perfectly aghast at the idea of any one,
not even excepting a Cherokee chieftain, presuming to
d—n Baron Poodleberg, at last was silenced, and listened
with tolerable composure. I represented to him that Mr.
Wildheim was a young gentleman in the diplomatic
line, the bearer of important despatches; that he was in
a hurry to get to Brunswick—that his carriage had
broken down, his servant fallen sick, and a parcel of rigmarole,
concluding with my express conviction that the
peace of Europe would infallibly be endangered if the
young gentleman's journey were delayed twenty-four
hours longer; and that the only possible means of
avoiding that catastrophe, was his obtaining the spare
seat in Popp's carriage.

Finding that he should have a general war on his
conscience, if he did not accede, and a little pleased too,
it may be, with the prospect of having so important a
travelling companion, Popp, after a little hesitation, complied.

“Of course you understand it is to be a profound secret,”
said I. “Not a word to the great Baron Poodleberg.”

[figure description] Page 026.[end figure description]

“Very well—good bye, Mr. Morton—perhaps we shall
meet in Paris.”

“We shall meet a little sooner than that, Mr. Popp,”
thought I, as I hastened to Pappenheim.

I told him of my success with Popp, and that the
journey was fixed for that evening. They were to start
at eight.

“You must take care to execute your designs on the
postillions.”

“Oh, apropos of that. Your friend Lackland has
suggested a plan for that part of the business, which, by
the way, seemed to me, on reflection, not a little difficult.”

“Yes—to be sure. A German postillion is not so
easily vanquished, even by a German student. What
is Lackland's plan?”

“We were talking it over, and almost despairing,
when he luckily thought of `crooked Skamp,' the coffin-maker—
he can do any thing. He can drink the ocean
dry. Besides, there are certain drugs for possets, which
no one understands better than he.”

“Excellent!—but has Lackland seen him?”

“Yes, and has already given him a retaining fee, and
admitted him to our confidence. He promises to settle
the whole matter in the most expeditious manner.”

“Very well. I will go to Lackland's; and do you
settle every thing with Fräulein Ida.”

Some hours after this, I found myself on horse-back,
with a silk mask over my face, in company with Lackhand
and the respectable Skamp, who had insisted on
accompanying us, and whom we found a most trusty
ally.

There was a thick wood which extended to a

[figure description] Page 027.[end figure description]

considerable distance on the right-hand side of the road.
We had placed ourselves under its shadow, and were
waiting impatiently for the approach of the carriage.

“Allow me, your excellencies,” said the coffin-maker,
“to be the first to accost the carriage. Much may be
done by civility on these occasions, and much is to be
gained by experience.”

“By experience, Mr. Skamp,” I exclaimed; “then
this seems not to be the first time you have been engaged
on expeditions of the same meritorious character?”

“Why,—a-hem,—why, you see I have served in the
cavalry,—and—a-hem,—but hark! I think I hear the
carriage-wheels.”

We listened. The carriage was evidently approaching.
It was no time to deliberate; but I at once settled
that my amiable companion, had at times, united the
functions of highwayman to his other multifarious professions.

“The postillions are—”

“Count Toggenburg and Mr. Von Pappenheim. I
left Messieurs Schmidt and Schnobb, who were to have
officiated, sound asleep at the `swine.' They will hardly
be awake this day-week.”

“Very well! — here they come, — now for it, old
Skamp!” whispered Lackland.

It was a bright moonlight night. We discerned the
carriage in the distance approaching us rapidly. Presently
the psuedo-postillions seemed to recognise us, and
began to slacken their pace. When they reached us,
the horses were trotting very slowly.

As agreed upon, Lackland and I galloped forward,
and seized the heads of the horses. The postillions remonstrated,
and after a sham fight of a few moments, allowed
themselves to be tumbled from their saddles.

[figure description] Page 028.[end figure description]

The ladies shrieked, of course; but it was easy
enough for the initiated to distinguish the fictitious cries
of Ida from the genuine and terrified screams of Mother
Meerschaum.

Skamp advanced in his mask to the carriage-window,
which had already been let down, and addressed the
company in the blandest manner.

“Gentlemen and ladies; we have no intention of
robbing or incommoding you. We are weary wayfarers,
and have performed a long journey. We are desirous
for reasons of importance to reach Brunswick to-night.
We are therefore obliged, however much we may regret
it, to request the loan of your carriage for a few hours.
Be assured, that the obligation will be gratefully acknowledged,
and the carriage faithfully restored.”

The civil manner of the supposed highwayman inspired
Popp with a little courage. He had been previously
lying back in the carriage, in a paroxysm of
fear. He now began to bluster. “Perhaps you are
not aware,” said he, “that this carriage belongs to the
great Baron Poodleberg, and that I am the deputy, subdeputy,
&c. Popp, who am proceeding as the especial
escort of the Fräulein Ida Poodleberg, on her journey to
her aunt in Brunswick. After the journey is accomplished,
I shall probably proceed to Par—”

It was Popp's fate to be interrupted on this, as on every
other occasion. As there was no time to be lost, the
coffin-maker thought proper to thrust the barrel of a particularly
long horse-pistol under the nose of the refractory
librarian.

“I am very sorry indeed,” said Skamp, still in the
most gentle and subdued voice. “I am very sorry to
put so respectable a personage to a temporary

[figure description] Page 029.[end figure description]

inconvenience; but circumstances are pressing. It is fortunate,
however, that you mentioned the Baron Poodleberg's
name. The Baron is a particular friend of mine, and I
am happy that I shall soon have an opportunity of expressing
to him my obligations. Have the goodness to
alight.”

Popp, whose courage had completely evaporated under
the influence of Skamp's last argument, got out. He
was very obedient, but very sulky.

“Allow me to bind this cloth round your eyes,” said
Skamp to Popp.

“Very well, sir; very well; I say nothing; but Baron
Poodleberg shall hear of it, I warrant you,” said
Popp to Skamp.

“I hope this does not at all inconvenience you,” said the
coffin-maker. “By the way, I shall be obliged to fasten
you to this tree, for the present. You do not object, I
hope, to bivouacking occasionally in the open air. It is
a fine night, sir,—remarkably fine,” continued he, gravely,
while he was securing him to a tree. “I never saw
brighter moonlight. I have no doubt you will be perfectly
comfortable. But I beg pardon, I am neglecting
my duty to the fair sex most shamefully. Excuse me
for a moment, Mr. Librarian.” And with this he left
Popp, securely tied to the tree, his eyes bound fast with
a thick handkerchief, and again directed his steps to the
carriage.

Madame Meerschaum had screamed herself into hysterics,
and was now lying more dead than alive, in the
corner of the seat.

“Madame,” said Skamp, taking off his hat in the
politest manner, “I am very sorry to incommode so
charming a young lady; but really I must beg you to

[figure description] Page 030.[end figure description]

alight. Your friend, Mr. Popp, already finds himself
quite at ease, and is impatient that you should join him.
Shall I assist you out?”

The old lady aroused herself, and suffered herself to
be taken out of the carriage The same process was
quickly administered to her, in the most expeditious
manner, by the accomplished Skamp Her eyes were
gently but securely bandaged, and she was placed back
to back to Popp, and fastened to the same tree.

“There now!' said Skamp, “what can be more
pleasant? You look quite sociable and happy! I never
saw a more perfect picture of connubial happiness and
friendship! Quite like two turtle-doves in one nest!
What a beautiful night too! What a charming time you
will have! Good night, Madame Meerschaum! Good
night, dear Mr. Popp! By the way, you hardly need to
know the passing hours to-night, your time will pass so
pleasantly, that you will not need your watch.” And
so he concluded by helping himself to a huge silver
watch which dangled by a brass chain from Popps capacious
fob.

A hurried whisper from Lackland, however, who represented
to him how utterly they would be compromised
by such conduct, caused him to relinquish it.

`On second thoughts, however, it may be of use to
you, and it seems valuable,” said he, returning it with
a sigh, to the owner's pocket; “I had wished to retain
some memorial of our delightful acquaintance; but on
the whole, it is unnecessary. But it is past one,—time
presses,—once more, good night, my dear, dear friends.”

Upon this Ida and Judith were packed into the carriage,—
Lackland and I took took the vacant seats of
Popp and Madame Meerschaum, and the postillions

[figure description] Page 031.[end figure description]

remounted. The coffin-maker, having received the immense
gratuity which had been promised him, galloped
off to his virtuous home, while the carriage rattled on
towards Brunswick.

What befel us before we arrived there, will be related
in another chapter.