"For myself I don't care," said-----, "but what is to become of my
sisters?"
"They must proceed to Hamburgh."
"Very well--let me order the stuhl wagen, and give us, at all events, half
an hour to move our valuables."
Here Mr-----exchanged looks with his sisters.
"Certainly," said the young officer; "and I will myself see you safe into
the city."
Who says that eels cannot be made used to skinning? The poor girls
continued their little preparations with an alacrity and presence of mind
that truly surprised me. There was neither screaming nor fainting, and by
the time the carriage was at the door, they, with two female domestics,
were ready to mount. I cannot better describe their vehicle, than by
comparing it to a canoe mounted on four wheels, connected by a long perch,
with a coachbox at the bow, and three gig bodies hung athwart ships, or
slung inside of the canoe, by leather thongs. At the moment we were
starting, Mr-----came close to me and whispered, "Do you think your ship
will still be in the river?"
I answered that I made no doubt she was.
"But even if she be not," said he, "the Holstein bank is open to us.
Anywhere but Hamburgh now." And the scalding tears ran down his cheeks.
At this moment there was a bustle on the hill top, and presently the
artillery began once more to play, while the musketry breezed up again in
the distance. A mounted bugler rode half way down the hill, and sounded
the recall.
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