noon
They pursued their journey the following day in the same manner , excepting that it struck Albert , his leader appeared more cautious than on the day before : for , when they came within five hundred paces of a dwelling , he bid his master stop , whilst he approached it warily ; and not till after he was perfectly satisfied that all was right , did he make him a sign to follow . In vain did Albert question him , whether the road was now more dangerous , or whether the troops of the League were in the neighbourhood ? He could not elicit a direct answer . Towards noon , as the country became more open , and the path descended into the plain , their route consequently was attended with more danger . The musician of Hardt , thinking it no longer prudent to approach any habitation , had provided himself at the last place with a sack of fodder for the horse , and a sufficient supply of provisions for his master and himself ; he sought the most unfrequented paths , and it appeared to Albert that they did not follow the first direction , but had turned sharp to the right . They halted on the skirt of a shady beechwood , by the side of a clear stream with fresh grass on its banks , which invited them to repose . Albert dismounted , whilst his provident guide produced the contents of his wallet , and set before him a good dinner .