noon
That very night , or rather nearly at the dawn of a summer morning , there was a yelling below the castle , and a flashing of torches , and tidings rang through it that a boor on the outskirts of the mountain had had his ricks fired and his cattle driven by the robbers , and his young daughters carried off . Old Sir Eberhard hobbled down to the hall in time to see weapons flashing as they were dealt out , to hear a clear decided voice giving orders , to listen to the tramp of horse , and watch more reitern pass out under the gateway than ever the castle had counted in his father 's time . Then he went back to his bed , and when he came down in the morning , found all the womankind of the castle roasting and boiling . And , at noon , little Thekla came rushing down from the watch-tower with news that all were coming home up the Eagle 's Steps , and she was sure _ her _ baron had sent her , and waved to her . Soon after , _ her _ baron in his glittering steel rode his cream-coloured charger -LRB- once Friedel 's -RRB- into the castle court , followed by his exultant merrymen . They had overtaken the thieves in good time , made them captives , and recovered the spoil unhurt ; and Heinz and Koppel made the castle ring with the deed of their young lord , who had forced the huge leader of the band to the earth , and kept him down by main strength till they could come to bind him . `` By main strength ? ''