Once upon a time this cavern had served as a
place of refuge for the Magyars when pressed
by the Osmanli, and some sixty years before
Schobry was born, it harboured a formidable
banditti, who were ultimately surprised by a
body of hussars, and the greater part of them
executed by that modification of Lynch-law
which the Magyar oppressors call Standrecht.
Of course the cave is haunted by the
ghosts of these men, and by worse spirits
yet. No peasant valuing his safety would
pass near it at night, and, moreover, it lies
out of the track of habitations. When, now
and then, a neighbouring magnate brought a
party to the cave, twenty peasants were sent
forward with torches to light up its galleries,
and place a small portable bridge with iron
rails over a chasm on the floor of it, which,
although only nine feet wide, was said to be
ninety feet in depth.

The party of police, then (thirty-four persons
in all), was conveyed to the village near
the rocky ridge in the rapidly-driven light-
carts of the country. As, in this case, each
cart carried not two country people, but
six armed policemen, and they went by night,
they were four hours in reaching the
appointed spot. Many of the policemen were
old sergeants and corporals, and one among
them (while loading his rusty carbine) de-
clared that he had seen Schobry once, and,
however he might be disguised, could not
forget him. Schobry smiled encouragingly,
and said he was sure his memory would very
soon be tested. "How deplorable it is," he
added, "that such a fellow should not only
make fun habitually out of his pursuers, but
that his tricks should so often be the means
of taking estimable members of society, like
the police, out of their proper homes and beds
on cold and rainy nights."

But the police did not complain of this, for
they had agreed amongst each other that
there must needs be gold and other spoils of
the banditti in the cave that Schobry watched
so carefully himself of nights. There, however,
was among the party a little weazen-
faced old corporal, who eyed Schobry with
something of mistrust, although his sense of
due subordination had restrained him from
all hinting of suspicion to the commissary.
When the party were within a quarter of a
mile of the cave, Schobry himself proposed
that he and four men should go forward and
see that the coast was clear. The small
corporal instantly volunteered for this light
infantry duty. When within the cave,
Schobry turned round, and noticed that the
corporal's carbine was not only at full-cock,
but also directed towards him from the
priming position. He affected not to notice
this, and coolly went on with his exploration.
They lighted two torches, found the little
bridge in the upright position in which it was
usually left when not wanted, and, as it fitted
into grooves on either side the chasm, the
steady way across was soon secured. The
five returned, and reported all safe; the
main body advanced; the cave was occupied.
More torches were then lighted, and the
bridge was crossed. The little corporal still
kept near Schobry, scowling upon him
expressively.

The special-commissary, who was leader of
the capturing detachment, had under him two
of the best spies of the Vienna police, and
entertained a firm belief that he was acting
upon certain information, while he supposed
that the military detachment of whose march
he had been secretly informed, was on a wild-
goose chace. His main delusion, however,
was, that Schobry, who had borrowed a good
passport, was no victim, as he called himself,
but a past member of the band, who had
some reason for desiring to be revenged upon
its chief. Schobry gave a square-bottle of
spirits to his next neighbour, the corporal,
signed him to drink from it, and pass it
round. Then addressing himself to the head
functionary, said, "Gracious Lord-Commissary,
it is now scarcely six o'clock, and we
will lie in wait;  for he never comes to his
lair, in that corner, until past eleven. I will
take you to a flanking gallery of the cavern,
where the torches can neither be seen nor
smelt; your worthy suite can then rest and
take some refreshment, until the sentinels
you have so wisely posted near the entrance
give the signal to us. The commissary,
evidently disturbed at the information that the
cave had so many ramifications, gave the
order to explore the passage indicated.
Again the little corporal went as a volunteer
upon the service, for he was really brave,
and restlessly suspicious. The others began
to prepare themselves for ease and repose,
when the advanced guard returned with the
announcement of a remarkable discovery.
Schobry, and certainly not less than thirty of
his followers, must have been disturbed while
feasting there upon the previous day, because
a table had been discovered spread with all
kinds of good meat and wine. Instant was
the rush of men eager to verify this statement.
Subordination put quite of question,
the commanding commissary only ordered
his band to be seated, and to make the best
use of the knives and forks they found. To
save appearances, and preserve due respect
for his own dignity, he took the head of the
table and began to carve. After an hour's
time Schobry and his adherent the corporal
were almost the only sober people of the
party. Then said the bandit to his double,
in a confidential tone, "This really is going
too far; there is nothing but wine and spirits
on the table—no water to mix with it. I
will take these two jugs—you can carry the
two others; we had better fill them at the
tank close by. Now it was evidently the
corporal's plan to do anything together with
the guide he was mistrusting, but not to
allow that gentleman to pass out of his sight.
Schobry accordingly led the way, filled the