Hero Tales of the Far NorthRiis, Jacob A. (Jacob August)
History
Hero Tales of the Far North
Riis, Jacob A. (Jacob August)
Scandinavia -- History
The die was cast now, and there was need of haste. Under cover of
the night the little band rode through the island with the news,
ringing the church bells far and near to call the people to arms.
Many were up and waiting; Master Poul had roused them already. At
Hammershus the Swedish garrison heard the clamor, and wondered
what it meant. They found out when at sunrise an army of half
the population thundered on the castle gates summoning them to
surrender. Burgomaster Kam sat among them on the governor’s horse,
wearing his uniform, and shouted to the officers in command that
unless they surrendered, he, the governor, would be killed, and
his head sent in to his wife in the castle. The frightened woman’s
tears decided the day. The garrison surrendered, only to discover
that they had been tricked. Jens Kofoed took command in the castle.
The Swedish soldiers were set to doing chores for the farmers
they had so lately harassed. The ship that was to have fetched
reënforcements from Sweden was sent to Denmark instead, with the
heartening news. They needed that kind there just then.
But the ex-trooper, now Commandant, knew that a day of reckoning
was coming, and kept a sharp lookout. When the hostile ship _Spes_
was reported steering in from the sea, the flag of Sweden flew from
the peak of Hammershus, and nothing on land betrayed that there
had been a change. As soon as she anchored, a boat went out with
an invitation from the governor to any officers who might be on
board, to come ashore and arrange for the landing of the troops.
The captain of the ship and the major in charge came, and were made
prisoners as soon as they had them where they could not be seen
from the ship. It blew up to a storm, and the _Spes_ was obliged
to put to sea, but as soon as she returned boats were sent out to
land the soldiers. They sent only little skiffs that could hold
not over three or four, and as fast as they were landed they were
overpowered and bound. Half of the company had been thus disposed
of when the lieutenant on board grew suspicious, and sent word that
without the express orders of the major no more would come. But
Jens Kofoed’s wit was equal to the emergency. The next boat brought
an invitation to the lieutenant to come in and have breakfast
with the officers, who would give him his orders there. He walked
into the trap; but when he also failed to return, his men refused
to follow. He had arranged to send them a sign, they said, that
everything was all right. If it did not come, they would sail away
to Sweden for help.
It took some little persuasion to make the lieutenant tell about
the sign, but in the end Jens Kofoed got it. It turned out to be
his pocket-knife. When they saw that, the rest came, and were put
under lock and key with their fellows.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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