It was just eight o'clock when he reached the garrison town. Of course that was somewhat early to be making such a visit as his; but he had no time to lose, and he knew that an officer must always begin the day early. The porter at the station did not know where Captain von Wegstetten lived. But the turnpike-keeper had a piece of luck: outside the station he met a gunner, who readily told him the address--"11 Markt Strasse, up two flights of stairs"--and showed him the way to go. The two flights of stairs tried the old man sorely. He had to wait on the first landing in order to get his breath. "Have I grown old all of a sudden?" he asked himself in surprise. A soldier in a red coat opened the door to him. "Is the captain at home?" asked the turnpike-keeper. "Sorry, but he's not," answered the lad. "Can you tell me where I can find him?" "That would be no good. The captain's gone away--to a court-martial." The turnpike-keeper started violently. "Is the court-martial on Bombardier Vogt?" he asked. The soldier answered in the affirmative, and inquired in surprise, "Who are you, then?" "Vogt's father. I--I wanted to talk to the captain about my son. But it is too late, I see." He turned about, saying, "Thank you all the same," and went towards the stairs. In the dark he missed the first step and stumbled; the lad ran after him. He led the old man to the banister and said, "Take care you don't fall; it is rather dark here. And you know, Herr Vogt, the men of the battery all say it is a mean shame, what's happened to Vogt, a mean shame." But the turnpike-keeper did not seem to understand him. He only nodded and said, "Thank you, thank you," and tramped slowly down the stairs in his heavy boots. Whilst Friedrich August Vogt waited for his train in the station of the little garrison town, the trial of his son was taking place before the military court of the district. There was no doubt about the circumstances of the case. The two eye-witnesses, Senior-lieutenant Brettschneider and Senior-lieutenant Reimers, were unanimous on the subject, and the accused gave his assent to the correctness of the particulars. The trial would therefore have come to an end very quickly had there not been a number of witnesses for the accused.