Now, that great horse was none other than the one which the shining knight had bestrode on the day of his meeting with Herr Banf. The Crusader had taken the beast for his own charger, and a rare war-horse he was, but getting on in years by now, and turning wild at times, after the manner of his kind. Not a groom or stable-lad about the castle but had reason to know his temper; so that, because of their fear of him, the horse often lacked for care. When Herr Banf had said that Wulf must come with him, Karl stood silent for a moment, watching the lad at Siegfried’s head; then, turning to the knight, he said: “In truth, they seem fast friends. Well, it shall be as the boy shall choose.” “For what he says I will undertake,” the knight said, laughing. “Wilt come to the castle, lad?” Wulf looked from the horse to Karl and back again. ’Twere easy to see where his desire lay. “Shall I be able to see Grandsire Karl now and then?” he asked. “As often as need be,” said Herr Banf. “What shall I say?” Wulf turned to Karl. “What thou wilt,” the armorer nodded. “We have talked o’ that.” So had they, and Wulf’s question was but the last wavering of the boy’s heart, loath to leave all it had yet known. In another moment his will regained its strength, and the matter ended in his taking again the climbing road up the Swartzburg pass, this time with a hand clinging to Herr Banf’s stirrup-leather, while the great horse stepped gently, keeping pace with the boy’s stride. “Where didst learn to bewitch a horse, lad?” the knight asked as they journeyed. “What is thy ‘horseman’s word’?” “I have none,” was the reply. “The horse seemed to know me, and I him. I cannot tell how or other.” “By my forefathers, but beasts be hard to understand as men! What was’t thou didst, by the way, to the little crooked cock at the castle?” “Him they call Conradt, Herr Knight? I did naught.” “Well, he means to fight thee for it.” “Nay,” replied Wulf, “that he’ll not.” “How is that?” “It would not be becoming for me to fight him.” “So,” Herr Banf said grimly. “Thou’st a good idea of what is due thy betters.” “It is not that,” explained Wulf, simply. “I am the better of us two; a whole man goes not against a weakling.” The knight looked keenly down at the lad, noting as he had not done before the easy movement of his body as he stepped lightly along, more like a soldier than like a peasant. He was alert and trim, with shapely shoulders and the head carried well up. “A queer armorer’s lad, this,” thought Herr Banf, in some wonder. But by now they were before the castle watch-tower, and in a moment more, still with one hand at the knight’s stirrup, Wulf again entered at the castle gate. There, in the outer bailey, Herr Banf lighted down, and bade Wulf take Siegfried to the stables for the night.