"And what did you say to that?" asked Ulric the smith. "I said he did not know the Governor if he thought he could ever grow tired of oppressing. 'We might do much,' I said, 'if we held fast together. Union is strength,' I said. "'The strong,' said Tell, 'is strongest when he stands alone.' "'Then our country must not count on thee,' I said, 'when in despair she stands on self-defence?' "'Oh, well,' he said, 'hardly that, perhaps. I don't want to desert you. What I mean to say is, I'm no use as a plotter or a counsellor and that sort of thing. Where I come out strong is in deeds. So don't invite me to your meetings and make me speak, and that sort of thing; but if you want a man to do anything—why, that's where I shall come in, you see. Just write if you want me—a postcard will do—and you will not find William Tell hanging back. No, sir.' And with those words he showed us out." "Well," said Jost Weiler, "I call that encouraging. All we have to do now is to plot. Let us plot." "Yes, let's!" shouted everybody. Ulric the smith rapped for silence on the table. "Gentlemen," he said, "our friend Mr. Klaus von der Flue will now read a paper on 'Governors—their drawbacks, and how to get rid of them.' Silence, gentlemen, please. Now, then, Klaus, old fellow, speak up and get it over." And the citizens settled down without further delay to a little serious plotting. A few days after this, Hedwig gave Tell a good talking to on the