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Show 129 "Be of good cheer, my children," Gast called out. "Soon you will all feel much better. Follow Gast, now. We will dance first along the Ritterstrasse." With Gast in the lead, the children trailed after, seeming somewhat livened by the music. When we came up alongside the bakery Gast said to me, "Go in and take all the loaves from the morning's baking and give them to the children. My little ones," he announced loudly, "we will carry bread with us as an offering to the saints. Geist will give you the loaves to carry, even though there will not be enough for each one of you." I didn't understand why he wanted me to give ©ut the bread, but I did as he instructed, wondering what Master Hermann would do when he discovered that all the loaves were gone. Yet if what Gast had promised me was true I might never have to see Master Hermann again. The procession straggled on while black clouds roiled about over our heads, foretelling a worse than usual rainstorm. Gast played his music faster as though he were trying to hurry the children through the streets. We turned onto Baustrasse and began winding around toward the East Gate. "Are we taking the children out of Hamelin?" I questioned, directing my words into Gast's ear so that the others wouldn't hear. "Just follow where I lead," he answered. "Get in back of the crowd and see that no one falls behind. We must cover as much ground as possible while all the people are in church." Over the sound of thunder I was aware of church bells tolling. If the people wondered why they didn't hear their children, they would |