Kaphengst sought in vain. Kalkreuth was nowhere to be found, and he
had to wend his way alone to Potsdam.

"I shall take care not to await the order of the king for my
arrest," said Baron Kaphengst to himself, as he rode down the road
to Potsdam. "I shall be in arrest when his order arrives. Perhaps
that will soften his anger."

Accordingly, when Kaphengst arrived at the court guard, in Potsdam,
he assumed the character of a drunken, quarrelsome officer, and
played his role so well that the commander placed him in arrest.

An hour later the king's order reached the commander to arrest Baron
Kaphengst, and with smiling astonishment he received the answer that
he had been under arrest for the last hour.

In the mean time, Kaphengst had not miscalculated. The prince was
put under arrest for eight days, Kalkreuth for three. He was
released the next morning, early enough to appear at the parade. As
the king, with his generals, rode down to the front, he immediately
noticed the audacious young officer, whose eye met his askance and
pleadingly. The king beckoned to him, and as Baron Kaphengst stood
erect before him, the king said, laughingly; "It is truly difficult
to exchange secrets with one of your height; bow down to me, I have
something to whisper in you ear."

The comrades and officers, yes, even the generals, saw not without
envy that the king was so gracious to the young Lieutenant von
Kaphengst; whispered a few words to him confidentially, and then
smiling and bowing graciously, moved on.