"I may ask you that," said he.

"I came up because I saw your face at the window."

"And I because, as you may well have observed, I have very much interest
for all that has to do with the military, and, of course, castles are
among them. You will excuse me for one moment, my dear Jack."

And he stepped out suddenly through the hole in the wall, so as to be
out of my sight.

But I was very much too curious to excuse him so easily. I shifted my
ground swiftly to see what it was that he was after. He was standing
outside, and waving his hand frantically, as in a signal.

"What are you doing?" I cried; and then, running out to his side, I
looked across the moors to see whom he was beckoning to.

"You go too far, sir," said he, angrily; "I didn't thought you would
have gone so far. A gentleman has the freedom to act as he choose
without your being the spy upon him. If we are to be friends, you must
not interfere in my affairs."

"I don't like these secret doings," said I, "and my father would not
like them either."

"Your father can speak for himself, and there is no secret," said he,
curtly. "It is you with your imaginings that make a secret. Ta, ta,
ta! I have no patience with such foolishness."