all eyes, both of 'em; and there was the old gray-haired lady,
the Countess Halfont, and a half-dozen shivering maids, with men
galore, Dangloss and the Count and a lot of servants,--a great
and increasing crowd. The captain of the guards, a young fellow
named Quinnox, as I heard him called, came in, worried and
humiliated. I fancy he was afraid he'd lose his job. You see,
it was this way: Old Dangloss has had a man watching us all day.
Think of it! Shadowing us like a couple of thieves. This fellow
traced us to the castle gate and then ran back for
reinforcements, confident that we were there to rob. In twenty
minutes he had a squad of officers at the gate, the chief
trailing along behind. They found the pile of tools we had left
there, and later the other chap in the arbor. A couple of guards
came charging up to learn the cause of the commotion, and the
whole crew sailed into the castle, arriving just in time. Well,
just as soon as I had told them the full story of the plot, old
Caspar, the chief and the captain held a short consultation, the
result of which I can tell in mighty few words. At six o'clock
they took the whole gang of prisoners down in the ravine and shot
them. The mounted guards are still looking for the two Viennese
who were left with the carriage. They escaped. About an hour
after you were hurt you were carried over here and laid on this
couch. I want to tell you, Mr. Lorry, you are the most
interesting object that ever found its way into a royal
household. They have been hanging over you as if you were a
new-born baby, and everybody's charmed because you are a boy
and are going to live. As an adventure this has been a
record-breaker, my son! We are cocks of the walk!"

Lorry was smiling faintly over his enthusiasm.