We had best keep awake to-night." "I think so," answered Castell anxiously.

"Listen, they are talking down below." Talking they were, as though they debated something, but after a while the sound of voices died away.

When all was silent they hunted round the attic, but could find nothing that was unusual to such places.

Peter looked at the window-hole, and, as it was large enough for a man to pass through, tried to drag one of the beds beneath it, thinking that if any such attempt were made, he who lay thereon would have the thief at his mercy, only to find, however, that these were screwed to the floor and immovable.

As there was nothing more that they could do, they went and sat upon these beds, their bare swords in their hands, and waited a long while, but nothing happened.
At length the lamp, which had been flickering feebly for some time, went out, lacking oil, and except for the light which crept through the window-place, for now they had torn away the sacking that hung over it, they were in darkness.
A little while later they heard the sound of a horse's hoofs, and the door of the house open and shut, after which there was more talking below, and mingling with it a new voice which Peter seemed to remember.
"I have it," he whispered to Castell.