My heart got to thumping.

You can't reason with your heart; it has its own laws, and thumps about things which the intellect scorns.

Presently, when Sandy slid from the horse, motioned me to stop, and went creeping stealthily, with her head bent nearly to her knees, toward a row of bushes that bordered a declivity, the thumpings grew stronger and quicker.

And they kept it up while she was gaining her ambush and getting her glimpse over the declivity; and also while I was creeping to her side on my knees.

Her eyes were burning now, as she pointed with her finger, and said in a panting whisper: "The castle! The castle! Lo, where it looms!" What a welcome disappointment I experienced! I said: "Castle?
It is nothing but a pigsty; a pigsty with a wattled fence around it." She looked surprised and distressed.