"And he's carried it about all day!" I exclaimed. "Upon my honor, I'm not the only man who's had a trying day! What did he think, Sapt?"
"What does that matter? What does he think, lad, now?"
I rose to my feet.
"We must get back," I said, "and rouse every soldier in Strelsau. We ought to be in pursuit of Michael before midday."
Old Sapt pulled out his pipe and carefully lit it from the candle which guttered on the table.
"The king may be murdered while we sit here!" I urged.
Sapt smoked on for a moment in silence.
"That cursed old woman!" he broke out. "She must have attracted their attention somehow. I see the game. They came up to kidnap the king, and—as I say—somehow they found him. If you hadn't gone to Strelsau, you and I and Fritz had been in heaven by now!"
"And the king?"
"Who knows where the king is now?" he asked,
"Come, let's be off!" said I; but he sat still.
