Lucien soon re-appeared with his cartridge case, and carrying a double-barrelled Manton, and a sort of peaked cap, woven for him by some Penelope of Sullacaro.
“Shall I go with your Excellency?” asked Griffo.
“No, it will be useless,” replied Lucien; “but you may as well loose Diamond, as we might put up a pheasant, and the moon is so clear we should be able to shoot as well as in daylight.”
An instant afterwards a great spaniel bounded out, and jumped joyously around its master.
We had not gone many paces from the house when Lucien turned round and said—
“By-the-by, Griffo, tell them if they hear any shots on the mountain that it is we who have fired them.”
“Very well, your Excellency.”
“If we did not take some such precautions,” said Lucien, “they would think that hostilities had recommenced, and we should soon hear our shots echoing in the streets of Sullacaro. A little farther on you will see a footpath to the right that will lead us directly up the mountain.”