When Adam got back to the carriage, carefully carrying the box with the mongoose, Sir Nathaniel said: “Hullo! what have you got there?”
“A mongoose.”
“What for?”
“To kill snakes!”
Sir Nathaniel laughed.
“I heard Lady Arabella’s invitation to you to come to Diana’s Grove.”
“Well, what on earth has that got to do with it?”
“Nothing directly that I know of. But we shall see.” Adam waited, and the old man went on: “Have you by any chance heard the other name which was given long ago to that place.”
“No, sir.”
“It was called—Look here, this subject wants a lot of talking over. Suppose we wait till we are alone and have lots of time before us.”