And then, like the croak of a night-bird, Edwy's response was heard.
"Recreant knight, the maiden whom thou seekest is safe from thy lustful arm. Beware of advancing another step."
"You young swine, I'll give you the biggest licking you ever had in your life!" retorted Edward, still advancing in the direction of the door.
"Look here," Vibart whispered to Jasmine, "I think I ought to go out and help those sportsmen."
At this moment Ethelred, who had retreated into the tower, came up the ladder and told them not to worry, because he had invented something that was going to put Edward out of action the moment he attempted to advance beyond the first rung.
"No, please, Ethelred," Jasmine begged. "Don't make matters worse than they are."
"No, really it's all right, I swear," Ethelred promised. "Don't get excited. And if you want to elope to-night, Edwy's made all the necessary arrangements. He's got the ladder hidden by the stable, and the pony's harnessed, and if you're pursued, he's going to put people off the scent by saying the house is on fire; or he may be trying to set it on fire really, I can't remember; and he's only told Wilson"—Wilson was one of the under-gardeners—"so you needn't be in a funk of being found out. And look here," he added to Vibart, "you won't forget that man-lifting kite, will you? Because Edwy's awfully keen to go up with it."
"That's all right," Vibart promised. "You stave off Edward, and I'll send you a kite that will lift an elephant."
"Don't encourage him," said Jasmine. "You don't understand how dreadful all this is going to be for me."
By this time Edward, undeterred by the missiles of Edwy or Edred, had reached the foot of the ladder, and was asking Jasmine in that academic voice she so much disliked if she was in the tower.