"Let him tell you, then," he said. "Excuse me. Her Grace is looking this way." He straightway departed to escape explanations and Zulka followed him.
While these greetings were being exchanged, the populace were not idle. With enthusiastic vigor they had removed the horses from the equipages meant for the royal party, and now, through a spokesman, begged permission to draw the carriages themselves as a token of their devoted allegiance. Stovik gaily agreed when their request was explained to him.
"Come with me, Sergeant," Calvert requested. Elated at the opportunity, the Cockney leaped into the landau beside him. Pulled, pushed and surrounded by a cheering, happy pack, the entire suite was whirled along toward Trusia's castle. When well under way, the New Yorker turned to the man beside him. He seemed to beg Carrick for an explanation of the day's mystery.
"Well," he ejaculated, in the assurance that the Cockney always comprehended his monosyllabic meanings. Carrick reddened sheepishly under the other's gaze.
"You remember Judson? Sergeant Judson, of old E Troop?" he inquired, not knowing how to commence his narrative.
"Yes," Carter replied, "what of him?"
"It's his fault," Carrick answered, pointing at the densely packed mass of Krovitzers about them.
"What are you driving at?"
"It's this wye, sir," said his whilom chauffeur, taking grace of words. "You know we struck this plyce yesterday. Feelin' out o' plyce among them furrin-speakin' Krovitzers I hiked down to the Russian guard mount."
"You mean that you understood Russian better than the native language?"