“Is Prince Ernest of Hohenlinden stopping here?” inquired the General, stepping at once up to the office.

“There is a foreigner of rank who arrived here late last night by the Southampton steamer.”

“Where is he now?”

“Gone out for a morning ride by the sea, I think.”

“Ah! you have other travelers here who arrived by the Southampton boat?”

“Yes; an American gentleman, I think, a scientific man, who has gone out with his servant to hunt for minerals in the Noirmont Heights.”

“Ah! a scientific man in search of minerals!” grunted the General.

“By the way, there were two of them, they——”

“Oh, two of them, were they! Master and pupil, very likely; or principal and second.”

“They took with them a servant carrying a box of tools.”