When they regained the thicket where they had left the others, Grinson came forward eagerly to meet them.
'Any luck, sir?' he asked anxiously. 'Did ye find Ephraim?'
'We know pretty well where he is,' replied Trentham.
'Safe and sound?'
'That I can't say exactly, but he 's sound enough to make Hahn call him a pig.'
'Pig! A lamb like Ephraim! By thunder, sir, if I get my fingers on that there Hahn I 'll teach him! Ephraim a pig! Blast my--
'Steady, Grinson,' interrupted Hoole. 'Meek isn't damaged by Hahn's abuse. Things are more serious than that. From what we overheard, it's pretty sure that Meek has refused to do something that Hahn ordered.'
'Good lad! I 'll----'
'Wait. Hahn has given him all night to think it over; he threatens to shoot him.'
Grinson was silenced. His heat was quenched by speechless care. Fixing his eyes anxiously on Trentham, he said quietly: