"Well, I was just wondering, you know."
Luke paused; and then said imploringly, "Please, Master Ranulph, be a good chap and tell me what took you at supper time when that doitered old weaver came in. You gave me quite a turn, screaming like that."
"Ah, Luke! Wouldn't you like to know!" teased Ranulph.
Finally he admitted that when he had been a small child he had frequently seen Portunus in his dreams, "And that's rather frightening, you know, Luke."
Luke, much relieved, admitted that he supposed it was. He himself was not given to dreaming; nor did he take seriously the dreams of others.
Ranulph noticed his relief; and rather an impish expression stole into his eyes.
"But there's something else, Luke," he said. "Old Portunus, you know, is a dead man."
This time Luke was really alarmed. Was his charge going off his head?
"Get along with you, Master Ranulph!" he cried, in a voice that he tried to make jocose.
"All right, Luke, you needn't believe it unless you like," said Ranulph. "Good night, I'm off to sleep."