"That's true!" It was a deep voice that echoed in the surrounding darkness, and the startled children clung to each other for a moment in terror. Then Dora began to laugh.
"It is Uncle Titus," she said, "he is sitting there in the summer-house. Come, Rolf, let us go in and see him."
Rolf assented; and they found Uncle Titus sitting there with his chair tipped back against the wall, looking very much pleased to see them. Rolf returned his greeting very cordially, and inquired quite casually whether he had guessed the riddle.
"I think it must be 'Caesar,' is it not, my son?" said Uncle Titus tapping the lad kindly on the shoulder.
"Yes, that's right; and did you hear the others I was saying, and did you guess them?"
"Possibly, possibly, my son," replied the good man. "I am much mistaken if the first is not 'Milky-way,' and the second, 'Plato.'"
"Both right!" cried Rolf, highly delighted. "It is the greatest fun to make riddles and have them guessed so quickly. I have another, and another, and one more. May I give you another, Mr. Ehrenreich?"
"Certainly, my dear boy, why not? out with them, all three, and we will try to guess them all."
Rolf was enchanted, and set about recalling them. "I will take the shortest first," he said:
"My first implies strength and grace;
In all things my second finds place;
My whole was the scourge of the race."