"Was it you who started the mill?" asked Victoria.
"Yes," he answered with a laugh. "What's it stopped for? Why mayn't it go on?"
"Because it's empty," answered Johannes, with a catch in his breath, looking at him. "Do you understand? The mill is empty."
"It was empty, do you hear?" Victoria repeated.
"How was I to know that?" asked Otto laughing. "Why was it empty I want to know. Wasn't there any corn in it?"
"Get up again!" broke in one of his companions, to put an end to it.
They mounted. One of them apologized to Johannes before they rode off.
Victoria was the last. When she had gone a little way she turned her horse and came back.
"You must please ask your father to excuse this," she said.
"It would have been more proper if the Cadet had done that himself," answered Johannes.