“Someone passed out at the other end.”
“Some of the domestics, no doubt. You may ride on, and—never mind; I will take the advance myself.”
I brushed past, and kept up the guardaraya. In a few minutes we had reached the lower end of the pond, where we halted. Here we dismounted; and, leaving the men, Clayley and I stole cautiously forward. We could see no one, though everything about the house looked as usual.
“Are they abed, think you?” asked Clayley.
“No, it is too early—perhaps below, at supper.”
“Heaven send! we shall be most happy to join them. I am as hungry as a wolf.”
We approached the house. Still all silent.
“Where are the dogs?”
We entered.
“Strange!—no one stirring. Ha! the furniture gone!”