"Himmel! Ich weiss nicht, Strauss," replied his companion, who was none other than the renowned Professor Rudolf Weissmann, "but I fear that they portend us no good."
"Let us examine the ground to see if they have left any clue behind."
So for the next few minutes the professor and his mechanic searched the ground carefully for any little souvenir which the travellers might have left behind them. And whilst they searched, they talked in low, but eager whispers.
"Did you hear that half-witted Schwarzwalder talking aloud about the Scorpion?" asked the professor.
"Yes. He called it a phantom-bird, did he not?" replied Strauss. "I heard nearly all he said, he spoke so loudly and coarsely."
"Could you hear what the others said?"
"Not a word; they spoke so quietly, save once or twice when they spoke to the clock-maker."
"Nor could I, and that is what makes me so suspicious," returned Weissmann.
"They spoke good German, though," ventured the mechanic.
"Bah! Of course they would. Nevertheless, it's my firm opinion that they're foreigners, and that they're here for some special reason."