"What's it all for?" inquired Esther.
"I don't know," said Norton, shaking his head. "Some crotchet of somebody's. I don't know anything about it. Only everybody is invited to go and see the witch; and the witch's den is in the little reception room on the other side of the hall; and we must go in one by one; and we must answer every question we are asked, or we shall get no good of our interview. So much I am informed of."
"What good shall we get if we do answer all the questions?" Esther asked.
"If I was a wizard, maybe I could tell you, Esther. You should ask David. There used to be witches and wizards, too, among his people."
"They were forbidden," said David gravely.
"But they were there, all the same," said Norton.
"Not all the same," said David; "for it was death by the law; and no good ever came of them, and nobody good ever went to them."
"O David," said Matilda timidly, but the occasion was too tempting to be lost,—"do you know what they did? Did they only play tricks? or was there anything real about it?"
Perhaps David took a different view of the occasion; for after one earnest look into Matilda's face, as if he would answer her, he turned it off with lightly saying that the witches were real, for Saul had them all put to death that he could find; and then saying that he would go and look after this particular witch. And presently he came back and proclaimed that she was ready to receive visitors.
"Who are to go, Davie? Who are to go to see her?" were the inquiries huddled one upon another.