"I will come back to you, if I ever get my key again," he said; "and then I'll disenchant you."
At that moment the kitchen door opened, and Conrad saw a great light. It might have been a bull's-eye lantern, but Conrad was sure that it was a dragon that was pointing its fiery eye at him.
"Oh, the poor princess!" said he. "If only I had my key!"
Then, as the light flashed full at him, he became so frightened that he turned and ran for the gate as hard as he could. He made his way across the court-yard much faster than when he had come in, and soon he had left the castle far behind. The houses began to be farther apart and to have a more rustic appearance. He heard a cart coming along the road.
"Please give me a ride!" he cried to the driver.
"Yes, I will," said the man; "jump in." And Conrad clambered into the cart.
"You look tired," said the driver. "Lie down on that blanket and rest yourself."
Conrad gladly did as he was told and, feeling much fatigued after his adventures, he was soon fast asleep.
He did not awake until he felt himself carried out of the cart, and was just enough awake to know that all the inmates of his father's house, together with a few of the neighbors, were crowding about and asking him where he had been. And that was all he noticed, for the next moment he was off to sleep again, and was carried upstairs and put to bed.
He did not feel very well the next morning, so the doctor was called in, who advised that he should remain in the house for a few days, as he had a slight fever.