rse!"

The orphans gave a last pious glance at the spot which had recalled to
their guide such painful recollections, and, with his aid, remounted
Jovial.

This venerable animal had not for one moment dreamed of moving; but, with
the consummate forethought of a veteran, he had made the best use of his
time, by taking from that foreign soil a large contribution of green and
tender grass, before the somewhat envious eyes of Spoil-sport, who had
comfortably established himself in the meadow, with his snout protruding
between his fore-paws. On the signal of departure, the dog resumed his
post behind his master, and Dagobert, trying the ground with the end of
his long staff, led the horse carefully along by the bridle, for the
meadow was growing more and more marshy; indeed, after advancing a few
steps, he was obliged to turn off to the left, in order to regain the
high-road.

On reaching Mockern, Dagobert asked for the least expensive inn, and was
told there was only one in the village--the White Falcon.

"Let us go then to the White Falcon," observed the soldier.

CHAPTER III.

THE ARRIVAL.

Already had Morok several times opened with impatience the window
shutters of the loft, to look out upon the inn-yard, watching for the
arrival of the orphans and the soldier. Not seeing them, he began once
more to walk slowly up and down, with his head bent forward, and his arms
folded on his bosom, meditating on the best means to carry out the plan
he had conceived. The ideas which possessed his mind, were, doubtless, of
a painful character, for his countenance grew even more gloomy than
usual.

Notwithstanding his ferocious appearance, he was by no means deficient in
intelligence. The courage displayed in his taming exercises (which he
gravely attributed to his recent conversion), a solemn and mystical style
of speech, and a hypocritical affectation of austerity, had given him a
species of influence over the people he visited in his travels. Long
before his conversion, as may well be supposed, Morok had been familiar
with the habits of wild beasts. In fact born in the north of Siberia, he
had been, from his boyhood, one of the boldest hunters of bears and
reindeer; later, in 1810, he had abandoned this profession, to serve as
guide to a Russian engineer, who was charged with an exploring expedition
to the Polar regions. He afterwards followed him to St. Petersburg, and
there, after some vicissitudes of fortune, Morok