rg?" I said to the nearest, simply and
innocently enough, for the purpose of improving the cordiality of our
relations.

Whereupon he turned his head slowly about to his neighbor, as it were to
consult him. The glance said as clearly as monk's script: "What shall we
answer to this troublesome, inquisitive fellow?"

At first I thought that perhaps they spoke not the common dialect, and
that as we were travelling towards regions roughly Wendish and but lately
heathen, they might have some uncouth speech of their own. So, as is ever
the custom with folk that are not accustomed to the speaking of foreign
tongues, I repeated the question in mine own language in a louder tone,
supposing that that would do as well.

"You are men of the country of Plassenburg?" cried I, as loud as I
could bawl.

"We are not deaf--we have all our faculties, praise the saints!" said the
more distant of the two, looking not at me but at his companion. He, on
his part, nodded back at his comrade's reply, as if it had been
delicately calculated at once to answer my question and at the same time
not to commit them to any dangerous opinions.

I tried again.

"Your prince, I hear, is a true man, brave, and well-versed in war?"

The shorter and stouter man, who rode beside me, glanced once at my face,
and slowly screwed round his head to his companion in a long, questioning
gaze. Then as slowly he turned his head back again.

"Umph!" he said, judicially, with a movement of his head, which seemed a
successful compromise between a nod and a shake, just as his remark
might very well have resulted from an attempt to say "Yes" and "No" at
the same time.

This was not encouraging to one who, like myself, was in high spirits and
much inclined for conversation. But I was not to be so easily beaten off.

"The Prince of Plassenburg has a Princess," I said, "who is often upon
her travels?"

It was an innocent remark, and, so far as I could see, not one in itself
highly humorous. But it broke up the gravity of these red-haired northern
bears as if it had been the latest gay sally of the court-fool.

"Ha! ha!" laughed the more distant, lanky man, rocking himself in his
saddle till the pennon on his lance shook and the point dipped towards
his horse's ear.

"Ho! ho!" chorused his companion, slapping his thigh jovially. "Jorian,
did you hear that? 'The Prince of Plassenburg hath a Princess, and she is
often upon her travels.' Ha! ha! ha! Ho! ho! ho!"