They then proceeded to the cave for rest and refreshment; and a little before midnight they entered the city, and each member of the band, including the Hermit’s Pupil, proceeded to attend to the business assigned to him.  It was ordered that no one should disturb the Queen, for they knew that what she took most interest in was the museum.  During the night nearly every person in the town was aroused by a black-bearded robber, who had climbed into one of the windows of the house, and who, instead of demanding money and jewels, simply asked what it was in which that person took the greatest interest.  Upon receiving an answer, the robber repeated it until he had learned it by heart, and then went to the next house.  As so many of the citizens were confined in prisons, which the robbers easily entered, they transacted the business in much less time than they would otherwise have required.

The Hermit’s Pupil was very active, climbing into and out of houses with great agility.  He obtained his answers quite as easily as did the others, but whenever he left a house there was a shade of disappointment upon his features.  Among the last places that he visited was a room in which two boys were sleeping.  He awoke them and asked the usual question.  While they were trembling in their bed, not knowing what to answer, the Pupil drew his sword and exclaimed:  “Come, now, no prevarication; you know it’s fishing-tackle.  Speak out!” Each of the boys then promptly declared it was fishing-tackle, and the pupil left, greatly gratified.  “I was very much afraid,” he said to himself, “that not a person in my district would say fishing-tackle; and I am glad to think that there were two boys who had sense enough to like something that is really interesting.”

It was nearly daylight when the work was finished; and then the band gathered together in an appointed place on the outside of the city, where the Stranger awaited them.  Each of the men had an excellent memory, which was necessary in their profession, and they repeated to the Stranger all the objects and subjects that had been mentioned to them, and he wrote them down upon tablets.

The next night, accompanied by the band, he proceeded to the castle of the magician, the great gate of which was silently opened for them by the Weirds.  When they were ushered into the magician’s room, Alfrarmedj took the tablets from the Stranger and examined them carefully.

“All these things should make a very complete collection,” he said, “and I think I have specimens of the various objects in my interminable vaults.”  He then called his Weirds and, giving one of them the tablets, told him to go with his companions into the vaults and gather enough of the things therein mentioned to fill a large museum.  In half an hour the Weirds returned and announced that the articles were ready in the great court-yard.

“Go, then,” said the magician, “and assist these men to carry them to the Queen’s museum.”