Here Hanky interrupted him somewhat brusquely.  “The man, Panky,” said he, “was the Sunchild; and he was not a poacher, for he had no idea that he was breaking the law; nevertheless, as you say, Sunchildism on the brain has been a common form of mania for several years.  Several persons have even believed themselves to be the Sunchild.  We must not forget this, if it should get about that Higgs has been here.”

Then, turning to Yram, he said sternly, “But come what may, your son must take him to the Blue Pool at nightfall.”

“Sir,” said George, with perfect suavity, “you have spoken as though you doubted my readiness to do my duty.  Let me assure you very solemnly that when the time comes for me to act, I shall act as duty may direct.”

“I will answer for him,” said Yram, with even more than her usual quick, frank smile, “that he will fulfil his instructions to the letter, unless,” she added, “some black and white horses come down from heaven and snatch poor Higgs out of his grasp.  Such things have happened before now.”

“I should advise your son to shoot them if they do,” said Hanky drily and sub-defiantly.

Here the conversation closed; but it was useless trying to talk of anything else, so the Professors asked Yram to excuse them if they retired early, in view of the fact that they had a fatiguing day before them.  This excuse their hostess readily accepted.

“Do not let us talk any more now,” said Yram as soon as they had left the room.  “It will be quite time enough when the dedication is over.  But I rather think the black and white horses will come.”

“I think so too, my dear,” said the Mayor laughing.

“They shall come,” said George gravely; “but we have not yet got enough to make sure of bringing them.  Higgs will perhaps be able to help me to-morrow.”

* * * * *

“Now what,” said Panky as they went upstairs, “does that woman mean—­for she means something?  Black and white horses indeed!”

“I do not know what she means to do,” said the other, “but I know that she thinks she can best us.”

“I wish we had not eaten those quails.”

“Nonsense, Panky; no one saw us but Higgs, and the evidence of a foreign devil, in such straits as his, could not stand for a moment.  We did not eat them.  No, no; she has something that she thinks better than that.  Besides, it is absolutely impossible that she should have heard what happened.  What I do not understand is, why she should have told us about the Sunchild’s being here at all.  Why not have left us to find it out or to know nothing about it?  I do not understand it.”

So true is it, as Euclid long since observed, that the less cannot comprehend that which is the greater.  True, however, as this is, it is also sometimes true that the greater cannot comprehend the less.  Hanky went musing to his own room and threw himself into an easy chair to think the position over.  After a few minutes he went to a table on which he saw pen, ink, and paper, and wrote a short letter; then he rang the bell.