\"Hennicker’sitis!Leadon。\"
Theostlerremountedhishorse，andtheothersfollowed。Thetrailpresentlyturnedintoabroadertrack，thatboresomesignsofapproachinghabitations，andattheendoffiveminutestheycameuponaclearing。Itwaspartofoneofthefragmentarymountainterraces，andformedbyitselfavastniche，orbracketedshelf，inthehollowflankofthemountainthat，toHale’sfirstglance，borearuderesemblancetoEagle’sCourt。Buttherewasneithermeadownoropenfield；thefewacresofgroundhadbeenwrestedfromtheforestbyaxeandfire，andunsightlystumpseverywheremarkedtherudeanddifficultattemptsatcultivation。Twoorthreeroughbuildingsofunplanedandunpaintedboards，connectedbyramblingsheds，stoodinthecentreoftheamphitheatre。Farfrombeingprotectedbytheencirclingrampart，itseemedtobetheselectedarenaforthecombatingelements。AwhirlwindfromtheouterabysscontinuallyfilledthiscaveofAEoluswithdrivingsnow，which，however，meltedasitfell，orwasquicklywhirledawayagain。
Afewdogsbarkedandranouttomeetthecavalcade，buttherewasnoothersignofanylifedisturbedorconcernedattheirapproach。
\"IreckonHennickerain’thome，orhe’dhevbeenonthelookoutaforethis，\"saidtheostler，dismountingandrappingonthedoor。
Afterasilence，afemalevoice，unintelligiblytotheothers，apparentlyhadsomecolloquywiththeostler，whoreturnedtotheparty。