THE ADVENTURES OF PRINCE HEMPSEED. 35

and those cries of destruction. ‘They did not move out of
the thicket where they had concealed themselves since the
previous night.

And how long that day appeared to them !

In the middle of the night, when the noise was a little
hushed, the prince, who had been thinking much for twenty-
four hours, whispered to his sister, “Dearest Olympia,
come with me. I have a plan in view.”

Olympia was frightened to leave the thicket;—she
seco ae obeyed her brother.

* But where are we going?” she said.

Follow me, sister.”

« What will become of us?”

* God will help us. Let us exert ourselves first.”

“ But, my dear brother—”

“ Silence, sister: all the soldiers are not asleep! If one
of them should overhear us—”

«You are going to the castle ?” said Olympia, trembling.

*‘T know it. Come on boldly.”

‘ But the soldiers are there !”

* Silence, dear sister—or we are lost!”

Overcome by drinking, the soldiers were sleeping pell-
mell upon the marble terrace.

The two children advanced with slow and cautious steps—
scarcely touching the ground, as they walked ontip-toe amidst
those armed men, at the risk of every ;
moment arousing'a savage halberdier,
with moustachios like a tiger, or a
dragoon more terrible still, and being
taken prisoners. What adangerous
situation! But then, they walked so
gently —so gently—so very gently !'

All of a sudden, the hoarse and
tipsy voice of one of the soldiers
lying upon the terrace, exclaimed,
* Who goes there ?”

 

Cc