The governor might perhaps have gone on scolding, but the gate-keeper interrupted him. "Talabor--Mr. Governor, I mean, there are some suspicious-looking men on the edge of the wood, if my eyes don't deceive me." "On the edge of the wood? But it is rather dark to see so far," said Talabor, standing up as he spoke. "If it were not so dark, I could tell better who the rascals are; but so much I can say, there they are, and a good lot of them." "Very well," said Talabor, making a sign to the governor, "you are a faithful fellow to have noticed them; but we mustn't make any fuss, or our young mistress may be frightened." "I am not usually given to fearing danger, Mr. Talabor," said Dora, entering the room at that moment, and speaking with cool dignity. "I have just been to the top of the look out myself, and what this honest fellow says is perfectly true. There are some men just inside the wood, and they do look suspicious, because they keep creeping about among the underwood, and only now and then putting their heads out." While his mistress spoke, the gate-keeper had stood there motionless. "Come, go back to the gate," said Dora, turning to him, "and make haste! you heard what Mr. Talabor said; let him know at once if you notice any movement among these people." "And, Governor," she continued, "you had better place the guard and all the men who can shoot at the loopholes, quietly, you know, not as if we were expecting to be attacked; and then, the stones for the walls----" "Pardon me, mistress," interposed Talabor, "I had stones, and everything else we might need, carried up a week ago." "I know it, Mr. Talabor, I was not doubting it," Dora said in an unruffled tone, "but for all that, it will be as well to have more stones, I think. I believe myself that they are just brigands, not Tartars, but even so, if they attack us at night, and in large numbers, all will depend upon the reception they get, so it seems to me." Talabor said no more, but in his own mind he was fully persuaded that the suspicious-looking folk were the Mongols, and that they were concocting some plan for getting into the castle without attacking it. "Your orders shall be obeyed, my young mistress," answered the governor. "Talabor," Dora went on, as if to make up for her previous coldness, "I trust to you to do everything necessary for our defence." A few moments later Talabor was in the spacious courtyard, collecting the men who formed the watch or guard, while the old governor hurried with some difficulty up the stairs which led to the porter's room, over the gate. All preparations were complete within a quarter of an hour. Dora wrapped herself in a cloak and stationed herself in a wide balcony facing the woods.