Johannes said nothing. His happiness came to an abrupt end. Then he began walking up the island again, taking the eggs with him. "What's the matter with him? Where's he going?" said Otto impatiently. "Where are you going, Johannes?" cried Victoria running after him. He stopped and answered quietly: "I'm going to put the eggs back in the nests." They stood for a moment looking at each other. "And then I'm going up to the quarry this afternoon," he said. She made no answer. "Then I could show you the cave." "Oh, but I'm so frightened," she answered. "You said it was so dark." Then Johannes smiled in spite of his great sorrow and said courageously: "Yes, but I shall be with you." * * * * * All his life he had played in the old granite quarry. People had heard him working and holding forth up there though he was all alone; sometimes he had been a parson and had held a service. The place had been abandoned long ago, moss grew on the stones and the marks of boring and blasting were almost obliterated. But the Miller's son had cleared the inside of the secret cave and decked it out most ingeniously, and there he dwelt, chief of the world's bravest robber band. He rings a silver bell. A little manikin, a dwarf with a diamond clasp in his cap, hops in. This is his servant. He bows to the dust. When Princess Victoria comes, bring her in! says Johannes in a loud voice. The dwarf bows to the dust again and vanishes. Johannes stretches himself comfortably on the soft divan and thinks. There he would lead her to a seat and offer her costly dishes of gold and silver plate; a blazing fire should light up the cave; behind the heavy curtain of gold brocade at the back of the cave her couch should be prepared and twelve knights should stand on guard.... Johannes got up, crept out of the cave and listened. There was a rustling of twigs and leaves on the path. "Victoria!" he called. "Yes," came the answer. He went to meet her. "I hardly dare," she said. He swayed his shoulders and answered: "I've just been in there. I've only just come out." They went into the cave. He showed her to a seat on a stone and said: "That's the stone the giant was sitting on." "Ugh, stop, don't tell me! Weren't you frightened?" "No." "Well, but you said he only had one eye; then he must have been a troll." Johannes thought a moment. "He had two eyes, but he was blind of one. He said so himself." "What else did he say? No, don't tell me!" "He asked if I would serve him." "Oh, but you wouldn't, would you? How awful!" "Well I didn't say no. Not right out." "Are you mad? Do you want to be shut up inside the mountain?" "Well, I don't know. Things are pretty bad on earth too." Pause. "Since these town boys came you spend all your time with them," he said. Another pause. Johannes went on: