in that which will interest every one, when you do not
know what it is in which every one takes an interest? Go, find out
this, and then return to me, and I will see what can be done."

The magician then summoned his Weirds and ordered them to carry the
frozen visitors outside the castle walls. Each one of the rigid
figures was taken up by two Weirds, who carried him out and stood him
up in the road outside the castle. When all had been properly set up,
with the captain at their head, the gates were shut, and the magician
still sitting at his table, uttered the word, "Thaw!"

Instantly, the whole band thawed and marched away. At daybreak they
halted, and considered how they should find out what all the people
in the city took an interest in.

"One thing is certain," cried the Hermit's Pupil, "whatever it is, it
isn't the same thing."

"Your remark is not well put together," said the Stranger, "but I see
the force of it. It is true that different people like different
things. But how shall we find out what the different people like?"

"By asking them," said the Pupil.

"Good!" cried the Captain, who preferred action to words. "This night
we will ask them." He then drew upon the sand a plan of the
city,--(with which he was quite familiar, having carefully robbed it
for many years,)--and divided it into twenty-eight sections, each one
of which was assigned to a man. "I omit you," the Captain said to the
Stranger, "because I find that you are not expert at climbing." He
then announced that at night the band would visit the city, and that
each man should enter the houses in his district, and ask the people
what it was in which they took the greatest interest.

They then proceeded to the cave for rest and refreshment; and a
little before midnight they entered the city, and each member of the
band, including the Hermit's Pupil, proceeded to attend to the
business assigned to him. It was ordered that no one should disturb
the Queen, for they knew that what she took most interest in was the
museum. During the night nearly every person in the town was aroused
by a black-bearded robber, who had climbed into one of the windows of
the house, and who, instead of demanding money and jewels, simply
asked what it was in which that person took the greatest interest.
Upon receiving an answer, the robber repeated it until he had learned
it by heart, and then went to the next house. As so many of the
citizens were confined in prison