life as they went through the vineyards.

Eric's attention was roused at hearing Claus say that Manna had been an
extremely bold rider, even as a little child, and afterwards as a
growing girl, and that her father had always taken her with him on a
hunt, where she showed the wildest spirit. Rose and Thistle were the
dogs which had belonged to her, and now whenever they heard her name,
they noticed it directly, and looked sharply round as if expecting her.

Eric would have liked to ask how it happened that a bold and spirited
girl, who delighted in hunting, could now be living like a penitent in
a convent. It was hard to bring this picture of her, hunting with her
gun and with her dogs, into harmony with the picture of the winged
apparition. But he took care to ask Roland no questions, and behaved to
the huntsman as if he had known it all before.

His father had left Roland his favorite dogs, Rose and Thistle; they
were small, but powerfully built, with broad chest and strong back, and
they appeared to understand when Roland praised them. The smaller, the
female, with red chops and many scars on her head, always licked his
hand while he extolled her wonderful courage, and hung her head when he
said he was sorry that she was not so obedient as the somewhat larger
male, Thistle. With sparkling eyes, which seemed to glance with modest
pleasure, Thistle looked at Roland when he explained to Eric that the
dog would obey only English words, but by their use could be managed
perfectly; if he called out to him "_zuruck_!" Thistle looked at him as
if deaf; but the moment he said "Come back!" he fell back a foot behind
him.

They passed a low oak-tree; Roland seized a branch, and shook it,
crying "Hang!" and Thistle sprang up, caught the branch with his sharp
teeth, and remained hanging to it till Roland told him to let go. Rose
performed the same trick, and even outdid herself, for she whirled
round several times as she hung, and then, with a sudden jerk, broke
off the branch and brought it to Roland. The boy and the dogs were very
happy together, and seemed to understand equally well where they were
going.

They went by the huntsman's house, where the two ferrets were put into
a basket. On the edge of the wood, Roland took out the pretty little
yellow creatures, which moved in a sort of snake-like way, and put
muzzles on them, caressing them as he did it. They then went into the
thicket, where fresh burrows were soon found;