Amusement sounded in his voice; indeed it was impossible not to perceive the humor of the position, when I felt the Cardinal's Necklace against my own ribs.
We were walking now under cover of the trees which lined the sides of the path, so that no backward glance could discover us to the thieves; and I was wondering how long we were thus to dog their steps, when suddenly they turned to the left about fifty yards short of the spot where old Jean's cottage stood, and disappeared from our sight.

We emerged into the path, the duke taking the lead.

He was walking more briskly now, and I saw him examine his pistol.

When we came where the fellows had turned, we followed in their track.
The first distant hint of approaching morning caught the tops of the trees above us, turning them from black to a deep chill gray, as we paused to listen.

Our pursuit had brought us directly behind the cottage, which now stood about a hundred yards on the right; and then we came upon them--or rather suddenly stopped and crouched down to avoid coming upon them--where they were squatting on the ground with a black iron box between them, and the lantern's light thrown on the keyhole of the box.