The interruption was John Canty--with a peddler's pack on his back--and Hugo.
The King discovered these rascals approaching the front gate before they had had a chance to see him; so he said nothing about drawing the line, but took up his basket of kittens and stepped quietly out the back way, without a word.

He left the creatures in an out-house, and hurried on, into a narrow lane at the rear..