from his bed of leaves.The pup, although awake long before, had dutifully lain still, abidinghis master's time. It now arose and shook itself, yawned, and looked upwith an expression of "what next?"
Having lighted a fire, Bladud set up the carcase of a wild duck toroast. He had shot it the day before on his way to the valley of theSwamp. As this was a proceeding in which the pup had a prospectiveinterest, he sat by attentively.
"Ah! Brownie," said his master, sitting down to wait for the cooking ofthe bird, "you little know what a sad life awaits you. No companionshipbut that of a doomed man, and I fear you will be a poor nurse when theend comes, though assuredly you will not be an unsympathetic one. Butit may be long before the end. That's the worst of it. Come, have abit."
He threw him a leg as he spoke, and the two breakfasted peacefullytogether on the banks of the shining river, slaking their thirst, afterit was finished, at the same pure stream.
While doing so the prince observed with satisfaction that large troutwere rising freely, and that several flocks of wild ducks and otheraquatic birds passed both up and down the river.
"Now, Brownie," he said, when the meal was concluded, "you and I mustsearch for a convenient spot on which to build our hut."
Before starting off, however, he uncovered his shoulder and lookedanxiously at the white spot. It was as obvious as ever, but did notseem to him increased since he left home. A very slight matter willsometimes give hope to a despairing man. Under the influence of thisnegative comfort, Bladud took up his weapons and sallied forth, closelyfollowed by the pup.
In the haste of departure and the depressed state of his mind he had, ashas been said, forgotten his sword, or deliberately left it behind him.The only weapon he now possessed, besides the bow and arrows given tohim by the Hebrew, was a small bronze hatchet, which was, however, oflittle use for anything except cutting down small trees and branches forfirewood. He carried a little knife, also, in his girdle, but it wasmuch too small to serve the purpose of an offensive weapon, though itwas well suited to skin wild animals and cut up his food. As for hisstaff, or club--it might be of use in a contest with men, but would beof little service against bears or wolves. Casting it aside, therefore,he cut for himself a ponderous oaken staff about five feet long, at oneend of which there was a heavy knotted mass that gave it great weight.The other end he sharpened to a fine point. This formidable weapon hepurposed to wield with both hands when using it as a club, while, ifneed should arise, he might also use it as a spear.
"I was foolish, Brownie," he remarked, while rounding off the head ofthis club, "to leave my good sword behind me, for though I have nodesire to kill men, there may arise a need-be to kill bears. However,it cannot be helped, and, verily, this little thing will be a prettyfair substitute."
He twirled the little thing round his head with one hand, in a way thatwould have rejoiced the heart of a modern Irishman, had he been there tosee, and induced the pup to jump aside in surprise with his tail betweenhis legs.
A few minutes later, and he was striding over the beautiful land in alldirections, examining and taking possession, as it were, of his fairdomain.
In passing over a knoll which was crowned by several magnificent oaks,they came suddenly on a family of black pigs, which were luxuriating onthe acorns that covered the ground.
"My future care!" muttered the prince, with a grim smile, for he hardlybelieved in the truth of all he was going through, and almost expectedto awake and find it was a dream.
The pigs, headed by a huge old boar, caught sight of the intruders atthe same time, and stood for a moment or two grunting in stolidastonishment.
With all the gaiety of inexperience, the pup went at them single-handed,causing the whole herd to turn and fly with ear-splitting screams--theold boar bringing up the rear, and looking round, out of the corner ofhis little eyes, with wicked intent.
Bladud, knowing the danger, sprang after them, shouting to the pup tocome back. But Brownie's war-spirit had been aroused, and his trainingin obedience had only just begun. In a moment he was alongside theboar, which turned its head and gave him a savage rip with a gleamingtusk. Fortunately it just barely reached the pup's flank, which it cutslightly, but quite enough to cause him to howl with anger and pain.
Before the boar could repeat the operation, Bladud sent his clubwhizzing in advance of him. It was well aimed. The heavy head alightedjust above the root of the boar's curly tail. Instantly, as ifanticipating the inventions of the future, fifty steam whistles seemedto burst into full cry. The other pigs, in sympathetic alarm, joined inchorus, and thus, yelling inconceivably, they plunged into a thicket anddisappeared.
Bladud almost fell to the ground with laughing, while Brownie, in nolaughing mood, came humbly forward to claim and receive consolation.But he received more than consolation, for, while the prince was engagedin binding up the wound, he poured upon him such a flood of solemnremonstrance, in a tone of such injured feeling, that the pup wasevidently cut to the heart--his self-condemned, appealing looks provingbeyond a doubt that the meaning of what was said was plain to him,though the language might be obscure.
On continuing the march, Brownie limped behind his master--a sadder anda wiser dog. They had not gone far when they came on another family ofpigs, which fled as before. A little further on, another herd wasdiscovered, wallowing in a marshy spot. It seemed to Bladud that therewas no good feeding in that place, and that the creatures were dirtyingthemselves with no obvious end in view, so, with the pup's ratherunwilling assistance, he drove them to more favourable ground, where theacorns were abundant.
At this point he reached a secluded part of the valley, or, rather, anoff-shoot from it, where a low precipice rose on one side, and thickflowering shrubs protected the other. The spot was considerablyelevated above the level of the low ground, and from an opening in theshrubbery at the further extremity could be seen the larger valley withall its wealth of forest and meadow, its knolls, and slopes, and woodeduplands, with the river winding like a silver thread throughout itswhole extent.
Here the prince resolved to fix his abode, and, not a little pleasedwith the successful way in which he had commenced his amateurpig-herding, he set vigorously and patiently to work with the littlebronze hatchet, to fell such trees as would be required in theconstruction of his future home.
CHAPTER TWENTY.
A STRANGE ABODE AND A WILD VISITOR.
Bladud's idea of a palace worthy of a prince was not extravagant. Heerected it in three days without assistance or tools, except the bronzeaxe and knife--Brownie acting the part of superintendent of the works.Until it was finished, he slept with the forest trees for a shelter andthe sky for a canopy.
The edifice was nothing better than a small hut, or booth, constructedof long branches bent in the shape of semi-hoops, the ends of which werethrust into the ground. The whole was thatched with dried grass andbound down with ropes made of the same material. It was further securedagainst the possible influence of high winds, by heavy branches beinglaid across it and weighted with stones. Dried grass also formed thecarpeting on the floor.
Of course it was not so high that its architect could stand up in it,but he could sit in it erect, and could lie down at full length withoutshowing his heels outside. There was no door, but one end was leftunfinished as a substitute. Neither was there a fireplace, the space infront sufficing for a kitchen.
While engaged in its erection, Bladud was too busy to indulge in gloomythoughts, but as soon as it was finished and he had lain down to restunder its shade, the terrible, almost incredible, nature of his positionrushed upon him in full force. The opening of the hut had been soarranged as to present a view of the wide-spreading valley, and he gazedupon scenes of surpassing loveliness, in which all the sights that metthe eye breathed of beauty and repose, while the sounds that broke uponthe ear were suggestive of bird and beast revelling in the enjoyment ofthe gifts and sunshine of a bountiful Creator. But such sights andsounds only enhanced the m
isery of the poor man, and he started up,after a few minutes' contemplation, and rushed outside in the vain hopeof escaping from his misery by energetic action.
"This will drive me mad," he thought, as he paused and stood for a fewminutes irresolute. "Better far to return to the East where tyrantsreign and people dare not call body and soul their own, and die fightingin the front rank for liberty--but--but--who would let me join them,knowing my disease? `Unclean!' I may not even come within touch of mykind--"
His head sank on his breast and he tried to banish thought altogether.At the same moment his eyes met the meek, patient look of Brownie.
"Ah, pup," he exclaimed, stooping to fondle the soft brown head as hemuttered to himself, "you teach me a lesson and put me to shame, despiteyour want of speech. You are awaiting my commands, ready to giveunquestioning obedience--whether to go to the right, or left, or to liedown. And here am I, not