see to this, forif these waters cure the pigs, why not the dog?"
"Ay," rejoined Cormac, "and why not the man?"
"Because my disease is well known to be incurable."
"Are you sure?"
"We can hardly be sure of anything, not even of killing our mid-daymeal," rejoined the prince. "See, there goes a bird that is big enoughto do for both of us. Try your hand."
"That will be but losing an opportunity, for, as you know, I am not agood marksman," returned the youth, fitting an arrow quickly to his bownevertheless, and discharging it. Although the bird in question waslarge and not far off, the arrow missed the mark, but startled the birdso that it took wing. Before it had risen a yard from the ground,however, an arrow from Bladud's bow transfixed it.
That night, after the bird had been eaten, when Brownie was busy withthe scraps, and Cormac had retired to his couch in the firewood booth,Bladud lay in his hut unable to sleep because of what he had heard andseen that day. "Hope springs eternal in the human breast"--not less inthe olden time than now. At all events it welled up in the breast ofthe royal outcast with unusual power as he waited anxiously for thefirst dawn of day.
Up to this time, although living within a few miles of it, the princehad not paid more than one or two visits to the Hot Swamp, because birdsand other game did not seem to inhabit the place, and the ground wasdifficult to traverse. He had, of course, speculated a good deal as tothe cause of the springs, but had not come to any conclusions moresatisfactory than have been arrived at by the scientific minds of moderndays. That heat of some sort was the cause applied in one fashion oranother to the water so as to make it almost boil he had no manner ofdoubt, but what caused the heat he could not imagine, and it certainlydid not occur to him that the interior of the earth was a lake of fire--the lovely world of vision being a mere crust. At least, if it did, hewas never heard to say so.
But now he went down to the swamp with a renewed feeling of hope thatgave fresh impulse to his heart and elasticity to his tread.
Arrived at the place, he observed that numbers of his porcine familywere there before him. On seeing him they retreated with indignantgrunts--their hasty retreat being accelerated by a few remarks fromBrownie.
Making his way to what he believed to be the main fountain of thespring, the prince and the dog stood contemplating it for some time.Then the former dipped his hand in, but instantly withdrew it, for hefound the water to be unbearably hot. Following its course, however,and testing it as he went along, he soon came to a spot where thetemperature was sufficiently cool to render it agreeable. Here, findinga convenient hole big enough to hold him, he stripped and bathed.Brownie, who seemed much interested and enlivened by his master'sproceedings, joined him on invitation, and appeared to enjoy himselfgreatly. Thereafter they returned home to breakfast and found Cormacalready up and roasting venison ribs before the fire.
"I thought you were still sound asleep in your hut," he said insurprise, as they came up, "and I have been doing my best to make littlenoise, for fear of awaking you. Have you been bathing at the springs?I see the hound's coat is muddy."
"Thanks for your care, Cormac. Ay, we have indeed had a bath--Brownieand I. You see I have taken your advice, and am trying the pigs' cure."
"Right, Bladud. Wiser men have learned lessons from pigs."
"Are you not presumptuous, my lad, to suggest that there may be a wiserman than I?"
"Truly, no, for taking the advice of a mere stripling like me, is not asign of wisdom in a man."
"In the present case you are perhaps right, but there are somestriplings whose wisdom is sufficient to guide men. However, I willhope that even you, with all your presumption, may be right this time."
"That encourages me to offer additional advice," retorted the lad with alaugh, "namely, that you should devote your attention to these ribs, foryou will find them excellent, and even a full-grown man can hardly failto know that without food no cure can be effected."
"You are right, my boy. Sit down and set me an example, for youth, notless than age, must be supported."
Without more words they set to work, first throwing a bone to the hound,in order, as Bladud remarked, that they might all start on equal terms.
From that day the health of the prince began to mend--slowly butsteadily the spot on his arm also began to diminish and to assume a morehealthy aspect. Brownie also became convalescent, and much to the joyof Bladud, Cormac showed no symptoms of having caught the disease.Still, as a precaution, they kept studiously apart, and the princeobserved--and twitted the boy with the fact--that the more he gained inhealth, and the less danger there was of infection, the more anxious didhe seem to be to keep away from him!
Things were in this state when, one evening, they received a visit--which claims a new chapter to itself.
CHAPTER TWENTY THREE.
IN WHICH VERY PERPLEXING EVENTS OCCUR.
The visitor referred to in the last chapter was a tall, broad-shoulderedold man with a snowy head of hair and a flowing white beard, a long,loose black garment, and a stout staff about six feet long.
Cormac had gone to a spring for water at the time he arrived, and Bladudwas lying on his back inside his hut.
"Is any one within?" demanded the stranger, lifting a corner of thecurtain.
"Enter not here, whoever you are!" replied the prince quickly, springingup--"stay--I will come out to you."
"You are wonderfully inhospitable," returned the stranger, as the princeissued from the hut and stood up with an inquiring look which suddenlychanged to one of astonishment.
"Beniah!" he exclaimed.
"Even so," replied the Hebrew, holding out his hand, but Bladud drewback.
"What! will you neither permit me to enter your house nor shake yourhand? I was not so churlish when you visited my dwelling."
"You know well, old man, that I do not grudge hospitality, but fear toinfect you."
"Yes, I know it well," rejoined the Hebrew, smiling, "and knowing thatyou were here, I turned aside on my journey to inquire as to yourwelfare."
"I have much to say about my welfare and strange things to tell you, butfirst let me know what has brought you to this part of the land--for ifyou have turned aside to see me--seeing me has not been your mainobject."
"You are right. Yet it pleases me well to use this opportunity, and tosee by your looks and bearing, that the disease seems to have beenarrested."
"Yes, thanks be to the All-seeing One, I am well, or nearly so. Butproceed to explain the reason of your journey."
"The cause of it is the unaccountable disappearance of the girl namedBranwen."
"What! she who is the bosom friend of my sister Hafrydda?"
"The same. She had fled, you may remember, from your father's court forfear of being compelled to wed with Gunrig, the chief whose crown youcracked so deftly on the day of your arrival. She, poor thing, tookrefuge at first with me. I hid her for some time--"
"Then," interrupted the prince, "she must have been hidden in your hutat the time of my visit!"
"She was. But that was no business of yours."
"Surely it was, old man, for my father's business is my business."
"Yea, but it was not my business to enlighten you, or the king either,while I had reason to know that he meant unduly to coerce the maiden.However, there she was hidden, as I tell you. Now, you are aware thatBranwen's father Gadarn is a great chief, whose people live far away inthe northern part of Albion. I bade Branwen remain close in my hut, ina secret chamber, while I should go and acquaint her father with herposition, and fetch him down with a strong band of his retainers torescue her. You should have seen the visage of Gadarn, when I told himthe news. A wild boar of the woods could scarce have shown his tusksmore fiercely. He not only ordered an armed band to get ready,instantly, but he roused the whole country around, and started off thatsame day with all his followers armed to the teeth. Of course I ledthem. In due course we arrived at my hut, when--lo! I found
that thebird was flown!"
"I could see by the appearance of things," continued the Hebrew, "thatthe foolish girl had left of her own will, for there was no evidence ofviolence anywhere--which would doubtless have been the case if robbershad found her and carried her away, for they would certainly havecarried off some of my goods along with her. The rage of her father onmaking this discovery was terrible. He threatened at once to cut off myold head, and even drew his sword with intent to act the part ofexecutioner. But I reminded him that if he did so, he would cut off theonly head that knew anything about his daughter, and that I had stillsome knowledge regarding her with which he was not acquainted.
"This arrested his hand just in time, for I actually fancied that I