enthusiasm at theopposite cliffs, "my native land! Well do I love it and well do I knowit, for I have stood on this shore and seen it from this very spot whenI was quite a boy."
"Indeed! How was that?" asked Arkal.
"I used to be fond of the sea, and was wont to travel far from myfather's home to reach it. I made friends with the fishermen, and usedto go off with them in their little skiffs. One day a storm arosesuddenly, blew us off shore, and, when we were yet a long distance fromthis coast, overturned our skiff. What became of my companions I knownot. Probably they were drowned, for I never more saw them; but I swamashore, where I think I should have died of exhaustion if I had not beenpicked up by an old fisherman of this land, who carried me to his hutand took care of me. With the old man I remained several months, forthe fishermen on the two sides of the channel had been quarrelling atthe time, and the old man did not dare to venture across. I did notcare much, for I enjoyed playing with his grandson, and soon learnedtheir language. After a time the quarrelling ceased, and the old manlanded me on my own side."
"That is interesting. I only wish the old fisherman was here now withhis skiff, for there is no village in sight and no skiff to be seen, sohow we are to get over I cannot tell,--swimming being impossible andwings out of the question."
"Ay, except in the case of fish and birds," observed Maikar.
"True, and as we are neither fish nor birds," rejoined the captain,"what is to be done?"
"We must find a skiff," said the prince.
"Good, but where?"
"On the other side of yon bluff cape," replied Bladud. "It was therethat my friend the old fisherman lived. Mayhap he may live therestill."
Pushing on along shore they passed the bold cape referred to, and there,sure enough, they found the old man's hut, and the old man himself wasseated on a boulder outside enjoying the sunshine.
Great was his surprise on seeing the three strangers approach, butgreater was his joy on learning that the biggest of the three was theboy whom he had succoured many years before.
After the first greetings were over, Bladud asked if he and his friendscould be taken across in a skiff.
The old man shook his head.
"All that I possess," he said, "you are welcome to, but my skiff is nothere, and if it was I am too old to manage it now. My son, your oldcompanion, has had it away these two days, and I don't expect him hometill to-morrow. But you can rest in my poor hut till he comes."
As there seemed nothing better to be done, the travellers agreed tothis. Next day the son arrived, but was so changed in appearance, thatBladud would not have recognised his old playmate had not his fathercalled him by name.
The skiff, although primitive and rude in its construction, wascomparatively large, and a considerable advance on the dug-outs, orwooden canoes, and the skin coracles of the period. It had a square orlug-sail, and was steered by a rudder.
"My son is a strange man," remarked the old fisherman, as the partysauntered down to the shore, up which the skiff had been dragged. "Heinvented that skiff as well as made it, and the curious little thingbehind that steers it."
"Able and strange men seem to work their minds in the same way,"returned Bladud; "for the thing is not altogether new. I have seensomething very like it in the East; and, to my mind, it is a greatimprovement on the long oar when the boat is driven through the water,but it is of no use at all when there is no motion."
"No; neither is it of use when one wishes to sweep round in a hurry,"observed the captain, when this was translated to him. "If it had notbeen for my steering-oar bringing you sharp round when we were attackingthe pirate, you would hardly have managed to spit the chief as you did,strong though you be."
It was found that the new style of skiff was a good sailer, for,although the wind was light, her lug-sail carried her over to the coastof Albion in about four hours.
"There has been some bad feeling of late between the men from theislands and the men of our side--there often is," said the youngfisherman, who steered. "I am not sure that it will be safe to landhere."
"If that be so, hold on close along the shore in the direction of thesetting sun," returned Bladud, "and land us after nightfall. I know thewhole country well, and can easily guide my comrades through the woodsto my father's town on the great river."
The young fisherman did not reply for a few seconds. He seemed in doubtas to this proposal.
"There has been war lately," he said, "between your father and thesouthern tribes, and it may be dangerous for so small a party totraverse the lands of the enemy. I would gladly go and help you, butwhat could one arm more do to aid you against a host? Besides, myfather is dependent on me now for food. I may not forsake the old onewho has fed and guarded me since I was a little boy."
"Concern yourself not about that, friend," replied the prince. "We needno help. During many days we have travelled safely enough through thegreat woods of the interior, and have held our own against all foes."
"Without doubt we are well able to take care of ourselves," remarked thecaptain, "though it is but fair to admit that we have had some troublein doing so."
"Ay, and some starvation, too," added Maikar; "but having come safe overthe mainland, we are not afraid to face the dangers of the isles, youngman."
"I said not that you were afraid," rejoined the fisherman, withsomething of dignified reproof in his manner; "but it is not disgracefulfor brave men to act with caution."
"Well said, my old comrade!" exclaimed Bladud; "and so we shall bepleased if you will land us here. But your speech leads me tounderstand that you have had news of my father's doings lately. Is theold man well?"
"Ay, King Hudibras is well, and as fond of fighting as ever, besidesbeing well able for it. I am not sure that he would be pleased if heheard you call him the `old man.'"
"Indeed? Yet nearly fifty winters have passed over his head, and thatis somewhat old for a warrior. And my mother and sister--have you heardof them?"
"Excellently well, I believe. At least, so I have been told by theHebrew merchant who came over sea with one of the Phoenician ships, andwanders over the whole land with his pack of golden ornaments--which sotake the fancy of the women, indeed of the men also. How the fellowescapes being robbed on his journeys is more than I can tell. It issaid that he travels by night and sleeps in caves during the day. Somepeople even think that he is in league with evil spirits. I doubt that;but he told me the other day, when I met him on our side of the channel,that your sister is about to be married to a neighbouring chief--Iforget his name--Gunrig, I think--with whom your father wishes to be onfriendly terms."
"Married!" exclaimed Bladud, with a troubled look.
"Ay, and it is said she does not like the match."
"Does my mother approve of it?"
"I think not, though the Hebrew did not seem to feel quite sure on thatpoint. But your father seems resolved on it, and you know he is noteasily turned from his purpose when determined to have his way. He ismore difficult to move than a woman in that matter."
"Come, friend," said Bladud gravely, "don't be too free in your remarkson my father."
"And don't be too hard on the women-folk," added the captain, with agrim smile, "they are not all alike. At least there is one that I knowof in the East, whose spirit is like that of the lamb, and her voicelike the notes of the songbird."
Maikar looked as if he were on the point of adding something to theconversation, but his thoughts seemed too deep for utterance, for heonly sighed.
"Land us in yon creek," said Bladud promptly. "It seems that I have notreturned home a moment too soon. There, under the cliff--so."
The skiff ran alongside of a ledge of rock as he spoke, and next momentthe prince leaped upon the shores of his native land.
With a brief farewell to his old playmate, he turned, led his companionsup the neighbouring cliff, and, plunging into the forest, set off at apace which betrayed the urgency of his desire to reach home.
&n
bsp; Although they travelled almost night and day, it took them the betterpart of two weeks to reach the river, on the banks of which KingHudibras' chief town was built. They arrived at the eastern bankwithout mishap, and found that people were crowding over from thewestern side to attend some display or fete which was obviously going onthere. Mingling with the crowd they went to the river's edge, wherenumerous wooden canoes and coracles were busily engaged in ferrying thepeople over.
Approaching a man, whose apparel betokened him one of the poorer class,Bladud addressed him--
"Can you tell me, friend, what is going on here to-day?"
"Truly you must be a
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