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Updated: June 20, 2025
In the dead of night Bladud went out softly and sought the hut where Captain Arkal and Maikar slept. He found them conversing in great sorrow about the terrible calamity that had overtaken their friend when he entered. They started up in surprise to receive him. "Keep off," he said, shrinking back. "Touch me not! I know not whether the disease may not be catching even at its present stage.
"Just so, Maikar, therefore blurt out no more, but hold thy tongue and go to sleep. Good-night." Day was just beginning to break in the east when the prince raised his head from the bundle of leaves that had formed his pillow, and looked sleepily around him. His companions lay still, sound asleep and sprawling, in all the abandon characteristic of the heroes of antiquity.
The prince did not reply, but led the way towards a neighbouring cliff. "Don't you think we had better make our fire in the woods, Bladud?" asked the captain. "That would oblige one of us to watch in case natives or wolves should attack us, and none of us are in a fit state to watch. We must sleep." "But I can't sleep without first eating," said Maikar in a remonstrative tone.
Little Maikar did not speak, but the expression of his countenance showed that he was of the same opinion. "Now," resumed the captain, after a brief silence, "if we would not starve we must go straight back, and see whether any provisions have been washed ashore."
For instance, the captain lay flat on his back with his mouth wide open, and a musical solo proceeding from his nose; while Maikar lay on his side with his knees doubled up, his arms extended at full length in front of him, and his hands tightly clasped as if, while pleading with some one for mercy, he was suddenly petrified and had fallen over on his side.
During the remainder of that day Gadarn could do little else than chuckle or laugh. Bladud's comment was that it had been "most successful." "A bloodless victory!" remarked Beniah. "And didn't they yell?" said Arkal. "And splutter?" added Maikar.
"And the remainder of our band," said little Maikar, wiping his mouth after finishing the last morsel, "will sit in judgment on your deliberations." "Be it so," returned Bladud. "Wisdom, it is said, lies in small compass, so we should find it in you." Captain Arkal, whose knitted brows and downcast eyes showed that his thoughts were busy, looked up suddenly.
As Gadarn could not induce the prince to alter his decision, and, for reasons of his own, did not choose to enlighten him, they parted there the chief setting off with his troops in the direction of Hudibras' town, and the prince returning to his booth, accompanied by Captain Arkal, little Maikar, the hunter of the Hot Swamp, and about thirty of his father's men, who had elected to stay with him.
"But I have observed the stars since I was a little boy," objected Maikar, "and I see nothing but a wild confusion of shining points. How can these guide you? Besides, there are no stars in the daytime." "True, Maikar; but we have the sun during the day." Maikar shook his head perplexedly.
"Thou big skinful of pride! look out!" cried Maikar, rendering the adoption of his own advice impossible by thrusting the butt of his staff against the scout's nose, and thereby filling his eyes with water. At the next moment he rendered him still more helpless by bestowing a whack on his crown which laid him flat on the footpath.
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