ff, however, he uncovered his shoulder and looked
anxiously at the white spot. It was as obvious as ever, but did not
seem to him increased since he left home. A very slight matter will
sometimes give hope to a despairing man. Under the influence of this
negative comfort, Bladud took up his weapons and sallied forth, closely
followed by the pup.

In the haste of departure and the depressed state of his mind he had, as
has been said, forgotten his sword, or deliberately left it behind him.
The only weapon he now possessed, besides the bow and arrows given to
him by the Hebrew, was a small bronze hatchet, which was, however, of
little use for anything except cutting down small trees and branches for
firewood. He carried a little knife, also, in his girdle, but it was
much too small to serve the purpose of an offensive weapon, though it
was well suited to skin wild animals and cut up his food. As for his
staff, or club--it might be of use in a contest with men, but would be
of little service against bears or wolves. Casting it aside, therefore,
he cut for himself a ponderous oaken staff about five feet long, at one
end 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 he
purposed to wield with both hands when using it as a club, while, if
need should arise, he might also use it as a spear.

"I was foolish, Brownie," he remarked, while rounding off the head of
this club, "to leave my good sword behind me, for though I have no
desire 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 pretty
fair substitute."

He twirled the little thing round his head with one hand, in a way that
would have rejoiced the heart of a modern Irishman, had he been there to
see, and induced the pup to jump aside in surprise with his tail between
his legs.

A few minutes later, and he was striding over the beautiful land in all
directions, examining and taking possession, as it were, of his fair
domain.

In passing over a knoll which was crowned by several magnificent oaks,
they came suddenly on a family of black pigs, which were luxuriating on
the acorns that covered the ground.

"My future care!" muttered the prince, with a grim smile, for he hardly
believed in the truth of all he was going through, and almost expected
to awake and find it was a dream.

The pigs, headed by a