e was compelled to flee the face of man. The pleasure he
had felt in his brief intercourse with the gruff hunter of the Swamp had
remained a bright spot in his lonely life. He naturally enjoyed with
much greater zest the company of the lively boy who had thus
unexpectedly crossed his path, but when he retired for the night--having
told the lad to make for himself a couch in the fire-wood hut--the utter
desolation of his life became, if possible, more deeply impressed on
him.

During the night his wounds inflamed and became much more painful, and
in the morning--whether from this cause or not, we cannot say--he found
himself in a high fever.

His new friend, like most healthy boys, was a profound sleeper, and when
the time for breakfast arrived he found it necessary to get up and awake
him.

"Ho! lad, rise," he cried at the entrance to the firewood hut, "you
slumber soundly. Come out and help me to get ready our morning meal."

The lad obeyed at once.

"What is your name?" he asked, as the lad appeared.

"Cormac," he replied.

"Well, Cormac, do you roast the meat this morning. Truly, it seems that
you have come just in the nick of time, for I feel so ill that my head
seems like a lump of stone, and my skin is burning. It is not often
that I have had to ask the aid of man in such matters. Will you get me
a draught of water from the spring hard by? I will lie down again for a
little."

Cormac willingly ran to a neighbouring spring and filled thereat a cup
made of the bark of the birch tree, with which he returned to Bladud's
hut.

"Just put it inside the door where I can reach it," shouted the prince.
"Do not enter on any account."

Lifting a corner of the skin that covered the entrance, the lad placed
the cup inside, and then, sitting down by the fire outside, proceeded to
prepare breakfast.

When it was ready he called to Bladud to say whether he would have some,
at the same time thrusting a savoury rib underneath the curtain; but the
prince declined it.

"I cannot eat," he said; "let me lie and rest if possible. My poor boy,
this is inhospitable treatment. Yet I cannot help it."

"Never mind me," returned Cormac, lightly. "I like to nurse the sick,
and I'll keep you well supplied with water, and cook venison or birds
too if you want them. I can even shoot them if required."

"No need for that," returned Bladud, "there is plenty of food laid up
for winter. But don't come inside my hut, reme