w I think, my complaint is so nearly cured that I might
venture to do that myself."

"Not so," returned the lad, quickly. "You are far from cured yet. To
give up using the waters at this stage of the cure would be fatal. It
would perhaps let the disease come back as bad as before."

"Nay, but the difficulty lies here," returned the prince, smiling at the
boy's eagerness. "This good old man is at present engaged as guide to
an army, and dare not leave his post. A foolish girl named Branwen fled
some time ago from my father's house, intending, it is supposed, to go
to some friends living not far from the Hot Swamp. They have been
searching for her in all directions, and at last her father, with a host
at his heels, has been led to within a few miles of this place, but the
girl has not yet been discovered; so the search will doubtless be
continued."

"Is that so?" asked Cormac of the Hebrew, pointedly.

"It is so."

"What is the name of the chief whose daughter has been _so foolish_ as
to run away from her friends?"

"Gadarn," answered Beniah.

"Oh! I know him!" exclaimed Cormac in some excitement, "and I know many
of his people. I lived with them once, long, long ago. How far off is
the camp, did you say?"

"An hour's walk or so."

"In _that_ direction?" asked Cormac, pointing.

"Yes, in that direction."

"Then I will go and see them," said the lad, picking up his bow and
arrows. "You can wait here till I come back, Beniah, and keep Bladud
company--for he is accustomed to company now! Who knows but I may pick
up this _foolish_ girl on my way to the camp!"

The lad hurried into the woods without waiting a reply; but he had not
gone a hundred yards when he turned and shouted, "Hi, Beniah!" at the
same time beckoning with his hand.

The Hebrew hurried towards him.

"Beniah," said the lad impressively, as he drew near, "go back and
examine Bladud's arm, and let me know when we meet again what you think
of it."

"But how--why--wherefore came you--?" exclaimed the Hebrew, pausing in
perplexity.

"Ask no questions, old man," returned the youth with a laugh. "There is
no time to explain--. He will suspect--robbers--old mother--bad son--
escape--boy's dress--fill up that story if you can! More hereafter.
But--observe, if you say one word about _me to anybody_, Gadarn's sword
is sharp and his arm strong! You promise?"

"I promise."

"Solemnly--on your word as a Hebrew?"

"Solemnly--on my wo