rriving at the Hot Swamp he was
amazed to find the change that had been made in the appearance of the
locality in so short a time.

"United action, you see," said Captain Arkal, who did the honours of the
new settlement in the absence of Bladud and his friends, these being
still absent on their vain search for the lad Cormac, "united action,
perseveringly continued, leads to amazing results."

He repeated this to himself, in a low tone, as if he were rather proud
of having hit on a neat way of expressing a great truth which he
believed was an original discovery of his own. "Yes," he continued, "I
have got my men, you see, into splendid working order. They act from
morning to night in concert--one consequence of which is that all is
Harmony, and there is but one man at the helm, the consequence of which
is, that all is Power. Harmony and Power! I have no faith, Beniah, in
a divided command. My men work together and feed together and play
together and sleep together, united in the one object of carrying out
the grand designs of Prince Bladud, while I, as the superintendent of
the work, see to it that the work is properly done. Nothing could be
more simple or satisfactory."

"Or more amazing," added Beniah, as they walked by the margin of a hot
rivulet. "I could scarcely have known the Swamp had I not recognised
its beautiful surroundings."

"Just so; it is all, as I have said, the result of union, which I hold
to be the very foundation of human power, for united action is strong,"
said the captain, with enthusiasm, as he originated the idea which,
years afterwards, became the familiar proverb, "Union is Strength."

"Most true, O mariner," returned Beniah, "your wisdom reminds me of one
of our kings who wrote many of our wisest sayings."

"Ah, wise sayings have their value, undoubtedly," returned Arkal, "but
commend me to wise doings. Look here, now, at the clever way in which
Bladud has utilised this bush-covered knoll. It is made to divide this
rivulet in two, so that one branch, as you see, fills this pond, which
is intended for the male population of the place, while the other branch
fills another pond--not in sight at present--intended for the women.
Then, you see that large pond away to the left, a considerable distance
from the fountain-head--that is supplied by a very small stream of the
hot water, so that it soon becomes quite cold, and branch rivulets from
the cold pond to the hot ponds cool them d