titude of his fellows.

"H'm! it has saved you some work, lads," observed the captain, with a
touch of grave irony as he pointed to the portion of the bank on which
they had been engaged. He was right. The flood had not only overleaped
this, but had hollowed it out and swept it clean away into the river--
thus accomplishing effectively in ten minutes what would have probably
required the labour of several hours.

On carrying Konar up to the village of the Swamp--afterwards Swamptown,
later Aquae Sulis, ultimately Bath--which had already begun to grow on
the nearest height, they found that Bladud and his party had just
arrived from the last of the searching expeditions.

"What! Beniah?" exclaimed the prince, when the Hebrew met him. "You
have soon returned to us. Is all well at home?"

"All is well. I am sent on a mission to you, but that is not so urgent
as the case of Konar."

As he spoke the young men laid the senseless form on the ground.
Bladud, at once dismissing all other subjects from his mind, examined
him carefully, while Brownie snuffed at him with sympathetic interest.

"He lives, and no bones are broken," said the prince, looking up after a
few minutes; "here, some of you, go fetch hot water and pour it on him;
then rub him dry; cover him up and let him rest. He has only been
stunned. And let us have something to eat, Arkal. We are ravenous as
wolves, having had scarce a bite since morning."

"You come in good time," replied the captain. "Our evening meal is just
ready."

"Come along, then, let us to work. You will join us, Beniah, and tell
me the object of your mission while we eat."

The men of old may not have been epicures, but there can be no question
that they were tremendous eaters. No doubt, living as they did,
constantly in fresh air, having no house drains or gas, and being
blessed with superabundant exercise, their appetites were keen and their
capacities great. For at least ten minutes after the evening meal
began, Bladud, Arkal, Dromas, little Maikar, and the Hebrew, were as
dumb and as busy as Brownie. They spake not a single word--except that
once the prince took a turkey drumstick from between his teeth to look
up and repeat, "All well at home, you say?" To which Beniah, checking
the course of a great wooden spoon to his lips, replied, "All well."

There was roast venison at that feast, and roast turkey and roast hare,
and plover and ducks of various kinds, all roast