ched his opponent's
nose. The Thuler received the touch with what he deemed an orthodox
smile and tried to guard it after it had been delivered.

Then he struck out with his left--being an apt pupil--but Dromas drew
back and the blow did not reach him. Then he struck out smartly with
his right, but the Hellene put his head to one side and let it pass.
Again he struck out rapidly, one hand after the other, without much care
whether the blows were light or heavy. Dromas evaded both without
guarding, and, in reply, gave the Thuler a smartish touch on his
unfortunate nose.

This was received by the assemblage with a wild shout of surprise and
delight, and the Thuler became grave; collected himself as if for real
business, and suddenly let out a shower of blows which, had they taken
effect, would soon have ended the match, but his blows only fell on air,
for Dromas evaded them with ease, returning every now and then a tap on
the old spot or a touch on the forehead. At last, seeing that the man
was losing temper, he gave him a sharp dig in the wind which caused him
to gasp, and a sounding buffet on the cheek which caused him to howl
with rage and feel for the hilt of his sword. That dangerous weapon,
however, had been judiciously removed by his friends. He therefore
rushed at his antagonist, resolved to annihilate him, but was received
with two genuine blows--one in the wind, the other on the forehead,
which stretched him on the sward.

The Thuler rose therefrom with a dazed look, and accepted the Hellene's
friendly shake of the hand with an unmeaning smile.

After the sports had continued for several days King Hudibras proposed
an excursion--a sort of gigantic picnic--to the Hot Swamp, where Bladud
and his friend had made up their mind to spend their honeymoon.

Arrived there, they found that immense progress had been made with the
new city--insomuch that Dromas assured Hafrydda that it brought to his
mind some very ancient fables of great cities rising spontaneously from
the ground to the sound of pipes played by the gods.

The baths, too, were in such an advanced stage that they were able to
fill them on the arrival of the host and allow the interested and
impatient chiefs to bathe.

"Don't let them go in till you give the signal that the baths are
ready," said Gadarn to the king in that grave, suppressed manner which
indicated that the northern chief was inclined to mischief.

"Why?" asked the king.

"Bec