. Captain Arkal, on the
contrary, was dark, with a thick reddish beard, luxuriant brown hair,
piercing black eyes, and limbs that were hardened as well as darkened by
thirty years of constant exposure to elemental and other warfare.

"I hope that I may be of some use to you," said the prince, "though I
profess not to know more of seamanship than I acquired during my voyage
hither, and as that voyage occurred six years ago, it may be that I have
lost the little I had learned. But if pirates should assail us, perhaps
I may do you some service."

"Little fear I have of that," returned the captain with an approving
nod. "Now, bid your comrades farewell and get on board, for the wind is
failing fast, and it behoves us to get well forward on our voyage before
night."

It was evident that the leave-taking which ensued was not merely formal,
for the youths from whom Bladud was parting had been his companions in
study for six years, as well as his competitors in all the manly games
of the period, and as he excelled them all in most things--especially in
athletics--some looked up to the young prince from Albion as a sort of
demi-god, while others to whom he had been helpful in many ways regarded
him with the warmest affection.

"Come here aside with me; I must have a few last words with you alone,"
said Bladud, taking young Dromas by the arm and leading him aside.

The prince's other friends made no objection to this evidence of
preference, for Dromas had shared the same apartment with him while in
Athens, and engaged in similar studies with Bladud for several years;
had travelled with him in the East, and sailed over the sea in his
company, even as far as Egypt, besides having been second to him in most
of the games practised by the young men. Indeed, at the high jump he
equalled, and at the short race had even excelled him.

"Dromas," said the prince impressively--"Come, now, my old friend and
comrade," interrupted the Greek youth lightly, "don't put on such a long
face. I foresee that you are about to give me a lecture, and I don't
want the tone of remonstrance to be the last that I shall hear. I know
that I'm a wild, good-for-nothing fellow, and can guess all you would
say to me. Let us rather talk of your speedy return to Hellas, for, to
tell you the truth, I feel as if the loss of you would leave me like a
poor man who has been crippled in the wars. I shall be a mere shadow
till you return."

There was a sli