e and set him free.

One day the bolts were withdrawn at an unusual hour.

Here, then, was King Philip at last!

Arthur turned quickly; and in the archway of the door, he saw the white
face of his uncle.

[Illustration: Arthur in prison visited by King John.]

'Arthur,' said King John, trying to meet his nephew's eyes, 'will you
not trust to your loving uncle?'

'I will trust my loving uncle,' replied the boy, 'when he does me
right. Restore to me my kingdom of England, and then come and ask me
that question.'

The king looked at his nephew, whose high-spirited young face had
become so much paler by confinement; then he turned away without a word
and left the prison.

After this King John took counsel with his advisers.

'What shall I do with this boy,' he said, 'who defies me and thinks
that he is to become King of England?'

'Behead him,' said one. 'Have him poisoned,' said another.

'Put his eyes out,' suggested a hard-faced nobleman who had not spoken
before; 'the people will not care to have a blind man for their king.'

'Put out his eyes,' mused the king; 'put out his eyes; those eyes which
look with unseemly boldness at his uncle and true sovereign.'

The longer he dwelt upon the idea the more attractive did it become to
him.

The boy who could not be made to fear him; who persisted in believing
that he would one day force his uncle to yield up the crown--it would
be gratifying to know that he had been deprived of his frank, fearless
eyes.

John sent to the prison a man called Hubert de Burgh, whom he believed
to be devoted to himself; and gave him charge of Prince Arthur.

Hubert had a stern face but a kind heart, and he soon grew so much
attached to the bright boy who was his prisoner, that he felt towards
him almost as a father. He took the prince out of the dungeon, and
gave him bright sunny rooms in another part of the castle; and often he
spent hours with his young charge, enjoying his cheerful boyish
conversation.

What was Hubert's dismay when one day he received a letter from the
king, commanding that his prisoner's eyes should be burned out with hot
irons. Not only that, but he had sent two executioners to see that it
was done.

Hubert was hardly able to bear the pain which such an order gave him;
but he was unable to see any way of escape for the prince.

He entered Arthur's room that morning with so sad a face that the
prince asked what ailed him.

'May one not be sad at