er and rob; and so sullen and fierce were they on these
occasions that every one took good care to keep out of their way until
they had gone back home again.

There was much gossip about the unknown king of Spor, who had never yet
been seen by any one except his subjects; and some thought he must be
one of the huge giants of Spor; and others claimed he was a dwarf, like
his tiny but ferocious dart-slingers; and still others imagined him one
of the barbarian tribe, or a fellow to the terrible Gray Men. But, of
course, no one knew positively, and all these guesses were very wide of
the mark. The only certainty about this king was that his giants,
dwarfs, barbarians and Gray Men meekly acknowledged his rule and obeyed
his slightest wish; for though they might be terrible to others, their
king was still more terrible to them.

Into this Kingdom of Spor Prince Marvel and Nerle had now penetrated
and, neither knowing nor caring where they were, continued along the
faintly defined paths the horses had found. Presently, however, they
were startled by a peal of shrill, elfish laughter, and raising their
eyes they beheld a horrid-looking old man seated upon a high rock near
by.

"Why do you laugh?" asked Prince Marvel, stopping his horse.

"Have you been invited? Tell me--have you been invited?" demanded the
old man, chuckling to himself as if much amused.

"Invited where?" inquired the prince.

"To Spor, stupid! To the Kingdom of Spor! To the land of King
Terribus!" shrieked the old man, going into violent peals of laughter.

"We go and come as we please," answered Prince Marvel, calmly.

"Go--yes! Go if you will. But you'll never come back--never! never!
never!" The little old man seemed to consider this such a good joke
that he bent nearly double with laughing, and so lost his balance and
toppled off the rock, disappearing from their view; but they could hear
him laugh long after they had passed on and left him far behind them.

"A strange creature!" exclaimed the prince thoughtfully.

"But perhaps he speaks truth," answered Nerle, "if, in fact, we have
been rash enough to enter the Kingdom of Spor. Even my father, the
bravest baron in Heg, has never dared venture within the borders of
Spor. For all men fear its mysterious king."

"In that case," replied Prince Marvel, "it is time some one
investigated this strange kingdom. People have left King Terribus and
his wild subjects too much to themselves; inst