shell. You will have to do it at once, however, as I cannot last much
longer than another day. I am nearly drowned now with sap."

Daimur hastily drew out his knife, and finding a place where some
bushes grew close against the tree he pulled them back and began
cutting a hole in the bark. He worked for more than an hour before he
had penetrated through to the pith. Then the sap burst forth and ran
out in a stream, sinking into the earth at the root.

"It will not be dry until night," said the poor prisoner, "and then
perhaps I will be able to break my way out."

Daimur, who had been consulting his cap, now found that the Magician
was moving around the island, so he left the sap to drain away and
hurried back to the cave where he lay hidden for the rest of the day.

After supper Daimur called Prince Redmond to one side.

"Redmond," said he, "I have news of your brother Tasmir; he is still
living."

At this Redmond was so overjoyed that he almost fainted, but after a
moment recovered himself and asked Daimur to tell where his brother was
and what he knew of him.

Then Daimur told him about his walk in the forest that morning, and how
he had heard Tasmir's voice come out of the tree. When he had finished
Redmond was in a great flutter of excitement and happiness, and wanted
to go at once and see if the sap had all drained away.

Daimur put on his cap again, and having ascertained that the Magician
was safe in his house, he led the way to the great laurel tree, where
they could see by the light of the moon that the sap had ceased to run.
The tree was drying up.

"Is it dry enough yet?" he called softly to Tasmir.

"No, not yet," came the faint answer from the tree, "but it is drying
fast."

Daimur sat down on the ground to wait, and Prince Redmond perched in a
neighboring tree, so excited at the prospect of seeing his dearly loved
brother alive that he could hardly keep his hold on the branch.

After a while they heard a faint cracking noise like the breaking of
glass, and Daimur immediately jumped to his feet.

"Can I not help you?" he called softly.

"Yes," answered Tasmir, "you must cut the bark. I am so weak I will
not be able to break that. Cut a slit in it right up the tree."

This Daimur did, slitting it for above five feet up from the root. No
sooner had he stepped back than there was a great rending sound, the
bark flew open, and out staggered the poor thin young prince, so weak
and fain