"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; instead of stirring them up
and making them behave themselves."
Nerle smiled at this speech.
Pages:
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65