months that they spent
in this black hole were bad enough, but worse was yet to follow. The
little money that Fernando had left was taken from him, and heavy chains
were fastened to the ankles of the prisoners, while their food was
hardly fit for dogs or enough to keep them alive. But Fernando at least
never grumbled, and tried to keep up the hearts of his friends.

One morning a warder entered the cell and roughly informed the prince
that he was to go and clean out the vizier's stables, while the others
were to dig up the royal garden. Of course Fernando had never done such
a thing in his life, and now, hardly able to stand from weakness, and
with fetters on his legs, it seemed an impossible task. Still, only to
get out into the sunshine again was delightful to him, and he worked
away with a will. However, he could not have done his cleansing very
thoroughly, or else the vizier had merely wished to humiliate him, for
the next day he was sent to the gardens with the rest. Here he was
almost happy; he loved flowers, and he had the company of his friends,
to whom he could talk freely, for the gaolers, satisfied that they
could not escape, left them very much to themselves. As to food, each
man had two loaves a day, but no meat; however, in this respect Fernando
fared better than the others, for when the king of Fez and his wives
walked through the gardens, as they often did, they would speak to him
with the politeness to which he had long been a stranger, and bid their
slaves bring him fruit and wine from their own table. It seems curious
that king Abdallah did not insist on better treatment for the Portuguese
prince, but he was afraid of Lazuraque, who had ruled the kingdom from
Abdallah's childhood, and dared not interfere.

When darkness fell the captives were taken back to their prison, and
here Fernando had a cell all to himself, and, tired out with his
labours, was glad enough to throw himself on the two sheepskins covered
by an old carpet which served him for a bed, and lay his head on the
bundle of hay which was his pillow.

* * * * *

Matters had gone on in this way for a few weeks, when one day the
captives were told that they were to work in the gardens no more;
heavier chains were fastened to their arms and legs, and they were all
thrust together into one tiny dungeon. Then a message came that dom
Fernando was to be brought before the vizier. With a beating heart the
infante