xed it.

That night, after the bird had been eaten, when Brownie was busy with
the scraps, and Cormac had retired to his couch in the firewood booth,
Bladud lay in his hut unable to sleep because of what he had heard and
seen that day. "Hope springs eternal in the human breast"--not less in
the olden time than now. At all events it welled up in the breast of
the royal outcast with unusual power as he waited anxiously for the
first dawn of day.

Up to this time, although living within a few miles of it, the prince
had not paid more than one or two visits to the Hot Swamp, because birds
and other game did not seem to inhabit the place, and the ground was
difficult to traverse. He had, of course, speculated a good deal as to
the cause of the springs, but had not come to any conclusions more
satisfactory than have been arrived at by the scientific minds of modern
days. That heat of some sort was the cause applied in one fashion or
another to the water so as to make it almost boil he had no manner of
doubt, but what caused the heat he could not imagine, and it certainly
did not occur to him that the interior of the earth was a lake of fire--
the lovely world of vision being a mere crust. At least, if it did, he
was never heard to say so.

But now he went down to the swamp with a renewed feeling of hope that
gave fresh impulse to his heart and elasticity to his tread.

Arrived at the place, he observed that numbers of his porcine family
were there before him. On seeing him they retreated with indignant
grunts--their hasty retreat being accelerated by a few remarks from
Brownie.

Making his way to what he believed to be the main fountain of the
spring, the prince and the dog stood contemplating it for some time.
Then the former dipped his hand in, but instantly withdrew it, for he
found the water to be unbearably hot. Following its course, however,
and testing it as he went along, he soon came to a spot where the
temperature was sufficiently cool to render it agreeable. Here, finding
a convenient hole big enough to hold him, he stripped and bathed.
Brownie, who seemed much interested and enlivened by his master's
proceedings, joined him on invitation, and appeared to enjoy himself
greatly. Thereafter they returned home to breakfast and found Cormac
already up and roasting venison ribs before the fire.

"I thought you were still sound asleep in your hut," he said in
surprise, as they came up, "and I have been do