tears of joy at the glad news, and
proposed at once that they should wrap the child in a blanket and start.
But Foster-father was more wary.

"You come as a thief in the darkness," he said. "Where is your token
from the king, that I may know who you are?"

But there was no token.

"Then the child stays where he is," asserted Foster-father boldly. "Am I
not right oh! Faithful?"

"Assuredly my lord is right. Who knows but this man may be an emissary
of those who would wile away the little lad from his uncle, Prince
Askurry's protection. His other uncle, Kumran, is not so kind."

The messenger scowled at the old man. "As you please," he began
blusteringly, "but those who disobey the King's order may find their
lives forfeit."

"Mine is forfeit already to the child's service," replied Foster-father
with spirit. "And without a token I stir not--Peace! woman," he added to
Head-nurse, who would fain have sided with the messenger, "and go fetch
the Heir-to-Empire's cap. That shall go as sign that he is his father's
vassal, to do what he is told when the order comes accredited. So take
that as my answer to those who sent you, sir messenger!"

So despite Head-nurse's protestations the man went off with nothing but
the little gold-laced skull cap. And he had not to go far; only into a
tent on the outskirts of the camp. For Foster-father's suspicions had
been correct, and he had been sent to try and entice the child by some
of Prince Kumran's partisans who, booted and spurred, and with a swift
pacing camel for the child, were waiting eagerly for the return of their
messenger.

Their faces fell as he flung the little cap upon the ground.

"The old fox is too wary," he said. "We must get at the child some other
way."

One of the party took up the cap and fingered it, half idly. "He has a
large-sized head for his years," he remarked; "if it be full of brains,
hereafter he may do well."

CHAPTER VI

AT COURT

Of course, the messenger never returned from King Humayon with the
token; but Foster-father was a good-natured man and did not boast of his
wisdom to Head-nurse, who, however, remained wonderfully meek and silent
until at the end of a fortnight's marching they saw, against the blue of
the distant valley, the white domes of the town of Kandahar with the
citadel rising above them. Then, with the chance of a court before her
once more, she began chattering of ceremonials and titles and
etiquettes.

"Prais