d escape. When I have finished this task, I will come and pay my
respects to you."

So when they had told him where to find them again, he got on his
horse and went after the dead giant's brother.

Jack had not ridden a mile and a half before he came in sight of the
mouth of the cavern, and nigh the entrance of it he saw the other
giant sitting on a huge block of timber, with a knotted iron club
lying by his side, waiting for his brother. His eyes looked like
flames of fire, his face was grim and ugly, and his cheeks were like
two flitches of bacon; the bristles of his beard seemed to be thick
rods of iron wire, and his long locks of hair hung down upon his
broad shoulders like curling snakes. Jack got down from his horse and
turned him into a thicket; then he put on his coat of darkness and
drew a little nearer to behold this figure, and said, softly, "Oh,
monster! are you there? It will not be long before I shall take you
fast by the beard."

The giant all this while could not see him, by reason of his invisible
coat, so Jack came quite close to him, and struck a blow at his head
with his sword of sharpness; but he missed his aim, and only cut off
his nose, which made him roar like loud claps of thunder. He rolled
his glaring eyes round on every side, but could not see who had given
him the blow; so he took up his iron club, and began to lay about him
like one that was mad with pain and fury.

"Nay," said Jack, "if this be the case, I will kill you at once." So
saying, he slipped nimbly behind him, and jumping upon the block of
timber, as the giant rose from it, he stabbed him in the back, when,
after a few howls, he dropped down dead. Jack cut off his head and
sent it, with the head of his brother, to King Arthur by a wagon which
he had hired for that purpose. When Jack had thus killed these two
monsters, he went into their cave in search of their treasure. He
passed through many turnings and windings, which led him to a room
paved with freestone; at the end of it was a boiling caldron, and on
the right hand stood a large table, where the giants used to dine. He
then came to a window that was secured with iron bars, through which
he saw a number of wretched captives, who cried out when they saw
Jack, "Alas! alas! young man, you are come to be one among us in this
horrid den."

"I hope," said Jack, "you will not stay here long; but pray tell me
what is the meaning of your being here at all?"

"Alas!" said one