uards to take him at once into
the presence of the king.

Bradmond read the letter with joy, as he felt that his enemy was
delivered into his hands, and the tidings of the attack on the idol
hardened his heart still more. Without further delay he bade the guards
take Bevis and carry him off to a deep dungeon under the palace where
lived two huge dragons, who would be fain to eat him forthwith.

'And I do this,' said Bradmond, 'not to avenge my own wrongs, but to
perform my oath of duty unto my sovereign lord king Ermyn. For this is
the service he requires of me, in the letter that you yourself have
brought.'

[Illustration: STRONG SIR BEVIS KEEPS THE TWO DRAGONS AT BAY]

Ropes were tied under Bevis's arms, and he was lowered down, down, down,
till he could see nothing but four fiery eyes which glared furiously up
at him. Soon after his hands knocked against something hard and rough,
which moved under his touch. At the same moment his feet touched the
bottom, and he found himself standing in a large cave with a feeble ray
of light coming from the far end. By this he dimly perceived two
horrible dragons, but for a moment they were still, and did not move to
attack him.

Bevis made use of the short time allowed him to feel about if perchance
he could find some weapon with which to defend himself instead of the
short sword which had been taken from him, and he came upon a stout
staff, thrown into one corner, and by the aid of this he held those two
monsters at bay for a whole night and day. By this time the dragons, who
had been weakened by a slothful life and the flesh of many prisoners,
were too weak to resist any longer, and fell an easy prey to the strong
arm of Bevis.

Of course it was not long before the men who had charge of the dungeon
discovered that the dragons were dead, but they were so filled with
admiration of Bevis's courage that they kept his counsel, and let down
into his prison daily a good portion of wheat cake, so that he managed
to keep himself alive. Bradmond the king very soon forgot all about him,
so that the soldiers did as they pleased.

Thus some years passed away.

At the end of that time one of the gaolers died, and the other was sent
to a distant city. The two men who took their places knew nothing of
Bevis, save that he was a captive in the dungeon, and that as long as he
was alive it was part of their duty to feed him every day. 'Let us
murder him,' said one man to another; 'it is s