ed from his sleep by a shout. At first he took it for part of
his dream and did not move; then the shout came again, and he jumped up
and waved his hand, for sailing towards him was a large vessel. At the
prow stood a man in a beautiful purple tunic edged with gold. This was
Florian prince of Persia.

Oh, how glad the little boy was to be amongst friends again, and how
hungrily he ate the food they put before him! When he was quite rested,
they brought him a child about the same age, whom they had picked up
from a wreck a few days before; and then the ship's head was turned
towards Babylon.

It took them a long while to get there, but at last they entered the
great river which flowed past the gates of the city, and the sultan,
hearing of their approach, came down from his palace to greet them. He
had lived as a youth at the court of prince Florian's father, and was
delighted to meet his old friend once more. As for the boys, he took a
fancy to them at once, and kept them in his palace till many years had
gone by and they were almost men.

When the Knight of the Sun was about sixteen he was taller than any one
in all Babylon, for he took after his father, the emperor Trebatius, who
was fully eight feet high. The youth was also very strong, and was
afraid of nothing and nobody, and in many ways was different from his
companions, especially in liking to ride and hunt alone instead of with
a troop of merry young men. His friends were all fond of him, but rather
afraid of him, as people often are of those who are quicker than
themselves.

* * * * *

One morning the sultan arranged a great hunting expedition, which was to
take place in some huge forests a few miles from Babylon. The sun was
hot, and the sultan was old, so he soon gave up the chase, and returned
to join the princess and her maidens, who were lying under the shady
trees, with a stream rippling by to make them think they were cool.

Suddenly, without any warning, a band of giants sprang upon them from
behind a rock, and, seizing the sultan and the ladies, bound them
rapidly with silken cords. Their shrieks brought a few knights who were
within earshot to their aid, but these were soon overpowered by the
strength of the giants, except one, who managed to make his escape, and
plunged deep into the forest.

He was flying along, half mad with terror, when a voice cried out:

'Sir knight, look well to it, or you will lose your