The Hot Swamp | Page 2

board arranging their shields round the vessel's sides, and the great sail was cast loose ready to hoist as soon as the mouth of the harbour should be cleared.
Just then a band of young men issued from the town, and the captain's good humour was restored as they hurried towards him. They seemed to be much excited, and talked in loud tones as they advanced, their manners and costumes indicating that they belonged to the upper ranks of society.
One of the band, a fair youth, towered, like Saul, head and shoulders above his fellows. Another, of dark complexion, handsome features, and elegant, active frame, hurried forward to salute the captain.
"I fear we have kept you waiting," he said with a pleasant expression that disarmed reproof.
"I will not deny that, Dromas," answered the captain, "but you have not detained me long. Nevertheless, I was on the point of sailing without your friend, for the winds and waves respect no one."
"But you are neither a wind nor a wave," remarked the youth.
"True, but I am the humble friend of both," retorted the captain, "and am bound to accommodate myself to them. I suppose this is the prince you spoke of," he added, turning to the towering youth already referred to, with the air of a man who had as little--or as much--regard for a prince as a peasant.
"Yes, Captain Arkal, this is Prince Bladud. Let me present him to you."
As the prince and the seaman joined hands the latter looked up from an altitude of five feet six and squared his broad shoulders with the air of a man ready to defy all creation, and anxious rather than otherwise to do so. The prince, on the other hand, looked down from an eminence of six feet seven, and bent his head with a modest grace and a genial smile that indicated a desire to be on good terms, if possible, with the world at large.
Although almost equal as to physical strength, the inequality of the two men in height rendered their experience in those rude warlike times very dissimilar, for, whereas the sailor was often compelled to give proof of his strength to tall unbelievers, the prince very seldom had occasion to do so. Hence, partly, their difference in manner, the one being somewhat pugnacious and the other conciliatory, while both were in reality good-natured, peace-loving men.
No two men, however, could have been more unlike in outward aspect. The prince was, if we may say so, built on the Gothic model--fair, blue-eyed, bulky of limb, huge, muscular, massive, with a soft beard and moustache--for he had not yet seen twenty-four summers--and hair that fell like rippling gold on his shoulders. Captain Arkal, on the contrary, was dark, with a thick reddish beard, luxuriant brown hair, piercing black eyes, and limbs that were hardened as well as darkened by thirty years of constant exposure to elemental and other warfare.
"I hope that I may be of some use to you," said the prince, "though I profess not to know more of seamanship than I acquired during my voyage hither, and as that voyage occurred six years ago, it may be that I have lost the little I had learned. But if pirates should assail us, perhaps I may do you some service."
"Little fear I have of that," returned the captain with an approving nod. "Now, bid your comrades farewell and get on board, for the wind is failing fast, and it behoves us to get well forward on our voyage before night."
It was evident that the leave-taking which ensued was not merely formal, for the youths from whom Bladud was parting had been his companions in study for six years, as well as his competitors in all the manly games of the period, and as he excelled them all in most things--especially in athletics--some looked up to the young prince from Albion as a sort of demi-god, while others to whom he had been helpful in many ways regarded him with the warmest affection.
"Come here aside with me; I must have a few last words with you alone," said Bladud, taking young Dromas by the arm and leading him aside.
The prince's other friends made no objection to this evidence of preference, for Dromas had shared the same apartment with him while in Athens, and engaged in similar studies with Bladud for several years; had travelled with him in the East, and sailed over the sea in his company, even as far as Egypt, besides having been second to him in most of the games practised by the young men. Indeed, at the high jump he equalled, and at the short race had even excelled him.
"Dromas," said the prince impressively--"Come, now, my old friend and comrade," interrupted the Greek youth lightly, "don't put on such