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Page 13
This task being accomplished and the robbers rendered helpless, Prince
Marvel turned to the boy who stood watching him.
"Get a suit of armor from the cave, and a strong sword, and then
return here," he said, in a stern voice.
"Why should I do that?" asked the boy, rather impudently.
"Because I am going to fight you for disobeying my orders; and if you
do not protect yourself I shall probably kill you."
"That sounds pleasant," said the boy. "But if you should prove my
superior in skill I beg you will not kill me at once, but let me die a
lingering death."
"Why?" asked the prince.
"Because I shall suffer more, and that will be delightful."
"I am not anxious to kill you, nor to make you suffer," said Marvel,
"all that I ask is that you acknowledge me your master."
"I won't!" answered the boy. "I acknowledge no master in all the world!"
"Then you must fight," declared the prince, gravely. "If you win, I
will promise to serve you faithfully; and if I conquer you, then you
must acknowledge me your master, and obey my commands."
"Agreed!" cried the boy, with sudden energy, and he rushed into the
cave and soon returned clad in armor and bearing a sword and shield.
On the shield was pictured a bolt of lightning.
"Lightning will soon strike those three girls whose champion you seem
to be," he said tauntingly.
"The three girls defy your lightning!" returned the prince with a
smile. "I see you are brave enough."
"Brave! Why should I not be?" answered the boy proudly. "I am the
Lord Nerle, the son of Neggar, the chief baron of Heg!"
The other bowed low.
"I am pleased to know your station," he said. "I am called Prince
Marvel, and this is my first adventure."
"And likely to be your last," exclaimed the boy, sneeringly. "For I
am stronger than you, and I have fought many times with full grown men."
"Are you ready?" asked Prince Marvel, for answer.
"Yes."
Then the swords clashed and sparks flew from the blades. But it was
not for long. Suddenly Nerle's sword went flying through the air and
shattered its blade against a wall of rock. He scowled at Prince
Marvel a moment, who smiled back at him. Then the boy rushed into the
cave and returned with another sword.
Scarcely had the weapons crossed again when with a sudden blow Prince
Marvel snapped Nerle's blade in two, and followed this up with a sharp
slap upon his ear with the flat of his own sword that fairly
bewildered the boy, and made him sit down on the grass to think what
had happened to him.
Then Prince Marvel's merry laugh rang far across the hills, and so
delighted was he at the astonished expression upon Nerle's face that
it was many minutes before he could control his merriment and ask his
foeman if he had had enough fight.
"I suppose I have," replied the boy, rubbing his ear tenderly. "That
blow stings most deliciously. But it is a hard thought that the son
of Baron Neggar should serve Prince Marvel!"
"Do not worry about that," said the prince; "for I assure you my rank
is so far above your own that it is no degradation for the son of
Neggar to serve me. But come, we must dispose of these thieves. What
is the proper fate for such men?"
"They are always hanged," answered Nerle, getting upon his feet.
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