“Now, then,” said Salim to himself when this had been settled; “if I can keep them apart for thirteen years, all may be well.”

As soon as possible, Alberdin pitched a tent upon the appointed spot, and began to take daily warlike exercise in the plain, endeavoring in every way to put himself and his horse into proper condition for the combat.

On the other side of the mountain, old Salim intrenched himself and the boy, Phedo.  He carefully studied several books on military engineering, and caused a fortified camp to be constructed on the most approved principles.  It was surrounded by high ramparts, and outside of these was a moat filled with water.  In the centre of the camp was a neat little house which was well provided with books, provisions, and every thing necessary for a prolonged stay.  When the drawbridge was up, it would be impossible for Alberdin to get inside of the camp; and, moreover, the ramparts were so high that he could not look over them to see what sort of antagonist he was to have.  Old Salim did not tell the boy why he brought him here to live.  It would be better to wait until he was older before informing him of the battle which had been decreed.  He told Phedo that it was necessary for him to have a military education, which could very well be obtained in a place like this; and he was also very careful to let him know that there was a terrible soldier in that part of the country who might at any time, if it were not for the intrenchments, pounce down upon him, and cut him to pieces.  Every fine day, Phedo was allowed to take a ride on his donkey outside of the fortifications, but during this time, the old tutor kept a strict watch on the mountain; and if a horseman had made his appearance, little Phedo would have been whisked inside, and the drawbridge would have been up in a twinkling.

After about two weeks of this life Phedo found it dreadfully stupid to see no one but his old tutor, and never to go outside of these great ramparts except for donkey-rides, which were generally very short.  He therefore determined, late one moonlight night, to go out and take a ramble by himself.  He was not afraid of the dreadful soldier of whom the old man had told him, because at that time of night this personage would, of course, be in bed and asleep.  Considering these things, he quietly dressed himself, took down a great key from over his sleeping tutor’s head, opened the heavy gate, let down the drawbridge, mounted upon his donkey, and rode forth upon the moonlit plain.

That night-ride was a very delightful one, and for a long time the boy and the donkey rambled and ran; first going this way and then that, they gradually climbed the mountain; and, reaching the brow, they trotted about for a while, and then went down the other side.  The boy had been so twisted and turned in his course that he did not notice that he was not descending toward his camp, and the donkey, whose instinct told it that it was not going the right way, was also told by its instinct that it did not wish to go the right way, and that the intrenchments offered it no temptations to return.  When the morning dawned, Phedo perceived that he was really lost, and he began to be afraid that he might meet the terrible soldier.  But, after a time, he saw riding toward him a very pleasant-looking young man on a handsome horse, and he immediately took courage.