Sledge Hammer George laid a hand upon the young man’s arm.

“Now don’t be a fool, lad; these fellows here will stand no more from you.  A valuable prize has escaped them, and they will wring the truth out of you by means you will not like, but will not be able to resist.  You have a bitter enemy in Devil’s Own, as he is called, and he will not spare you if you provoke.  I will stand your friend, if you will but speak out and tell us where the prince is to be found; for he cannot be very many miles away from this place, as we are well assured.  If you are obstinate, I can do nothing for you, and you will have to take your chance.

“Come, now, speak up.  Every moment is of value.  You will be made to do so before long, whether you wish or not.”

Paul’s lips closed tightly one over the other, and his hands clasped themselves fast together.  He thought of the vow he had registered long years ago in his heart, to live or to die in the service of his prince; and though what he might be called upon to suffer might be far worse than death itself, his will stood firm, and he gave no sign of yielding.  The man, who would have stood his friend if he would have spoken, looked keenly at him, and then turned away with a slight shrug of the shoulders, and Simon’s triumphant and malicious face was looking into his.

“Now, lad, once more:  will you speak, or will you not?  It is the last time I shall ask you.”

“I will tell you nothing,” answered Paul, raising his head and looking at his old enemy with a contempt and lofty scorn which seemed to sting the man to greater fury.

“You will not! very good.  You will be glad enough to speak before I have done with you.  I have many old scores to settle with you yet, and so has the Chief when he comes back; but the first thing is to wring from you where the prince is hiding himself.

“Strip off his fine riding dress and under tunic, lads (it is a pity to spoil good clothes that may be useful to our own brave fellows), and string him up to that beam.

“Get out your hide whips, Peter and Joe, and lay it on well till I tell you to stop.”

With a brutal laugh, as if it were all some excellent joke, the men threw themselves upon Paul, and proceeded to carry out the instructions of their leader, who seated himself with a smile of triumph where he could enjoy the spectacle of the suffering he intended to inflict.  Paul’s upper garments were quickly removed, and his hands and feet tightly bound with leather thongs.  An upright and a crossway beam, supporting the roof of the cave, formed an excellent substitute for the whipping post not uncommon in those days upon a village green; and Paul, with a mute prayer for help and courage, nerved himself to meet the ordeal he was about to undergo, praying, above all things, that he might not in his agony betray the prince to these relentless enemies.