It was some distance to the wood, but the space was speedily traversed.  The youth looked about him, discovered a bough sticking in the ground, with a small bit of rag tied to it, then led the way into the forest, watching for similar boughs and finding them at intervals; they were evidently guides to the point he was aiming at.  By-and-by an open place was reached, where were the charred remains of a farm-house, and near them a barn which was falling to ruin and decay.  There was no sign of life anywhere, and utter silence prevailed.  The youth entered the barn, the King following eagerly upon his heels.  No one there!  The King shot a surprised and suspicious glance at the youth, and asked—­

“Where is he?”

A mocking laugh was his answer.  The King was in a rage in a moment; he seized a billet of wood and was in the act of charging upon the youth when another mocking laugh fell upon his ear.  It was from the lame ruffian who had been following at a distance.  The King turned and said angrily—­

“Who art thou?  What is thy business here?”

“Leave thy foolery,” said the man, “and quiet thyself.  My disguise is none so good that thou canst pretend thou knowest not thy father through it.”

“Thou art not my father.  I know thee not.  I am the King.  If thou hast hid my servant, find him for me, or thou shalt sup sorrow for what thou hast done.”

John Canty replied, in a stern and measured voice—­

“It is plain thou art mad, and I am loath to punish thee; but if thou provoke me, I must.  Thy prating doth no harm here, where there are no ears that need to mind thy follies; yet it is well to practise thy tongue to wary speech, that it may do no hurt when our quarters change.  I have done a murder, and may not tarry at home—­neither shalt thou, seeing I need thy service.  My name is changed, for wise reasons; it is Hobbs —­John Hobbs; thine is Jack—­charge thy memory accordingly.  Now, then, speak.  Where is thy mother?  Where are thy sisters?  They came not to the place appointed—­knowest thou whither they went?”

The King answered sullenly—­

“Trouble me not with these riddles.  My mother is dead; my sisters are in the palace.”

The youth near by burst into a derisive laugh, and the King would have assaulted him, but Canty—­or Hobbs, as he now called himself—­prevented him, and said—­

“Peace, Hugo, vex him not; his mind is astray, and thy ways fret him.  Sit thee down, Jack, and quiet thyself; thou shalt have a morsel to eat, anon.”

Hobbs and Hugo fell to talking together, in low voices, and the King removed himself as far as he could from their disagreeable company.  He withdrew into the twilight of the farther end of the barn, where he found the earthen floor bedded a foot deep with straw.  He lay down here, drew straw over himself in lieu of blankets, and was soon absorbed in thinking.  He had many griefs, but the minor ones were swept