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