The picture of the princess holding the arm that had no body attached to
it, and gazing blankly after the departing figure of Ladronius, so took
his fancy, that he lay back on his couch, and laughed till his sides
ached.

"Bast!" he cried at length. "If the youth is really as clever as this, I
would rather have him my friend than my enemy. Such a man should be
rewarded and not punished for his genius. So he made you a present of his
cloak too, did he?" And the king collapsed once more.

"And what manner of youth is he?" he asked the princess; the princess
answered, with a blush, that he looked like a brave young man.

"That I am sure he is," said the king. "I have learnt it to my cost. And
he is not ill-looking?"

"No," said the princess; she would not describe him as ill-looking.

"Ah! well," said the king dryly, "we must see whether we cannot find some
means of securing his friendship."

So King Rhampsinitus ordered another proclamation to be made, promising
that if the robber would present himself to the king and confess how he
had broken into the treasury, the king would grant him a free pardon and a
great reward beside.

Ladronius was not long in making up his mind. He knew that kings were not
always above treachery, but he had survived so many dangers that he
determined to risk this also. He arrayed himself, therefore, in his best