"Can't you see I'm very miserable?" asked the boy, in return;
"don't you understand that every minute I expect to fall upon
those sword points?"

"But I will catch you," cried the prince.

"I don't want you to catch me," said the boy. "I want to be miserable.
It's the first chance I've ever had, and I'm enjoying my misery very much."

This speech so astonished Prince Marvel that for a moment he stood
motionless. Then he retorted, angrily:

"You're a fool!"

"If I wasn't so miserable up here, I'd come down and thrash you for
that," said the boy, with a sigh.

This answer so greatly annoyed Prince Marvel that he gave the central
cask of the pyramid a sudden push, and the next moment the casks were
tumbling in every direction, while the boy fell headlong in their midst.

But Marvel caught him deftly in his arms, and so saved him from the
sword points.

"There!" he said, standing the boy upon his feet; "now you are
released from your misery."

"And I should be glad to punish you for your interference," declared
the boy, gloomily eying his preserver, "had you not saved my life by