"They are always hanged," answered Nerle, getting upon his feet.

"Well, there are trees handy," remarked the prince, although his
girlish heart insisted on making him shiver in spite of his resolve to
be manly and stern. "Let us get to work and hang them as soon as
possible. And then we can proceed upon our journey."

Nerle now willingly lent his assistance to his new master, and soon
they had placed a rope around the neck of each thief and were ready to
dangle them all from the limbs of the trees.

But at this juncture the thieves began to regain consciousness,
and now Wul-Takim, the big, red-bearded king of the thieves, sat up
and asked:

"Who is our conqueror?"

"Prince Marvel," answered Nerle.

"And what army assisted him?" inquired Wul-Takim, curiously gazing
upon the prince.

"He conquered you alone and single-handed," said Nerle.

Hearing this, the big king began to weep bitterly, and the tear-drops
ran down his face in such a stream that Prince Marvel ordered Nerle to
wipe them away with his handkerchief, as the thief's hands were tied
behind his back.

"To think!" sobbed Wul-Takim, miserably; "only to think, that after