FURTHER ADVENTURES 125

passage. This, however, was by no means
the case. Whether he entirely believed
Prince Filderkin’s story, or whether he
thought that one solitary traveller could not
do much harm, or what his particular reason
may have been, I cannot say, but his
countenance assumed a more friendly look,
his hump wriggled with pleasure, and with
a polite bow he addressed the stranger
again.

‘Pass on, sir,’ he said, ‘pass on. If you
have a hump on your back you are doubtless
hump-backed at heart also, and as sentinel
of the day I bid you welcome to the country
of the hump-backed mountebanks.’

Thus saying, he retired behind his boulder
without another word, and the Prince, being
now well assured that he was in the right
place and among the right people, once more
continued his advance up the hill.

The boulders now became smaller, and
there were soon only small rocks and stones,
shining like gold, scattered upon the side of
the mountain, but not so as to inconvenience
or hinder him upon his journey. Presently
he came to what appeared to be a rough
ridge or bank stretching right across the