At least, it looked a crowd to him. Iy there were about fifteen or twenty of them, all gentlemen in green hunting-dress, with their hors; some in the saddle and some standing by their hors’heads. In the tre someone was holding the stirrup for a man to mount. And the man he was holding it for was the jolliest, fat, apple-cheeked, twinkling-eyed King you could imagine.
As soon as Shasta came in sight this King fot all about mounting his hor. He spread out his arms to Shasta, his face lit up, and he cried out in a great, deep voice that emed to e from the bottom of his chest：
“！ My son！ And on foot, and in rags！ What —”
“No,” panted Shasta, shaking his head. “Not Prince . I — I —know I’m like him ... saw his Highness in Tashbaan ... nt his greetings.”
The King was staring at Shasta with araordinary expression on his face.
“Are you K-King Lune?” gasped Shasta. And then, without waiting for an answer, “Lord King — fly — Anvard shut the gates — enemies upon you — Rabadash and two hundred hor.”
At least, it looked a crowd to him. Iy there were about fifteen or twenty of them, all gentlemen in green hunting-dress, with their hors; some in the saddle and some standing by their hors’heads. In the tre someone was holding the stirrup for a man to mount. And the man he was holding it for was the jolliest, fat, apple-cheeked, twinkling-eyed King you could imagine.
As soon as Shasta came in sight this King fot all about mounting his hor. He spread out his arms to Shasta, his face lit up, and he cried out in a great, deep voice that emed to e from the bottom of his chest：
“！ My son！ And on foot, and in rags！ What —”
“No,” panted Shasta, shaking his head. “Not Prince . I — I —know I’m like him ... saw his Highness in Tashbaan ... nt his greetings.”
The King was staring at Shasta with araordinary expression on his face.
“Are you K-King Lune?” gasped Shasta. And then, without waiting for an answer, “Lord King — fly — Anvard shut the gates — enemies upon you — Rabadash and two hundred hor.”
“Have you assurance of this, boy?” asked one of the entlemen.
“My own eyes,” said Shasta. “I’ve en them. Raced them all the way from Tashbaan.”
“On foot?” said the gentleman, raising his eyebrows a little.
“Hors — with the Hermit,” said Shasta.
“Question him no more; Darrin,” said King Lune. “I e truth in his face. We must ride for it, gentlemen. A spare hor there, for the boy. You ride fast, friend?”