They gazed at each other earnestly. Each of them was going over in his mind the exact details of that famous meeting.
"Yes," they murmured together, "it was us."
The King of Barodia's mind raced on through all the bitter months that had followed; he shivered as he thought of the things he had said; the things that had been said to him seemed of small account now.
"Not even a swineherd!" he remarked.
"Come, come," said Merriwig, "look on the bright side; you can always be a King again."
The late King of Barodia shook his head.
"It's a come down to a man with any pride," he said. "No, I'll stick to my own job. After all, I've been learning these last weeks; at any rate I know that what I do know isn't worth knowing, and that's something."
"Then stay with me," said Merriwig heartily. "My swineherd will teach you your work, and when he retires you can take it on."
"Do you mean it?"
"Of course I do. I shall be glad to have you about the place. In the evening, when the pigs are asleep, you can come in and have a chat with us."