As soon as he arose half a dozen men appeared and conducted him from the room to the street outside.
He was walked up and down this for about ten minutes and then returned to the place whence he came.
A substantial meal was now set before him, and Lacy ate it in a hearty manner, all the while wondering why it was that he was receiving such excellent attention.
But he was destined to soon learn.
Philander Owens was used exactly the same in another building not far away, and he, too, wondered why it was thus and so.
About twenty-four hours later both ceased to wonder.
Lacy had risen but an hour before, when he heard the beating of a tom-tom, or some other outlandish instrument.
The sum and substance of it was, that the ruler of the place had arranged for a contest of strength to take place between the two prisoners.
He had noticed the savageness with which the men had come together when they had been brought before him, and he concluded that if they were fed up a little, and taken care of, they would be able to give a first-class entertainment to the populace.
Owens had been captured a few hours before Lacy showed up and attempted to roll the bowlder down, but he had not been taken before the king until they both were together.