“What is a meiler?” asked Squib.
“I do not know whether there is an English word for it,” answered Herr Adler. “It is a word that belongs to the charcoal-burner’s craft. You know that charcoal is wood burned in such a way as to leave behind it the charcoal fit for use; and the way in which this is done in the open forests by the charcoal-burners is by making first a heap of wood, and then covering it up with earth. The earth heaped over it keeps the fire in check when the wood is burning. The charcoal-burner has to watch very carefully, sometimes raking the earth away to let the fire burn more freely, sometimes heaping more on to keep it in check; and the great heap he makes of wood and earth is called a meiler.”
“I understand,” answered Squib. “Now, please, go on with the story.”
“Well, the prince looked about him, and seeing the old man a little away off, he hailed him, and called out,—
“’Can you tell me the way out of the forest? I want to find the way to the road which leads to the town. You know it, I suppose?’
“’Oh yes, I know it well enough,’ answered the old man, and began to try to make the prince understand how to go. But he soon interrupted, saying,—
“’My good fellow, how do you suppose for a moment that I could find such an intricate path as that in the dark?’
“Then the charcoal-burner stroked his chin, and replied,—
“’Well, I was just thinking that maybe you would only lose yourself worse by trying it.’
“Then the prince got rather vexed, and said impatiently,—