"Ah! just so, just so," said Chisleu, and all the time he was speaking he was perpetually looking down at his feet to make sure that his shoes were still there.
"I can do no good without my shoes," he murmured.
"But," said Amer, "I cannot think what my affairs have to do with you. And, besides, we are not all made alike, what might do you harm need not necessarily hurt me. Every man must judge for himself."
"Every man must go by the Guide Book," answered Chisleu hastily, "we are there told that we are not to lean to our own understanding. And also, young man," he added, "we are told 'Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.' You are on dangerous ground my friend."
Amer looked up at the man who was giving him such good advice. His face was red and agitated, but the lad could not but be conscious that a real concern for his welfare was the cause of his excitement. However, Amer was in no mood to listen to him, and the man's excitability and somewhat dictatorial manner irritated him; had Chisleu been calmer and less emotional he would have had far greater influence over the one he longed to help.
"I thank you, Sir, for your interest in me," said Amer coldly, "but I really feel that it is my own concern," and he rose from the ground intending to walk away, but to his vexation he found his foot was entangled, and he could not stir. Seeing that Chisleu had not perceived his difficulty, he hid the fact from him, and the man baffled in his efforts, and sorely tried at the thought of leaving this lad in such danger, walked slowly away, his kind heart full of pity.
"Ah!" he sighed to himself, "how little good I am! If it had been Heman, the boy would have listened. There I am again, telling others of their faults and failures, and all the time I am full of them myself. I am thankful, however, that it was not my shoes this time, and that Temper was disappointed, but I am sadly wanting in wisdom. Poor lad! Poor lad! But, after all, the King knows, and will send some one more worthy than I to his aid."
Directly Chisleu's back was turned Amer began to try to disentangle his foot from the long grass that seemed to have caught it, but looking closer he discovered that a very thin gold chain had wound itself around his ankle; so thin was it that Amer never doubted for a moment that he could break it. But it resisted all his efforts. There it was; a tiny line of gold glittering in the sunshine among the thick grasses.
Provoked that such a small thing should prevent him stirring, Amer looked around him in the hope of finding someone to help him. But no one was in sight. Self, laughing at his discomfiture, was not far off, but did not go to his aid. Amer began to wish then that he had taken the good advice of Chisleu, who would certainly have done all in his power to release him. The lad's sword was lying hidden in the long grass by his side, but he forgot it, and tugged and tugged away at the chain in the hope of breaking it.
At last, being very hot and tired from his efforts, he lay down again to wait the appearance of some one who might help him, and suddenly bethought him of his Guide Book.