Merlin was coming toward them now and Wilbur saw that the old man held in his hand an instrument which looked like a surgeon's scalpel. He let out a shriek of terror and would have run had his legs not been paralyzed. "What is this womanly fright?" Arthur asked, wrinkling his nose. "I need his right eye to make the _Elixir of Caution_," Merlin explained. He laid a claw on Wilbur's shoulder and it was like the hand of doom. "Yeeow!" Wilbur howled. He began to babble. "You lied to me! You said you'd make me brave! False pretenses!" He stopped abruptly. Merlin's hand had fallen from his shoulder. There was a sudden silence that grew thick and ominous. Looking up fearfully, Wilbur saw that Arthur had fixed Merlin with a hostile glare. "Did you so promise?" Arthur demanded. He stood straight and regal. "Answer me, and forget not I am your king." Merlin's hands made feeble and apologetic gestures. "What could I do?" he pleaded. "One like him is born seldom. I had searched the centuries, and there was no more time." He turned to Wilbur and his face betrayed an apprehension that made Wilbur's hopes rise. Arthur did not act like he would stand for any promise-breaking among his subjects. "Tell you what I could do," Merlin said. "I could put your eye back when I'm through with it. In fact, that's a promise." "Will that make him brave?" Arthur demanded. "Well...." Merlin hesitated. Arthur's finger slid suggestively along the blade of his sword. "I'll look it up," the old man finished hurriedly. * * * * * His hand dipped beneath his robe and came out with the ancient book. A long nailed finger ran through the pages. There was a pause, and then Merlin began to mumble. "_Elixir of Fortitude_: One part _Eagle's Heart-Dried_, one part _Lion's Breath-Distilled_, one part _Essence of Steel_, hm-m-m." His voice trailed off in a hum, then picked up again. "Simmer for one hour. _Caution_: MUST BE FINISHED BEFORE MIDNIGHT." "Well?" Arthur said. "I've got everything except the last ingredient," Merlin said unhappily. Suddenly his face lit up. "We'd better hurry. There is only an hour and a half left." He scurried to a bottle which hung on the wall and brought it back to Wilbur. "Drink some quickly. You will feel no pain." When Wilbur had gulped some down Merlin took the bottle and handed it to Arthur. "You too." * * * * * Above their heads there was a rumbling and the pounding of hoofs in the courtyard. Quickly Merlin ran to the oak door and slammed it shut. He seemed to be expecting trouble. It turned out he was right again. More than one pair of feet was on the stone stairway. Loud voices shouted, "Open up!" Wilbur recognized one of the voices and he groaned. Then bodies were hurled against the door.