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348 "If you care to come, step in," said Boots.

Yes, he was willing enough, and so he, too, stepped on board the ship to the rest.

So when they had sailed a good bit farther, they came to the king's grange. Then Boots strode straight into the king, and said that the ship was ready out in the courtyard, and now he was come to claim the princess, as the king had given his word.

But the king wouldn't hear of it, for Boots did not look very nice; he was grimy and sooty, and the king was loath to give his daughter to such a fellow. So he said he must wait a little; he couldn't have the princess until they cleared a barn which the king had with three hundred casks of salt meat in it.

"All the same," said the king, "if you can do it by this time to-morrow, you shall have her."

"I can but try," said Boots; "I may have leave, perhaps, to take one of my crew with me?"

Yes, he might have leave to do that, even if he took them all six, said the king; for he thought it quite beyond his power, though he had six hundred to help him.

But Boots only took with him the man who ate granite, and was always so sharp set; and so when they came next morning and unlocked the barn, if he hadn't eaten all the casks, so that there was nothing left but half-a-dozen spare-ribs, and that was only one for each of his other comrades. So Boots strode in to the king, and said now the barn was empty, and now he might have the princess.

Then the king went out to the barn, and empty it was, that was plain enough; but still Boots was so