Edward struggled to free himself from John and Frank. But they tightened their grips on his wrists and dragged him through the woods.
"Let me go!" Edward cried.
"Not after all the trouble we had finding you, my boy." John pinched Edward's arm with his other hand.
"Ow!" Edward tried to kick Tom's father but missed.
"In case you forgot, Ruffler put me in charge of you," Frank said. "He wasn't happy to hear you'd run off. From now on, you'll do what I say!"
Edward didn't reply because he was busy plotting his escape. When they came upon another farmhouse, he hoped this was his opportunity. But Frank had other ideas.
"Here's your chance to be useful," Frank said. "Knock on the door, and if someone answers, beg for money or food. If no one's there, go into the kitchen and steal whatever you can."
Edward grumbled as Frank shoved him toward the house.
"And don't try any tricks!" Frank called out.
Frank and John watched Edward knock on the door. When no one answered, he went inside.
"He's not much of a beggar," John said. "And I need to work with him on stealing, but—"
"Quiet!" Frank held up his hand. "What's he shouting about?"
"Help! Is anybody home?" Edward cried. "I'm King Edward, and I've been kidnapped!"
Frank and John ran for the house and dragged Edward outside.
"That's exactly what I meant by tricks!" Frank snarled.
"Next time I'll plan my escape more carefully," Edward thought. "And next time I'll succeed!"
That night at the gang's campsite, Frank stepped on Edward's toes. Edward knew he'd done it on purpose. The third time it happened, Edward confronted Frank.
"Stay away from my feet, you clumsy oaf!"
Edward showered Frank with insults in English, Latin, and Greek. Everyone gathered around the two of them, clapping and cheering.
"Hooray for the king!" they shouted.
Two men lifted Edward onto their shoulders and paraded him around the camp.
"Your son has quite a vocabulary," Ruffler said to John.
"I taught him everything I know," John said modestly. "But I think he picked up a few words from books."
Frank scowled as he watched everyone congratulating Edward. "I hope that boy is enjoying this," he thought, "because it's the last time he'll humiliate me!"
The next afternoon the gang of beggars and thieves arrived at another village.
"Don't come back empty-handed," Ruffler said to Edward. "And remember to obey Frank at all times."
Frank walked up and down the streets with Edward.
"Getting arrested might teach our young king a lesson," Frank thought. "But the others in the gang like him. So I can't be too obvious about my role in setting him up."
While Frank was plotting his revenge, Edward was looking for a chance to escape. He thought about running when Frank bent over to pick up a penny on the street.
"Not yet," Edward cautioned himself. "I have to wait for just the right moment."
A few minutes later, they saw a woman carrying a fat package in a basket.
"Stay here, and don't move until I come back," Frank said.
"This is it!" Edward thought.
But before Edward could run, Frank sneaked behind the woman and stole her package. He thrust it into Edward's hands.
"Don't follow me!" Frank shouted to Edward as he ran away. "We'll meet up later."
"No!" Edward threw the package on the ground, where it opened to reveal a ham. "I am not a thief!"
"Oh yes, you are!" The woman grabbed Edward and shouted for help.
Meanwhile Frank ran down an alley, from which he gleefully watched Edward's troubles unfold.
"He'll soon be under arrest, and I'll be rid of him for good." Frank laughed as a blacksmith stepped out of his shop to help the woman.
"What's the matter, ma'am?" The blacksmith picked up the ham and put it into the woman's basket.
"I was walking home when this boy stole the ham right out of my basket!"
"I am your king, not a thief." Edward pointed in the direction Frank had fled. "Quick! Go after Frank. He's the one who stole your ham!"
"I'd better get out of here before the little traitor leads them to me." Frank smiled at the thought of Edward in jail. "Now I just have to think of something to tell Ruffler."
Meanwhile Edward continued to struggle in the woman's grasp. "Let go of me!"
"Be quiet!" The blacksmith reached out a strong arm for Edward. "I'm about to teach you a lesson!"
"You'll do nothing of the kind!" A man suddenly grabbed the blacksmith.