The old man stopped chuckling, and told the boy to go get his sword, the boy quickly fetched it, running at great speed!
When the boy had returned, the old man said, "You see that there are two empty slots in the hilt of the sword...", the boy replied with a brief yes, and that he had wondered about the slots a lot.
"So, when do I begin?", the boys voice was full of excitement....and confusion.