THE ADVENTURES OF PRINCE HEMPSEED. 29

upon vine-leaves in silver dishes. The prince dared not
look any longer; but his sighs came quicker and quicker.
Next came servants bearing wild boars’ heads, embel-
lished with parsley and mint, and decorated with cloves.
Others carried white and rose-
=.. coloured creams in china
basins;—and the poor little
== prince was so fond of white
and rose-coloured creams !

 
  
 
   
    

ra

Here were servants carrying cakes made of almonds,
pistachio nuts, and American citron: there were lacqueys
charged with preserved fruits whose shape and colour had
not been changed by the art of the confectioner.

We cannot say whether Prince Hempseed could have
endured that tantalising scene to the end; but something
happened to draw his attention to another point.

He was looking round him, when at the farther end of
the terrace he observed Turnspit, Chatterbox, Topaz, and
Emerald, all of whom seemed to beg him to notice them.

Was it an error—a mistake? He went first to Turn-
spit’s trough, and what did he see? It was empty—dry as
the wood of which it was made. The poor dog had eaten
nothing since the day before.

As for the magpie’s cage, it contained not a jot more
than that of the two canaries.