1] THE LOST PRINCE. 63

the air is positively dark with them, although they
are as yet at some distance! What caz it mean?’

Whilst they were still giving vent to such excla-
mations as these, suddenly a bird flew up against
Pettina’s window and pecked loudly for admittance.
The Princess immediately threw open the window
and in flew the bird. It was a pigeon, and had
scarcely alighted in the room when it made sundry
contortions, and directly afterwards assumed the form
of the Dwarf Rindelgrover.

‘Dear Princess!’ he exclaimed as soon as he was
sufficiently recovered to speak. ‘All will go well
with you and your sister. Be not afraid. The King
of the Islands is coming at the head of his army on
white horses, and the River King is half way here
with his swans, against which it is well known no
magic power can ever prevail. I have hurried here
as fast as possible in order to relieve your anxiety,
and must now go and tell your lovely sister the good
news.’

“You need not do that,’ said a voice through the
grating, which they recognised at once to be that of
Malvina. ‘I could not help hearing what you said,
and am overjoyed to hear that succour is near at
hand,

Scarcely had she spoken, before a loud noise of
voices was heard upon the stairs, and in a few mo-
ments messengers from the Giant appeared, who had
been ordered to conduct the Princesses to the draw-
ing-room without an instant’s delay. Before they
left their rooms, however, the good Rindelgrover had
just time to change himself into a bluebottle fly, and