PALACE OF THE MOUNTEBANKS 137

The King groaned deeply. Never before
had the weetwohl behaved thus, and he
could only suppose either that he had been
mistaken in thinking that anything was
wrong, or that some power greater than
either his own or that of his adviser, pre-
vented the latter from giving him his usual
assistance. This was evidently not to be
had at the present moment, and he therefore
forbore to put any more questions to his
old friend, but forthwith ordered him to be
taken back to his carriage, and with a
gloomy countenance gave the word for the
procession to advance.

This little adventure filled our Prince
with hope. Perfectly invisible to the King
and his people, he had stood near enough
to hear all that had passed, and accordingly
felt that he should have but little difficulty

-in passing into the palace as he was. It
would seem, indeed, that nothing could have
been more easy than for him to have done
this, and then, being invisible, to have taken
an opportunity to remove the treasure with-
out any trouble.

But this was not exactly so, It will be
remembered that the words of Feeble John