PRINCE PRIGIO. 77

 

CHAPTER XV.

Lhe King’s Cheque.

Wr. they all awakened next morning,
nm their first ideas were confused. It is
ih often confusing to wake in a strange

bed, much more so when you have flown

; through the air, like the king, the queen,
and Benson the butler. For her part,
the queen was the most perplexed ofall; for she
did undeniably wake, and yet she was not at
home, where she had expected to be. How-
ever, she was a determined woman, and stood
to it that nothing unusual was occurring. The
butler made up his mind to claim the crown
princeship and the hand of the Lady Molinda;
because, as he justly remarked to William, here
was such a chance to better himself as might not
soon come in his way again. As for the king,
he was only anxious to get back to Falkenstein,
and have the whole business settled in a consti-
tutional manner. The ambassador was not
sorry to get rid of the royal party; and it was
proposed that they should all sit down on the
flying carpet, and wish themselves at home
again. But the queen would not hear of it: