156 PRINCE RICARDO.

has herd of the fame of Prins Ricardo, whose
name is feerd, and his sord dreded, wherever
there are Monsters and Tirants. Prins, you
may be less well informed about my situation.
I have not killed any Dragguns, there being nun
of them here; but I have been under fiar, at
Gaeta.’ Where’s Gaeta, Dick?”

“‘ Never heard of it,” said Ricardo.

“Well, it is in Italy, and it was besieged
lately. He goes on: ‘and I am told that I did
not misbehave myself, nor disgrace the blud of
Bruce.’””

““T’ve heard of Robert Bruce,” said Dick;
“he was the man who did not kill the spider,
but he cracked the head of Sir Harry Bohun
with one whack of his axe. I remember him
well enough.”

“Well, your correspondent seems to be a
descendant of his.”

“That’s getting more interesting,” said
Dick. “I wish my father would go to war
with somebody. With the Sword of Sharpness
I’d make the enemy whistle! Drive on, Jack.”

“As a prins in distress, I apeal to your
valler, so renouned in Europe: I am kept out
of my own; my royal father, King Gems,’—
well, this is the worst spelling I ever sawin my
life! He means King Fames,— ‘my royal
father, King Gems, being druv into exile by a
crewl Usurper, the Elector of Hannover.
King Gems is old, and likes a quiat life; but I