206 PRINCE RICARDO.

 

shake the world, and destroy Manoa, the City
of the Sun.”

Then they all wept softly in the stillness.

“Can we get anything to eat here ?’”’ asked
poor Jaqueline, at last.

She was beginning to be very hungry, and
however alarmed she might be, she felt that
dinner would not be unwelcome. The tallest
of the maidens clapped her hands, and imme-
diately a long table was spread by unseen sprites
with méringues and cold chicken, and several
sorts of delicious ices.

We shall desert Jaqueline, who was rather
less alarmed when she found that she was not
.to be starved, at all events, and return to
Prince Ricardo, whom we left fluttering about
as a little golden-crested wren.* He followed
the Giant and Jaqueline into the whirlpool of
air as far as he dared, and when he saw her
vanish down the cone of the hill, he flew straight
back to Pantouflia.