clouds, and without whom we should have been
compelled to—to—to cut and run.’

‘No, no!’ ‘No, no!’

*Yes—I repeat it,’ said the king. ‘The wings
under the masterly direction of my sons-in-law,
had received the order “ Right about face,—cut!”
the centre under my august self was giving way.’
‘No, no!’ ‘No, no!’

‘It is of no use our shutting our eyes to facts,’ pur-
sued his majesty. ‘We should have been jolly
well licked’—he paused—the expression was
hardly diplomatic, he corrected it to ‘we should
have met with a serious reverse, but for the assist-
ance of our mysterious ally. I drink, gentlemen
and ladies, princes of the blood royal, dukes, etc.
... to the very good health of our deliverer this
day. By the way,’ added the king, sitting down,
‘where is son-in-law number Three ?’

Every one of the guests looked in every one else’s
face, and said—

‘Don’t know!’

And the servants behind the guests looked about
the grand banqueting-hall, and they also said—
‘Your most gracious Majesty—don’t know.’

And the footmen on the stairs looked up and down
the staircase, and the porter at the gate looked at
them, and they at him, and said: ‘Don’t know.’
Just then was heard martial music.

A magnificent band was heard playing—and the
tune that was being played was, ‘See-e-e the con-
quering her-er-er-o comes!’

And presently large bodies of soldiers appeared,
infantry and cavalry, in magnificent uniform, and
surrounded the palace, and then riding on a gold-
coloured horse in golden armour, with. a white
horse at his side, on which rode a lady in cloth of
silver, came a prince. He was attended by a num-
ber of equeries and staff officers, and he descended
from his horse at the palace gates, gave his hand

147

DON’T-
KNOW