The Missing Prince

ig

he steps at the principal entrance-most of them carried bundles a

inquiry he found that these were some of the newly

e silver forks and spoons stuck in the band of his hat, and, with a velvet pile table-cloth from one of the drawing-room tables thrown over his shoulder, looked

as he had entered, King Smith I. closed and bolted the door, and the ot

ng Smith I. pleasantly, when they had reached one of t

ghed Boy, "I don't feel a

r, who is now King Joshua Dobbs, seized the regalia as soon as he knew that he was elected King, and so the rest of us will have to make shift with such crowns and things as we can manufacture for ourselves. Now let's se

d particularly as King Smith I. had found some fancy buttons, which he fastened into it, to look like jewels. Another small table-cloth, pinned to Boy's sho

ig

" asked Boy, "and if so who will sit on the Throne? I ex

th him wherever he went, and when he found that it was too heavy to move, he sent for his wife and family, and they have taken up their residence on the dais on which it is placed, and intend to remain there. The First Lord of the Cash Box has the best of it, though, for he has a

-day?" asked Boy, who be

ve to manage for ourselves; fortunately there is plenty of food in the larder, but who's to set th

he table," suggested Boy, "if you

is as good as another, and if you don't mind helping we w

s and dishes and laid them in great state in the Banqueting Hall, and with

at was going on. He found the streets full of Kings and Queens dressed with the most ridiculous attempts at royal grandeur; the Queens wore long court trains made of table-cloths an

ble substitutes for crowns and sceptres, whi

vious glances at it as he walked through the streets. On the whole, though, they all seemed pret

ig

ct was rather marred, though, by the dais being littered with all kinds of household furniture which had been hastily brought across from his old home. Her Majesty the Queen, his wife, was busy making up a

ig

arose and the Queen and the Prince and Princess formed a group around him, with their noses in the

thank you, and he had only called to

time-until I have an opportunity of re-organising my Kingdom. It's rather awk

ld think so,

throne, and coming close to

sty' when you speak to me, please?" a

ressing everybody as 'Your Majesty,' you know,

looked v

ut it, my dear?" aske

neath the Castle Moat," replied the

of that sort, if you don't treat us with pr

her," and he walked away while the King sat down on the throne with a great air of

, you see, none of the Kings and Queens would think

ster sat at the other; they had each arranged a chair on the top of a table to look something like a throne, and the Advertiser General had really made a very regal-looking cloak out of a large piece of c

Majesty the butcher was most rude when I commanded him to send me some meat

barrel at one end of his shop, which he now calls the Palace, and would no more think

n some country where Kings and Queens are not quite so plentiful as they are here. I have drawn up a little Prospectus. You might like to see it, and if you cou

TY THE KI

DS PA

ERMS. DISTAN

are plent

want one, s

t terms

e by the d

an hour is

ing and

dinner par

and 'Mon

m the v

seldom have

al status

an eas

w Smith and Jo

n and Brown

r house t

h easy, car

uce us fac

the King

when nob

of little th

ould fin

m that you

about e

so reg

Royal Robe

gracious to

g your '

y've gone I

children's cl

to brush

a Dinner-j

he Footman-

he guest

humbly cl

slightest

ful King

ent?" he asked when Boy had f

s very well indeed, and I hope tha

that I don't see why Kings should not do so too. I intend to establish some Stores at Zum, and call it the 'Royal Service Supply Association for providi

ood-afternoon, Your Majesties," and Boy bowed politely, and was just going out of the door when he heard both of the Kings hurriedly scrambling down

nd inviting m

u like," said Boy, remembering that ther

lly," said the

ng down the stairs and out into the street t