cave close to the castle.
At that time it was only an egg."

"Hatch it yourself?" inquired Clarence.

"Only partially," said the young Count; "the sun did the rest." (It was
perhaps as well for Daphne that she was not at the table just then.) "I
begged that its life might be spared, and it was. So Tuetzi and I have
grown up together."

"Tootsie!" remarked Clarence _sotto voce_, "what a dashed silly-ass name
for a dragon!"

"And will you show us him?" asked Ruby eagerly. "Mummy, couldn't we go
to the Count's castle and see his dragon? This afternoon?"

"I should rather like to see it myself," said her Father. "No idea there
_were_ such things. What do you say to our driving back with the Count
and having a look at it, eh, my love?"

"I think, Sidney," replied the Queen, "we certainly ought to do so."

So, to Ruby's delight, the State coach was ordered to take the Royal
Family to Drachenstolz, and the party set out shortly after lunch.
Clarence accompanied them on horseback, while the Count followed in his
sombre vehicle. Daphne was left behind, and the Court, although invited
to join the party, begged with singular unanimity that they might be
excused.

On arriving at the Castle the visitors were first taken over the
interior, which was ill-lighted and rather depressing, after which the
Count led them through a spacious courtyard to the kitchen-garden, where
the Queen deigned to compliment him on the huge size of the vegetable
marrows and pumpkins that were ripening in the sun.

"If there _should_ be a Harvest Festival at the Church, Count," she said
graciously, "I'm sure some of those would come in very nicely for it!"

They then passed over a rough tract of ground towards a rocky cliff that
formed part of the Castle boundary. In this cliff was a deep cavern, on
one side of which was a stout staple with a chain attached, only a
portion of which was visible. Here their young host stopped and gave a
low whistle. Instantly there was a rattle of the chain, and the next
moment all but the Count and Ruby hastily retreated as a great horny
head with distended nostrils and lidless eyes was protruded from the
opening.

"Don't be alarmed!" said the Count, calmly unfastening the chain and
leading the creature out into the open. "Tuetzi is perfectly tame, as you
can see."

It may or may not have been full-grown, but it was large enough at all
events to be a fairly fearful wildfowl, with its huge leathery wings,
cres