f their purchase money had gone to swell the Royal
revenues, and they clamoured for instant restitution.

So finally the King had recourse to his usual expedient. "Don't let us
have a row about this little matter, gentlemen," he said. "I'm anxious
to meet you if I can, and I tell you what I'll do. I'll have the Council
summoned at once. You can lay your claims before them, and if they can
see their way to granting you any compensation, we shall be as good
friends as ever again."

King Sidney's idea had been that the Council, if they decreed any
compensation at all, would do so from funds belonging to the State. It
appeared, however, that they did not consider this to be within their
powers. They decided that, as the Sovereign had enjoyed the greater part
of the profit on the sales of the self-supplying tables, he was bound to
refund the money, proportionate deductions being made for the period
during which each table had been in proper order. This required
elaborate calculations, but the Lord Treasurer had a wonderful head for
figures, and worked them out to such effect that there was only
moderate grumbling on the part of the creditors, all of whom received
rather more than their due, while a good many had never bought a table
at all.

So, on the whole, the decision satisfied all except the Royal Family.

"It's easy to be generous with other people's money!" said the King.
"But this business has nearly cleared us out. That confounded Treasurer
hasn't left us more than a dozen sacks or so to go on with. He's
suggested that I might try to get a loan from the King of
Goldenbergenland. I'm told he's wealthy, so perhaps he'd be willing to
oblige a fellow-monarch, if I gave him the mine as security."

"That mine?" said Clarence. "Why, it doesn't cover its working
expenses--and never will, with the wages we pay those miner-johnnies!"

"Most exorbitant," said the King; "I've been thinking of--hem--bringing
back those yellow gnomes. They wouldn't want wages--and the mine would
be healthier for them than those marshes they're draining."

"It might," agreed Clarence, "if there were any of the poor little
beggars left. But I believe the climate has been too much for 'em."

"Has it, though? I'm afraid they must have neglected to take proper
precautions. Very ungrateful, after all I've done for them! But it's no
use trying to benefit _that_ class of persons. I see that now."

Clarence still wore his pendant, though he rode