l not,
I think, be very soon. I will come and have a few days' shooting about
the middle of March, and if I have good sport I shall order your salary
to be increased. If any more foreign devils come over, do not Blue-Pool
them; send them down to me, and I will see what I think of them; I am
much disposed to encourage a few of them to settle here."

"I am sure," continued George, "that he said this because he knew I was
half a foreign devil myself. Indeed he won my heart not only by the
delicacy of his consideration, but by the obvious good will he bore me. I
do not know what he did with the nuggets, but he gave orders that the
blanket and the rest of my father's kit should be put in the great
Erewhonian Museum. As regards my father's receipt, and the Professors'
two depositions, he said he would have them carefully preserved in his
secret archives. 'A document,' he said somewhat enigmatically, 'is a
document--but, Professor Hanky, you can have this'--and as he spoke he
handed him back his pocket-handkerchief.

"Hanky during the whole interview was furious, at having to play so
undignified a part, but even more so, because the King while he paid
marked attention to Dr. Downie, and even to myself, treated him with
amused disdain. Nevertheless, angry though he was, he was impenitent,
unabashed, and brazened it out at Bridgeford, that the King had received
him with open arms, and had snubbed Dr. Downie and myself. But for his
(Hanky's) intercession, I should have been dismissed then and there from
the Rangership. And so forth. Panky never opened his mouth.

"Returning to the King, his Majesty said to Dr. Downie, 'I am afraid I
shall not be able to canonize any of you gentlemen just yet. We must let
this affair blow over. Indeed I am in half a mind to have this Sunchild
bubble pricked; I never liked it, and am getting tired of it; you Musical
Bank gentlemen are overdoing it. I will talk it over with her Majesty.
As for Professor Hanky, I do not see how I can keep one who has been so
successfully hoodwinked, as my Professor of Worldly Wisdom; but I will
consult her Majesty about this point also. Perhaps I can find another
post for him. If I decide on having Sunchildism pricked, he shall apply
the pin. You may go.'

"And glad enough," said George, "we all of us were to do so."

"But did he," I asked, "try to prick the bubble of Sunchildism?"

"Oh no. As soon as he said he would talk it over with her Majes