onze and stone, and
good in everything; good even in the effigy of the Pleasant-Faced Lion,
who had been brought into Court for the first time in its life, and
who, could it have the power of hearing, must surely approve of the
verdict now given."

The Learned Judge, having thus delivered himself, then rose, and once
more hopped out of Court.

The sensation throughout the entire Court was profound.

* * * * *

Some considerable time after the Writer had hurried Ridgwell from the
scene, and had provided a quite sumptuous tea, which both of them stood
in need of, in a tea-shop in Fleet Street, they repaired upon the way
home, and passed the statue of the Griffin.

"Look," whispered Ridgwell, as he pulled the sleeve of the Writer's
coat to attract the Writer's attention. "Oh, look, the Griffin has
been weeping bitterly."

It was, indeed, only too true. The Griffin's cup of sorrow and
mortification was full. Four great indignant tears trembled upon his
cheeks ready to fall. He had been compelled that day to stand and
listen to people humming his, the Griffin's, own, pet song as they left
the Court, and the Griffin had not been able to join in it.

The Pleasant-Faced Lion had gone into the Court and had left it in
triumph, cheered by enthusiastic and interested crowds, whilst _he_,
the Griffin, had remained unnoticed. The Griffin's feet were very,
very cold, and his vain, foolish, excitement-loving heart had turned to
stone.

Having contemplated this sad spectacle, the Writer and Ridgwell
clambered upon the outside of a bus going westward. Half-way up the
Strand the road was partly blocked by a concourse of cheering people.
As their bus came alongside, Ridgwell and the Writer both stood up to
look over the bus rail to see what was causing all the commotion. It
was the Pleasant-Faced Lion being escorted back to Trafalgar Square in
state upon a lorry. The crowd cheered enthusiastically upon viewing
the unusual sight.

As the Writer and Ridgwell gazed at their old friend, the
Pleasant-Faced Lion slowly, solemnly, and deliberately winked his right
eye, which was nearest to them.

* * * * *

The Father and Mother of Ridgwell and Christine, upon returning from a
most enjoyable holiday upon the Continent, could not avoid seeing the
large headlines of the evening papers pasted everywhere upon the
station boards at Charing Cross.

The headlines were varied;