want you,
Ridgwell, to remember a little rhyme and say it to yourself."

"A hymn?" asked Ridgwell.

"Not exactly a hymn."

"After we have said our prayers?"

"Certainly," replied the Lion obligingly, "any time before you go to
bed will do; will you promise to remember?"

"Of course, Lal."

"Well, this is the little rhyme," whispered the Lion mysteriously; and
somehow it seemed to Ridgwell as if the Lion was still laughing at him
as he repeated the following extraordinary rhyme--

"Christian child or Pagan child,
Which is my denomination,
Have I eaten dear old Lal
In my birthday celebration?"

Ridgwell repeated the mysterious rhyme after the Lion, then he shook
his head.

"Don't understand it, do you?" grinned the Lion.

"Not a bit," answered Ridgwell.

"I give it up, too," said Christine.

"Are you laughing at us, Lal?" inquired Ridgwell anxiously.

"Ah!" said the Lion, "I wonder; however, he who laughs last, laughs
last; that saying is true without a doubt; and," he concluded with a
chuckle, "I bet you both anything you like that I have the last laugh.
In fact, one day when you pass me you may hear me laugh, although I
shall never speak to either of you again in public. And that reminds
me of something I want to warn both of you about particularly. Never
appear to notice me in public or speak to me whenever you chance to
pass me in Trafalgar Square; you would only collect a crowd, make me
very uncomfortable, and convey the unfortunate impression to everybody
within earshot that you were mad. The same thing applies to
Carry-on-Merry; he has a most provoking face, and the happy laugh
always to be seen upon it might tempt you both to suppose that he was
listening; now mind you never give way to the temptation of addressing
either of us in public, and never refer to anything that has happened
even in private, for you will only be misunderstood. Remember,"
concluded the Lion, "that the Great Order of Imagination is only given
to a very few people; those who do not possess it do not understand it.
See, your own has faded already!"

Both the children clasped their hands simultaneously to their necks
where the glittering order had hung and shone only a few minutes before.

Then they stared blankly at the place where it had been. Alas! the
luminously lighted jewels of the order were no longer there.

"Oh, Lal," said Ridgwell, "shall we never have it again?"

"Only the memory of it," repli