for the flag; and then Rectus and I started out to get the crown. I had
thought that if we could find some sheet-brass, I could manage to make a
pretty good crown, but there didn't seem to be anything of the kind in
the place. But, after a good deal of looking, we found a brass saucepan,
in a store, which I thought would do very well for the foundation of a
crown. We bought this, and took it around to a shop where a man mended
pots and kettles. For a shilling we hired the use of his tools for an
hour, and then Rectus and I went to work. We unriveted the handle, and
then I held the bottom edge of the saucepan to the grindstone, while
Rectus turned, and we soon ground the bottom off. This left us a deep
brass band, quite big enough for a crown, and as the top edge was
rounded off, it could be turned over on a person's head, so as to sit
quite comfortably. With a cold-chisel I cut long points in what would be
the upper part of the crown, and when I had filed these up a little, the
crown looked quite nobby. We finished it by punching a lot of holes in
the front part, making them in the form of stars and circles. With
something red behind these, the effect would be prodigious.

At ten o'clock, sharp, the next morning, we were all at the queen's
house. Mrs. Chipperton was with us, for she wished very much to see the
ceremony. I think Mr. Chipperton would have been along, but a gentleman
took him out in his yacht that morning, and I must admit that we all
breathed a little bit freer without him. There was a pretty fair crowd
sitting around in the front yard when we reached the house, and before
long a good many more people came to see what was going on. They were
all negroes; but I don't believe half of them were genuine native
Africans. The queen was sitting inside, with a red shawl on, although it
was a pretty warm day, and wearing a new turban.

We had arranged, on the way, to appoint a lot of court officials,
because there was no use of our being stingy in this respect, when it
didn't cost anything to do up the thing right. So we picked out a good
looking man for Lord High Chancellor, and gave him a piece of red ribbon
to tie in his button-hole. He hadn't any button-hole anywhere, except in
his trousers, so he tied it to the string which fastened his shirt
together at the collar. Four old men we appointed to be courtiers, and
made them button up their coats. For a wonder, they all had coats. We
also made a Lord High Sheri