forsooth, that are away
ahead of the age. Marry, yes! I call 'em a bicycle and a phonograph."

"Well, did you ever!" murmured Rebecca, amazed at this impudent claim to
invention.

Messer Guido paused in his writing and began to unfold his precious
American newspaper, while Droop went on, encouraged by the attentive
curiosity which he had evidently excited in the Queen.

"Now, the bicycle--or the bike, fer short--is a kind of a wagon or
vehycle, you wot. When you mount on it, you can trundle yerself along
like all possessed----"

"Gramercy!" broke in the Queen, in a tone of irritation. "What have we
here! We must have plain English, Master Droop. American idioms are
unknown to us."

As Droop opened his mouth to reply, Guido stepped forward with a great
rustling of paper.

"May it please your Gracious Majesty--" he panted, eagerly.

"Speak, Messer Guido."

"I would fain question this gentleman, your Majesty, touching certain
things contained herein." He shook the paper at arm's length and glared
at Droop, who returned the look with a calm eye.

"You may proceed, sir," said Elizabeth.

"Why, Master Droop, you that are the inventor of this same 'bicycle,'
how explain you this?"

He thrust the paper under Droop's nose, pointing to an advertisement
therein.

"Here," he continued, "here have we a picture bearing the legend,
'Baltimore Bicycle--Buy No Other'--" He paused, but before Copernicus
could speak he went on breathlessly: "And look on this, Master
Droop--see here--here! Another drawing, this time with the legend,
'Edison's Phonographs.' How comes it that you have invented these
things? Can you invent on this 21st day of May, in the year of our Lord
1598, what was here set forth as early as--as--" he turned the paper
back to the first page, "as early as April--" he stopped, turned pale,
and choked. Droop looked mildly triumphant.

"Well--well!" cried Elizabeth, "hast lost thy voice, man?"

"My liege," murmured the bewildered savant, "the date--this
document----"

"Is dated in 1898," said Droop, solemnly. "This here bike and phonograph
won't be invented by anyone else for three hundred years yet."

Elizabeth frowned angrily and grasped the arms of her chair in an access
of wrath which, after a pause, found vent in a torrent of words:

"Now, by God's death, my masters, you will find it ill jesting in this
presence! What in the fiend's name! Think ye, Elizabeth of England may
be tricked and cozened--m