ease, Mum," said Woggs nervously.

The Countess winced at the "Mum," but went on bravely. "What have you
been saying about me?"

"N--Nothing, Mum."

Belvane winced again, and said, "Do you know what I do to little girls
who say things about me? I cut their heads off; I----" She tried to
think of something very alarming! "I--I stop their jam for tea. I--I
am _most_ annoyed with them."

Woggs suddenly saw what a wicked thing she had done.

"Oh, please, Mum," she said brokenly and fell on her knees.

"_Don't_ call me 'Mum,'" burst out Belvane. "It's so _ugly_. Why do
you suppose I ever wanted to be a countess at all, Woggs, if it wasn't
so as not to be called 'Mum' any more?"

"I don't know, Mum," said Woggs.

Belvane gave it up. The whole morning was going wrong anyhow.

"Come here, child," she sighed, "and listen. You have been a very
naughty girl, but I'm going to let you off this time, and in return
I've something you are going to do for me."

"Yes, Mum," said Woggs.

Belvane barely shuddered now. A sudden brilliant plan had come to
her.

"Her Royal Highness is about to review her Army of Amazons. It is a
sudden idea of her Royal Highness's, and it comes at an unfortunate
moment, for it so happens that the Army is--er----" _What_ was the
Army doing? Ah, yes--"manoeuvring in a distant part of the country.
But we must not disappoint her Royal Highness. What then shall we do,
Woggs?"

"I don't know, Mum," said Woggs stolidly.

Not having expected any real assistance from her, the Countess went
on, "I will tell you. You see yonder tree? Armed to the teeth _you_
will march round and round it, giving the impression to one on this
side of a large army passing. For this you will be rewarded. Here
is----" She felt in the bag she carried. "No, on second thoughts I
will owe it to you. Now you quite understand?"

"Yes, Mum," said Woggs.

"Very well, then. Run along to the Palace and get a sword and a
helmet and a bow and an arrow and an--an arrow and anything you like,
and then come back here and wait behind those bushes. When I clap my
hands the army will begin to march."

Woggs curtsied and ran off.

It is probable that at this point the Countess would have resumed her
soliloquy, but we shall never know, for the next moment the Princess
and her Court were seen approaching from the other end of the glade.
Belvane advanced to meet them.

"Good morning, your Royal Highness," she said,