rubbing the sprain. Next he took all the bandages
he had in the bag and fastened them end to end. But even like that, they
were not long enough to go more than halfway round the enormous tail.
The Doctor insisted that he must get the swelling strapped tight
somehow. So he sent me off to the palace once more to get all the sheets
from the Royal Linen-closet. These Polynesia and I tore into bandages
for him. And at last, after terrific exertions, we got the sprain
strapped to his satisfaction.

The snail really seemed to be quite pleased with the attention he had
received; and he stretched himself in lazy comfort when the Doctor was
done. In this position, when the shell on his back was empty, you could
look right through it and see the palm-trees on the other side.

"I think one of us had better sit up with him all night," said the
Doctor. "We might put Bumpo on that duty; he's been napping all day, I
know--in the summer-house. It's a pretty bad sprain, that; and if the
snail shouldn't be able to sleep, he'll be happier with some one with
him for company. He'll get all right though--in a few days I should
judge. If I wasn't so confoundedly busy I'd sit up with him myself. I
wish I could, because I still have a lot of things to talk over with
him."

"But Doctor," said Polynesia as we prepared to go back to the town,
"you ought to take a holiday. All Kings take holidays once in the
while--every one of them. King Charles, for instance--of course Charles
was before your time--but he!--why, he was ALWAYS holiday-making. Not
that he was ever what you would call a model king. But just the same,
he was frightfully popular. Everybody liked him--even the golden-carp in
the fish-pond at Hampton Court. As a king, the only thing I had against
him was his inventing those stupid, little, snappy dogs they call King
Charles Spaniels. There are lots of stories told about poor Charles;
but that, in my opinion, is the worst thing he did. However, all this is
beside the point. As I was saying, kings have to take holidays the same
as anybody else. And you haven't taken one since you were crowned, have
you now?"

"No," said the Doctor, "I suppose that's true."

"Well now I tell you what you do," said she: "as soon as you get back to
the palace you publish a royal proclamation that you are going away for
a week into the country for your health. And you're going WITHOUT
ANY SERVANTS, you understand--just like a plain person. It's called
tr