opened at her touch. Xanthippe and Ophelia followed close on her heels,
and shortly they found themselves, open-mouthed in wondering admiration,
in the billiard-room of the floating palace, and Richard, the ghost of
the best billiard-room attendant in or out of Hades, stood before them.

"Excuse me," he said, very much upset by the sudden apparition of the
ladies. "I'm very sorry, but ladies are not admitted here."

"We are equally sorry," retorted Elizabeth, assuming her most imperious
manner, "that your masters have seen fit to prohibit our being here; but,
now that we are here, we intend to make the most of the opportunity,
particularly as there seem to be no members about. What has become of
them all?"

Richard smiled broadly. "I don't know where they are," he replied; but
it was evident that he was not telling the exact truth.

"Oh, come, my boy," said the Queen, kindly, "you do know. Sir Walter
told me you knew everything. Where are they?"

"Well, if you must know, ma'am," returned Richard, captivated by the
Queen's manner, "they've all gone down the river to see a prize-fight
between Goliath and Samson."

"See there!" cried Xanthippe. "That's what this club makes possible.
Socrates told me he was coming here to take luncheon with Carlyle, and
they've both of 'em gone off to a disgusting prize-fight!"

"Yes, ma'am, they have," said Richard; "and if Goliath wins, I don't
think Mr. Socrates will get home this evening."

"Betting, eh?" said Xanthippe, scornfully.

"Yes, ma'am," returned Richard.

"More club!" cried Xanthippe.

"Oh no, ma'am," said Richard. "Betting is not allowed in the club;
they're very strict about that. But the shore is only ten feet off,
ma'am, and the gentlemen always go ashore and make their bets."

During this little colloquy Elizabeth and Ophelia were wandering about,
admiring everything they saw.

"I do wish Lucretia Borgia and Calpurnia could see this. I wonder if the
Caesars are on the telephone," Elizabeth said. Investigation showed that
both the Borgias and the Caesars were on the wire, and in short order the
two ladies had been made acquainted with the state of affairs at the
house-boat; and as they were both quite as anxious to see the interior of
the much-talked-of club-house as the others, they were not long in
arriving. Furthermore, they brought with them half a dozen more ladies,
among whom were Desdemona and Cleopatra, and then began the most
extraordi