White, special full dress," insisted Billy. "Medals, side-arms,
full-dress belt, and gloves. What a press story! 'The King of the Movies
Meets the President of Hayti!' Of course, he's only an ignorant negro,
but on Broadway they don't know that; and it will sound fine!" St. Clair
coughed nervously.

"DON'T forget," he stammered, "I can't speak French, or understand it,
either."

The eyes of Billy became as innocent as those of a china doll.

"Then I'll interpret," he said. "And, oh, yes," he added, "he's sending
two of the palace soldiers to act as an escort--sort of guard of honor!"

The King of the Movies chuckled excitedly.

"Fine!" he exclaimed. "You ARE a brick!"

With trembling fingers he began to shed his outer garments.

To hide his own agitation Billy walked to the window and turned his
back. Night had fallen and the electric lights, that once had been his
care, sprang into life. Billy looked at his watch. It was seven o'clock.
The window gave upon the harbor, and a mile from shore he saw the cargo
lights of the PRINZ DER NEDERLANDEN, and slowly approaching, as though
feeling for her berth, a great battle-ship. When Billy turned from the
window his voice was apparently undisturbed.

"We've got to hurry," he said. "The LOUISIANA is standing in. She'll
soon be sending a launch for you. We've just time to drive to the palace
and back before the launch gets here."

From his mind President Ham had dismissed all thoughts of the war-ship
that had been sighted and that now had come to anchor. For the moment he
was otherwise concerned. Fate could not harm him; he was about to dine.

But, for the first time in the history of his administration, that
solemn ceremony was rudely halted. An excited aide, trembling at his own
temerity, burst upon the president's solitary state.

In the anteroom, he announced, an officer from the battle-ship LOUISIANA
demanded instant audience.

For a moment, transfixed in amazement, anger, and alarm President Ham
remained seated. Such a visit, uninvited, was against all tradition; it
was an affront, an insult. But that it was against all precedent argued
some serious necessity. He decided it would be best to receive the
officer. Besides, to continue his dinner was now out of the question.
Both appetite and digestion had fled from him.

In the anteroom Billy was whispering final instructions to St. Clair.

"Whatever happens," he begged, "don't LAUGH! Don't even smile politely!