the strange boy to be his guest. But two tickets! Perhaps his allowance
was not sufficient.

"I must see first how much it costs," he said with dignity.

The other boy laughed. "Oh, gee! You come with me. It won't cost
anything," he said, and led the way toward the towering lights.

For Bobby Thorpe to bring a small boy to ride with him was an everyday
affair. Billy Grimm, at the ticket-window, hardly glanced at the boy who
stood, trembling with anticipation, in the shadow of the booth.

The car came, and they climbed in. Perhaps, as they moved off, Prince
Ferdinand William Otto had a qualm, occasioned by the remembrance of the
English child who had met an untimely end; but if he did, he pluckily
hid it.

"Put your lid on the floor of the car," said Bobby Thorpe' depositing
his own atom there. "Father says, if you do that; you're perfectly
safe."

Prince Ferdinand William Otto divined that this referred to his hat, and
drew a small breath of relief. And then they were off, up an endless,
clicking roadway, where at the top the car hung for a breathless second
over the gulf below; then, fairly launched, out on a trestle, with the
city far beneath them, and only the red, white, and blue lights for
company; and into a tunnel, filled with roaring noises and swift
moving shadows. Then came the end of all things a flying leap down, a
heart-breaking, delirious thrill, an upward sweep just as the strain was
too great for endurance.

"Isn't it bully?" shouted the American boy against the onrush of the
wind.

"Fine!" shrieked His Royal Highness, and braced himself for another dip
into the gulf.

Above the roaring of the wind in their ears, neither child had heard
the flying feet of a dozen horses coming down the allee. They never knew
that a hatless young lieutenant, white-lipped with fear, had checked his
horse to its haunches at the ticket-booth, and demanded to know who was
in the Land of Desire.

"Only the son of the manager, and a boy friend of his," replied Billy
Grimm, in what he called the lingo of the country. "What's wrong? Lost
anybody?"

But Hedwig's lieutenant had wheeled his horse without a word, and,
jumping him aver the hedge of the allee, was off in a despairing search
of the outskirts of the park, followed by his cavalrymen.

As the last horse leaped the hedge and disappeared, the car came to a
stop at the platform. Quivering, Prince Ferdinand William Otto reached
down for the despised hat.

"Wo