grandfather, and taken aromatic ammonia.

His grandfather said nothing, but looked at him.

"Here--here I am, sir," said the Crown Prince from the door.

The King drew a long breath. But the silence persisted. Prince Ferdinand
William Otto furtively rubbed a dusty shoe against the back of a
trousers leg.

"I'm afraid I'm not very neat, sir," said Prince Ferdinand William Otto,
and took a step forward. Until his grandfather commanded him, he could
not advance into the room.

"Come here," said the King.

He went to the side of the bed.

"Where have you been?"

"I'm afraid--I ran away, sir."

"Why?"

Prince Ferdinand William Otto considered. It was rather an awful moment.
"I don't exactly know. I just thought I would."

You see, it was really extremely difficult. To say that he was tired
of things as they were would sound ungrateful. Would, indeed, be most
impolite. And then, exactly why had he run away?

"Suppose," said the King, "you draw up a chair and tell me about it.
We'd better talk it over, I think."

His Royal Highness drew up a chair, and sat on it. His feet not reaching
the floor, he hooked them around the chair-rung. This was permissible
because, first, the King could not see them from his bed. Second, it
kept his knees from shaking.

"Probably you are aware," said the King, "that you have alarmed a great
many people."

"I'm sorry, sir. I didn't think--"

"A prince's duty is to think."

"Although," observed His Royal Highness, "I don't really believe Miss
Braithwaite fainted. She may have thought she fainted, but her eyelids
moved."

"Where did you go?"

"To the park, sir. I--I thought I'd like to see the park by myself."

"Go on."

"It's very hard to enjoy things with Miss Braithwaite, sir. She does not
really enjoy the things I like. Nikky and I--"

"By 'Nikky' you mean Lieutenant Larisch?"

"Yes, sir."

"Go on."

"We like the same things, sir--the Pike's-Peak-or-Bust, and all that."

The King raised himself on his elbow. "What was that?" he demanded.

Prince Ferdinand William Otto blushed, and explained. It was Bobby's
name for the peak at the top of the Scenic Railway. He had been on
the railway. He had been--his enthusiasm carried him away. His cheeks
flushed. He sat forward on the edge of his chair, and gesticulated. He
had never had such a good time in his life.

"I was awfully happy, sir," he ended. "It feels like flying, only safer.
And the lights are pretty. It's