g termination. And on to this scene came Nikky
for the riding-lesson. Nikky, smiling and tidy, and very shiny as to
riding-boots and things, and wearing white kid gloves. Every one about
a palace wears white kid gloves, except the royalties themselves. It is
extremely expensive.

Nikky surveyed the scene. He had, of course, bowed inside the door, and
all that sort of thing. But Nikky was an informal person, and was quite
apt to bow deeply before his future sovereign, and then poke him in the
chest.

"Well!" said Nikky.

"Good-morning," said Prince Ferdinand William Otto, in a small and
nervous voice.

"Nothing wrong, is there?" demanded Nikky.

M. Puaux got out his handkerchief and said nothing violently.

"Otto!" said Miss Braithwaite. "What did you do?"

"Nothing." He looked about. He was quite convinced that M. Puaux was
what Bobby would have termed a poor sport, and had not played the game
fairly. The guard at the railway, he felt, would not have yelled and
wept. "Oh, well, I threw a piece of paper. That's all. I didn't think it
would hurt."

Miss Braithwaite rose and glanced at the carpet. But Nikky was quick.
Quick and understanding. He put his shiny foot over the paper wad.

"Paper!" said Miss Braithwaite. "Why did you throw paper? And at M.
Puaux?"

"I--just felt like throwing something," explained His Royal Highness. "I
guess it's the sun, or something."

Nikky dropped his glove, and miraculously, when he had picked it up the
little wad was gone.

"For throwing paper, five marks," said Miss Braithwaite, and put it down
in the book she carried in her pocket. It was rather an awful book.
On Saturdays the King looked it over, and demanded explanations. "For
untidy nails, five marks! A gentleman never has untidy nails, Otto. For
objecting to winter flannels, two marks. Humph! For pocketing sugar from
the tea-tray, ten marks! Humph! For lack of attention during religious
instruction, five marks. Ten off for the sugar, and only five for
inattention to religious instruction! What have you to say, sir?"

Prince Ferdinand William Otto looked at Nikky and Nikky looked back.
Then Ferdinand William Otto's left eyelid drooped. Nikky was astounded.
How was he to know the treasury of strange things that the Crown Prince
had tapped the previous afternoon? But, after a glance around the room,
Nikky's eyelid drooped also. He slid the paper wad into his pocket.

"I am afraid His Royal Highness has hurt your eye,