g
with great glee at the race he had led the Prince.

"Here we are," said the Funny Man; "come in! My wife's at home, and I've
no doubt supper's all ready except the seasoning. I always season things
myself, because I'm something of an epicure."

As he spoke, he led the way into the house, having put out his light and
once more wound his nose up into its figure eight.

XIV

The room in which the Prince found himself was bright and cheery, and
the table was laid for supper. The wife of the Funny Man was rather a
mournful-looking woman, which the Prince privately thought was by no
means to be wondered at. She had a somewhat peculiar and startling
appearance, from the fact that her head was twisted completely round on
her body, so that she faced the wrong way.

"Curious effect, isn't it?" asked the Funny Man, as he observed that the
Prince was staring at his wife. "I did it one day for a joke, and the
best part of it all is that I have forgotten the charm to bring her
round right again."

"Does she think it is a joke?" asked the Prince.

[Illustration]

"As to that," replied the Funny Man, indifferently, "I don't know,
because I never asked her, and I certainly do not care one way or
another."

"?reppus ot nwod tis ot uoy esaelp ti lliW" said the woman, after the
Funny Man had busied himself a few moments with the dishes.

Vance stared in confusion, but the Funny Man seemed quite used to this
odd way of speaking.

"Her talk is all hind-side before," he explained, chuckling, "since I
turned her head about. Sit down! Supper is ready."

They all sat down. The unfortunate woman faced the wall behind her, and
therefore she was a little awkward in ladling the soup. However, that
was a slight affair, and Vance was far too famished to be particular.
The pottage gave forth a most appetizing odor, and the Prince hastily
plunged in his spoon and began to eat. He had not taken a fair taste
before he stopped eating with a terribly wry face. The soup was bitterer
than gall.

"Don't you like the seasoning?" snickered the Funny Man. "Now, come,
that's too bad, when I thought 'twould be just to your liking!"

Too angry to speak, the Prince snatched a glass of water and drank, only
to find it scalding hot and full of salt.

"Try a bit of venison pasty," urged his host, pleasantly. "No more
fooling, on my word!"

"?opiH, enola dlihc roop eht tel uoy t'nac yhW" asked the wife, who
seemed to be as kind-hearted as