ittle glutton. In
his youngest days, when his mother used to regulate his food, she would
stuff him full of rice. Then she would turn him over on his back and
paddle his stomach with a ladle to make sure that he was well filled!

CHAPTER III.

A GLIMPSE OF THE KING

Yung Pak's earliest days were spent very much as are those of most
babies, whether they live in Korea or America. Eating and sleeping were
his chief occupations.

When he grew old enough to run about, his father employed for him a
servant, Kim Yong, whose business it was to see that no harm came to the
child. For several years the two were constantly together, even sleeping
in the same room at night.

Once when Yung Pak and his attendant were out for their daily walk their
attention was attracted by the sound of music in the distance.

"What is that music?" asked Yung Pak.

"That is the king's band. It must be that there is going to be a
procession," was Kim Yong's reply.

"Oh, I know what it is," said Yung Pak. "The king is going to the new
Temple of Ancestors. My father said the tablets on which the king's
forefathers' names are engraved are to be put in place to-day."

"Let us hurry so as to get into a place where we can have a good view of
the procession."

"Yes, we will; for father told me that this is to be an extra fine one,
and he is to be in it himself. I want to see him when he goes by."

By this time Yung Pak and Kim Yong were running as fast as their flowing
garments and their dignity would allow them. And everybody else, from
the dirtiest street boy to the gravest old man, was hurrying toward the
palace gate through which the procession was to come. Yung Pak and Kim
Yong were fortunate enough to get a position where they could see the
palace gate, and the procession would have to pass by them on its way to
the temple.

Meanwhile the band inside the palace walls kept up its music, and the
people outside could also hear the shouts of officers giving their
orders to guards and soldiers.

Soon there was an extra flourish of the music, and the gate, toward
which all eyes had been strained, was suddenly flung wide open with a
great clang.

Hundreds of soldiers already lined the streets to keep the crowd back
out of the way of the procession.

First through the gate came a company of Korean foot-soldiers, in blue
uniforms. Directly after them came a lot of palace attendants in curious
hats and long robes of all colours of th