I am the Megalian Government," said the King.

"It will be time enough to take up those points of constitutional law
afterwards. Let's hear what's in the paper first."

The King read on. His anger gave way by degrees to anxiety and
perplexity.

"I cannot translate," he said. "The English language does not contain
words in which to express the damned cheek of these flounders. They
say that you," he pointed to the Queen, "and you, Donovan, and you, my
friend Gorman, must go at once on the Megalian navy. It will carry you
to Sicily. It will put you there in a dump, and you must embark before
noon. Great Scott!"

"Oh, but that's just silly," said the Queen. "We shan't take any
notice of it."

"In that case the admiral shoots," said the King. "At noon, sharp up
to time, precise."

"Well," said Donovan, "I guess I don't mean to move."

"But," said the King, "he can shoot. The navy of Megalia has shells
for its guns. It has six. I know it, for I bought them myself when I
sat on that cursed throne. Six, my friends."

"That's a comfort, anyway," said Donovan. "According to my notion of
the efficiency of that navy it will miss the island altogether with
the first five and be darned lucky if it knocks a chip off a cliff
with the sixth."

The Queen stopped swinging her feet and laughing at the admiral. She
was much more serious now. There was a gleam in her eyes which caught
Gorman's attention.

"Father," she said, "I'm going to hoist the American flag. I have one
in my room."

"Seems a pity," said Donovan. "Your blue banner is nice enough."

"No one," said the Queen, "would dare to fire on the Stars and
Stripes."

Miss Donovan, though an independent queen, was a patriotic American
citizen. In those days there were a good many patriotic American
citizens who believed that no one would dare to fire on the Stars and
Stripes. King Konrad Karl knew better.

"Alas," he said, "your Stars! your Stripes! if it were the Megalian
Government it would not dare. But this is not the ultimatum outrage of
the Megalian Government. Behind it, in the rear of its elbow,
stands----"

"Of course he does," said Gorman.

"That darned Emperor?" said Donovan.

Gorman nodded.

"Daisy," said Donovan, "I just hate to shatter your ideals, but I
reckon that Emperor would as soon fire on one flag as another; and
what's more, I'm not inclined to think that Old Glory is liable to do
much in the way of putting up a battle afterwards. It's p