teness, "you were actuated by one of two motives. Your
intervention was either an insult to the king, or it was an intimation
that you desired to become his cook. In which light am I to view your
action, Buchanan?"

There was in the king's voice a sinister ring as he uttered this
sentence that belied the smile upon his lips, and apprehension
deepened as all present awaited Buchanan's reply. At the word "cook,"
he had straightened himself, and a deeper flush than the wine had left
there, overspread his countenance; now he bowed with deference and
said,--

"It has ever been my ambition to see your majesty grace with his
presence my humble board."

"I was sure of it," cried James with a hearty laugh which brought
relief to the anxious hearts of many standing before him. The king
thrust his sword into a scabbard, and, with a clangour of hilt on
iron, those behind him followed his example.

"And now," cried James, "let the king's men eat while the laird's men
wait upon them. And as for you, John Buchanan, it is to-day my
pleasure that you have the honour of being my cup-bearer."

Whether the honour thus thrust upon the Laird of Arnprior was as much
to his liking as an invitation to sit down with his guest would have
been, is questionable, but he served his majesty with good grace,
and the king was loud in his praise of the venison, although his
compliments fell sadly on the ears of the hungry men who watched it
disappear so rapidly. At the end of the feast James rose with his
flagon in his hand.

"I give you the king," he cried, "the King of Kippen. When I left
Stirling I had made up my mind that there could be but one king in a
country, but glorious Scotland shall have no such restriction, and I
bestow upon Buchanan, whose ample cheer we have done justice to, the
title of King of Kippen, so long as he does not fall into the error of
supposing that Kippen includes all of Scotland, instead of Scotland
including Kippen. And so, Laird of Arnprior, King of Kippen, we drink
your good health, and when next my venison passes your door, take only
that portion of it which bears the same relation to the whole, as the
district of Kippen does to broad Scotland."

The toast was drunk with cheers, and when silence came, the King of
Kippen, casting a rueful glance along the empty board, said,--

"I thank your majesty for your good wishes, but in truth the advice
you give will be hard to follow, for I see I should have stolen twic