mising. I will call the story--

THE DUCHESS'S WONDERFUL PIE.

"There were gala days at Paris,--wedding days. Then the new Queen of
England, Henrietta Maria, who had been married amid music and
rejoicings and strewings of flowers, made a journey to the sea, that
she might embark for England and see her new husband to whom she had
been married by proxy. There were more rejoicings when she landed at
Dover.

[Illustration: OLIVER CROMWELL.]

"It was the plague time in London, so the gala days were omitted
there; but the new queen had some magnificent receptions at
Burleigh-on-the-hill, the residence of the king's favorite, the Duke
of Buckingham.

[Illustration: QUEEN HENRIETTA MARIA.]

"There was one reception which the duke gave to the royal bride and
bridegroom that was a surprise and delight. It was a banquet; the
tables were sumptuous and splendid, and on one of them was a very
large pie,--as large as that is supposed to be in which the
four-and-twenty blackbirds of nursery-rhyme fame are said to have been
concealed. The pie excited wonder, but the guests all knew that it was
some

"'Dainty dish
To set before the king.'

"The banquet passed gayly, and the time came to serve the wonderful
pie. The crust was being removed, when instead of four-and-twenty
blackbirds flying out, up popped a little man. He was a chipper little
fellow, yet very polite, and was armed _cap-a-pie_.

"This was the first introduction of Jeffrey Hudson to the English king
and queen. The pie had been purposely constructed to hold the little
fellow, who, when the duchess made an incision in his castle of paste,
shifted his situation until sufficient room was made for his
appearance.

"The queen expressing herself greatly pleased with his person and
manners, the duchess presented him to her.

"This dwarf became very famous in the court of the queen."

* * * * *

The third day in London was given to the boys as their own. They were
allowed by Master Lewis to go to such places as best suited their
tastes. The prudent teacher had adopted this plan before, believing
that the boys needed it to teach them self-reliance.

"Where will you go to-day?" asked Frank Gray of Tommy.

"Punch-and-Judy hunting," said Tommy. "The streets of London are full
of exhibitions; the queerest performances you ever saw. I have been
wishing some time for a chance to see sights for myself. Will you go
with me?