ment, the colonel found him searching through a
trunk, which contained a few articles of clothing little calculated to
arrest the attention of a king.

"Balby," said the king, solemnly, but with a roguish sparkle of the eye,
"I wish to present you this plain brown suit. I owe you a reward for
your hearty friendship and your faithful services. This is a princely
gift. Take it as a mark of my grateful regard. That you may be
convinced, Balby, that I have long been occupied in preparing this
surprise for you, I inform you that these rich articles were made
secretly for you in Berlin, by your tailor; I packed them myself, and
brought them here for you. Accept them, then, my friend, and wear them
in memory of Frederick."

With a solemn bow, the king offered Balby the clothes.

The colonel received this strange present with an astonished and
somewhat confused countenance.

The king laughed merrily. "What," he said, pathetically, "are you not
contented with the favor I have shown you?"

Balby knew by the comic manner of the king that the sombre suit hid a
secret, and he thought it wise to allow the king to take his own time
for explanation.

"Sire," he said, emphatically, "content is not the word to express my
rapture. I am enthusiastic, speechless at this unheard-of favor. I am
filled with profound gratitude to your majesty for having in vented a
new costume for me, whose lovely color will make me appear like a large
coffee-bean, and make all the coffee sisters adore me."

The king was highly amused. "This dress certainly has the power of
enchantment. When Colonel Balby puts on these clothes he will be
invisible, but he shall not undergo this transformation alone. See,
here is another suit, exactly like yours, and this is mine. When I array
myself in it, I am no longer the king of Prussia, but a free, happy
man."

"Ah, you are speaking of a disguise," cried the colonel.

"Yes, we will amuse ourselves by playing the role of common men for
a while, and wander about unnoticed and undisturbed. Are you agreed,
Balby, or do you love your colonel's uniform better than your freedom?"

"Am I agreed, sire?" cried the colonel; "I am delighted with this genial
thought."

"Then take your dress, friend, and put it on. But stay. Did you bring
your violin with you, as I told you?"

"Yes, sire."

"Well, then, when you are dressed, put your violin in a case, and with
the case under your arm, and a little money in your pocket,