esented to these ladies, and, at the Queen's request, related
some of the extraordinary adventures which, as you know, have, at one
time or another in my long career, befallen me. The evening was quite a
success, and I felt that I had indeed fallen upon my feet in such
charming company.

"At a moderately early hour we retired, and in the morning, soon after
breakfast, his Majesty and I started on our expedition in quest of
blackbirds for the Queen's pie.

"Her Majesty and the Maids of Honour watched us start off from the
balcony, and several retainers followed at a respectful distance,
carrying various bags and implements of which I could not even imagine
the uses.

"When we had got some distance from the Castle, his Majesty whispered to
me confidentially that he must confess that he didn't know much about
this sort of thing.

"'Er--do you recommend--er--_salt_ for blackbirds?' he inquired
anxiously.

"'What for?' I asked.

"'To put on their tails, you know,' said the King. 'I have a
recollection of hearing something, somewhere, about catching birds by
putting salt on their tails. But perhaps that doesn't refer to
blackbirds?' he added.

"I couldn't help smiling a little at the simple, good-natured,
inexperienced King, but suggested immediately afterwards that some grain
scattered before and inside a sieve propped up with a stick, to which
some string was attached, would probably be a more effectual way of
catching the birds.

"'What a brilliant idea!' said the King. 'I'll send the salt back and
order some sieves, grain, sticks and string, as you suggest. Is there
anything else?'

"'Something to put the birds in if we catch any, your Majesty,' said I.

"'Oh! I've thought of that,' said the King, 'and have several baskets
ready.'

"The men were soon back with the sieves, and I quickly rigged up two of
them as traps; and having baited them, I showed the King how to hide and
pull the string directly one of the birds was under the sieve.

"Fortunately, blackbirds seemed to abound in that country, and there
were soon several fluttering about, pecking at and picking up the grain.

"Presently, one got under my sieve, and pulling the support away by the
string, I was fortunate enough to catch it. The King was delighted, and
the more so when a few minutes afterwards he trapped two at once, in the
same manner.

"After this, the 'sport,' if it could be called so, became fast and
furious, and ended in our catchi