mpanions quite into the shade. It might have sufficed to
blow Otto into the air. Indeed, it seemed as if some such result
actually followed, for, after turning a complete somersault, the boy was
on his feet again as if by magic; but so also was the little pig, which,
being thus forcibly separated from its family, turned aside and made for
the main thicket. To cut off its retreat, the army made a sudden flank
movement, headed the enemy, grasped it by the curly tail, and sought to
lift it into his arms, but the curly tail straightened out, and, being
exceedingly thin as well as taper, slipped from his hand. Need we say
that the little pig came to the ground with a remonstrative squeal? It
also rolled over. Otto, unable to check himself, flew past. The pig
rose, diverged, and resumed its headlong flight. Otto doubled, came
close up again, "stooped to conquer," and was on the point of coming off
victorious, when, with a final shriek of mingled rage and joy, the enemy
rushed through a hole under a prickly bush, while the discomfited army
plunged headlong into the same, and stuck fast.

Meanwhile the rest of the porcine family had found refuge in an almost
impenetrable part of the thicket.

"Pork, your Majesty," said Otto, on returning from the field of battle,
"may at all events be counted as one of the products of your dominions."

"Truly it would seem so," responded the Queen, with a laugh;
"nevertheless there does not appear to be much hope of its forming a
source of supply to the royal larder."

"Time will show," said Dominick, coming up at the moment; "and see, here
are several kinds of shellfish, which will form a pleasant addition to
our fare."

"Ay, and I saw eggs among the reeds," said Otto, "some of which--"

"Not pigs' eggs, surely?" interrupted Dominick.

"They may be so," retorted Otto; "the fact that English pigs don't lay
eggs, is no argument against South Sea pigs doing so, if they choose.
But, as I was about to say, your Majesty, when the Premier interrupted
me--some of these eggs I gathered, and would have presented them as an
offering from the army, if I had not fallen and crushed them beyond
repair."

In corroboration of what he said, Otto opened his coat pocket and
revealed in its depths a mass of yellow substance, and broken shells.

"Horrible!" exclaimed Pauline; "how will you ever get it cleaned?"

"By turning it inside out--thus, most gracious Queen."

He reversed the pocket as he