oon.

{The King and the Prince: p30.jpg}

When dinner was over and the ladies had left the room, the king tried to
speak _seriously_ to Prince Ricardo. This was a thing which he disliked
doing very much.

"There's very little use in preaching," his Majesty used to say, "to a
man, or rather a boy, of another generation. My taste was for books; I
only took to adventures because I was obliged to do it. Dick's taste is
for adventures; I only wish some accident would make him take to books.
But everyone must get his experience for himself; and when he has got it,
he is lucky if it is not too late. I wish I could see him in love with
some nice girl, who would keep him at home."

The king did not expect much from talking seriously to Dick. However, he
began by asking questions about the day's sport, which Ricardo answered
with modesty. Then his Majesty observed that, from all he had ever read
or heard, he believed Ethiopia, where the fight was, to be in Africa, not
in Asia.

"I really wish, Ricardo, that you would attend to your geography a little
more. It is most necessary to a soldier that he should know where his
enemy is, and if he has to fight the Dutch, for instance, not to start
with his army for Central Asia."

"I could always spot them through the magic glass, father," said Dick;
"it saves such a lot of trouble. I hate geography."

"But the glass might be lost or broken, or the Fairies might take it
away, and then where are you?"

"Oh, _you_ would know where to go, or Mr. Belsham."

Now Mr. Belsham was his tutor, from Oxford.

"But I shall not always be here, and when I die--"

"Don't talk of dying, sire," said Dick. "Why, you are not so very old;
you may live for years yet. Besides, I can't stand the notion. You must
live for ever!"

"That sentiment is unusual in a Crown Prince," thought the king; but he
was pleased for all that.

"Well, to oblige you, I'll try to struggle against old age," he said;
"but there are always accidents. Now, Dick, like a good fellow, and to
please me, work hard all to-morrow till the afternoon. I'll come in and
help you. And there's always a splendid evening rise of trout in the
lake just now, so you can have your play after your work. You'll enjoy
it more, and I daresay you are tired after a long day with the big game.
It used to tire me, I remember."

"I _am_ rather tired," said Dick; and indeed he looked a little pale, for
a day in the inside of a gig