to fight more freely, and
while the Duke of York bandaged Dick's hand with a kerchief.

"Bring me," said his Majesty, "Lord Lovat's snuff-mull."

"Where does he live?" said Dick.

"At Gortuleg, in Scotland," answered King James.

Dick was out of sight before the words were fairly spoken, and in ten
minutes was back, bearing a large ram's-horn snuff-box, with a big
cairngorm set in the top, and the Frazer arms.

"Most astonishing!" said King James.

"A miracle!" said the Duke of York.

"You have entirely cleared your character," said the king. "Your honour
is without a stain, though it is a pity about the carpet. Your nobility
in not using your magical sword, under the greatest provocation,
reconciles me to this fresh blighting of my hopes. All my allies fail
me," said the poor king with a sigh; "you alone have failed with honour.
Carluccio, embrace the prince!"

They fell into each other's arms.

"Prince," said Dick, "you have taught me a lesson for which I shall not
be ungrateful. With any blade a gentleman should be able to hold his own
in fair fight. I shall no longer neglect my fencing lessons."

"With any blade," said Prince Charles, "I shall be happy to find Prince
Ricardo by my side in a stricken field. We shall not part till I have
induced you to accept a sword which I can never hope to draw against
another adversary so noble. In war, my weapon is the claymore."

Here the prince offered to Ricardo the ruby-studded hilt of his rapier,
which had a beautiful white shark-skin sheath.

"You must accept it, sir," said King James; "the hilt holds the rubies of
John Sobieski."

"Thank you, prince," said Ricardo, "for the weapon, which I shall learn
to wield; and I entreat you to honour me by receiving this fairy
gift--which _you_ do not need--a ring which makes all men faithful to the
wearer."

The Prince of Wales bowed, and placed the talisman on his finger.

Ricardo then, after a few words of courtesy on both parts, picked up his
useless carpet, took his farewell of the royal party, and, with Jaqueline
still hidden under his collar, returned at full speed, but with a heavy
heart, to Pantouflia, where the palace gong was just sounding for
luncheon.

Ricardo never interfered in foreign affairs again, but his ring proved
very useful to Prince Charles, as you may have read in history.

CHAPTER VI.
Ricardo's Repentance.

{Bottle of weapon salve: p109.jpg}

The queen, as it happened f