entment at his shameful conduct. On the fourth day, as he had not
come home, I went back to the tub, and not seeing any sign of him, I
gave a kick to the old thing and sent it rolling over and over on its
side. Would you believe me, there was not the slightest trace of any
passage or well ever having existed beneath it. Since then I have
wandered all over the country in search of this ungrateful wretch.' And
the indignant woman, having finished her story, once more attempted to
drag the affrighted little merchant away. Bill again intervened, and
after a few very kind words, successfully persuaded her to allow her
husband to remain with them, at the same time inviting her to make one
of their brave band.

This she only consented to do on condition that the policeman also never
left them, 'as you never know,' said she, 'what the little wretch will
be up to next.'

The policeman having no objection to fall in with her wishes, they all
marched on in peace.

[Illustration: tailpiece]

* * * * *

[Illustration: THE CAMP-FOLLOWERS]

[Illustration: headpiece]

THE CAMP-FOLLOWERS

Time was now getting on, and the fidgety old King, weary of being
constantly on the move, became more and more impatient to reach his
journey's end. For many days they had been crossing the great desert,
and were fast approaching the further side when, one evening, the
aggravating old fellow decided that they should march on right through
the night. In vain did Bill point out to him how tired they all were;
the old King would not even listen to him, so, whether they liked it or
not, they had to jog on.

Wearily they trudged along, and towards morning they came upon a great
stone sphinx, in the arms of which there nestled a company of little
children, every one of whom was fast asleep. Presently, as the sun rose
and shone under the lids of their eyes, they, one by one, awakened, and
stared in mute astonishment at the dusty figures before them. Assuring
them that they had nothing to fear at their hands, Bill, with the King's
permission, invited them all to breakfast. Seated in a great circle on
the sands, beneath the old sphinx, every one did his utmost to make the
strangers comfortable and to remove their natural shyness; and, in a
little while, it was a very jovial party that sat demolishing the
substantial breakfast prepared for them. Many songs were sung and
stories told by Bill and his comrades, and