: "Never shall I be able to hear
it."

An eager contradiction sprang to the Very Young Man's lips, but the girl
shook her head quietly.

For several minutes they did not speak. The wind behind them blew the
girl's long hair forward over her shoulders. A lock of it fell upon the
Very Young Man's hand as it lay on the seat between them, and unseen he
twisted it about his fingers. The wind against his neck felt warm and
pleasant; the murmur of the water flowing past sounded low and sweet and
soothing. Overhead the stars hung very big and bright. It was like
sailing on a perfect night in his own world. He was very conscious of
the girl's nearness now--conscious of the clinging softness of her hair
about his fingers. And all at once he found himself softly quoting some
half-forgotten lines:

"If I were king, ah, love! If I were king
What tributary nations I would bring
To bow before your scepter and to swear
Allegiance to your lips and eyes and hair."

Aura's questioning glance of surprise brought him to himself. "That is
so pretty--what is that?" she asked eagerly. "Never have I heard one
speak like that before."

"Why, that's poetry; haven't you ever heard any poetry?"

The girl shook her head. "It's just like music--it sings. Do it again."

The Very Young Man suddenly felt very self-conscious.

"Do it again--please." She looked pleadingly up into his face and the
Very Young Man went on:

"Beneath your feet what treasures I would fling!
The stars would be your pearls upon a string;
The world a ruby for your finger-ring;
And you could have the sun and moon to wear
If I were king."

The girl clapped her hands artlessly. "Oh, that is so pretty. Never did
I know that words could sound like that. Say it some more, please."

And the Very Young Man, sitting under the stars beside this beautiful
little creature of another world, searched into his memory and for her
who never before had known that words could rhyme, opened up the realm
of poetry.

CHAPTER XXXI

THE PALACE OF ORLOG

Engrossed with each other the Very Young Man and Aura sailed close up to
the water-front of Orlog before they remembered their situation. It was
the Very Young Man who first became aware of the danger. Without
explanation he suddenly pulled Aura into the bottom of the boat, leaving
it to flutter up into the wind unguided.

"They might see us from here," he said hurriedly. "We must deci