is proof of my
royal descent! And then a cheery voice was heard calling "Spitz!" and
"Fritz!" through the woods.

"The King!" said Spitz to Fritz quickly. "He must not see him."

"Too late," said Fritz, as a young man bounded lightly out of the
bushes.

I was thunderstruck! It was as if I had suddenly been confronted with
a mirror--and beheld myself! Of course he was not quite so
good-looking, or so tall, but he was still a colorable imitation! I was
delighted.

Nevertheless, for a moment he did not seem to reciprocate my feeling.
He stared at me, staggered back and passed his hand across his
forehead. "Can it be," he muttered thickly, "that I've got 'em agin?
Yet I only had--shingle glash!"

But Fritz quickly interposed.

"Your Majesty is all right--though," he added in a lower voice, "let
this be a warning to you for to-morrow! This gentleman is Mr.
Razorbill--you know the old story of the Razorbills?--Ha! ha!"

But the King did not laugh; he extended his hand and said gently, "You
are welcome--my cousin!" Indeed, my sister-in-law would have probably
said that--dissipated though he was--he was the only gentleman there.

"I have come to see the coronation, your Majesty," I said.

"And you shall," said the King heartily, "and shall go with us! The
show can't begin without us--eh, Spitz?" he added playfully, poking the
veteran in the ribs, "whatever Michael may do!"

Then he linked his arms in Spitz's and mine. "Let's go to the hut--and
have some supper and fizz," he said gayly.

We went to the hut. We had supper. We ate and drank heavily. We
danced madly around the table. Nevertheless I thought that Spitz and
Fritz were worried by the King's potations, and Spitz at last went so
far as to remind his Majesty that they were to start early in the
morning for Kohlslau. I noticed also that as the King drank his speech
grew thicker and Spitz and Fritz exchanged glances. At last Spitz said
with stern significance:

"Your Majesty has not forgotten the test invariably submitted to the
King at his coronation?"

"Shertenly not," replied the King, with his reckless laugh. "The King
mush be able to pronounsh--name of his country--intel-lillil-gibly:
mush shay (hic!): 'I'm King of--King of--Tootoo-tooral-looral-anyer.'"
He staggered, laughed, and fell under the table.

"He cannot say it!" gasped Fritz and Spitz in one voice. "He is lost!"

"Unless," said Fritz suddenly, pointing at me with a flash of