Of course it's just
the sort of thing she _would_ do if she could."

Udo didn't answer. He was feeling rather annoyed with Belvane, and
had got off his seat and was trotting up and down so as not to show
his feelings before a lady.

"How _could_ she do it?" implored Hyacinth.

"Oh, she's in with some enchanter or somebody," said Udo impatiently
as he trotted past.

Suddenly he had an idea. He stopped in front of her.

"If only I were _sure_ I was a lion."

He tried to roar, exclaimed hastily that it was only a practice one,
and roared again. "No, I don't think I'm a lion after all," he
admitted sadly.

"Well," said Hyacinth, "we must think of a plan."

"We must think of a plan," said Udo, and he came and sat meekly beside
her again. He could conceal it from himself no longer that he was not
a lion. The fact depressed him.

"I suppose I have been weak," went on Hyacinth, "but ever since the
men went away she has been the ruling spirit of the country. I think
she is plotting against me; I _know_ she is robbing me. I asked you
here so that you could help me to find her out."

Udo nodded his head importantly.

"We must watch her," he announced.

"We must watch her," agreed Hyacinth. "It may take months----"

"Did you say months?" said Udo, turning to her excitedly.

"Yes, why?"

"Well, it's----" he gave a deprecating little cough. "I know it's
very silly of me but--oh, well, let's hope it will be all right."

"Why, whatever is the matter?"

Udo was decidedly embarrassed. He wriggled. He drew little circles
with his hind paw on the ground and he shot little coy glances at her.

"Well, I"--and he gave a little nervous giggle--"I have a sort of
uneasy feeling that I may be one of those animals"--he gave another
conscious little laugh--"that have to go to sleep all through the
winter. It would be very annoying--if I"--his paw became very busy
here--"if I had to dig a little hole in the ground, just when the plot
was thickening."

"Oh, but you won't," said Hyacinth, in distress.

They were both silent for a moment, thinking of the awful
possibilities. Udo's tail had fallen across Hyacinth's lap, and she
began to play with it absently.

"Anyway," she said hopefully, "it's only July now."

"Ye--es," said Udo. "I suppose I should get--er--busy about November.
We ought to find out something before then. First of all we'd
better---- Oh!" He started up in dismay. "I've just had a
_horrib