ical man was brought to the
Princess. There was nothing the matter with her, but she liked to
meet with persons of skill and learning to hear what they had to say.

"Have you any specialty?" she asked of the old man.

"Yes," said he, "I am a germ-doctor."

"What is that?" asked the Princess.

"All diseases," replied the old man, "come from germs; generally very
little ones. My business is to discover these, and find out all about
them."

"Then I suppose," said the Princess, "you know how to cure the
diseases?"

"You must not expect too much," answered the old man. "It ought to be
a great satisfaction to us to know what sort of germ is at the bottom
of our woes."

"I am very well, myself," said the Princess, "and, so far as I know,
none of my household are troubled by germs. But there is something
the matter with my mind which I wish you could relieve." She then
told the old man how she had determined to marry the victor in the
contest for her father's throne, and how she had seen one for the
claimants whom she considered to be a very agreeable and deserving
young man; while the other, she had heard, was a great, strong foot
soldier, who was probably very disagreeable, and even horrid. If this
one should prove the conqueror, she did not know what she should do.
"You see, I am in a great deal of trouble," said she. "Can you do any
thing to help me?"

The pretending migratory medical man looked at her attentively for a
few moments, and then he said:

"The reason why you intend to marry the victor in the coming contest,
is that you wish to remain here in your father's palace, and to
continue to enjoy the comforts and advantages to which you have been
accustomed."

"Yes," said the Princess; "that is it."

"Well, having discovered the germ of your disorder," said the old
man, "the great point is gained. I will see what I can do."

And with a respectful bow he left her presence.

"Well," said old Salim to himself, as he went away, "she can never
marry my boy, for that is certainly out of the question; but now that
I have found out her motive, I think I can arrange matters
satisfactorily, so far as she is concerned. But to settle the affair
between that young man and Phedo is immensely more difficult. The
first thing is to find them."

Having learned the way they had gone, the old tutor travelled
diligently, and in two days came up with Alberdin and Phedo. When he
first caught sight of them, he was very much