tement of the moment and in the vigorous
cheering which greeted the close approach of royalty.

The party moved slowly forward, returning the loyal salutations of
the crowd right graciously. The little prince was charming in his
friendly gestures, and Paul observed that to one and another of the
knights and gentlemen drawn up to do them honour he held out some
little token, which was received with every demonstration of
respect and gratification.

His intense excitement caused the little Paul to push out somewhat
further than the line observed by the soldiers, and no one recalled
him to his place; and thus it was that when, as the cortege moved
forward, the Prince of Wales dropped the plumed hat with the white
ostrich feather, which he was raising in response to the
salutations showered upon him, it was Paul who had leaped to the
ground and caught up the costly headgear from beneath the very feet
of the king's horse, and, with glowing face and ardent gaze of
admiration and homage, had bent the knee to the princely child, and
restored the cap, whilst his bunch of roses was offered at the same
moment with an air of modest eagerness that touched all hearts.

The little prince took both the cap and the flowers, thanking the
lad with friendly smiles; but when he saw how closely that bright
face resembled his own, and how those floating curls of shining
gold uncovered to the hot sunshine were but as the counterpart of
his, he too glanced at his mother, whose smiling face was bent with
a proud pleasure upon the pretty picture formed by the two
children, and he said in his clear, joyous tones:

"Why, verily, this must be a brother or a cousin of mine own. Tell
me your name, good lad. Surely we must be akin."

"Nay, gracious prince," answered Paul in low tones; "I am but the
son of a simple knight, who has ever been your royal father's loyal
servant. But I was born, like you, upon St. Edward's Day, and
perhaps our patron saint smiled kindly on us both."

The boy was so excited he scarce knew what he said; but his words
seemed to please the little prince, who replied:

"Nay, now, if you share the good offices of my patron saint, you
must wear my badge too, for love of me. See here, this little
silver swan, the device of my noble ancestor King Edward the Third,
it is now my badge, and you must wear it for my sake. Farewell for
the nonce; we shall meet again--I am sure of it--ere we say goodbye
to this pleasant city. I wou