tion on her; it would never do for Erebus to learn that she
kissed him. The princess had no desire that Erebus, or any one else
for that matter, should learn; but discretion and kisses have no
natural affinity; and, without their knowing it, Wiggins became aware
of the practise.

He had always observed that the Twins had no secrets from each other;
and he never dreamed that he was letting an uncommonly awkward cat out
of a bag when during a lull in the strenuous life, he said to Erebus:

"I suppose the Terror's in love with the princess, kissing her like
that. I think it's awfully silly." And he spurned the earth.

Erebus grabbed his arm and cried fiercely: "He never does!"

Wiggins looked at her in some surprise; her face was one dusky flush;
and her eyes were flashing. He had seen her angry often enough, but
never so angry as this; and he saw plainly that he had committed a
grievous indiscretion.

"Perhaps she kissed him," he said quickly.

"He'd never let her!" cried Erebus fiercely.

"Perhaps they didn't," said Wiggins readily.

"You know they did!" cried Erebus yet more fiercely.

"I may have made a mistake. It's quite easy to make a mistake about
that kind of thing," said Wiggins.

Erebus would not have it, and very fiercely she dragged piecemeal from
his reluctant lips the story of the surprised idyl. He had seen the
princess with an arm round the Terror's neck, and they had kissed.

With clenched fists and blazing eyes Erebus, taking the line of the
least resistance, sought the princess. She found her lying back
drowsily against a sunny bank.

Erebus came to an abrupt stop before her and cried fiercely: "Princess
or no princess, you shan't kiss the Terror!"

The drowsiness fled; and the princess sat up. Her gray eyes darkened
and sparkled. She had never made a face in her life; it is not
improbable, seeing how sheltered a life she had led, that she was
ignorant that faces were made; but quite naturally she made a hideous
face at Erebus, and said:

"I shall!"

"If you do, I'll smack you!" cried Erebus; and she ground her teeth.

For all her Hohenzollern blood, the princess was a timid child; but by
a gracious provision of nature even the timidest female will fight in
the matter of a male. She met Erebus' blazing eyes squarely and said
confidently:

"He won't let you. And if you do he'll smack you--much harder!"

Had the princess been standing up, Erebus would have smacked her then