uncle, the premier:

"I'm tired, Uncle Caspar. How much longer is it?"

Count Halfont coughed. "Ahem! Just a few minutes, your Highness. Pray be
patient--er--my little man."

Prince Bobby flushed. He always knew that he was being patronised when
any one addressed him as "my little man."

"I have an engagement," he said, with a stiffening of his back.

"Indeed?" said the Duke dryly.

"Yes, your Grace--a very important one. Of course, I'll stay if I have
to, but--what time is it, Uncle Caspar?"

"It is half past eleven, your Highness."

"Goodness, I had a date for eleven. I mean a engagement--an engagement."
He glanced helplessly, appealingly from Count Halfont to Baron Dangloss,
his known allies.

The Duke of Perse smiled grimly. In his most polite manner he arose to
address the now harassed Princeling, who shifted uneasily on the pile of
law books.

"May your most humble subject presume to inquire into the nature of your
Highness's engagement?"

"You may, your Grace," said the Prince.

The Duke waited. A smile crept into the eyes of the others. "Well, what
is the engagement?"

"I had a date to ride with Uncle Jack at eleven."

"And you imagine that 'Uncle Jack' will be annoyed if he is kept waiting
by such a trivial matter as a cabinet meeting, unfortunately prolonged?"

"I don't know just what that means," murmured the Prince. Then his face
brightened. "But I don't think he'll be sore after I tell him how busy
we've been."

The Duke put his hand over his mouth. "I don't think he'll mind half an
hour's wait, do you?"

"He likes me to be very prompt."

Count Halfont interposed, good-humouredly. "There is nothing more to
come before us to-day, your Grace, so I fancy we may as well close the
meeting. To my mind, it is rather a silly custom which compels us to
keep the Prince with us--er--after the opening of the session. Of
course, your Highness, we don't mean to say that you are not interested
in our grave deliberations."

Prince Bobby broke in eagerly: "Uncle Jack says I've just _got_ to be
interested in 'em, whether I want to or not. He says it's the only way
to catch onto things and become a regular prince. You see, Uncle Caspar,
I've got a lot to learn."

"Yes, your Highness, you have," solemnly admitted the premier. "But I am
sure you _will_ learn."

"Under such an able instructor as Uncle Jack you may soon know more than
the wisest man in the realm," added the Duke of Perse.

"Thank yo