Things had not turned out quite according to
his expectations, but he was well pleased to have a little playfellow
in True, and though she adopted a slightly superior and motherly air
with him, she was a deferential listener to any of Nobbles' exploits.
She had no difficulty in believing that he was alive; in fact she was
quite ready to explain his existence in a manner quite new to Bobby.

'You see,' she said, 'a wicked fairy must have turned him into a stick.
He really was a very brave good prince, but he set free a beautiful
princess, who had been a prisoner in the wicked fairy's house, and the
way he did it was dressing in her clothes and staying behind while she
put on his and rode away. Then the wicked fairy was so angry when she
found out the trick that she turned him into a stick and said he must
stay like it till someone broke the spell.'

'What's a spell?' asked Bobby.

'Oh, there are lots of spells. The sleeping beauty was in one, you
know. The spell was that she would sleep till a prince kissed her.
What we've got to do is to find out the spell for Nobbles, and when we
do the right thing to him he'll wake up, and come alive, and be a
prince again.'

Bobby thought over this with a perplexed brow.

'But then he might ride away from me to find the princess, and I should
be 'fraid of a grand prince. I like Nobbles best like he is!'

'Oh, but wouldn't you like him to be able to run about and take off his
little red cap and bow? He wouldn't be any bigger you know; he comes
from a country where they are all very tiny, and perhaps he will have
forgotten all about the princess and will like to stay with you best.'

'I'll ask him to-night when we're in bed all about it. He'll be sure
to tell me.'

And Bobby's face brightened at the thought. After all, Nobbles
belonged to him, not to True, and if he didn't choose him to be a
prince he need not be one.

Bobby's interview with Nurse was rather a trying one. He could hardly
understand why he should be blamed.

'You knewed my father would come one day, Nurse. I had been expecking
him every day, and of course I belongs to him, and I had to go after
him. I was so 'fraid I might lose him again. And I can go all over
father's house and sit in every room, and I've got a new mother and a
little girl to play with, and they calls me "darling!"'

Then Nurse astonished him by clasping him in her arms and bursting into
tears.

'I never thought you'd have lef