orked willingly. Only when they set down a load in its appointed
place, a tall mirror perhaps or a wardrobe, they stood in a group
around it, admiring, wondering. Often Mr. Phillips had to pursue
them, drag them, push them, to induce them to return for some new
burden.

Smith, the steward, worked with amazing energy. Very early on the
first day of the unloading, Phillips found him in the large hall of
the palace. He was sweeping up the hearth. He had already gathered and
burnt the litter of torn papers which lay on the floor. It was a
natural act in a good servant; but it seemed to Phillips a waste of
energy. Smith apologized at once.

"Yes, sir, as you say, sir, it'll be time enough to clean up when we
get things a bit settled. Perhaps I oughtn't to have done it, sir. But
it seemed to me as how I'd like to clear away the mess, sir, when her
Majesty would be passing through the room."

Phillips was annoyed. The torn papers had interested him. He intended
to have collected them all. But Smith, with ill-directed zeal, had
burnt them. Not a scrap was left, except the torn envelope which
Phillips had in his pocket.

Afterwards Smith proved most useful. He acted as interpreter on shore
or aboard whenever an interpreter was wanted. He was active in the
opening of packing-cases, careful and skilful in handling glass and
china. He planned store-rooms for the provisions which came ashore,
arranged the wine in cool cellars, had linen packed away securely.

The Queen ran eagerly from room to room. The arrival of each piece of
furniture was a fresh joy to her. She kidnapped small parties of women
from among Phillips' workers and set them to laying carpets or
hanging curtains, explaining what had to be done by means of vivid
gestures. She moved things which seemed comfortably settled from room
to room. Whenever she came across Smith or met Phillips she talked
excitedly about colour schemes. She spent a good deal of time in
rescuing the brown babies from peril. The mothers, determined to miss
no chance of handling strange and wonderful things, laid their infants
down in all sorts of odd places, behind doors or in corners at tops of
staircases. The Queen tripped over them occasionally, went all the
time in terror that one of them would be crushed by passing feet.

Kalliope was deliriously happy. She was a quick-witted girl. Very
early in the day she grasped the fact that packing-cases never
contained clothes; that trunks might