little group above them. Women held babies high in
their arms. Men took up toddling children and set them on their
shoulders. Evidently all, even the youngest, were to have their chance
of gazing at the new queen.

The old man who had stood at the tiller of the leading boat disengaged
himself from the crowd. He mounted the steps slowly, pausing now and
then to bow low. He was a picturesque figure. He wore a short black
jacket, heavily embroidered with gold thread. Underneath it was a blue
tunic reaching to his knees. Round his waist was a broad crimson sash.
He advanced with a grave dignity. Each bow--and he bowed often--was an
act of ceremonial courtesy. There was no trace of servility, nor of
any special desire to please or propitiate in his manner. He reached
the step below the terrace on which the flagstaff stood. He bowed once
more and then stood upright, looking straight at the Queen with calm,
untroubled eyes.

He spoke a few words in a soft, low tone. Smith stepped forward to
explain and interpret.

"This is Stephanos," he said, "the Elder of Salissa."

"Minister of religion?" said Donovan.

"He acts as such, sir," said Smith, "at marriages and such-like among
his own people; but I don't know that the Church of England would
consider him as a regular clergyman. He appears to be more of the
nature of a Lord Mayor than an Archbishop."

"What does he say?" asked the Queen.

"Does your Majesty wish me to translate literally?"

The Queen nodded.

"I Stephanos," Smith began, "elder of Salissa and father of the
dwellers on the island."

"Does he mean that they're all his children?" asked the Queen, "even
the babies?"

"I think not, your Majesty," said Smith, "though I expect he's father
or grandfather of half of them."

"Go on," said the Queen.

"I Stephanos, elder of Salissa and father of the dwellers on the
island, bid the English lady welcome. All that we have is hers."

"Oh," said the Queen, "how lovely! But of course I won't take anything
from them--tell him that--though I would rather like a brown baby to
play with, just loaned to me for a few hours every day, and of course
I would pay the mother whatever she asked."

"And you might explain," said Donovan, "that we're American citizens,
not English."

"I'll tell him, sir," said Smith, "but I expect it'll be the same
thing to him."

Smith made a long speech. Apparently he failed to make the difference
between an Englishman and an American c