and can keep pace with your majesty's wandering
steps."

Silently they walked on until they reached a sign-post.

"We are now on the border--let us bid farewell to the Prussian colors,
we see them for the last time. Sire, we will greet them with reverence."

He took off his hat and bowed lowly before the black and white colors of
Prussia, a greeting that Deesen imitated with the fervor of a patriot.

The king did not unite in their enthusiasm; he was writing with his
stick upon the ground.

"Come here, Balby, and read this," he said, pointing to the lines he had
traced. "Can you read them?"

"Certainly," said Balby, "the words are, 'majesty' and 'sire.'"

"So they are, friend. I leave these two words on the borders of Prussia;
perhaps on our return we may find and resume them. But as long as we are
on the soil of Holland there must be no majesty, no sire."

"What, then, must I call my king?"

"You must call him friend, voila tout."

"And I?" asked Deesen, respectfully. "Will your majesty be so gracious
as to tell me your name?"

"I am Mr. Zoller, travelling musician, and should any one ask you what
I want in Amsterdam, tell them I intend giving a concert. En avant, mes
amis. There lies the first small village of Holland, in an hour we
shall be there, and then we will take the stage and go a little into the
interior. En avant, en avant!"

CHAPTER XII. TRAVELLING ADVENTURES.

The stage stood before the tavern at Grave, and awaited its passengers.
The departure of the stage was an important occurrence to the
inhabitants of the little town--an occurrence that disturbed the
monotony of their lives for a few moments, and showed them at least now
and then a new face, that gave them something to think of, and made them
dream of the far-off city where the envied travellers were going.

Today all Grave was in commotion and excitement. The strangers had
arrived at the post-house, and after partaking of an excellent dinner,
engaged three seats in the stage. The good people of Grave hoped to
see three strange faces looking out of the stage window; many were the
surmises of their destiny and their possible motives for travelling.
They commenced these investigations while the strangers were still with
them.

A man had seen them enter the city, dusty and exhausted, and he declared
that the glance which the two men in brown coats had cast at his young
wife, who had come to the window at his call, was very bold-