nels and stopping ever so many
times, we got out at one of the stations and went upstairs into the
light again, and almost opposite the station we could see a lot of
grey stone buildings with towers and battlements."
"I know! You mean the Tower. We've been there," interrupted Girlie.
"Did you see the Lions?" asked the Wallypug eagerly.
"Lions! No!" exclaimed the children. "There weren't any; you didn't
see any, did you?"
"No, we didn't," admitted the Wallypug, "but the Doctor-in-Law told us
that there were some there."
"I read it in a book," declared the Doctor-in-Law. "But I daresay it
was all a pack of stories, like the rest of the things they said. Look
at the Crown Jewels for instance--bits of glass and rubbish. That's
why they put them in an iron cage, so you can't get at them to see if
they are real."
"Oh! I think they _are_ real," said Boy. "The Guide told us that they
were worth ever so many thousands of pounds."
"Yes, he may have _said_ so," remarked the Doctor-in-Law, "but I'll be
bound he wouldn't let you take them away and examine them for
yourself. I asked them to let me have one or two of the crowns and
things to take home and test, but they positively refused, although I
promised to return them within a week. They are afraid that we should
find out that they are only imitations--that's what's the matter."
"There weren't any kings or queens executed either the day we were
there," he continued, grumbling.
"Well, I'm sure I'm very glad that _that_ fashion has died out,"
declared his Majesty. "I don't mind admitting now that I was rather
nervous about going at all, for fear that I should have _my_ head
chopped off, and I should feel so very awkward without one, you know."
"Pooh! You needn't have been alarmed, for there wasn't a Lord High
Executioner on the premises, because I asked," declared the Rhymester.
"No, but do you know," said his Majesty, "I've found out since, that
he lives at the bottom of our street, and mends shoes for a living--he
does a little executing still on the sly, for I have seen his bill in
the window, 'Orders _executed_ with promptness and dispatch.' I asked
him one day what class he executed most, and he said that his
connection was principally amongst the 'Uppers.' He seems a very kind
man though, and not only executes orders, but heals them too, poor
souls! He charges 1s. 3d. for healing. His education has been sorely
neglected, I am afraid, however, for he s
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