and at the pretty little innocent mouth that gave vent to
these vigorous sentiments. "And what may it be your majesty's pleasure
to do next?"

"It is my pleasure that you, sir, shall go down to the beach and prepare
the dinghy for immediate service. I have already directed the prime
minister, in conjunction with Dom and our Court physician, to draw up a
constitution and code of laws; while they are thus employed you and I
will go a-fishing."

"Very good; I suppose I'm bound to obey, but I thought your majesty
preferred to go a-sketching."

"We will do both. Be off, sirrah!"

Otto was not long in launching and getting ready the little punt, or
dinghy, belonging to the wreck, which, being too small for carrying
goods to the island, had been made over to Pauline as a royal barge for
her special amusement, and already had she and her little brother
enjoyed several charming expeditions among the sheltered islets of the
lagoon, when Otto devoted himself chiefly to rowing and fishing, while
his sister sketched with pencil and water-colours. Being expert with
both, she took great pleasure therein.

"It _is_ so pleasant and so very engrossing," she murmured, busying
herself with a sketch of Otto as he rowed gently towards one of the
smaller islets. "I can't tell you how much I delight--turn your head a
little more to the left--so--and do keep your nose quiet if you can."

"Impossible," said Otto. "There's a little fly that has made up its
mind to go into my nose. I can neither drive it away nor catch it while
both hands are engaged with the oars, so there's no resource left but to
screw my nose about. But what were you going to say you delighted in?"

"In--in drawing," replied the queen very slowly, while her pretty little
head went up and down as she glanced alternately at her sitter and the
sketch-book on her knee; "it--it takes one's mind--so--off--"

"The cares of state?" said Otto. "Yes, I can easily understand what
a-re-re-ha! hk-sh!" he gave way to a convulsive sneeze; "there, it went
up at last, and that little fly's doom is sealed!"

"I should think it was," said Pauline laughingly. "To be blown from a
cannon's mouth must be nothing to that. Now, do keep still, just for
one minute."

For considerably more than a minute she went on sketching busily, while
her brother pulled along very gently, as if unwilling to break the
pleasant silence. Everything around was calculated to foster a dreamy,
langu