how the Princess
had declared when she saw the Ambassador that she would marry him and
nobody else. Then the Queen was very angry, and gave the nurse, and the
cradle-rocker, and the nursery-maid such a scolding that they shook in
their shoes. But the Admiral Cocked-Hat interrupted her, crying:

'Let us be off after this good-for-nothing Fanfaronade, for with out a
doubt he has run away with our Princess.'

Then there was a great clapping of hands, and everybody shouted, 'By all
means let us be after him.'

So while some embarked upon the sea, the others ran from kingdom
to kingdom beating drums and blowing trumpets, and wherever a crowd
collected they cried:

'Whoever wants a beautiful doll, sweetmeats of all kinds, a little
pair of scissors, a golden robe, and a satin cap has only to say where
Fanfaronade has hidden the Princess Mayblossom.'

But the answer everywhere was, 'You must go farther, we have not seen
them.'

However, those who went by sea were more fortunate, for after sailing
about for some time they noticed a light before them which burned at
night like a great fire. At first they dared not go near it, not knowing
what it might be, but by-and-by it remained stationary over Squirrel
Island, for, as you have guessed already, the light was the glowing of
the carbuncle. The Princess and Fanfaronade on landing upon the island
had given the boatman a hundred gold pieces, and made him promise
solemnly to tell no one where he had taken them; but the first thing
that happened was that, as he rowed away, he got into the midst of the
fleet, and before he could escape the Admiral had seen him and sent a
boat after him.

When he was searched they found the gold pieces in his pocket, and as
they were quite new coins, struck in honour of the Princess's wedding,
the Admiral felt certain that the boatman must have been paid by
the Princess to aid her in her flight. But he would not answer any
questions, and pretended to be deaf and dumb.

Then the Admiral said: 'Oh! deaf and dumb is he? Lash him to the mast
and give him a taste of the cat-o'-nine-tails. I don't know anything
better than that for curing the deaf and dumb!'

And when the old boatman saw that he was in earnest, he told all he knew
about the cavalier and the lady whom he had landed upon Squirrel Island,
and the Admiral knew it must be the Princess and Fanfaronade; so he gave
the order for the fleet to surround the island.

Meanwhile the Princess M