tately manner.

"I say," said Dick, who was seldom at all up to the standard of royal
conversation, "what's that game you were playing? It's new to me. You
sent the ball a tremendous long shot."

"The game is called golf, and is the favourite pastime of my loyal
Scottish subjects," said Prince Charles. "For that reason, that I may be
able to share the amusements of my people, whom I soon hope to lead to a
glorious victory, followed by a peaceful and prosperous reign, I am
acquiring a difficult art. I'm practising walking without stockings,
too, to harden my feet," he said, in a more familiar tone of voice. "I
fancy there are plenty of long marches before me, and I would not be a
spear's length behind the hardiest Highlander."

"By Jove! I respect you," said Dick, with the greatest sincerity; "but I
don't think, with me on your side, you will need to make many marches. It
will all be plain sailing."

"Pray explain your plan," said Prince Charles. "The task of conquering
back the throne of my fathers is not so simple as you seem to suppose."

"I've done a good many difficult things," said Dick, modestly.

"The conqueror of the magician, Gorgonzola, and the Giant Who never Knew
when he had Enough, need not tell me that," said Prince Charles, with a
courteous allusion to two of Ricardo's most prodigious adventures.

"Oh! I've very little to be proud of, really," said Dick, blushing;
"anyone could do as much with my fairy things, of which, no doubt, you
have heard. With a Sword of Sharpness and a Cap of Darkness, and so
forth, you have a great pull over almost anything."

"And you really possess those talismans?" said the prince.

"Certainly I do. You see how short a time I took in coming to your call
from Pantouflia."

"And has Holy Church," asked the Duke of York, with anxiety, "given her
sanction and her blessing to those instruments of an art, usually, in her
wisdom, forbidden?"

"Oh, never mind Holy Church, Harry!" said Prince Charles. "This is
_business_. Besides, the English are Protestants."

"I pray for their conversion daily," said the Duke of York.

"The end justifies the means, you know," answered Prince Charles. "All's
fair in love and war."

"I should think so," said Ricardo, "especially against those brutes of
Electors; they give trouble at home sometimes."

"You, too, are plagued with an Elector?" asked Prince Charles.

"_An_ Elector? thousands of them!" answered Dick, who neve