"

"Hear him!" exclaimed Jones, laughing; "hear king Log!"

"No favoritism!" cried Smith; "I bar all partiality. We'll treat you in
the Gaveston fashion, Louis, if you don't persuade your master to accede
to our reasonable demands."

"That would be treason against my own comforts," said Louis, laughing,
and struggling unsuccessfully to rise from the ground, where he had been
playfully thrown by Salisbury. "To the rescue! your majesty; I cry help!"

"To the rescue!" shouted Reginald, pouncing suddenly upon Salisbury, and
diverting his attention from Louis who would have recovered his feet, but
for the intervention of one or two of the party.

"Your majesty perceives," said Frank, "that a rebellion is already
broken out. A word from you may compose all."

"I have engaged to walk with Louis Mortimer, and I declare I will not
stir anywhere without him," said Hamilton.

"We cannot do without you, Hamilton," said Trevannion, who had just
joined the council. "You are engaged for all the meetings."

"Which meetings have no right to be convened without the concurrence
of the president;--eh, Mr. Secretary?" rejoined Hamilton.

"Of course you can please yourself," said Trevannion, proudly.

"Let Louis get up, Jones," said Hamilton.

"Does your majesty concede, or not?" said Jones, who was sitting
upon Louis.

"I will answer when you let him get up."

Jones suffered Louis to rise, breathless and hot with his laughing
exertions to free himself from durance vile.

"I will come, on condition that Louis comes too."

"Certainly," said Salisbury.

"And join our game, mind," said Hamilton.

"Oh!" exclaimed Smith; "that's decidedly another affair. You can't play,
Sir Piers, can you?"

"He can learn," said Hamilton, who was perfectly aware of his ignorance.

"I've not the smallest objection," said Jones, "as I'm on the opposition
side."

"Nor I," cried Salisbury; "though I should be a loser, as is probable."

"Really, Hamilton," exclaimed Trevannion, sulkily, "it's impossible!
He'll only be in the way. I never saw such a fuss about a boy; it's
quite absurd. If you want him, let him look on."

"I don't like cricket," said Louis.

"Humbug!" exclaimed Salisbury.

"I shall be in the way, as Trevannion says," continued Louis; "I am
sure I shall never learn."

"'_Patientia et perseverantia omnia vincunt_,'" remarked Frank;
"which may be freely translated in three ways:

'If a weary task you find it,
Pers