e that no mere commoner can expect to conquer a
dragon. We must give our would-be Deliverer every chance. So I will make
him a knight.' He tapped Philip lightly on the shoulder and said, 'Rise
up, Sir Philip!'

This was really grand, and Philip felt new courage as Mr. Noah handed
him the silver sword, and all the people cheered.

But as the cheers died down, a thin and disagreeable voice suddenly
said:

'But _I_ claim to be the Deliverer too.'

It was like a thunderbolt. Every one stopped cheering and stood with
mouth open and head turned towards the person who had spoken. And the
person who had spoken was the smartly dressed lady in the motor veil,
whom Philip had seen among the ruins.

'A trespasser! a trespasser!' cried the crowd; 'to prison with it!' and
angry, threatening voices began to arise.

'I'm no more a trespasser than he is,' said the voice, 'and if I say I
am the Deliverer, you can't stop me. I can kill dragons or do anything
_he_ can do.'

'Silence, trespasser,' said Mr. Noah, with cold dignity. 'You should
have spoken earlier. At present Sir Philip occupies the position of
candidate to the post of King-Deliverer. There is no other position open
to you except that of Destroyer.'

[Illustration: 'Silence, trespasser,' said Mr. Noah, with cold dignity.]

'But suppose the boy doesn't do it?' said the voice behind the veil.

'True,' said Mr. Noah. 'You may if you choose, occupy for the present
the position of Pretender-in-Chief to the Claimancy of the
Deliverership, an office now and here created expressly for you. The
position of Claimant to the Destroyership is also,' he added
reflectively, 'open to you.'

'Then if he doesn't do it,' said the veiled lady, 'I can be the
Deliverer.'

'You can try,' said Mr. Noah. 'There are a special set of tasks to be
performed if the claimant to the Deliverership be a woman.'

'What are they?' said the veiled lady.

'If Sir Philip fails you will be duly instructed in the deeds required
of a Deliverer who is a woman. And now, my friends, let us retire and
leave Sir Philip to deal with the dragon. We shall watch anxiously from
yonder ramparts,' he added encouragingly.

'But isn't any one to help me?' said Philip, deeply uneasy.

'It is not usual,' said Mr. Noah, 'for champions to require assistance
with dragons.'

'I should think not indeed,' said the veiled lady; 'but you're not going
the usual way about it at all. Where's the princess, I should like to