oo late
to visit the King that night he went to bed.

The next day, when he got up, he saw that all the houses were wreathed
with flowers and covered with flags, and all the church bells were
ringing. The little soldier inquired the meaning of all this noise, and
was told that the Princess Ludovine, the King's beautiful daughter, had
been found, and was about to make her triumphal entry. 'That will just
suit me,' thought the Kinglet; 'I will stand at the door and see if she
knows me.'

He had scarcely time to dress himself when the golden coach of Ludovine
went by. She had a crown of gold upon her head, and the King and Queen
sat by her side. By accident her eyes fell upon the little soldier, and
she grew pale and turned away her head.

'Didn't she know me?' the little soldier asked himself, 'or was she
angry because I missed our meetings?' and he followed the crowd till he
got to the palace. When the royal party entered he told the guards that
it was he who had delivered the Princess, and wished to speak to the
King. But the more he talked the more they believed him mad and refused
to let him pass.

The little soldier was furious. He felt that he needed his pipe to calm
him, and he entered a tavern and ordered a pint of beer. 'It is this
miserable soldier's helmet,' said he to himself 'If I had only money
enough I could look as splendid as the lords of the Court; but what
is the good of thinking of that when I have only the remains of the
Seagull's fifty crowns?'

He took out his purse to see what was left, and he found that there were
still fifty crowns.

'The Seagull must have miscounted,' thought he, and he paid for his
beer. Then he counted his money again, and there were still fifty
crowns. He took away five and counted a third time, but there were still
fifty. He emptied the purse altogether and then shut it; when he opened
it the fifty crowns were still there!

Then a plan came into his head, and he determined to go at once to the
Court tailor and coachbuilder.

He ordered the tailor to make him a mantle and vest of blue velvet
embroidered with pearls, and the coachbuilder to make him a golden
coach like the coach of the Princess Ludovine. If the tailor and the
coachbuilder were quick he promised to pay them double.

A few days later the little soldier was driven through the city in his
coach drawn by six white horses, and with four lacqueys richly dressed
standing behind. Inside sat John, clad in bl