ned; he looked around at the crowd of people, at the
grim-looking soldiers, and the King, and his heart sank.

"Abraca-dabraca-dee!" he cried for the third time, striking the ground
with his wand.

Then a wonderful thing happened. The circle he had drawn upon the ground
began to spread, just as a circle does in the water after one has thrown
a stone into it. Now it was a great circus ring, and the paper circus
itself had changed to a real circus. The clown walked about, joking,
with his hands in his pockets; the ring-master cracked him whip; the
paper horses were two magnificent steeds, one as black as night, and
one as white as milk, that cantered round and round, while the music
sounded, and all the people far away on the outside of the ring clapped
and applauded.

"Wonderful! wonderful!" cried the King of the Black-Country.

But now there was something more that was wonderful. As the black horse
cantered round, Teddy ran to him and leaped upon his back, light as a
feather, and there he rode, his black robe with the white figures flying
and fluttering around him.

Then, still riding around, he unfastened his gown and threw it from him,
and there he was dressed in white and silver, and his magic wand was
changed to a little silver whip.

After that he leaped up into the air, and turned a somersault, lighting
again upon his horse, while the music played louder and louder.

Teddy rode round and round, now riding backward, now forward, now on one
foot, now on his hands with his feet in the air. Then he leaped upright,
and putting his fingers to his mouth he gave a shrill whistle. At that
the white steed suddenly dashed into the ring and galloped up beside the
black one, and now Teddy rode with a foot on each. Faster and faster he
rode, crying "Houp-la!" and even the King clapped his hands. Once and
twice he rode round the ring and past the platform, but as they came
round for the third time, Teddy waved his whip in the air. "Houp-la!" he
cried. "Up! up!"

With that his steeds suddenly leaped from the ring and up the steps of
the platform to the very top. There Teddy sprang from them and caught
the Princess Aureline by the hand. "I have come to rescue you!" he
cried, and before the King could move or speak he had set her upon the
white horse, he had sprung upon the black, and with a clatter of hoofs
they were dashing down the steps and across the square.

Then the King of the Black-Country started to his feet. "S