es of the little community, while
Bildith, their charming and handsome daughter, gave every promise of
inheriting their interesting ways.

But delightful as all this was to the band of warriors, on Monday
morning they were compelled to resume their journey. It was, however, so
early when they were ready to start that the gates of the town were not
unlocked, so the Honourable Hesketh, with whom, as Mayor of Killgruel,
the keys were always left at night, allowed the scout to take the keys
and let the wanderers out. After a charmingly polite farewell from the
Right Honourable Hesketh and others of their entertainers who had
gathered by the town hall to see them off, the gallant band marched down
the high street towards the only gate of the town, headed by the
intelligent boy scout. From the first the King showed symptoms of being
rather unmanageable, and Bill had great difficulty in getting him past
the shops, which were now all taking down their shutters, and when they
arrived at the sweet-stuff shop there was nothing for it but to go in
and buy him some cocoanut ice.

At length they managed to get clear of the gates, which were then
closed with a bang behind them, and the last they saw of the intelligent
boy scout was with the great town keys held firmly between his teeth, in
order that he might hold with one hand the top of the wall to which he
had hastily climbed, while with the other he waved a fond good-bye to
the departing wanderers.

With a great gurgling cry, which all took to be one of grief at their
departure, the affectionate lad suddenly disappeared and the brave
fellows resumed their march.

Their road now took them across the mountains at the foot of which
nestled the little town of Killgruel. Towards evening the noble fellows
were crossing the highest peaks of the range, weary, and looking forward
to their supper and a good night's rest, both of which they proposed to
take in the woods on the other side of the mountains. Every one now
began to notice that the old King seemed worried about something or
other, and the further they marched the more fidgety he became, until at
last, when they had nearly descended to the woods on the other side, the
old aggravator called his general to him and said:--'Bill, did you
happen to notice in the window of the principal sweet-stuff shop in the
Killgruel high street, three fine fat sticks of liquorice leaning
against the bottle containing the pear drops? Well, I can'