approach him. Suddenly, without any warning
of his intention, he ran down to the sea, and removing his shoes and
stockings, cooled his temper by paddling his feet in the sea-water. In a
little time he returned, his excitement much allayed, and soon the cries
of the distracted and unhappy triplets, together with the pitiful sighs
of the dejected uncle, entirely assuaged the wrath of the sympathetic,
though quick-tempered, old man.

When he once more resumed his place before the three children the storm
had passed, and a sweet, good-natured smile enlivened his homely old
face, and charmed all beholders.

'Well, well, well,' said he, 'triplets will be triplets after all, and
uncles uncles, all the world over.'

He at once resumed the inquiry, and placing his hand kindly on the head
of the second triplet he now addressed the first in the following way:--

'Let us suppose for the moment that you happen to know which of your
sisters this particular one really is, who, in that case, would the
third one be, if she (the third) were not Mellinid?'

'Either Edil or the Duchess,' promptly replied the intelligent child.

'Quite right,' said the King encouragingly, 'Now as this is not so, and
you certainly do not know which of your sisters this one happens to be,
the reverse must be true, so that if your other sister is neither Edil
nor the Duchess, who must she be?'

'Mellinid, of course,' readily answered the child, and every one
applauded and wondered at the wisdom of the King.

'It only now remains,' proceeded the King, addressing the first and
second triplets 'to discover which of you is Edil and which the
Duchess.' Placing his hand once more upon the head of the second
triplet, he again addressed the first.

'Suppose, for the sake of argument, that this sister of yours whom we
now know not to be Mellinid were Mellinid and Mellinid the Duchess, in
that case you would assuredly be Edil. Now as you cannot suppose this
sister to be Mellinid when you know she is not, and the Duchess is the
Duchess and not Mellinid, then our supposition must be wrong and the
reverse true, so that Mellinid remains Mellinid and, as we say you are
not Edil, then this little girl must be she.' Then shaking the first
triplet by the hand, the complacent old potentate said in
conclusion:--'And you, my dear creature, are thus proved to be neither
Edil nor Mellinid but Blaura, the charming Duchess of Blowdripping, to
whom I offer my hearty congratu