By way of reply, the little Admiral picked up a pebble and tapped himself on the cheek with it. It sounded like clapping the backs of two hair-brushes together. "Why!" exclaimed Frances. "You are as hard as--as hard as a door-knob!" The little man was evidently much pleased with the compliment. Becoming confidential, he stepped forward and said in a low tone: "Between ourselves, Ladies, the Boxwood family is the hardest on the island. Nobody disputes our position; we come next to the King, himself." "The King!" cried both children, inquiringly. "His Majesty, King Coco Bolo," replied the little Admiral, drawing himself up very straight and lifting his cocked hat as high as his short arm would permit. "But, bless my paint and spangles!" he cried. "What am I thinking of? Here have I been chattering away, forgetting all the time what I came for." So saying, he removed his cocked hat again and took out of the lining a large, square letter, which he handed to Margaret; and having done so, he retired a few steps, where he stood with his arms a-kimbo and his head on one side, smiling away at nothing. "Just as if he had been taking lessons in cheerfulness and was practising while he waited," thought Frances. The two children, with their heads close together, each holding a corner of the envelope, spelt out the address. It read: "To Margaret and Frances. Courtesy of Admiral Boxwood." "Then he _is_ an Admiral," whispered Margaret, peeping over the top of the envelope at the smiling little gentleman. "That's why he wears a cocked hat and is so polite." "What does it mean by saying, 'Courtesy of Admiral Boxwood'?" asked Frances. "Do you think they made a mistake and meant to say 'Courtesy _to_ Admiral Boxwood'?" "Perhaps they did," replied Margaret. "Anyhow, it's better to be too polite than not polite enough, so let's courtesy to him." Standing up side by side and holding out their frocks with both hands, the two little girls made their very best "cheeses" to the Admiral; upon which the Admiral took off his cocked hat with a flourish and bowed, until the squeaking of his joints warned him to straighten up again. "What is the letter about?" asked Margaret, turning it over and over. "Here's a big 'C. B. R.' on the back, done in red letters with a gold crown over them. What does C. B. R. mean?" "Coco Bolo Rex," replied the Admiral, adding: "Rex, you know, means King." "Oh, I see. Thank you. No, I didn't know. But what is the King writing to us for?" "Perhaps your Royal Highness had better read the letter and see," replied the Admiral--which really did seem like a very sensible suggestion. "I'm not very good at reading writing yet," said Margaret, as she drew the letter from the envelope, "but--Oh! It's printed in capital letters. That's easier. It looks like a bill of fare. I'll see if I can read it.