"There are no perambulators here to-day," said the King, "so you needn't think about measles. Smallpox if you like; though it strikes me that all I have yet seen are remarkably healthy specimens--considering how many of them there are." And he bowed to the healthy specimens as he spoke. "Very enthusiastic," murmured the Queen appreciatively. "Yes; I wonder if presently they will be as enthusiastic about Max." "What do you mean?" "Oh, nothing. I was only thinking ahead, in quite a general sort of way. We seem lately to have become quite popular." "I think we have always been." "Yes, you have, my dear; about myself I was not so sure. Well, it's very gratifying to come upon it just now." His Majesty felt a little guilty, for he had not yet told the Queen of what lay ahead; it was so much better that she should not know beforehand what she would never be able to understand. Then for a while they relapsed into silence, each attending to what Charlotte would have described as their "business"--a carefully regulated succession of bows accompanied by a smile which never quite left off. Presently the King spoke again. "By the way, where has Charlotte gone to?" "Well, I hardly know," said the Queen. "She wrote to me from her first address--that college place; but said she was going on elsewhere, and I thought you settled that we were to leave her alone." "I think she ought to have waited till to-morrow. As Max is away, she at least should have been here." "So I told her; but she said she had a very particular engagement which she must keep; and I could see that, relying upon your promise, she meant to have her own way, so I said nothing." "I hope they are going to like each other," said the King, his thoughts carrying on to the meeting which was now near. "She and the Prince? Oh, yes, I think there's no doubt about it. Strange, wasn't it, that her running away actually pleased him?" "I suppose it was so very unusual. We don't as a rule get people to run away from us. It's generally all the other way. Look at this crowd! I wonder how the police manage to keep them back." Smiling and bowing, the Queen replied: "They are so well behaved; and see, how patient. Many, I daresay, have been here for hours. Doesn't that show loyalty?" "It isn't all loyalty, my dear; they like the whole spectacle, the troops, the coach, the piebald ponies. Last night I went to look at them; four of them have been left out." "What a strange thing to do." "But some have to be." "No; going to see them, I mean." "Well, I don't know; they play a very important part in the proceedings, and in a way they are heroes, for wherever they go with us they share our danger. I heard quite a lot of interesting things about them."