"He won't like that," said the Chancellor, chuckling. "I don't quite see what he can do about it," said Merriwig. * * * * * The King of Barodia didn't quite see either. A fit of sneezing woke him up that morning, and at the same moment he felt a curious draught about his cheeks. He put his hand up and immediately knew the worst. "Hullo, there!" he bellowed to the sentry outside the door. "Your Majesty," said the sentry, coming in with alacrity. [Illustration: _The tent seemed to swim before his eyes, and he knew no more_] The King bobbed down again at once. "Send the Chancellor to me," said an angry voice from under the bedclothes. When the Chancellor came in it was to see the back only of his august monarch. "Chancellor," said the King, "prepare yourself for a shock." "Yes, sir," said the Chancellor, trembling exceedingly. "You are about to see something which no man in the history of Barodia has ever seen before." The Chancellor, not having the least idea what to expect, waited nervously. The next moment the tent seemed to swim before his eyes, and he knew no more. . . . When he came to, the King was pouring a jug of water down his neck and murmuring rough words of comfort in his ear. "Oh, your Majesty," said the poor Chancellor, "your Majesty! I don't know what to say, your Majesty." He mopped at himself as he spoke, and the water trickled from him on to the floor. "Pull yourself together," said the King sternly. "We shall want all your wisdom, which is notoriously not much, to help us in this crisis." "Your Majesty, who has dared to do this grievous thing?" "You fool, how should I know? Do you think they did it while I was awake?" The Chancellor stiffened a little. He was accustomed to being called a fool; but that was by a man with a terrifying pair of ginger whiskers. From the rather fat and uninspiring face in front of him he was inclined to resent it. "What does your Majesty propose to do?" he asked shortly. "I propose to do the following. Upon you rests the chief burden." The Chancellor did not look surprised. "It will be your part to break the news as gently as possible to my people. You will begin by saying that I am busy with a great enchanter who has called to see me, and that therefore I am unable to show myself to my people this morning. Later on in the day you will announce that the enchanter has shown me how to defeat the wicked Euralians; you will dwell upon the fact that this victory, as assured by him, involves an overwhelming sacrifice on my part, but that for the good of my people I am willing to endure it. Then you will solemnly announce that the sacrifice I am making, have indeed already made, is nothing less than---- What are all those fools cheering for out there?" A mighty roar of laughter rose to the sky. "Here, what's it all about? Just go and look." The Chancellor went to the door of the tent--and saw. He came back to the King, striving to speak casually.