"The game is called golf, and is the favourite pastime of my loyal Scottish subjects," said Prince Charles. "For that reason, that I may be able to share the amusements of my people, whom I soon hope to lead to a glorious victory, followed by a peaceful and prosperous reign, I am acquiring a difficult art. I'm practising walking without stockings, too, to harden my feet," he said, in a more familiar tone of voice. "I fancy there are plenty of long marches before me, and I would not be a spear's length behind the hardiest Highlander." "By Jove! I respect you," said Dick, with the greatest sincerity; "but I don't think, with me on your side, you will need to make many marches. It will all be plain sailing." "Pray explain your plan," said Prince Charles. "The task of conquering back the throne of my fathers is not so simple as you seem to suppose." "I've done a good many difficult things," said Dick, modestly. "The conqueror of the magician, Gorgonzola, and the Giant Who never Knew when he had Enough, need not tell me that," said Prince Charles, with a courteous allusion to two of Ricardo's most prodigious adventures. "Oh! I've very little to be proud of, really," said Dick, blushing; "anyone could do as much with my fairy things, of which, no doubt, you have heard. With a Sword of Sharpness and a Cap of Darkness, and so forth, you have a great pull over almost anything." "And you really possess those talismans?" said the prince. "Certainly I do. You see how short a time I took in coming to your call from Pantouflia." "And has Holy Church," asked the Duke of York, with anxiety, "given her sanction and her blessing to those instruments of an art, usually, in her wisdom, forbidden?" "Oh, never mind Holy Church, Harry!" said Prince Charles. "This is _business_. Besides, the English are Protestants." "I pray for their conversion daily," said the Duke of York. "The end justifies the means, you know," answered Prince Charles. "All's fair in love and war." "I should think so," said Ricardo, "especially against those brutes of Electors; they give trouble at home sometimes." "You, too, are plagued with an Elector?" asked Prince Charles. "_An_ Elector? thousands of them!" answered Dick, who never could understand anything about politics. Prince Charles looked puzzled, but requested Dick to explain his great plan. They sat down on the grass, and Ricardo showed them how he meant to manage it, just as he had told Jaqueline. As he said, nothing could be simpler. "Let's start at once," he said, and, inducing Prince Charles to sit down on the magic carpet, he cried: "England! St. James's Palace!" But nothing happened! The carpet was not the right magic carpet, but the one which King Prigio had put in its place. "Get on! England, I said!" cried Dick. But there they remained, under the chestnut tree, sitting on the carpet above the flowery grass. {But there they remained: p99.jpg}