Off tripped the little lad and shortly returned with boxes from a nabouring shop. He had thoughtfully brought all that was the thing, riding boots and hats and whips and gloves for two, and a pair of breeches each, shaggy ones for Mr. Withersq and black for Selia with a coat and skirt in one also to cover her up. They slipped into these things and tossing the remains of the money to the boy they went out and hired two horses and went for a ride in the park to get up an appetite for tea after all they had eaten at the Majpottels. It joggled them up a bit on the horses as all they had ever rode before was at the fairs, still they stuck it and were stout of heart. Just as they were coming out of the Park to go home a poleeceman stopt them. “Are you by way of being Mr. Withersquash?” he asked. “Yes,” said our hero without quaking for he knew he had done no rong, “what of it, eh?” “A messej has just come from the Palace that his dear Magesty the King would like you to slip in to tea and see him, as he wants to see what sort of a new poet he has got.” “Oh, all right,” said Mr. Withersq, “will it do if we go as we are, and do you think I can take Selia too?” “I expect it will be all right” said the poleeceman. “His Magesty is very kind and nice, I dont think he would mind much.” So they rode on their horses down to the Palace, and tied the reins on to those twisty rails in front of it, and the guards in the hairy hats nodded to them, and they went into the front yard and up to the door and then in, as they knew they were expected. Oh what an hour for Mr. Withersq and his Selia to step at last on that envied spot. “Littel did I think when we set out that we should go so far nor do so well” uttered Mr. Withersq in a low tone from respect as they went inside. Just then a junior admiral came stepping smartly to meet them. “Ha good day dear Mr. Withersq” said he with a grin. “Goodday indeed,” responded he. “Let me interduce Selia. Shake hands Selia!” which she did. “Pleased to meet you” said the admiral who was garbed in serge and brade of purest gold. He then went on “Perhaps you’d like to tidy up a bit before you go in to tea?” “If its not troubling you” said Selia, who was a bit shattered in looks after the horse. “Certainly not” said the admiral kindly “we have a special place for that sort of thing. When visiters come in on the hop as you have they generally want a brush and washup by the time they arrive.” “Yes traveling does make one so fussely, does not it” cried Selia in a boomy tone which caused the admiral to open wide his admiring eyes as he had no doubt thought she would be quite common and was glad to find it was not so after all. “Quite, quite” agreed he, adding “and I have sent to tell the guards at the gate to be sure and give your horses some water and straw for their tea so do not worry about them.”