"What!" he cried. Mr. Crump nodded gravely. "You are Prince John of Mervo, and I am here--" he got into his stride as he reached the familiar phrase--"to inform Your Highness that the Republic has been dissolved, and that your subjects offer you the throne of your ancestors." A horrid doubt seized John. "You're stringing me. One of those Indians at the _News_, Rupert Smith, or someone, has put you up to this." Mr. Crump appeared wounded. "If Your Highness would glance at these documents-- This is a copy of the register of the church in which your mother and father were married." John glanced at the document. It was perfectly lucid. "Then--then it's true!" he said. "Perfectly true, Your Highness. And I am here to inform--" "But where the deuce is Mervo? I never heard of the place." "It is an island principality in the Mediterranean, Your High--" "For goodness' sake, old man, don't keep calling me 'Your Highness.' It may be fun to you, but it makes me feel a perfect ass. Let me get into the thing gradually." Mr. Crump felt in his pocket. "Mr. Scobell," he said, producing a roll of bills, "entrusted me with money to defray any expenses--" More than any words, this spectacle removed any lingering doubt which John might have had as to the possibility of this being some intricate practical joke. "Are these for me?" he said. Mr. Crump passed them across to him. "There are a thousand dollars here," he said. "I am also instructed to say that you are at liberty to draw further against Mr. Scobell's account at the Wall Street office of the European and Asiatic Bank." The name Scobell had been recurring like a _leit-motif_ in Mr. Crump's conversation. This suddenly came home to John. "Before we go any further," he said, "let's get one thing clear. Who is this Mr. Scobell? How does he get mixed up in this?" "He is the proprietor of the Casino at Mervo." "He seems to be one of those generous, open-handed fellows. Nothing of the tight wad about him." "He is deeply interested in Your High--in your return." John laid the roll of bills beside his coffee cup, and relighted his cigar. "That's mighty good of him," he said. "It strikes me, old man, that I am not absolutely up-to-date as regards the internal affairs of this important little kingdom of mine. How would it be if you were to put me next to one or two facts? Start at the beginning and go right on." When Mr. Crump had finished a condensed history of Mervo and Mervian politics, John smoked in silence for some minutes. "Life, Crump," he said at last, "is certainly speeding up as far as I am concerned. Up till now nothing in particular has ever happened to me. A couple of days ago I lost my job, was given ten thousand dollars that I didn't know existed, and now you tell me I'm a prince. Well, well! These are stirring times. When do we start for the old homestead?" "Mr. Scobell was exceedingly anxious that we should return by Saturday's boat." "Saturday? What, to-morrow?"