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staggered； laughed； and fell under the table。
〃He cannot say it！〃 gasped Fritz and Spitz in one voice。 〃He is lost！〃
〃Unless；〃 said Fritz suddenly； pointing at me with a flash of
intelligence； 〃HE can personate him； and say it。 Can you？〃 he turned to
me brusquely。
It was an awful moment。 I had been drinking heavily too； but I
resolved to succeed。 〃I'm King of Trooly…rooly〃 I murmured； but I
could not master itI staggered and followed the King under the table。
〃Is there no one here；〃 roared Spitz； 〃who can shave thish dynasty； and
shay 'Tooral'？ No！ it！ I mean 'Trularlooral'〃 but he； too； lurched
hopelessly forward。
〃No one can say 'Tooral…looral'〃 muttered Fritz； and； grasping Spitz
in despair； they both rolled under the table。
How long we lay there； Heaven knows！ I was awakened by Spitz
playing the garden hose on me。 He was booted and spurred； with Fritz
by his side。 The King was lying on a bench； saying feebly： 〃Blesh you；
my chillen。〃
〃By politely acceding to Black Michael's request to 'try our one… and…
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six sherry；' he has been brought to this condition；〃 said Spitz bitterly。
〃It's a trick to keep him from being crowned。 In this country if the King
is crowned while drunk； the kingdom instantly reverts to a villainno
matter who。 But in this case the villain is Black Michael。 Ha！ What say
you； lad？ Shall we frustrate the rascal； by having YOU personate the
King？〃
I waswell！intoxicated at the thought！ But what would my sister…
in…law say？ Would shein her Nonconformist conscience consider it
strictly honorable？ But I swept all scruples aside。 A King was to be
saved！ 〃I will go；〃 I said。 〃Let us on to Kohlslauriding like the
wind！〃 We rode like the wind； furiously； madly。 Mounted on a wild；
dashing bayknown familiarly as the 〃Bay of Biscay〃 from its rough
turbulenceI easily kept the lead。 But our horses began to fail。 Suddenly
Spitz halted； clapped his hand to his head； and threw himself from his
horse。 〃Fools！〃 he said； 〃we should have taken the train！ It will get
there an hour before we will！〃 He pointed to a wayside station where the
7。15 excursion train for Kohlslau was waiting。
〃But how dreadfully unmediaeval！What will the public say？〃 I
began。
〃Bother the public！〃 he said gruffly。 〃Who's running this dynasty
you or I？ Come！〃 With the assistance of Fritz he tied up my face with a
handkerchief to simulate toothache； and then； with a shout of defiance； we
three rushed madly into a closely packed third… class carriage。
Never shall I forget the perils； the fatigue； the hopes and fears of that
mad journey。 Panting； perspiring； packed together with cheap trippers；
but exalted with the one hope of saving the King； we at last staggered out
on the Kohlslau platform utterly exhausted。 As we did so we heard a
distant roar from the city。 Fritz turned an ashen gray； Spitz a livid blue。
〃Are we too late？〃 he gasped； as we madly fought our way into the street；
where shouts of 〃The King！ The King！〃 were rending the air。 〃Can it
be Black Michael？〃 But here the crowd parted； and a procession；
preceded by outriders； flashed into the square。 And there； seated in a
carriage beside the most beautiful red…haired girl I had ever seen； was the
King；the King whom we had left two hours ago； dead drunk in the hut in
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the forest！
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CHAPTERS III TO XXII
（Inclusive）
IN WHICH THINGS GET MIXED
We reeled against each other aghast！ Spitz recovered himself first。
〃We must fly！〃 he said hoarsely。 〃If the King has discovered our trick
we are lost！〃
〃But where shall we go？〃 I asked。
〃Back to the hut。〃
We caught the next train to Bock。 An hour later we stood panting
within the hut。 Its walls and ceiling were splashed with sinister red stains。
〃Blood！〃 I exclaimed joyfully。 〃At last we have a real mediaeval
adventure！〃
〃It's Burgundy； you fool；〃 growled Spitz； 〃good Burgundy wasted！〃 At
this moment Fritz appeared dragging in the hut…keeper。
〃Where is the King？〃 demanded Spitz fiercely of the trembling
peasant。
〃He was carried away an hour ago by Black Michael and taken to the
castle。〃
〃And when did he LEAVE the castle？〃 roared Spitz。
〃He never left the castle； sir； and； alas！ I fear never will； alive！〃 replied
the man； shuddering。
We stared at each other！ Spitz bit his grizzled mustache。 〃So；〃 he
said bitterly； 〃Black Michael has simply anticipated us with the same
game！ We have been tricked。 I knew it could not be the King whom
they crowned！ No！〃 he added quickly； 〃I see it allit was Rupert of
Glasgow！〃
〃Who is Rupert of Glasgow？〃 I cried。
〃Oh； I really can't go over all that family rot again；〃 grunted Spitz。
〃Tell him； Fritz。〃
Then； taking me aside； Fritz delicately informed me that Rupert of
Glasgowa young Scotchmanclaimed equally with myself descent from
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the old Rupert； and that equally with myself he resembled the King。 That
Michael had got possession of him on his arrival in the country； kept him
closely guarded in the castle； and had hid his resemblance in a black wig
and false mustache； that the young Scotchman； however； seemed
apparently devoted to Michael and his plots； and there was undoubtedly
some secret understanding between them。 That it was evidently
Michael's trick to have the pretender crowned； and