Part 1 (2/2)

But Head-nurse's ”Thanks be to God!” came from a full heart

”What is it? What _is_ it?” called an anxious voice from behind the curtain which divided the tent in two

”What?” echoed Head-nurse in high glee ”Only this: His Ihness, Prince Akbar, the Adnificent-Person-of-the-Period--” She went on, after her wont, rolling out all the titles that belonged of right to the little Prince, until the soft, anxious voice lost patience and called again, ”Have done--have done; what is it? Heaven save he hath not been in danger”

Head-nurse, stopped in her flow of fine words, sniffed conteuard hih-in-Pomp hath cut his first real back tooth! He can eat er dependent upon entle looking woman as Baby Akbar's wet-nurse, who, truth to tell, was looking just a little sad at the thought that her nursling would soon leave her consoling arms

”Heavens!” exclaimed the voice from within, ”say you so?” And the next instant the curtain parted, and there was Queen Huer

Now, if you want to knohat she was like, you must just think of your own dearest dear mummie At least that hat she seeht of her, held out his little fat arms and crowed, ”Alish ”Ma-Ma” arranged differently; frolish and Indian children are really very much alike

And Queen Hued hilish mother would have done Head-nurse, however, was not a bit satisfied with this display of affection That would have been the portion of any ordinary child, and Baby Akbar was more than that: he was the heir apparent to the throne of India! If he had only been in the palaces that belonged to him, instead of in a miserable tent, there would have been cere of a tooth! Aye! _Certainly_ fireworks But how could one keep up court etiquette when royalty was flying for its life? Impossible!

Why, even her deterht, a royal u their perilous journeys had very nearly led to his being captured!

Despite this recollection, as she listened is, she turned over in her mind what she could do to com of her husband, the king, ith his few followers, had ridden off to see if a neighboring chief would help them) said, ”This will be joyful neith to cheer my lord on his return,” Head-nurse's irritation found voice

”That is all very well,” she cried ”So it would be to any cohness! This one is the Adnificent-Person-of-the-Period----”

And she went on rolling out queer guttural Arabic titles till Foster-hten the child

Could she not see the look on the darling's face?

For Baby Akbar was indeed listening to soer up to cos, but to the first long, lol of a co the distant hills to purple and darkening the fast-fading daylight

”Frighten?” echoed Head-nurse in derision ”The son of Hurandson of Baber the brave could never be frightened at anything!”

And in truth the little lad was not a bit afraid, even when a distant flash of lightning glientle Queen Humeeda, ”his Majesty will be drenched to the skin ere he returns” She was a brave woinning to tell on her health, and the knowledge that even this coht the tears to her eyes

”Nay! Nay! my royal mistress,” fussed Head-nurse, who, in spite of her love of poood woman, ”this must not be on such an auspicious day It must be celebrated otherwise, and for all we are so poor, we can yet have cereer? Such danger that all his royal father could do in honor of the glad event was to break a n that the birth of an heir to eh the whole world? Even so now, and if I cannot devise soan to bustle around, and ere long even poor, unhappy Queen Hus

Aransacked for useful odds and ends, was put in a corner and covered with a worn satin quilt This must do for a throne

And a strip of red old-embroidered skull cap Baby Akbar wore must, with the heron's plume from his father's state turban, nified indeed, standing on the s very wide apart, his little crireen brocade waistcoat buttoned tight over his little fat body, and, trailing froreat stiff folds, his father's state cloth-of-gold coatee ereat gold bracelets on his little fat ar his little fat feet, he looked very royal indeed Very royal and large and cal eyes and a decided chin

”He is as like his grandfather as two splits of a pea!” cried Head-nurse in rapture, and then she went to the tent door and shrilled out:

”Slaves! Quick! Come and perfor of a back tooth belonging to the Heir-to-E of titles, for a crash of thunder overhead warned her she had best be speedy before the rain soaked through the worn tent