Part 5 (1/2)

Cats were far wiser They sat still and watched; so they were always ready

And one evening Doatched to some purpose Baby Akbar was asleep on so his feet war kettle

You would have sworn she was half asleep, but in a second there was one spring, so reared itself at her to strike, but her paere too quick One, two, three, came the bloiftly like boxes on the ears, and there was a snake squir and helpless in the dust Old Faithful's arer was over

”Truly a cat is a terrible thing,” said Head-nurse in a twitter ”There is no fear in them The reptile had not a chance”

But Doas back on her younghad happened

Tu, but for a different cause

He appeared with a great prickly porcupine held gingerly in his mouth and laid it before Baby Akbar

”Ohi! Porcupine for supper!” cried Meroo, the cook boy, who knehat a delicacy it was; but Head-nurse shrieked, ”Take it away quick--the Heir-to-Empire will prick himself with the quills and they are poisonous Take it away at once, I say”

But alas! The Heir-to-Es, and he shrieked to estion So there arose such a hubbub, which was only cal allowed to do as he chose

”Poor! Poor!” he said as his little hand touched the sharp prickles and no one found out, till Foster-mother came to put him to bed, that he really _did_ scratch himself There was quite a little runnel of blood on the palm; but Akbar, even when he was a baby, was proud He kne to bear discomfort and punishment when it was his own fault

They were all rather ht, for they had roast porcupine stuffed with pistachio nuts for supper And afterward Roy sat by Baby Akbar's pile of quilts and sang hi, You are always King; Alear a crown, Though you tu your own, Find each lap a throne; Dearest, sweetest King, Baby! Baby-ling!”

When the child had fallen asleep Roy sat at the door of the tent and looked at the stars, which shone, as they do in the East, all colours, like jewels in the velvety sky They seemed so far away, but not farther than he seemed to be from himself For Roy's head had been dreadfully confused by that sunstroke in the desert Only thathad seeotten he was only a page boy as to call the little Heir-to-Eht him back to reality in double quick ti stealthily to the tent He was on his feet in ahie froood ot up quickly, and when he had heard the e he sent for Head-nurse and Foster-mother and Old Faithful, for he felt that a e was a very sie of the child were to creep away that very night with theHumayon, who had found help and shelter in Persia

Head-nurse and Foster-lad news, and proposed at once that they should wrap the child in a blanket and start

But Foster-father was more wary

”You come as a thief in the darkness,” he said ”Where is your token fro, that I may knoho you are?”

But there was no token

”Then the child stays where he is,” asserted Foster-father boldly ”Aht Who knows but this man may be an emissary of those ould wile away the little lad from his uncle, Prince Askurry's protection His other uncle, kuer scowled at the old ly, ”but those who disobey the King's order may find their lives forfeit”

”Mine is forfeit already to the child's service,” replied Foster-father with spirit ”And without a token I stir not--Peace! woman,” he added to Head-nurse, ould fain have sided with the o fetch the Heir-to-En that he is his father's vassal, to do what he is told when the order comes accredited So take that as er!”

So despite Head-nurse's protestations the old-laced skull cap And he had not to go far; only into a tent on the outskirts of the camp For Foster-father's suspicions had been correct, and he had been sent to try and entice the child by some of Prince kumran's partisans who, booted and spurred, and with a swift pacing caerly for the return of theirthe little cap upon the ground