Part 9 (1/2)

And she would let Mirak, as she elected to call her brother, swing her for hours, but she obstinately refused to tumble down!

”But, Bija,” expostulated the little lad, ”the princess did tumble down in the story”

”I am not a princess _in a story_,” said Bija calum”

CHAPTER X

THE NIGHT OF RECORD

So the suh more satisfied, Foster-father felt still that safety depended on King Hu files of ca, head-and-tail, showed on the hill road above Kandahar, he was off to the halting-place outside the city to see what news it had collected in its march from Hindustan; for caravans in those days were the post, and sometimes another, but as often as not he returned as he went, without any rerows in stature and strength,” Head-nurse would say, ”and our present lodging is better than our last!”

Which was true; for the old house of three stories which they now inhabited was full of little roo one out of the other like a rabbit-warren And if there was no furniture in theames of ”I espy” and ”Touch who Touch can”

For Bija and Mirak played such ga of his little sister had been an iain to the Heir-to-Empire; not only in manners, but also in his outlook upon life For Princess Bakshee Bani Begum was a very determined small person, who did not in the least see why the elder sister of a boy should give way to his, simply because he was Heir-to-Empire

”I won't have it, Mirak,” she would say with a stamp of her little foot; ”you shall not break my doll's head just because you want to”

So Prince Akbar, as full of sound coan to think she had reason on her side; and this was of great advantage to him, for with Head-nurse, and Foster- spoiled

And after a time he became quite devoted to the prieneral, could be as wild as a hawk on occasion

And out of that arose an incident which, unfortunately, turned Princess Sultanuered his safety It came about in this way Prince Askurry's son Yakoob was, as has been said, three years older than Akbar, a lanky, rather weedy lad-ling of nearly six Now Prince Askurry was himself a noted wrestler, and was determined his son should be one also So he had the boy carefully taught, and set a good deal of store by the quickness of the little fellow in learning the grips, and how to trip up an adversary On high days and holidays, indeed, Prince Askurry and his wife used often to a the discomfiture of other less experienced children ere set up to co wrestler Baby Akbar had been one of these, and being so one down before Yakoob's skill; but he had always taken his overthrow in good part, though Head-nurse had felt as if she could not keep her fingers off the victor

It was not fair, she would say afterwards, to match a baby of tith a child of six, and then she would try to hug the vanquished Heir-to-Empire and cover him with kisses; but Akbar, always independent, resented this ”Akbar tumble _him_ down some day,” he would say philosophically; and indeed there seemed every chance of it, for, th in his little finger than in Yakoob's whole body

Now, as winter came on, the children were driven indoors for their play, and Old Faithful at their earnest request, rigged up a swing in a large e like the Seventy Maidens, until Prince Akbar wearied of swinging her; and knowing that nothing would induce his elder sister to tumble down like the princesses in the story, would say quite plaintively:

”Please, Bija, get down; I'racefully and they would play at so else

But one day, just after the New Year, Prince Yakoob came to spend the day with his cousins, and the children fell to acting the adventures of Rajah Rasalu; Yakoob, as the guest, playing the hero's part

They got through several of the a spirited carpenter's lad and killing his dragon with great vigour, while the Heir-to-Eh squeak, doubled the parts of the seventy-nine e bell until Rasalu had to order the giggling crew out of the swing

Then, of course, Bija refused; whereupon Yakoob, a spoiled boy, cast aside the tinsel-covered wooden sword, and whipped out fro It was not very sharp, but very little cuts a taut rope, and one furious slash severed soht of the two children did the rest, and there they were both on the marble floor!

And unfortunately the ”pearl of pearls,” Rajah Rasalu's bride, did _not_ fall on top She fell underneath the Heir-to-Empire, and the Heir-to-Empire was heavy! So there was her poor little lip all cut and her pretty little nose all bleeding Then _two_ Head-nurses rushed in, and _two_ Foster-mothers, and ever sothe part of their respective nurslings, and there was a terrible to-do, for, of course, one Head-nurse said it was the fault of the other Head-nurse, and so on In fact peace did not return until the party separated and the offender, Prince Yakoob, was being joggetted back to his mother by his excited attendants, while Princess Bija was having her swollen nose soothed by cold water She did not cryher brother

He couldn't have prevented his cousin froht have made his cousin's nose bleed also! If she hadn't been otherwise occupied she could have done it herself; she was quite sure she could; or at any rate have done soreeable!

She looked very fierce as she spoke, while Akbar listened with grieved attention In fact, what Bija would have done, had Head-nurse not had her in her ar her, became quite a subject of conversation between the two children, Bija sitting de newon the floor pretending to sharpen his tinfoil sword, and interposing objections such as, ”But you couldn't do _that_, Bija, you're not _strong_ enough,” or ”_That_ wouldn't be fair, Bija, for he only hurt you a little, you know” For Akbar was born with a sense of fair-play and justice which never forsook hiave _it_ fair play