Part 16 (2/2)

Still it was silent co on; so h they were free to co on Bija's lap in the straw thatch which was all the three had for lodging, a passer-by paused to say:

[Illustration: _And one day the door did open ”My son--my little son”_]

”That is the cat I used to see with the little King Have you ought to do with hihtily, whereat the sentry, for it was he, laughed; but for all that he paused to tell the toh that was not , however, he said, before news of one sort or another ca Humayon was, so they said, within a day's in Then would be his turn He would fight till all was blue, and then if the outsiders won, turn round and fight for the and plenty of food and wine

He was right in one thing The very next day about noon, a sudden _pouf_--_bing-bing_--_thud_, told that the first shot had been fired

And after that there was no peace and little safety Only Foster-father in his dungeon was free even from anxiety; for fever had seized on him and he lay unconscious And in his close prison rooht, and where Roy racked his brain for stories ith to while away the leaden-footed hours, the little Heir-to-Empire lay listless also, yet not ill Only weary, weary

”I want Tumbu,” he would say, ”I want to run a race with him I want to be out of doors”

And so while the city was alive with armed men, when there were assaults and repulses and sorties and forlorn hopes going on day after day, Roy would tell Mirak that so would happen Some day the door would open and----

And one day the door did open And a tall man stood for a second, half-blinded by the darkness But the next he strode forward and caught the little Heir-to-E, ”My son-- Hu for a few hours' truce to allow hi time to make his escape with the more desperate of his followers Fear had overco in hienerosity of his brother

So, after more than two and a half years of separation Akbar found his father again

CHAPTER XVIII

THE GARDEN OF GAMES

And now, for the time at any rate, Prince Akbar's adventures were over, and all the little party prepared to enjoy theeon, soon recovered consciousness, and the news of King Hu the best tonic in the world, he was soon about again

Head-nurse, at last absolutely restored to her proper position in Court, found, however, that her young charge had considerably outgrown the nursery To begin with, his father, overjoyed at recovering his son, could not see too much of him, and took hih for his education to begin when he is four,” said Humayon, when Foster-father pointed out that the boy was old beyond his years and that if he did not soon begin schooling it would be difficult for him by-and-bye

”Let be--friend, let be!” continued the fond father; ”let us have a while to amuse ourselves, now the trouble is over! I tell you I have been in such straits these last four years that I have had no time to amuse myself Now I mean to show Kabul that life isn't so bad after all!”

So tall, handsoood-natured, with a vivid love of colour and beauty and a light-heartedness alht-heartedness which had carried hiht have proved too ay--Hunificent entertain as winter lasted these had to be held in the Bala Hissar, where a sound of ht; but as spring began once more to carpet the barren hills with millions of flowers, Humayon's amuselittering cohort ofwith dia, would ride out roves of Judas trees flushed with their pink blossonificent repast prepared, and all the best singers and dancers in Kabul ready to ao a-hawking, and at each and all of these diversions Humayon's little son was part of his father's enjoyment, and so naturally, became more and more of a man every day

He used to ride on Horse-chestnut, and Tu in consequence rather too fat, by reason of the rich food which was given him

But despite all this fun and jollity little Prince Akbar was not quite satisfied

”You took my mother aith you to the hills,” he would say to his father ”Why didn't you bring her back with you? I want to see her”

Then King Huh--for he was always merry--and bid his little son be patient HisAt present she was in Persia, but so soon as the passes were open she would start for Kabul And then there would be fun! Whereupon little Prince Akbar would snified smile, and say, _of course_ there would be fun!