"I've heard enough to make me want to do something very silly myself," said Truxton, radiant. "I--I don't suppose I could--er--see your Aunt Loraine for a few minutes?"
"I think not. She said she just--now, you mustn't mind her, Mr. King--she just couldn't bear it, that's all. She told me to say she'd pray for you and--Oh, Mr. King, I do hope she won't marry that other man!"
Truxton bent his knee. "Your Highness, as it seems I am not to see her, and as you seem to be the very best friend I have, I should very much like to ask a great favour of you. Will you take this old ring of mine and wish it on her finger just as soon as I have left your presence?"
"How did you know she was coming in again?" in wide-eyed wonder. "Excuse me. I shouldn't ask questions. What shall I wish?" It was the old ring that had come from Spantz's shop. The Prince promptly hid it beneath the pillow.
"I'll leave that to you, my best of friends."
"I bet it'll be a good wish, all right. I know what to wish."
"I believe you do. Would you mind giving her something else from me?" He hesitated before venturing the second request. Then, overswept by a warm, sweet impulse, he stepped forward, took the boy's face between his eager hands, and pressed a kiss upon his forehead. "Give her that for me, will you, Prince Robin Goodfellow."
Bobby beamed. "But I never kiss her there!"
"I shall be ten thousand times obliged, your Highness, if you will deliver it in the usual place."
"I'll do it!" almost shouted the Prince. Then he clapped his hand over his mouth and looked, pop-eyed with apprehension, toward the nurse.
"Then, good-bye and God bless you," said Truxton. "I must be off. Your Uncle Jack is waiting for me, up there in the hills."
Bobby's eyes filled with tears. "Oh, Mr. King, please give him my love and make him hurry back. I--I need him awful!"
Truxton found Mr. Hobbs in a state bordering on collapse.
"I say, Mr. King, it's all right to say we'll go, but how the deuce are we to do it? My word, there's no more chance of getting out of the--"
"Listen, Hobbs: we're going to swim out," said Truxton. He was engaged in stuffing food into a knapsack. Colonel Quinnox and Haddan had been listening to Hobbs's lamentations for half an hour, in King's room.
"Swim? Oh, I say! By hokey, he's gone clean daffy!" Hobbs was eyeing him with alarm. The others looked hard at the speaker, scenting a joke.