"I'll have 'em for dinner," announced the Prince.
"Are you going to catch a mess?" queried the man, appalled.
"Sure," said Bobby, casting again with a resolute splash.
"Are you not afraid they'll get onto you if you take them to the Castle?" asked the other diplomatically. "Goldfish are a dead give-away."
"Nobody will scold 'cept Uncle Jack, and he won't know about it. He's prob'ly gone away by this time." King noticed that his lip trembled suddenly.
"Gone away?"
"Yes. He was banished this morning right after breakfast." The announcement began with a tremor but ended with imperial firmness.
"Great Scott!" gasped the other, genuinely shocked.
"I banished him," said the Prince ruefully. "But," with a fine smile, "I don't think he'll go. He never does. See my sign up there?" He pointed to the rocks near the grotto. "I did it with Hugo's shoe blacking."
A placard containing the important announcement, "NO FISHING ALOUD" stared down at the poachers from a tree trunk above. There was nothing very peremptory in its appearance, but its designer was sufficiently impressed by the craftiness it contained.
"I put it up so's people wouldn't think anybody--not even me--would dare to fish here. Oh, look!" The second of his ruddy mess was flopping in the grass. Again Truxton thought of Mr. Hobbs, this time with anxious glances in all directions.
"Where do they think you are, your Highness?"
"Out walking with my aunt. Only she met Count Vos Engo, and while they were talking I made a sneak--I mean, I stole away."
"Then they'll be searching for you in all parts of the--" began Truxton, coming to his feet. "I really must be going. Please excuse me, your--"
"Oh, don't go! I'll not let 'em do anything to you," said the Prince staunchly. "I like Americans better than anybody else," he went on with deft persuasiveness. "They ain't--aren't afraid of anything. They're not cowards."
Truxton sat down at once. He could not turn tail in the face of such an exalted opinion.
"I'm not supposed to ever go out alone," went on the Prince confidentially. "You see, they're going to blow me up if they get a chance."
"Blow you up?"
"Haven't you heard about it? With dynamite bums--bombs. Yes, sir! That's the way they do to all princes." He was quite unconcerned. Truxton's look of horror diminished. No doubt it was a subterfuge employed to secure princely obedience, very much as the common little boy is brought to time by mention of the ubiquitous bogie man.
"That's too bad," commiserated Truxton, baiting the pin once more.
"It's old Count Marlanx. He's going to blow me up. He hated my mother and my father, so I guess he hates me. He's turrible, Uncle Caspar says."