IT was the Wallypug running down the road at a furious pace. He had his big crown tucked under one arm and his royal cloak caught up under the other. Although he was evidently in a very great hurry, he politely tried to bow (without stopping) when he saw Girlie. The consequences, however, were most disastrous, for, completely losing his balance, he stumbled forward head over heels and then fell flat on his back, while his crown went rolling away into the ditch at the side of the road. His cloak had somehow become entangled with his legs, preventing him from getting up, so he lay there kicking and struggling in the most ridiculous manner imaginable. Girlie kindly ran to his assistance, and, although bursting with laughter, somehow or other managed to keep a grave 125face while she tried to disentangle the cloak from his legs.
“I hope you have not hurt yourself much,” she said when the Wallypug at last struggled to his feet.
“Oh no, your Majesty, thank you,” he said breathlessly. Then, nervously looking around him, he said in a solemn voice, “I do hope, though, no one else saw me fall, for I am liable to a fine of three and sixpence for being undignified in public, and I am afraid that I must have looked rather undignified while I was lying on the ground. Oh dear! wherever is my crown?” he continued, looking about him anxiously.
Girlie kindly fetched it from the ditch, which was fortunately a dry one, and handed it back to him.
After examining it carefully, the Wallypug drew a small piece of wash-leather from his pocket and began to polish it up, remarking that he had always to keep the regalia bright himself.
“Where were you going to in such a hurry?” asked Girlie, while the polishing operations were going on.
“Why, to the Excursion, your Majesty,” said the Wallypug. “This is Bank Holiday, you know, and there is to be an excursion to the seaside. Aren’t you going?”
126“I should like to very much,” said Girlie, “but I have no money with me.”
“Oh, it’s quite free, your Majesty,” said the Wallypug. “I have to pay for it all, you know. I always have to provide an excursion for the people on Bank Holidays, and one more or less won’t make the slightest difference, so you are quite welcome to go.”
“Thank you very much indeed,” said Girlie. “What time does the train start?”
“I haven’t the remotest idea, your Majesty,” said the Wallypug. “We never do know when the trains are going to start here; the Porter and the Station-master settle all that between themselves.”
“Then however do you know at what time to get to the station?” asked Girlie.
“We don’t know, your Majesty,” said the Wallypug. “So we just get there as early as we can and then take our chances as to how long we have to wait. How does this look now?” he continued, pulling his crown over his head and drawing himself up with the most comical attempt at looking dignified.
“Very nice, indeed,” said Girlie, trying hard not to laugh.
“Very well, your Majesty, let’s be going then,” said 127the Wallypug, leading the way down the road. “I’m afraid it’s going to rain,” he said a minute or two later, looking anxiously up into the sky. “We had better hurry to the station,” and, taking Girlie’s hand, they began to run. They had not gone far, however, before Girlie felt a drop of rain on her forehead, then another, and another.
“We shall have to shelter somewhere,” said the Wallypug, looking about for a tree to stand under.
“Isn’t that a house?” said Girlie, pointing further down the road. “Perhaps they would let us stop there till the shower is over.”
“Oh yes, your Majesty; that is Madame Penguin’s shop. I daresay she would be quite pleased to see us. Let’s hurry on.”
So they hastened forward and soon reached the little shop which stood at the corner of four cross roads. It was a little, low, one-storied sort of cottage built of stone. In the windows were a number of odd-looking packages and envelopes, and over the doorway there swung a sign bearing the words:
Microscopist
Excuse Maker to the Wallypug and the Royal Family.
Elaborate Excuses prepared at the Shortest Notice.
128The Wallypug opened the door, causing the little bell fixed to it to tinkle violently.
Madame Penguin (who turned out to be the same Penguin Girlie had seen at the Public Meeting) came hurrying out of a little room at the back of the shop.
“Oh! how do you do?” she said when she saw Girlie, “and how are you, Wallypug?”
“Quite well, your Majesty, thank you, quite well,” said the Wallypug. “We were caught in the shower, and thought that, perhaps, you wouldn’t mind us sheltering here for a little while.”
“Delighted, I’m sure,” said Madame Penguin kindly, bustling about and placing some chairs for them to sit on. “Oh! you are wondering what are those little things in the glass cases, aren’t you, dear?” she said to Girlie, who was looking about her curiously.
“Well, yes, I was,” admitted Girlie.
“Those are Promises, my dear,” explained Madame Penguin, “and we have to keep them in gla............