Page:The Floating Prince - Frank R Stockton.djvu/170

Rh "Oh! yes," said Derido, "I'm Head General." The man then galloped back to his king, and reported. Directly he returned with his flag.

"His Majesty begs me to assure you that he has had a very pleasant journey through part of your king's dominions, and is sorry he can't stay longer, but pressing affairs call him immediately home."

"Oh! he mustn't go until I see him," said Derido. "Ask him to come over."

So the king of the invaders thought he had better come, and Derido said to him:

"I'm sorry to see you are in such a hurry to return. You surely cannot have got all you wanted of our king."

"Oh! yes, yes," said the other; "we only wanted a little trip—just a little trip."

"You're entirely too modest," said the giant. "Now, I'm pretty sure I know what you came for. You heard that our people had a great quantity of corn in the public granaries that they could neither use nor sell. I believe that you came to buy that corn, but you don't like to say so."

"Now I come to think of it, I do want some corn," said the king: "I'll take all you've got to spare. Just send it over to my camp, and I'll have the money ready. Good-day:" and he turned to go, but just happening to think of something, he came back, and said to Derido: "Is this a permanent situation that you've got?" "Yes," said the giant; "whenever there's war, I'm Head General of this army."

"Good-day," said the king; "I don't know when I shall be able to get around this way again. Remember me to your king:" and off he went.