Page:The Floating Prince - Frank R Stockton.djvu/193

178 some time looking at the chicken-house, where there were no chickens; and the cow-house, where there was no cow; and the pig-sty, where there were no pigs. Then he skipped up to the top of a little hillock near by, and surveyed the landscape. Loris kept her eye upon him, to see that he did not go away without leaving a message, and went on with her cooking.

When her dinner was ready she thought it only right to ask him to have some. She did not want to do it, but she could not see how she could help it. She had been taught good manners.

So she went to the door, and called him, and he instantly came skipping to her. "I thought you might like to have some dinner, sir," she said, "I haven't much, but——"

"Two people don't want much," he said, "where shall we have it? In the house, or will you spread the cloth out here on the grass?"

"There's not much use of spreading a cloth, sir," she said, "I have only one potato, and some salt."

"That's not a dinner," said the other cheerfully, "a dinner is soup, meat, some vegetables (besides potatoes, and there ought to be two of them, at least), some bread, some cheese, pudding and fruit."

"But, I haven't got all that, sir," said Loris, with her eyes wide open at this astonishing description of a dinner.

"Well then, if you haven't got them the next best thing is to go and get them."

Loris smiled faintly, "I couldn't do that, sir," she said, "I have no money."

"Well then, if you can't go the next best thing is for me to go. The village is not far away—just wait dinner a little while for me," and so saying he skipped away at a great pace.