s；　sir？〃
  〃Why？〃　asked　Niclas；　who　was　proud　to　play　so　distinguished　a　part　before　his　comrades〃you　wish　to　know　why　I　desire　to　see　your　passports？　Well；　then；　because　you　appear　to　me　to　be　suspicious　characters。〃
  A　gay　laugh　was　heard　from　the　stage。　〃Why　do　you　suspect　us？〃
  〃Because　I　never　trust　people　travelling　without　baggage；〃　was　the　laconic　reply。
  〃Bravo！　well　answered；〃　cried　the　crowd；　and　even　Madame　Niclas　was　surprised　to　see　her　husband　show　such　daring　courage。
  〃We　need　no　baggage。　We　are　travelling　musicians；　going　to　Amsterdam。〃
  〃Travelling　musicians　All　the　more　reason　for　mistrusting　you；　no　good　was　ever　heard　of　wandering　musicians。〃
  〃You　are　becoming　impertinent；　sir；〃　and　Balby；　the　tallest　and　youngest　of　the　two　friends；　sprang　from　the　stage；　while　the　servant　swung　himself　from　the　box；　where　he　was　sitting　with　the　postilion；　and　with　an　enraged　countenance　placed　himself　beside　his　master。
  〃If　you　dare　to　speak　another　insulting　word；　you　are　lost；〃　cried　Balby。
  A　hand　was　laid　on　his　shoulder；　and　a　voice　murmured　in　his　ear：
  〃Do　not　compromise　us。〃
  The　king　now　also　left　the　stage；　and　tried　to　subdue　the　anger　of　his　companion。
  〃Pardon；　sir；　the　violence　of　my　friend；〃　said　the　king；　with　an　ironical　smile；　as　he　bowed　to　the　postmaster。　〃We　are　not　accustomed　to　being　questioned　and　suspected　in　this　manner；　and　I　can　assure　you　that；　although　we　are　travelling　musicians；　as　it　pleased　you　to　say；　we　are　honest　people；　and　have　played　before　kings　and　queens。〃
  〃If　you　are　honest；　show　me　your　passports；　no　honest　man　travels　without　one！〃
  〃It　appears　to　me　that　no　rascal　should　travel　without　one；〃　said　the　king。　〃I　will　obtain　one　immediately；〃　said　Balby；　hastening　to　the　door。
  The　king　held　him　back。　〃My　brother；　you　are　very　innocent　and　thoughtless。　You　forget　entirely　that　we　are　suspected　criminals。　Should　we　demand　a　light；　and　immediately　appear　with　our　passes；　do　you　not　believe　that　this　dragon　of　a　postmaster　would　immediately　think　that　we　had　written　them　ourselves；　and　put　a　forged　seal　under　them？〃
  〃How；　then；　are　we　to　get　a　light？〃　said　Balby；　confused。
  The　king　thought　a　moment；　then　laughed　gayly。
  〃I　have　found　a　way；〃　he　said；　〃go　down　into　the　dining…room；　where　I　noticed　an　eternal　lamp　burning；　not　to　do　honor　to　the　Mother　of　God；　but　to　smokers；　light　your　cigar　and　bring　it　here。　I　will　light　the　sealing…wax　by　it；　and　we　will　have　the　advantage　of　drowning　the　smell　of　the　wax　with　the　smoke。〃
  Balby　flew　away；　and　soon　returned　with　the　burning　cigar；　the　king　lit　the　sealing…wax；　and　put　the　seal　under　the　passport。
  〃This　will　proclaim　us　free　from　all　crime。　Now；　brother　Henry；　call　the　worthy　postmaster。〃
  When　Niclas　received　the　passport　from　the　king's　hand　his　countenance　cleared；　and　he　made　the　two　gentlemen　a　graceful　bow；　and　begged　them　to　excuse　the　severity　that　his　duty　made　necessary。
  〃We　have　now　entirely　convinced　you　that　we　are　honest　people；〃　said　the　king；　smiling；　〃and　you　will　forgive　us　that　we　have　so　little　baggage。〃
  〃Well；　I　understand；〃　said　Mr。　Niclas；　confusedly；　〃musicians　are　seldom　rich；　but　live　from　hand　to　mouth；　and　must　thank　God　if　their　clothes　are　good　and　clean。　Yours　are　entirely　new；　and　you　need　no　baggage。〃
  The　king　laughed　merrily。　〃Can　we　now　go？〃　he　asked。
  〃Yes；　but　how；　sir？　You　doubtlessly　heard　that　the　postilion　left　as　soon　as　you　entered　the　house。〃
  〃Consequently　we　are　without　a　conveyance；　we　have　paid　for　our　places　for　nothing；　and　must　remain　in　this　miserable　place；〃　said　the　king；　impatiently。
  Niclas　reddened　with　anger。　〃Sir；　what　right　have　you　to　call　the　town　of　Grave　a　miserable　place？　Believe　me；　it　would　be　very　difficult　for　you　to　become　a　citizen　of　this　miserable　place；　for　you　must　prove　that　you　have　means　enough　to　live　in　a　decent　manner；　and　it　appears　to　me〃
  〃That　we　do　not　possess　them；〃　said　the　king；　〃vraiment；　you　are　right；　our　means　are　very　insufficient；　and　as　the　inhabitants　of　Grave　will　not　grant　us　the　rights　of　citizens；　it　is　better　for　us　to　leave　immediately。　Have；　therefore；　the　goodness　to　furnish　us　with　the　means　of　doing　so。〃
  〃There　are　two　ways；　an　expensive　and　a　cheap　one；〃　said　Niclas；　proudly：　〃extra　post；　or　the　drag…boat。　The　first　is　for　respectable　people；　the　second　for　those　who　have　nothing；　and　are　nothing。〃
  〃Then　the　last　is　for　us；〃　said　the　king；　laughing。　〃Is　it　not　so；　brother　Henry？it　is　best　for　us　to　go　in　the　drag…boat。〃
  〃That　would　be　best；　brother　Frederick。〃
  〃Have　the　kindness　to　call　our　servant　to　take　the　bag；　and　you；　Mr。　Niclas；　please　give　us　a　guide　to　show　us　to　the　canal。〃
  The　king　took　his　box　and　approached　the　door。
  〃And　my　coffee；　and　the　wine；〃　asked　Mrs。　Niclas；　just　entering　with　the　drinks。
  〃We　have　no　time　to　make　use　of　them；　madame；〃　said　the　king；　as　he　passed　her；　to　leave　the　room。
  But　Madame　Niclas　held　him　back。
  〃No　time　to　make　use　of　them；〃　she　cried；　〃but　I　had　to　take　time　to　make　the　coffee；　and　bring　the　wine　from　the　cellar。〃
  〃Mais；　mon　Dieu；　madame；〃　said　the　impatient　king。
  〃Mais；　mon　Dieu；　monsieur；　vous　croyez　que　je　travaillerai　pour　le　roi　de　Prusse；　c'est…a…dire　sans　paiement。〃
  The　king　broke　out　into　a　hearty　laugh；　and　Balby　had　to　join　him；　but　much　against　his　will。
  〃Brother　Henry；〃　said　the　king；　laughing；　〃that　is　a　curious　way　of　speaking；　'travailler　pour　le　roi　de　Prusse；'　means　here　to　work　for　nothing。　I　beg　you　to　convince　this　good　woman　that　she　has　not　worked　for　the　King　of　Prussia；　and　pay　her　well。　Madame；　I　have　the　honor　to　bid　you　farewell；　and　be　assured　it　will　always　cheer　me　to　think　of　you；　and　to　recall　your　charming　speech。〃
  The　king　laughingly　took　his　friend's　arm；　and　nodded　kindly　to　Madame　Niclas　as　he　went　down　the　steps。
  〃I　tell　you　what；〃　said　Madame　Niclas；　as　she　stood　at　the　door　with　her　husband；　watching　the　departing　strangers；　who；　in　company　with　the　guide　and　their　servant；　were　walking　down　the　street　that　led　to　the　canal〃I　tell　you　I　do　not　trust　those　strangers；　the　little　one　in　particular；　he　had　a　very　suspicious　look。〃
  〃But　his　passport　was　all　right。〃
  〃But；　nevertheless；　all　is　not　right　with　them。　These　strangers　are　disguised　princes　or　robbers；　I　am　fully　convinced。〃
  CHAPTER　XIII。
  THE　DRAG…BOAT。
  What　a　crowd；　what　noise；　what　laughing　and　chatting！　How　bright　and　happy　these　people　are　who　have　nothing　and　are　nothing！　How　gayly　they　laugh　and　talk　togetherwith　what　stoical　equanimity　they　regard　the　slow　motion　of　the　boat！　They　accept　it　as　an　unalterable　necessity。　How　kindly　they　assist　each　other；　with　what　natural　politeness　the　men　leave　the　best　seats　for　the　women！
  The　boat　is　very　much　crowded。　There　are　a　great　number　of　those　amiable　people　who　are　nothing；　and　have　nothing；　moving　from　place　to　place　cheerily。
  The　men　on　the　shore　who；　with　the　aid　of　ropes；　are　pulling　the　boat；　those　two…legged　horses；　groan　from　exertion。　The　bagpipe　player　is　making　his　gayest　music；　but　in　vainhe　cannot　allure　the　young　people　to　dance；　there　is　no　place　for　dancing；　the　large　deck　of　the　boat　is　covered　with　human　beings。　Old　men；　and　even　women；　are　obliged　to　stand；　the　two　long　benches　running　down　both　sides　of　the　boat　are　filled。
  The　king　enjoyed　the　scene　immensely。　The　free　life　about　him；　the　entire　indifference　to　his　own　person；　charmed　and　delighted　him。　He　leaned　against　the　cabin；　by　which　he　was　sitting；　and　regarded　the　crowd　before　him。　Suddenly　he　was　touched　on　the　shoulder；　and　not　in　the　gentlest　manner。　Looking　up；　he　met　the　discontented　face　of　a　peasant；　who　was　speaking　violently；　but　in　Dutch；　and　the　king　did　not　understand　him；　he　therefore　slightly　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　remained　quiet。
  The　angry　peasant　continued　to　gesticulate；　and　pointed　excitedly　at　the　ting　and　then　at　a　pale　young　woman　who　was　standing　before　him；　and　held　two　children　in　her　arms。
  The　king　still　shrugged　his　shoulders　silently；　but　when　the　peasant　grasped　him　for　the　second　time　he　waved　him　off；　and　his　eye　was　so　stern　that　the　terrified　and　astonished　peasant　stepped　back　involuntarily。
  At　this　moment　a　displeased　murmur　was　heard　among　the　crowd；　and　a　number　arranged　themselves　by　the　side　of　the　peasant；　who　approached　the　king　with　a　determined　countenance。
  The　king　remained　sitting；　and　looked　surprised　at　the　threatening　countenances　of　the　people；　whose　angry　words　he　tried　in　vain　to　comprehend。
  The　still　increasing　crowd　was　suddenly　separated　by　two　strong　arms；　and　Balby；　who　had　been　sitting　at　the　other　end　of　the　boat；　now　approached　the　king；　accompanied　by　a　friend；　and　placed　himself　at　the　king's　side。
  〃Tell　me　what　these　men　want；　mon　ami；〃　said　Frederick；　hastily；　〃I　do　not　understand　Dutch。〃
  〃I　understand　it；　sir；〃　said　the　friend　who　accompanied　Balby；　〃these　people　are　reproaching　you。〃
  〃Reproaching　me！　And　why？〃
  The　stranger　turned　to　the　peasant　who　had　first　spoken；　and　who　now　began　to　make　himself　heard　again　in　loud　and　angry　tones。
  〃Monsieur；〃　said　the　stranger；　〃these　good　people　are　angry　with　you；　and；　it　appears　to　me；　not