"What?"
"Doing what?" said Coronel again.
"Well," said Prince Udo awkwardly, "er—well, you—well."
He felt that it was a silly question for Coronel to have asked. Coronel knew perfectly well what he would be doing all the time. In Udo's absence he would be telling Princess Hyacinth stories of his Royal Highness's matchless courage and wisdom. An occasional discussion also with the Princess upon the types of masculine beauty, leading up to casual mention of Prince Udo's own appearance, would be quite in order. When Prince Udo was present Coronel would no doubt find the opportunity of drawing Prince Udo out, an opportunity of which a stranger could not so readily avail himself.
But of course you couldn't very well tell Coronel that. A man of any tact would have seen it at once.
"Of course," he said, "don't come if you don't like. But it would look rather funny if I went quite unattended; and—and her Royal Highness is said to be very beautiful," he added lamely.
Coronel laughed. There are adventures and adventures; to sit next to a very beautiful Princess and discuss with her the good looks of another man was not the sort of adventure that Coronel was looking for.
He tossed the remainder of his pebbles into the stream and stood up.
"Of course, if your Royal Highness wishes——"
"Don't be a fool, Coronel," said his Royal Highness, rather snappily.