For at that time every year, the good King sends a Surprise-present to the best married girl of That Country: for that is one of the rules.
And the Surprise-present is always the same, and so jolly you can't think.
So every nice married girl wants to win it; only you can't unless you have been truly good and loving.
And Tiny knew Baby was best by far; and he believed the King knew it too.
For as he was leaving the Fort that afternoon, he had seen the King whispering in the Colonel's ear behind the water-butt.
And when the Colonel heard, he hopped up high, crying,
"Dear old Baby!"
And the Colonel was Baby's great friend.
45
But Tiny didn't say one word to Baby all the same, but just gave her mannikin's message instead.