It was Nick who brought about the boar hunt which was fraught with such important events, and which had not been spoken of since the day I stumbled upon the skeleton in Dhalmatia's closet.
"What has become of the Prince, Your Highness?" he asked Solonika when one day we were taking our leave together.
"He does not look with favour upon you two young men," she replied. "You have not accepted his invitation to hunt with him."
"That was Dale's fault," Nick replied; "he forgot all about it. Tell the Prince we will be glad to hunt with him any time."
"He will be delighted," said she. "I do not believe he has left the house for ten days. After the coronation he will be very much occupied. The air in the woods will do him good."
"Four days more and he will be King. Tell him he had better make the most of his freedom," Nick said.
"Very well," said she, "be ready in the morning and he will come over to Framkor for you."
Thus easily did Solonika plan to appear in the Prince's clothes and forget her womanhood.
CHAPTER XIII
THE RIVALS