"Two of 'em?" questioned Fridoline.
"No, only one. Lars Porsena was the soldier and the knight too. And because he was angry at one of the Romans he decided to lead a great army against them. You know what an army is?"
"Hoh! I sh'd say so! Soldiers!" replied Launcelot.
"I know you do," said Miss Billy, "but I thought the other children might not know."
"I'll explain it to 'em," said Launcelot loftily. "Kids, you remember Buffalo Bill's men that was to the Shooting Park?"
The little Canarys loudly proclaimed the excellence of their memory.
"Well, them's soldiers," said Launcelot. "Go on, Miss Billy."
"So he gathered his troops from everywhere—north and south and east and west—till he had a great big army. There were ten thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand men on foot. And with music playing and banners flying and the sunlight glittering on their spears, they set off towards Rome with Lars Porsena at the head."
"Just like Buff'lo Bill," said Fridoline.
"Sh," admonished Ginevra.