‘We thought he was one of us,’ they all answered in astonishment.
‘Who are you?’ asked the Prince.
But he only gasped on in silence.
‘Stick a pin into him, and see if that will bring him to.’ And a man was just going to do it when he said, in a gruff voice:
‘Don’t; I’m Wopole.’
‘Oh, you’re Wopole. And who’s he?’ asked the Prince.
‘I used to be the falconer of the late tyrant, now sojourning in the coal-hole there.’
‘Oh! and so you tried to shoot me?’
‘Not at all, your Majesty. I was only firing a royal salute to show my joy at your ascent to the throne.’