But at that moment the old grey gander came running excitedly into the hut.
"There's a man—two men—three men coming," he said, quite out of breath.
The Queen said, "Good gracious! and my hair in such a state!"
But she went to the door all the same.
There, sure enough, she saw three men coming one after the other. The first two were quite near, but the third was a great way off, though he appeared to hop along over the dunes in a most remarkable manner. He seemed to be habited in a suit of black, and carried a black bag; but he was still a great way off, and the Queen turned her attention to the other two, who were now quite close to her.
The first one was a handsome, very bronzed young man, in a suit of shining armour, that, to the Queen's critical eyes, did not seem to fit him to perfection; whilst the second, a delicate-looking, haughty youth, with a very fair skin, was habited in a shepherd's coarse garments, and carried a crook and a sling at his side.
The man in armour bowed a clumsy sort of bow and said—
"Good morning;" whilst the shepherd bowed in a most courteous and elegant manner.
"Good morning, fair madam. Is Mrs. Hexer at home?"
The Queen said, "No, there's no one of that name living here."