His words were drowned, for the Taffy Ladlers, having finished their function, the whole multitude of the fleas broke out in a grand Ascription that rent the heavens with loudness, as prostrating themselves, they sang:
“All hail! Oh, Honest Labor, hail!
At thy dear feet we fall;
We praise, we laud, we magnify,
And crown thee Lord of all.”
And the noise of the Ascription was heard afar off; insomuch that Andronicus Carnivorous, who, thinking he scented danger, had sidled off and was by this time some miles away, stopped and inquired what the noise might be, and whether it signified the outbreak of trouble. To which one made answer that there was a great Apotheosis on, and all the fleas were deifying Honest Labor, a well known but terribly scrawny and hungry dog that was almighty popular with the fleas on Bamboozle Day.
“God forgive me!” cried Andronicus, penitently, “that I should be derelict in duty on this auspicious occasion. Why, Honest Labor is my dearest love, to whom I owe my wealth, my life, my all. Oh, I would not be absent from his coronation for all the world.” And he hopped back as hard as he could hop.
And Mak Tinley, seeing him returned, said unto him: “Whence comest thou, Andronicus? We had chosen thee to officiate as Grand High Priest, to place the crown on Honest Labor’s head, but thou wert missing when wanted, and we were forced to give the job to brother Ponderous Flea, who, I must say, has acquitted himself in the sacred office most brilliantly, and as well as the best Bamboozler of us all could have done.”
“Alack and alas! Brother Mak Tinley,” replied Andronicus, “thou knowest that I am a somewhat timid flea; and I thought, when brother Pharaoh Phrique was speaking that there was going to be trouble; so I sidled off. I see now that my fears were unfounded. I am awfully sorry to have missed this coronation, but I’ll try to be on hand at the next crowning and taffying.”