“The rose is red, the violet’s blue,

Sardines are nice, and so are you”—

and handed it to Caesar Maximilian Augustus Claudius Smith (called Thomas for short), to deliver, and then, after saying good-night to Boy, retired to his own room, which was on the other side of the corridor.

Boy sat up a little while longer, thinking of all the strange things which had been happening; and then he followed the Wooden Soldier’s example and went to rest too.

CHAPTER VII.—A STRANGE PARLIAMENT.

[Original]