The Griffin presented an intensely comical appearance. Wishing to keep up the dignity of the City, he had chosen for his party-dress a scarlet Lord Mayor's robe, edged with fur, which he had folded around himself in an exceedingly ridiculous fashion.
Upon his head, as he believed it to be becoming, he had placed jauntily sideways, an immense green dunce's cap from one of the children's giant crackers, which the Griffin had pulled as he entered the doors.
The Griffin had decided to adorn his front feet with strips of scarlet flannel, because he declared that he had chilblains, and furthermore, his paws were exceedingly tender after his encounter upon the previous evening with St. George.
It was thus that the Griffin ambled in trailing his Lord Mayor's robes behind him, and smiling aimlessly from right to left upon everybody present.
"Has everybody missed me?" sniggered the Griffin. "I fear I'm late!"
"Nobody has missed you at all," retorted the Pleasant-Faced Lion.
The Griffin looked hurt for a moment.
"Oh, surely, Lal," entreated the Griffin; "surely some one missed me!"
"No," said the Lion firmly.
The corners of the Griffin's mouth trembled.