"No, only me," chuckled Mr. Jollyface. "Whom are you expecting? Glad to find you children up; I've got something for you in my pocket, Master Ridgie; your birthday, isn't it?"
"Yes," confessed Ridgwell, but it could be plainly seen that his former enthusiasm had died a sudden death. "But do tell me, Mr. Jollyface, did you see anything as you came along?"
"Lots of things," replied Mr. Jollyface, cheerily.
"A lion?" whispered Ridgwell mysteriously.
"No," debated Mr. Jollyface, "no, I think I may say that a lion was the only thing I didn't see."
"Oh, Mr. Jollyface, are you sure?"
"Yes," replied Mr. Jollyface gravely, "I can really be quite certain upon that point."
"If you had seen a great lion, Mr. Jollyface, what would you have done?"
"I think," debated Mr. Jollyface, as he prepared to disencumber himself of his great-coat, "I think I should have wished him good-evening and passed politely, like the—ahem—Levite, on the opposite side of the way."
"Oh, Mr. Jollyface," sighed Ridgwell, "if you only knew we have waited all day long for a lion."