“No ther ain’t,” ses Cousin Pete, “I’ll give you my word ther ain’t no trick, only a little fun.”
“Well,” ses I, “I’s had fun enough for one nite.”
Mary looked at me and kind o’ winked, and, ses she:
“You’re one of the court you know, Majer, but jest go out till the court is sumonsed before the throne.”
Well, we all went out, and bimeby Bill Byers called out the names of all the lords and ladys what belonged to the court, and we all went in and tuck chairs on both sides of the throne.
Cousin Pete was to be the first one interduced, and Samuwell Rogers was to be the feller what interduced the company. Well, bimeby the dore opened, and in come Cousin Pete, bowin’ and scrapin’ and twistin’ and rigglein’ and puttin’ on more ares nor a French dancin’ master—he beat Crotchett all to smash. The King sot on one side of the throne and the Queen on t’other, leavin’ room in the middle for some one else. Sam was so full of laugh at Cousin Pete’s anticks that he couldn’t hardly speak.
“Doctor Peter Jones,” ses he, “I interduce you to ther Majestys the King and Queen.”
Cousin Pete scraped about a while and then drapt on one knee, rite afore ’em.
“Rise, gallant knight,” ses Bill Byers, “rise, we dub you knight of the royal bath.”
Cousin Pete got up and bowed and scraped a few more times, and went to set down between ’em, but they ris up jest as he went to set down, and the fust thing he knowd, kerslosh he went, rite into a big tub full of cold water, with nothing but his hed and heels stickin’ out.