"Pardon, your highness," said the General, humbly.
"Granted. Now, Billy Bounce, what have you to say for yourself?"
"Nothing, Princess," answered Billy, "except that I am carrying a message from Nickel Plate to Bogie Man and—"
"My bitter enemy," cried the Princess.
"Hum-m-m-m-m, I told you so," shouted the General. "Ho, guards, seize him!"
Billy found himself again seized, and very roughly this time; indeed, had it not been for the toughness of his rubber suit he would have surely been stung. But, nothing daunted, he said:
"Your enemies, Princess Honey Girl; then they are mine."
"What do you mean?" asked she, blushing.
"I mean," said Billy, earnestly, "that if I were not a messenger boy, who has to do his duty under any circumstances, and had I known that these were your enemies, I should not have carried their message."