“No need to do that, dear,” said his mother. “The wood chopper and his good wife are right here, and no longer poor, for the King has rewarded their care of his boy.”
The Prince looked across the room, and there, sure enough, was the kind lady, and the wood chopper who now wore a uniform of the King’s Royal House Guard.
Although the Prince felt tired, from his long journey to Toyville, he quickly jumped out of bed, and the next minute was giving the kind lady a big hug. Then he dressed, and by that time Helen came to play with him.
“I am not a King any more,” he said to Helen, “because, you see, I am only a King’s son. But I am a Prince, and {159} my name is Arthur. You may call me Tommy, though, if you wish. Some time I am going to be a King, and then will you be my Queen, Helen?”
“Yes, I will,” said Helen, “and I am going to call you Arthur, because that is your really truly name. I wish you would come and play now. I have brought you Captain Pinkle and Captain Poddle, but I couldn’t bring Rolie Polie, because he is not here any more.”
“Oh, no,” answered the Prince, “it wouldn’t be right for Rolie Polie to come, because he must stay and be King in Toyville. Thank you, Helen, for bringing Captain Pinkle and Captain Poddle. Why, this is the same box I carried to the Black Lion! Did the bad men send it to Mr. Poodle?”
“The bad men were captured by the King’s soldiers and are now in prison,” answered the Queen. “Thanks to the wood chopper’s good wife, who followed you in your long tramp through the hills, we have our boy again, and those who stole him away are punished.”
The Prince did not play very hard that afternoon, and by and by he said to Helen: “I do not know why going to Toyville has made me so tired, but I suppose being a King is hard work. Do you think it is, Helen?”
“Yes, I do,” said Helen. “I think being a King is very hard, and takes a big man like your papa. But some time you will be a big man, and then being a King won’t make you tired any more.”
This happy time of their playing passed all too hurriedly for Helen, who hardly realized its ending before she found herself saying goodbye to her little playmate.