“Then tell us about the Roving Griffin,” said Bodkin.
“Or the Blind Giant,” said Bojohn.
“I am very curious myself,” said the Princess Dorobel, “to hear the story of the seal and his sister. What do you say, mother?”
“I remember very well,” said the Queen, dropping her knitting in her lap, “I saw a seal once when I was a young girl, and a very curious creature it was, too, I’m sure. I’ve never forgotten it, because I was on my way to be married to your father,—of course he wasn’t your father then, you know,—and I think the day I saw the seal was the day your father was expected to meet us, or the day before, I can’t be quite certain now, it’s so long ago; and we were waiting for him by the seashore,—but no, we weren’t expecting him on that day, because he had sent a messenger to say that he couldn’t start until all the horses were shod, and the blacksmith was just getting over the measles. I remember that messenger very well; a small, dark man with a beard, by the name of—what was his name? Something like Manniko, or Finnikin,—no, it was Tallboy. That was it. Tallboy. He didn’t stay with the King very long after we were married, because his sister’s youngest boy was taken down with the—”
“Grandmother!” said Bojohn. “Solario is waiting to go on.”
“Dear me,” said the Queen, “so he is. I’m glad I brought my knitting with me to-night.”
“I am sure,” said Prince Bilbo, “we would all be glad to hear about the seal and his sister.”
“Your will is my pleasure,” said Solario, very prettily, “and I will therefore now commence the story of—”
Here there was a sharp cry from outside the room door.
“Let me in!” piped up a voice, loud and sharp as a whistle.