nest of cotton; and at last the five enormous eggs lay there in a row
behind the green curtain.

"Now," said I, excitedly, to the King, "you must get up on that egg
and try to keep it warm."

The King began to protest, but I would take no denial, and presently
his Majesty was perched up on the great egg, gazing foolishly about at
the others, who were now all climbing up on their allotted eggs.

"Great Heaven!" muttered the King, as Sir Peter settled down
comfortably on his egg, "I am willing to give life and fortune for the
sake of science, but I can't bear to hatch out eggs like a bird!"

The Crown-Prince was now sitting patiently beside the Baron de
Becasse.

"I feel in my bones," he murmured, "that I'm about to hatch something.
Can't you hear a tapping on the shell of your egg, Baron?"

"Parbleu!" replied the Baron. "The shell is moving under me."

It certainly was; for, the next moment, the Baron fell into his egg
with a crash and a muffled shriek, and floundered out, dripping,
yellow as a canary.

"N'importe!" he cried, excitedly. "Allons! Save the eggs! Hurrah! Vive
la science!" And he scrambled up on the fourth egg and sat there, arms
folded, sublime courage transfiguring him from head to foot.