because there had been a fight, and in spite of it all his two
friends were on the best of terms. And all the others were
happy because there had been a fight, and--well, they didn't
require any other reasons for their happiness. The dragon
exerted himself to say the right thing to everybody, and proved
the life and soul of the evening; while the Saint and the Boy, as
they looked on, felt that they were only assisting at a feast of
which the honour and the glory were entirely the dragon's. But
they didn't mind that, being good fellows, and the dragon was not
in the least proud or forgetful. On the contrary, every ten
minutes or so he leant over towards the Boy and said
impressively: "Look here! you WILL see me home afterwards,
won't you?" And the Boy always nodded, though he had promised
his mother not to be out late.

At last the banquet was over, the guests had dropped away with
many good-nights and congratulations and invitations, and
the dragon, who had seen the last of them off the premises,
emerged into the street followed by the Boy, wiped his brow,
sighed, sat down in the road and gazed at the stars. "Jolly
night it's been!" he murmured. "Jolly stars! Jolly little place
this! Think I shall just stop here. Don't feel like climbing up
any beastly hill. Boy's promised to see me home. Boy had better
do it then! No responsibility on my part. Responsibility all
Boy's!" And his chin sank on his broad chest and he slumbered
peacefully.

"Oh, GET up, dragon," cried the Boy, piteously. "You KNEW
my mother's sitting up, and I'm so tired, and you made me promise
to see you home, and I never knew what it meant or I wouldn't