and as they were quite new coins, struck in honour of the Princess's
wedding, the Admiral felt certain that the boatman must have
been paid by the Princess to aid her in her flight. But he would
not answer any questions, and pretended to be deaf and dumb

Then the Admiral said: `Oh! deaf and dumb is he? Lash
him to the mast and give him a taste of the cat-o'-nine-tails. I
don't know anything better than that for curing the deaf and
dumb!'

And when the old boatman saw that he was in earnest, he told
all he knew about the cavalier and the lady whom he had landed
upon Squirrel Island, and the Admiral knew it must be the
Princess and Fanfaronade; so he gave the order for the fleet to
surround the island.

Meanwhile the Princess Mayblossom, who was by this time
terribly sleepy, had found a grassy bank in the shade, and throwing
herself down had already fallen into a profound slumber, when
Fanfaronade, who happened to be hungry and not sleepy, came
and woke her up, saying, very crossly:

`Pray, madam, how long do you mean to stay here? I see
nothing to eat, and though you may be very charming, the sight
of you does not prevent me from famishing.'

`What! Fanfaronade,' said the Princess, sitting up and rubbing
her eyes, `is it possible that when I am here with you you can
want anything else? You ought to be thinking all the time how
happy you are.'