"Have you been asleep all this time?"

"I was waiting for you to express an opinion," Oliver declared. "Do
you think it possible that they would change the name of a prince of
the royal blood to Mike?"

"So you've caught on, at last!" whispered Jack. "Do you really think
we've tumbled on a streak of luck at the send-off?"

"I don't know," was the hesitating reply. "We'll have to cultivate
this old lady."

"Sure thing!"

"Did she say where her cottage is?" asked Oliver, directly. "We ought
to verify her story, it seems to me. I'd like to hear Ned's opinion!"

"Do you remember what she said about Mike II. having blonde hair and
blue eyes?" asked Jack, presently.

"Sure!" was the answer. "That made me sit up and take notice. It
brought back to my memory the light brown hair on the bloody blade of
the shears."

"Same here," announced Jack. "If this Mike II. comes here we'll have
to find out if he has a cicatrice on the right thumb and a scar on
the head, a scar which might have been brought about by a pair of
shears thrown by a frightened maid in the city of New York!"

"Think of a crown prince being called Mike!" chuckled Oliver.