to see how all the spectators, even the aged men with their gray beards,
humbled themselves before this child. They bent their bodies till their
beards almost swept the dust: They looked as if they were ready to kneel
down and worship him.

The poor little prince! From his earliest infancy not a soul had dared
to contradict him; everybody around him had acted as if he were a
superior being; so that, of course, he had imbibed the same opinion of
himself. He naturally supposed that the whole kingdom of Great Britain
and all its inhabitants had been created solely for his benefit and
amusement. This was a sad mistake; and it cost him dear enough after he
had ascended his father's throne.

"What a noble little prince he is!" exclaimed Sir Oliver, lifting his
hands in admiration. "No, please your Majesty, I have no son to be the
playmate of his royal highness; but there is a nephew of mine somewhere
about the house. He is near the prince's age, and will be but too happy
to wait upon his royal highness."

"Send for him, man! send for him!" said the king.

But, as it happened, there was no need of sending for Master Noll.
While King James was speaking, a rugged, bold-faced, sturdy little
urchin thrust himself through the throng of courtiers and attendants and
greeted the prince with a broad stare. His doublet and hose (which had
been put on new and clean in honor of the king's visit) were already
soiled and torn with the rough play in which he had spent the morning.
He looked no more abashed than if King James were his uncle and the
prince one of his customary playfellows.