They journeyed straight to London, where John bought his whalebone, and then found their way to St. James’ Palace, where, presenting the Prince’s card, they gained ready admittance.

They were shown into a room, more beautiful than any that they had ever seen.  Very shortly the door opened, and the well-remembered face of their guest appeared.  Almost before he had greeted them, a quiet-looking lady followed him, and came smilingly to greet them.

“This is the Queen,” said Prince George; and then, turning to her, he added, “These are the good people who showed me such kindness in Bristol.”

The Queen was so gentle and courteous that neither John nor his wife felt confused in her presence.  She talked kindly to them, asking after their trade, and how they had fared in their journey.

She then asked them to dine with her that evening, and said dresses would be provided for them, so that they should not feel strange by seeing that they were dressed differently from all her other guests.

She then called an attendant, and desired that refreshment should be given them, and that they should be well cared for, and shown all that might interest them until dinner time.

It was a long, wonderful day to them, as they walked about from place to place.  Before dinner they were taken to the room that was prepared for them, and there they found elegant court dresses of purple velvet ready to put on.

“Surely, John, they can not be for us!” cried Mrs. Duddlestone.

“Yes, but they must be!  Did not the Queen say she would give us dresses? and do not these dresses look as if they had been given by a queen?”

“John, I shall feel very strange before all the grand ladies!”

“Then you need not, wife, for the Queen and Prince will be there; and the others will not trouble you; but this is a queer dress.  It’s like being somebody else.”

And very queer they felt, as for the first time they walked down the grand stairs, in such, splendid dresses, to dine at the Queen’s table, with the Queen’s servants to wait on them.

“You must go first, John,” said his wife, for shyness came over her.

“Be not so foolish, wife,” whispered John; and, though feeling rather awkward in his new dress, he walked simply forward, as he might have done in a friend’s house.

The Queen met them at the door, and, turning to her other guests, who were assembled, she said, “Gentlemen, I have to introduce to you, with great pleasure, the most loyal people in the town of Bristol.”

At these words they all rose and bowed low, while John and his wife did the same, and then sat down, and ate a good dinner.

After the dinner was over, the Prince summoned John Duddlestone to the Queen.

At her command John knelt before her, and she laid a sword lightly on his shoulder, with the words, “Rise up, Sir John Duddlestone”; and the simple, kind-hearted bodice-maker of Bristol rose up a knight.