“Faith of my mother! but your excellency talks queerly.  I have not a dollar in my pocket, and you bid me get home over a road lined with robbers” interrupted Mr. Tickler.  “Now that I am here, and owe a service to the country of my adoption, it shall not be said that I left your excellency, who will see my courage come out when he affords me an opportunity.”  They now spent three days in close consultation on the precise language necessary in addressing the king at the first audience, which he had signified his readiness, to grant on the morning of the fourth day.  The general insisted that it be interpersed with so much latin as to confuse both the king and the interpreter, though both were profound scholars.  “I have rare skill in mixing latin, as your excellency knows but you grind it up so in the delivery that neither the king nor the devil can understand a word of it.  And as your English is good enough for the best of them, I would advise you to stick to it, since no great military man ever gained anything by dabbling in classics.”  This so touched the chord on which all the general’s weaknesses hung that he went right into a rapsody of delight.  “I begin to be of your way of thinking, friend Tickler,” said he, tossing his head approvingly.  “I have speeches enough in my head, and am resolved to make the first that comes to my tongues end.”

And now, when the morning on which they were to have an audience with the king was come, the general arrayed himself in his best uniform, not forgetting his three cornered hat and white gloves; and mounting old Battle as Mr. Tickler mounted his mule, they proceeded to the king’s palace, a rude building of palm logs, situated in a pretty square, and surrounded by shade trees and clustering vines.  Here they were received with the blowing of horns and jingling of bells; which continued to keep up a deafening sound while they were being conducted into the presence of his majesty, who wore a bright red cloak, and a hat quite resembling that of a Beadle.  In complexion his majesty was a shade darker than ebony, and as to figure, he was as stalwarth a sovereign, though perhaps not as clean a one, as could be found in all the kingdoms round about:  in short, if his majesty was none of the cleanest, he at least wore a contented air, which is rare with kings.  And as he sat on his throne of ingeniously woven palm-leaves, he seemed more intent on viewing his pipes and holding a parley with various priests than listening to the address of the famous representative.  Indeed I very much doubt if a wiser king ever lived, for he evinced a happy indifference for anything but his own comfort.  A fellow of ponderous belly and face, calling himself Don Perez Goneti, but whose real name was Peletiah Anseeth, a renegade, and as arrant a rascal as ever left Georgia to save his neck, now came forward, and addressing the general, informed him that he was the king’s keeper, and lawgiver to the nation.  This announcement