“’We have a princess, to be sure,
A sweet and gracious Clotilde,
And a knight who does her homage,
But the rest of us
Are fishy, scaly,
Horny and altogether horrid,
And of very low degree
Who scarce know why we are upon the boards,
Except for your amusement,
So prithee’”?

“Hold!” cried Clare, “what stuff.”

“Give me an inch of time,” cried Jasper, hurrying on, “and I’ll end the misery: 

“’So prithee, be amused;
We’re undone, if you are not,
And all our labor lost. 
Pray laugh, and shake your sides,
And say “’tis good;
I’ faith, ’tis very good.” 
And we shall say
“Your intellects do you credit.” 
And so we bid you a fond adieu,
And haste away to unshackle the dragons,
Who even now do roar without.’”

Clare threw himself into the part of the dragons, and forgetful of Phronsie, gave a loud roar.  Polly clapped her hands and tossed an imaginary bouquet as Jasper bowed himself off.

“Hush!” said Ben, “you’ll wake up Phronsie,” but it was too late; there she sat rubbing her eyes in astonishment.

“Oh! you darling,” cried Polly, running over to her, to clasp her in her arms, “I’m so sorry I tired you all out, Phronsie dear, do forgive me.”

“I’m not tired,” said Phronsie, with dewy eyes.  “Has Jasper got through reading?  What was it all about, Polly?”

“Indeed and I have finished,” he cried with a yawn and throwing the manuscript on the table, “and I don’t know in the least what it is all about, Phronsie.”

“Just a lot of dreadful words,” said Clare over in the corner, pulling at a heap of costumes on the floor.  “Never mind; the horrible spell is broken; come on, you fellows, and tumble into your dragon skins!”

With that the chief dragon deserted Phronsie, and presently there resounded the rattle of the scales, the clanking of chains, and the dragging about of the rest of their paraphernalia.

“Now, Phronsie,” said Jasper, coming back, half-within his dragon skin and gesticulating, “you see that it’s only I in this thing.  Look, dear! here goes in my head,” and he pulled on the scaly covering, observing great care to smile reassuringly the last thing before his countenance was obscured.

Phronsie screamed with delight and clapped her hands.  “Oh, Jasper! let me have one on, do, Jasper!  I’d much rather be a dragon than a princess.  Really and truly I would, Jasper.”

“I don’t agree with you,” said Jasper, in a muffled voice.  “Phew! this is no end stuffy, fellows.  I can’t stand it long.”

“I’m all coming to pieces,” said Ben, turning around to regard his back where the scales yawned fearfully.

“I’ll run and ask Mamsie to come and sew you up,” cried Polly, flying off.  “She said she would help, if we wanted her.”

IV