CHAPTER XXV
FELIX MCGAVONTY BRINGS DOWN SOME SNAKES
"Well, what do you think of this?" asked Captain Ringgold, turning to Mrs.
Belgrave, as the elephant moved off.
"I don't feel quite at home up here," she replied, holding on with both
hands at the side of the howdah.
"I think it is nice," added Miss Blanche. "It seems very much like riding
on a camel, only there is more motion."
"It is a good place to see everything there is to be seen," suggested
Louis, as he looked about him. "The king is taking us to his palace in high
style. If he meant to astonish us, he has hit the nail on the head."
"But where are Lord Tremlyn and Sir Modava?" asked Miss Blanche.
"They are mounted on a couple of as handsome horses as I ever saw in my
life," replied the commander. "One of them is on each side of the Guicowar,
at the head of the cavalry troop. In England and America the escort goes
ahead of the persons thus honored; but here, as a rule, the king cannot
ride behind anybody. You remember that when we saw the Sultan going to the
mosque in Constantinople he rode at the head of the procession, and all the
great officers of state went behind him; and that seems to be the fashion
here."
"But is he much of a king?" Mrs. Belgrave inquired.
"They all call him a king, and I suppose he is one.
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