第20章 How Rob Served a Mighty King(3)

Hemmed in by vastly superior numbers, the English were calmly an. stubbornly resisting every inch of advance and selling their lives a. dearly as possible. Their leader fell pierced by a hundred bullets. and the king, who had known him from boyhood, passed his hand acros. his eyes as if to shut out the awful sight. But the fascination o. the battle forced him to look again, and the next moment he cried aloud:

"Look there. Look there!"

Over the edge of a line of hills appeared the helmets of a file o. English soldiers. They reached the summit, followed by rank afte. rank, until the hillside was alive with them. And then, with a ringin. cheer that came like a faint echo to the ears of the three watchers. they broke into a run and dashed forward to the rescue of their brav. comrades. The Boers faltered, gave back, and the next moment fle. precipitately, while the exhausted survivors of the courageous ban. fell sobbing into the arms of their rescuers.

Rob closed the lid of the Record with a sudden snap that betrayed hi. deep feeling, and the king pretended to cough behind his handkerchie. and stealthily wiped his eyes.

"'Twasn't so bad, after all," remarked the boy, with assumed cheerfulness;"but it looked mighty ticklish for your men at one time."King Edward regarded the boy curiously, remembering his abrup. entrance and the marvelous device he had exhibited.

"What do you call that?" he asked, pointing at the Record with . finger that trembled slightly from excitement.

"It is a new electrical invention," replied Rob, replacing it in hi. pocket, "and so constructed that events are reproduced at the exac. moment they occur.""Where can I purchase one?" demanded the king, eagerly.

"They're not for sale," said Rob. "This one of mine is the first tha. ever happened.""Oh!"

"I really think," continued the boy, nodding sagely, "that it wouldn'. be well to have these Records scattered around. Their use would giv. some folks unfair advantage over others, you know.""Certainly."

"I only showed you this battle because I happened to be in London a. the time and thought you'd be interested.""It was very kind of you," said Edward; "but how did you gain admittance?""Well, to tell the truth, I was obliged to knock over a few of you. tall life-guards. They seem to think you're a good thing and nee. looking after, like jam in a cupboard."The king smiled.

"I hope you haven't killed my guards," said he.

"Oh, no; they'll come around all right."

"It is necessary," continued Edward, "that public men be protecte. from intrusion, no matter how democratic they may be personally. Yo. would probably find it as difficult to approach the President of th. United States as the King of England.""Oh, I'm not complaining," said Rob. "It wasn't much troubl. to break through.""You seem quite young to have mastered such wonderful secrets o. Nature," continued the king.

"So I am," replied Rob, modestly; "but these natural forces hav. really existed since the beginning of the world, and some one wa. sure to discover them in time.. He was quoting the Demon. although unconsciously.

"You are an American, I suppose," said the minister, coming close t. Rob and staring him in the face.

"Guessed right the first time," answered the boy, and drawing hi. Character Marking spectacles from his pocket, he put them on an. stared at the minister in turn.

Upon the man's forehead appeared the letter "E.""Your Majesty," said Rob, "I have here another queer invention. Wil. you please wear these spectacles for a few moments?"The king at once put them on.

"They are called Character Markers," continued the boy, "because th. lenses catch and concentrate the character vibrations radiating fro. every human individual and reflect the true character of the perso. upon his forehead. If a letter 'G' appears, you may be sure hi. disposition is good; if his forehead is marked with an 'E' hi. character is evil, and you must beware of treachery."The king saw the "E" plainly marked upon his minister's forehead, bu. he said nothing except "Thank you," and returned the spectacles to Rob.

But the minister, who from the first had been ill at ease, now becam. positively angry.

"Do not believe him, your Majesty!" he cried. "It is a trick, an. meant to deceive you.""I did not accuse you," answered the king, sternly. Then he added:

"I wish to be alone with this young gentleman."The minister left the room with an anxious face and hanging head.

"Now," said Rob, "let's look over the record of the past day and se. if that fellow has been up to any mischief."He turned the cylinder of the Record to "England," and slowly th. events of the last twenty-four hours were reproduced, one after th. other, upon the polished plate.

Before long the king uttered an exclamation. The Record pictured . small room in which were seated three gentlemen engaged in earnes. conversation. One of them was the accused minister.

"Those men," said the king in a low voice, while he pointed out th. other two, "are my avowed enemies. This is proof that your wonderfu. spectacles indicated my minister's character with perfect truth. I a. grateful to you for thus putting me upon my guard, for I have truste. the man fully.""Oh, don't mention it," replied the boy, lightly; "I'm glad to hav. been of service to you. But it's time for me to go.""I hope you will favor me with another interview," said the king, "fo. I am much interested in your electrical inventions. I will instruc. my guards to admit you at any time, so you will not be obliged t. fight your way in.""All right. But it really doesn't matter," answered Rob. "It's n. trouble at all to knock 'em over."Then he remembered his manners and bowed low before the king, wh. seemed to him "a fine fellow and not a bit stuck up.. And then h. walked calmly from the palace.

The people in the outer room stared at him wonderingly and the office. of the guard saluted the boy respectfully. But Rob only smiled in a. amused way as he marched past them with his hands thrust deep into hi. trousers' pockets and his straw hat tipped jauntily upon the back o. his head.