in and go out," answered Nellie, getting up and making the best one she could.

"That is not very graceful. This is the way," the Queen said, coming forward and showing her how to do it. "Only you see I have to keep my head steady to keep the crown on, so it's rather awkward."

Nellie bowed as she was directed, and the Queen returned the bow with great dignity. Nellie was much impressed. Fancy the Queen bowing to her! What lovely tales she would have to tell to-morrow!

"What are you going to do with your new sixpence?" asked her Majesty, when she had seated herself again.

"I thought I'd buy a lamb, and then I could make a pair of socks for Pa with the wool."

The Queen smiled. "Very sensible indeed," she said, patting Nellie on the head; "and you might make me a pair too, you know."

Nellie's eyes sparkled. "And will you really wear them?" she asked eagerly.

"I always wear stockings," said the Queen in an offended tone. "You don't suppose I go about barefoot, do you?"

"I did not mean that!" cried Nellie, aghast. The bare idea of such a thing!

"And don't make them too large," went on the Queen; "I am very particular about the fit."

"I'd like to be a queen and wear a crown," said Nellie, after a pause.

Her Majesty smiled. "Indeed! And pray, what would you do if you were?"

"I'd buy a lamb for all the children at Miss Primmer's. Oh, and chocs.--such lots of chocs. And I'd put on my best frock every day, and have cake every time I wanted it, and I'd have as many sixpences as I liked, and----"

"Stop, that will do," said the Queen; "if you always wore your best frock you'd soon want a new one, and then where would all your sixpences be? And as for the cake, I always keep my cupboards locked, so that no one can take a piece without asking for it; and the honey cupboard. I am very fond of honey."

"Yes, I know, we sing about it in school," said Nellie.

"Oh, indeed? you do, do you? That's very nice. But what do you sing about me?"

"Oh, we sing:--

"'Sing a song of sixpence, a pocket full of rye,

Four and twenty blackbirds baking in a pie.

When the pie was opened the birds began to sing,

Was not that a dainty dish to set before a king?

The king was in his counting house, counting out his money,

The queen was in the parlour eating bread and honey,

The maid was in the garden hanging out the clothes,

There came a little blackbird and snapped off her nose.'"

 

"That's very pretty," said her Majesty; "I wish I could write poetry like that."

"Can't you?" asked Nellie, looking surprised; she thought queens could do everything.

"No," said her Majesty with a sigh; "I never could, though I've often tried."

"Try, try, try again," said Nellie. "We sing that in school too."

"Well, what shall it be about?" asked the Queen.

"Oh, about my lamb," said Nellie promptly.

"Where is it?" asked the Queen, putting on her spectacles. "I think I'll write about you."

"Here I am," cried a funny squeaky little voice, and there, if you please, was the prettiest, fleeciest little white lamb you ever saw in your life, with a blue ribbon round its neck, and Nellie's best blue sash tied in a bow round its tail.

"Oh, how sweet!" cried the Queen, clapping her hands.

The lamb tossed its head proudly.

"Come near and let me look at you, you pretty thing," said the Queen, patting it. "Now I'll write my poetry. Get me a bottle of ink and a copy-book to write it in."

"Would not a slate be better," said Nelly politely, "and then you could copy it neatly into your book afterwards, you know. That's the way we do at school."

"Well, yes, perhaps that would be best. I might make a blot."

Nellie got her slate and a piece of pencil with a nice point. The Queen took it, and sat for about five minutes groaning and turning up her eyes to the ceiling, but nothing came of it. Nellie watched her anxiously.

"Have you not 'most finished?" she asked after a while.

"Could you tell me how to spell honey?" asked the Queen. "I quite forget, it is so long since I went to school."

"I don't know," said Nellie, "I have not learned that yet. I'll get the dictionary.

"There now," said the Queen triumphantly, holding up the slate for Nellie to look at. It was written in large round letters, something like Nellie's writing, with double lines to keep it even.

"Oh dear, what can the matter be?

Dear, dear, what can the matter be?

Oh dear, what can the matter be?

Nellie's so long making tea!

She promised to give me some bread and some honey,

Some cake and some jam--I gave her the money,

What can she be doing? It is very funny, I do want

my afternoon tea."

 

"There," said the Queen with a deep sigh, "you can't say I never wrote any poetry. By-the-by, don't you think it's nearly time the pie was done?"

"Pie?" asked Nellie, looking surprised.

"Yes," said her Majesty sharply. "You said there were four and twenty blackbirds baking in a pie, didn't you? Just go and see if it's done, I'm getting hungry."

"But where is the king? You can't have it without him?"

"Never mind him. Let me have the pie."

"Was it from the king's counting house my sixpence came?"

"Of course," said the Queen testily. "Now go and see about that pie."

Nellie went. It was a most delicious pie, crisp and brown. It made her mouth water to look at it.

"I do hope the Queen won't be greedy and want to eat it all herself," she thought, as she took it in and put it on the table.

"Present it on one knee," commanded the Queen.

Nellie did so. The Queen seized the knife and cut open the pie. All the blackbirds began singing so sweetly. It was the loveliest concert you ever heard in your life.