and Yram out of the royal presence, for neither she nor the King would
budge an inch.

Even Panky smiled. "What could we do? The common people almost worship
Yram; and so does her husband, though her fair-haired eldest son was born
barely seven months after marriage. The people in these parts like to
think that the Sunchild's blood is in the country, and yet they swear
through thick and thin that he is the Mayor's duly begotten
offspring--Faugh! Do you think they would have stood his being jobbed
into the rangership by any one else but Yram?"

My father's feelings may be imagined, but I will not here interrupt the
Professors.

"Well, well," said Hanky; "for men must rob and women must job so long as
the world goes on. I did the best I could. The King would never have
embraced Sunchildism if I had not told him he was right; then, when
satisfied that we agreed with him, he yielded to popular prejudice and
allowed the question to remain open. One of his Royal Professors was to
wear the clothes one way, and the other the other."

"My way of wearing them," said Panky, "is much the most convenient."

"Not a bit of it," said Hanky warmly. On this the two Professors fell
out, and the discussion grew so hot that my father interfered by advising
them not to talk so loud lest another ranger should hear them. "You
know," he said, "there are a good many landrail bones lying about, and it
might be awkward."

The Professors hushed at once. "By the way," said Panky, after a pause,