Clair coughed nervously.
"_Don't_ forget," he stammered, "I can't speak French, or understand it,
either."
The eyes of Billy became as innocent as those of a china doll.
"Then I'll interpret," he said. "And, oh, yes," he added, "he's sending
two of the palace soldiers to act as an escort--sort of guard of honor!"
The King of the Movies chuckled excitedly.
"Fine!" he exclaimed. "You _are_ a brick!"
With trembling fingers he began to shed his outer garments.
To hide his own agitation Billy walked to the window and turned his
back. Night had fallen and the electric lights, that once had been his
care, sprang into life. Billy looked at his watch. It was seven o'clock.
The window gave upon the harbor, and a mile from shore he saw the cargo
lights of the _Prinz der Nederlanden_, and slowly approaching, as though
feeling for her berth, a great battleship. When Billy turned from the
window his voice was apparently undisturbed.
"We've got to hurry," he said. "The _Louisiana_ is standing in. She'll
soon be sending a launch for you. We've just time to drive to the palace
and back before the launch gets here.
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