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Huzza! Huzza! cried the Court; and the little Princess laughed with pleasure.

"I suppose they are reserving me for some grand occasion," said the Rocket; "no doubt that is what it means," and he looked more supercilious than ever.

The next day the workmen came to put everything tidy.

"This is evidently a deputation," said the Rocket; "I will receive them with becoming dignity" so he put his nose in the air, and began to frown severely as if he were thinking about some very important subject.

But they took no notice of him at all till they were just going away.

Then one of them caught sight of him.

"Hallo!" he cried, "what a bad rocket!" and he threw him over the wall into the ditch.

"Bad Rocket?

Bad Rocket?" he said, as he whirled through the air; "impossible!

Grand Rocket, that is what the man said.

Bad and Grand sound very much the same, indeed they often are the same"; and he fell into the mud.

"It is not comfortable here," he remarked, "but no doubt it is some fashionable watering-place, and they have sent me away to recruit my health.

My nerves are certainly very much shattered, and I require rest."

Then a little Frog, with bright jewelled eyes, and a green mottled coat, swam up to him.

"A new arrival, I see!" said the Frog.

"Well, after all there is nothing like mud.

Give me rainy weather and a ditch, and I am quite happy.

Do you think it will be a wet afternoon?

I am sure I hope so, but the sky is quite blue and cloudless.

What a pity!"

"Ahem! ahem!" said the Rocket, and he began to cough.

"What a delightful voice you have!" cried the Frog.

"Really it is quite like a croak, and croaking is of course the most musical sound in the world.

You will hear our glee-club this evening.

We sit in the old duck pond close by the farmer's house, and as soon as the moon rises we begin.

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