Beside the dead body of the Firedrake ! There he was in a moment ; and dreadful the body looked , lying stark and cold in the white moonshine . Then the prince cut off its four hoofs , put them in his wallet , and with these he flew back in a second , and met the ambassador just as he came from ushering the king to bed . Then the prince was shown his own room , where he locked up the hoofs , the carpet , the cap of darkness , and his other things in an iron box ; and so he went to bed and dreamed of his Lady Rosalind . CHAPTER XV . The King 's Cheque . When they all wakened next morning , their first ideas were confused . It is often confusing to waken in a strange bed , much more so when you have flown through the air , like the king , the queen , and Benson the butler . For her part , the queen was the most perplexed of all ; for she did undeniably wake , and yet she was not at home , where she had expected to be . However , she was a determined woman , and stood to it that nothing unusual was occurring . The butler made up his mind to claim the crown princeship and the hand of the Lady Molinda ; because , as he justly remarked to William , here was such a chance to better himself as might not soon come in his way again . As for the king , he was only anxious to get back to Falkenstein , and have the whole business settled in a constitutional manner . The ambassador was not sorry to get rid of the royal party ; and it was proposed that they should all sit down on the flying carpet , and wish themselves at home again . But the queen would not hear of it : she said it was childish and impossible ; so the carriage was got ready for her , and she started without saying a word of good-bye to anyone . The king , Benson , and the prince were not so particular , and they simply flew back to Falkenstein in the usual way , arriving there at 11.35 -- a week before her majesty . The king at once held a Court ; the horns and tail of the monster were exhibited amidst general interest , and Benson and the prince were invited to state their claims . Benson 's evidence was taken first . He declined to say exactly where or how he killed the Firedrake . There might be more of them left , he remarked , -- young ones , that would take a lot of killing , -- and he refused to part with his secret . Only he claimed the reward , which was offered , if you remember , not to the man who killed the beast , but to him who brought its horns and tail .
This was allowed by the lawyers present XXXXX be very sound law ; and Benson was cheered by the courtiers , who decidedly preferred him to Prigio , and who , besides , thought he was going to be crown prince .
Beside amidst as for from if of on that to