“I think there’s an animal over there, behind a rock,” Amina told the others.

“Is it the cub?” asked Isabella.

Amina looked again. This time a small head with two furry ears poked out. “I think so!”

“Then we’ve found him! We can take him back to the palace and look after both the cubs together!” Lottie said triumphantly. “Phew, I was worried we’d never find him!”

Just then, the creature popped his whole head up and Amina knew from his whiskers and stripy coat that it really was the tiger cub.

“Look! You can see all of him now!” Amina handed the binoculars to Isabella and grinned. She was so relieved that finding the cub had been easier this time. But as Isabella passed the binoculars along, something made Amina glance back toward the gate.

The palace was lit up by all the orange lamps in the garden. But there was another light, too, bobbing up and down at the top of the wall. Amina stared at the small yellow circle. Was that someone with a flashlight?

“Can I borrow the binoculars?” she asked quickly. “I just saw something.”

Isabella handed the binoculars back and Amina’s heart sank as she looked through them. “I don’t believe it! See that little light up there? That’s Prince Henry standing on the top of the wall with a flashlight.”

“Who cares? He’ll never see us down here in the dark!” said Isabella.

“He might not see us now, but if he was in the garden when we left, then he knows we’re out here somewhere,” said Lottie grimly.

“Remember that rustling we heard in the bushes before we ran through the gate?” said Rosalind. “I bet that was him!”

Amina could see Prince Henry clearly through the tiger’s-eye stone. He was sweeping his flashlight from side to side, as if he was searching the paths and bushes. “I’m sure he’s looking for us,” she told the others.

Two guards joined the prince. Amina couldn’t hear them, but she could see Henry talking and pointing to the river. Then a fourth figure, wearing a gleaming golden crown, joined them by the wall. It was Queen Keshi.

Amina gasped and dropped the binoculars. “Henry told my aunt about us! He told them all that we’re out here!”

“What a tattletale!” Lottie burst out. “I’m going to find him and say exactly what I think of him when we get back to the palace!”

“Why is he being so mean?” cried Amina. “What did we ever do to upset him?” But the others couldn’t answer her.

Rosalind picked up the binoculars from the ground and looked through them. “The palace gate is opening now. There are four, no, six, guards coming out and Prince Henry’s with them. I guess they’re coming to find us.”

Men’s voices drifted down the hill.

Isabella wound a lock of hair around one finger. “What should we do?”

“Can’t we just show your aunt the tiger cub and explain?” said Lottie. “Won’t she understand?”

Amina shook her head. “She’ll be mad that we came out here by ourselves, especially because it’s the night before the wedding. Anyway, the noise made by all the guards will scare the cub away before we get the chance to find him.” She rushed off along the riverbank, looking for the place where she’d seen the cub. She crouched down next to a rock to find a furry face looking up at her.

“Don’t be scared, little one,” she whispered, holding out her hand. “We’ve come to help you.”

The cub snuffled at her fingers for a moment. Then he backed away again.

“Amina, the guards are halfway down the hill!” said Isabella urgently. “If we don’t hurry, they’ll catch us.”

Being as gentle as she could, Amina reached out for the cub and lifted him into her arms. She could feel his little heart pounding and she stroked his soft fur to try to calm him down.

“Can you carry him?” asked Lottie, running up to her.

“Yes, I’m all right,” said Amina. “He’s not heavy at all.”

“Now we just need to get back inside that gate without being spotted,” said Isabella with a shiver.

“I can help with that!” said Rosalind. “It’s time for some ninja moves.” She used the binoculars to keep track of the guards. The men came down the slope one by one with flashlights in their hands.

“This way!” hissed Rosalind, leading the girls behind a clump of reeds. “Now everyone get down!”

The princesses all ducked down as beams of light swept over their heads. Even the tiger cub seemed to know it was important to stay quiet. The men’s voices and the lights moved on. Rosalind jumped up and motioned to the others.

“But there are only six of them. Where’s Prince Henry?” whispered Amina.

“He’s standing right next to the palace gate,” said Rosalind. “We’ll need a really good ninja move to get past him!”

The princesses edged closer to Prince Henry, who was pointing his light into the gloom. The closer they got, the more Amina began to worry. How were they ever going to get past him without being noticed? He must be blocking the way on purpose.

Just then Queen Keshi came striding through the gate with a large lantern. “Haven’t those guards found the princesses yet? Come on, Prince Henry! Show me where they went. You’re the one who saw them after all.”

The princesses hardly dared to breathe. The queen stood less than ten steps from where they were hiding.

Prince Henry bowed. “I’m sorry, Your Majesty, but I hurt my ankle, so I can’t go down there.”

“Never mind! I’ll go myself!” said Queen Keshi, marching away down the slope.

When she’d gone, Prince Henry put his hands in his pockets and whistled for a while. Then he started kicking stones down the hill as if they were soccer balls. “Goal!” he said, punching the air.

“His ankle doesn’t look hurt to me,” hissed Lottie. “Either he’s just lazy or he wants to stay here so we can’t get back through the gate.”

Henry stopped suddenly and peered in their direction, as if he was listening.

Amina bit her lip. He must have heard Lottie talking. Holding the cub firmly with one arm, she picked up a stick and threw it as far as she could. It landed silently on a patch of grass.

“Why don’t I try?” whispered Isabella, picking up a half-squashed fruit that was lying on the ground and throwing it.

Crash! It hit a bush farther down the path. Prince Henry swung around, shining his flashlight in that direction.

The princesses held their breath, hoping that he would follow the sound.

Prince Henry crept over to where the fruit had landed and started searching among the trees and bushes.

“Where are you?” he muttered. “I know you’re here!”

“Ready?” hissed Rosalind, and the others nodded.

“Ouch!” cried Henry as he fell over and dropped his light.

The princesses took their chance. They slipped through the palace gate as quietly as a night breeze. Then they ran across the garden and raced up the back stairs, not stopping until they’d reached the safety of Amina’s bedroom.