Kings Courageous

Down the sullen, turgid Danube --blue only to baying, waltzing houris--a royal barge put-putted last week past the great swamps of Braila, near Bucharest. George II, deposed King of the ungrateful Greeks, was motorboating with his unobtrusive father-in-law, King Ferdinand I of Rumania.

Ferdinand, a Hohenzollern, gave himself up suddenly to one of the whims characteristic of that House. For no reason at all he ordered a second motorboat to draw alongside, debarked into it with the entire royal party which included onetime Prince Christopher of Greece.

A few seconds later the engine of the boat from which Royalty had stepped exploded.

The King, the onetime King, the onetime Prince, braved the possibility of bombs or foul play, stood by in their newly boarded motorboat until several injured and dripping royal servants were rescued from the sinking launch.