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1. What was the prince's nickname?
2. Describe his misbehaviour at at the grand feast.
3. What does the term common boy mean?
4. Who was Jemmy?
5. What is a whipping boy?
6. Why was the Prince Brat disappointed with Jemmy?

Enrichment: Research the author, Sid Fleischman, and make a short presentation to your classmates.

1. What could Jemmy count on first thing in the morning?
2. Who was Master Peckwit?
3. Why did the prince insist that he needn't pay attention to his lessons?
4. How long did these whippings continue?

Enrichment: Design a title page for the novel.  Make sure that yours is different from the present one.

1. Why did the prince wake Jemmy in the middle of the night?
2. According to the prince, what was the reason for his decision?
3. Why was Jemmy opposed to the prince's plans?

Enrichment: Compose a short poem about the story or one of its characters.

1. How were they able to find their way in the night?
2. How did they become lost?
3. What did Jemmy plan to do as soon as he had the opportunity?
4. What was the yellow glow floating in the fog?

Enrichment: Do you think that whipping boys actually did any good for the prince?  Either defend or oppose corporal punishments in both school and home.  Are there any countries in the world that still use corporal punishment?  What is the difference between capital and corporal punishment?

1. Who had apprehended the two boys and what was his reputation?
2. How did Cutwater react when the young prince informed him that he was Prince Horace?
3. What did Billy say to the two boys as he grabbed them by their ears?
4. What did Cutwater discover just as Billy was about to release the boys?

Enrichment: Research various types of crests and then design a royal crest for Prince Horace and the royal family.

1. Describe Billy's castle.
2. What food did Billy offer the two boys to satisfy their hunger?
3. What did Billy take from the wicker basket and place on his head?
4. How did the highwayman decide that the ransom for the prince should be fifty-five pounds in gold?

Research thatched homes in Britain.  Do people in England still used thatched roofs?

1. Describe the materials used to write the ransom note.
2. Explain why neither Billy nor Cutwater wrote the ransom note.
3. Why did the robbers think that the two boys had been lying about the true identity of the prince?
4. Explain how Jemmy's behaviour changed at the end of the chapter.

Enrichment: Explain in your own words the expression, "Pull the wool over your eyes".  List some other expressions that would have a similar meaning?

1. How did Billy reassure Cutwater that he didn't have to worry about the king's soldiers finding them?
2. Why did Jemmy feel that it was important for him to act high and mighty?
3. What did Jemmy insist the highwaymen should request for a ransom in exchange for a prince?

Enrichment: Create a mural with a group of your classmates and display it on your classroom wall or in the hallway.

1. According to Billy, why was garlic good for you?
2. What concern did Cutwater express about the note that the "prince" had written?
3. What caused Prince Horace's eyes to widen and his face to blanche?
4. How did Billy and Cutwater ensure that the note was not a trick?
5. How did Jemmy suggest that they get the message to the king without being nabbed.

Enrichment: Pretend you are Jemmy.  Write a note to the king warning him about Billy and Cutwater.  Read your note aloud in class and place them on a bulletin board for everyone to read.  Find a book on codes and secret messages.  Devise a code and send a secret message to a friend in what othewise appears to be an innocuous note.

1. Why did Billy and Cutwater finally agree to send the whipping boy to the castle with the message?
2. Why did Prince Brat warn Jemmy to be quiet and not speak harshly to the two ruffians?
3. What did Jemmy insist must accompany the whipping boy to convince the king that the message was not a fraud?
4. Describe Prince Brat's surprising behaviour at the end of this chapter.

Enrichment: Write a short dialogue based on this chapter and perform it in front of your classmates.

1. How do the thieves interpret the young boy's refusal to deliver the message?
2. Why is Jemmy upset with the prince?
3. What do they offer to give Prince Horace?
4. What alternative plan does the quick thinking Jemmy suggest to the thieves.

Enrichment: Do some research on horses.  How intelligent are horses?  Can they actually find their way home?  Can they be taught tricks?

1. Where did Hold-Your-Nose Billy place the ransom note and the golden crown?
2. Why was Jemmy convinced that not a soul at the castle would be fooled by the ransom note?
3. Why does Jemmy hide under the straw?
4. How are his plans almost foiled?

Enrichment: Design an illustrated bookmark based on the novel.

1. What causes Jemmy to almost jump out of his skin as he runs through the forest?
2. Where does Jemmy hide?
3. Why was Jemmy angry with the prince?

Enrichment: Describe how the story might be different if the prince had been a princess.

1. To whom did the wailing voice in the forest belong?
2. Why was Betsy carrying a chunk of amber honey comb and a coil of rope?
3. Where was Betsy headed?
4. How did Prince Brat react when he noticed the soldiers riding along the river road?

Enrichment: Write an new chapter for the novel and introduce a new character of your own creation.

1. Why did Jemmy intend to do with the driftwood that he was collecting from the mudflats?
2. What plans did Jemmy have for the bent and battered birdcage?
3. Describe what Jemmy saw when he crawled up over the embankment.
4. Why was Captain Nips willing to offer the boys a ride to the fair?
5. Why did the coach come to a sudden halt?

Enrichment: Research the tides.  What affects the tides and where are the highest tides in the world?

1. Why did only Jemmy hide under the potatoes?
2. Who did Billy tell Captain Nips he was looking for?
3. Why did Cutwater think that Jemmy had suggested a cartload of gold and jewels for the ransom?
4. How did the prince react to his own whipping?
5. Who came to the boys' rescue?

Enrichment: Conduct a debate on the pros and cons of the monarchy in the United Kingdom.  Always use facts to defend your opinions.

1. How does Betsy reassure the prince that he needn't be afraid?
2. What had happened to the two highwaymen?
3. How did the travellers manage to turn the coach upright?
4. Why did the soldiers quickly wave on the coach?

Enrichment: Research various modes of transportation during this time period.  How might royal coaches be different from Captain Nips' coach?

1. Where were the chained prisoners being taken?
2. What did Captain Nips offer Jemmy?
3. Who did Jemmy meet at the fair?
4. What did Jemmy mean when he said he could do sums?
5. Why was Jemmy upset that when the prince shook Smudge's hand?
6. What rumour did the cow lady relay to the prince?
7. What information does Jemmy reveal to the prince about his "loyal" subjects?
8. According to the broadsides what had happened to the prince?

Enrichment: Research fairs from this time period and see if the events listed in this chapter are typical of what one might expect to see at a fair.  Play the song Scarborough Fair and find Scarborough on a map of the east coast of England.

1. What safe place or haven was Jemmy headed to when Billy and Cutwater spotted him?
2. Why was the prince hesitant to go into the sewers?
3. Why did Jemmy tell the prince that they must avoid the tunnel that led to the brewery?
4. What false information did Ol' Tosher give to Billy and Cutwater?
5. Explain the prince's words, "They look like they're wearing fur coats.

Enrichment: Find as much information as possible on rats and their habitats.  What benefits do we derive from rats?  How were rats associated with the plague?

1. Why did Jemmy agree to return to the castle with the prince?
2. List the people in the group who were ushered into the throne room?
3. Why title did the king bestow on Petunia?
4. What had Prince Horace sworn to do?
5. Where were Billy and Cutwater last seen?

Enrichment: Give a book talk on this novel to another class.  See if you can be convince some of them to read the novel.  Make sure you arouse their interest without giving away to much of the plot.

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Created by Brian Thornton, Capo Creations, Box 1411, Haileybury, Ontario, CANADA. POJ 1KO