e　to　answer。　　They　shook　their　heads　slowly　and　said：
  〃The　High　Ki　are　not　visible　to　the　people　of　Twi。　　Only　in　cases　of　the　greatest　importance　are　the　High　Ki　ever　bothered　or　even　approached　by　the　Ki　and　the　Ki…Ki；　who　are　supposed　to　rule　the　land　according　to　their　own　judgment。　　But　if　they　chance　to　disagree；　then　the　matter　is　carried　before　the　High　Ki；　who　live　in　a　palace　surrounded　by　high　walls；　in　which　there　are　no　gates。　　Only　these　rulers　have　ever　seen　the　other　side　of　the　walls；　or　know　what　the　High　Ki　are　like。〃
  〃That　is　strange；〃　said　the　prince。　　〃But　we；　ourselves；　it　seems；　are　to　see　the　High　Ki　to…morrow；　and　whoever　they　may　chance　to　be；　we　hope　to　remain　alive　after　the　interview。〃
  〃That　is　a　vain　hope；〃　answered　the　captains；　〃for　it　is　well　known　that　the　High　Ki　usually　decide　in　favor　of　the　Ki…Ki；　and　against　the　wishes　of　the　old　Ki。〃
  〃That　is　certainly　encouraging；〃　said　Nerle。
  When　the　captains　had　gone　and　left　them　to　themselves；　the　esquire　confided　to　his　master　his　expectations　in　the　following　speech：
  〃This　High　Ki　sounds　something　terrible　and　fierce　in　my　ears；　and　as　they　are　doubtless　a　pair；　they　will　be　twice　terrible　and　fierce。　Perhaps　his　royal　doublets　will　torture　me　most　exquisitely　before　putting　me　to　death；　and　then　I　shall　feel　that　I　have　not　lived　in　vain。〃
  They　slept　in　comfortable　beds　that　night；　although　an　empty　twin　bed　stood　beside　each　one　they　occupied。　　And　in　the　morning　they　were　served　another　excellent　meal；　after　which　the　captains　escorted　them　again　to　the　twin　palaces　of　the　Ki　and　the　Ki…Ki。
  There　the　two　pairs　of　rulers　met　them　and　headed　the　long　procession　of　soldiers　toward　the　palace　of　the　High　Ki。　　First　came　a　band　of　music；　in　which　many　queer　sorts　of　instruments　were　played　in　pairs　by　twin　musicians；　and　it　was　amusing　to　Nerle　to　see　the　twin　drummers　roll　their　twin　drums　exactly　at　the　same　time　and　the　twin　trumpets　peal　out　twin　notes。　　After　the　band　marched　the　double　Ki…Ki　and　the　double　Ki；　their　four　bodies　side　by　side　in　a　straight　line。　The　Ki…Ki　had　left　their　musical　instruments　in　the　palace；　and　now　wore　yellow　gloves　with　green　stitching　down　the　backs　and　swung　gold…headed　canes　jauntily　as　they　walked。　　The　Ki　stooped　their　aged　shoulders　and　shuffled　along　with　their　hands　in　their　pockets；　and　only　once　did　they　speak；　and　that　was　to　roar　〃Great　Kika…koo！〃　when　the　Ki…Ki　jabbed　their　canes　down　on　the　Ki's　toes。
  Following　the　Ki…Ki　and　the　Ki　came　the　prince　and　Nerle；　escorted　by　the　twin　captains；　and　then　there　were　files　of　twin　soldiers　bringing　up　the　rear。
  Crowds　of　twin　people；　with　many　twin　children　amongst　them；　turned　out　to　watch　the　unusual　display；　and　many　pairs　of　twin　dogs　barked　together　in　unison　and　snapped　at　the　heels　of　the　marching　twin　soldiers。
  By　and　by　they　reached　the　great　wall　surrounding　the　High　Ki's　palace；　and；　sure　enough；　there　was　never　a　gate　in　the　wall　by　which　any　might　enter。　　But　when　the　Ki　and　the　Ki…Ki　had　blown　a　shrill　signal　upon　two　pairs　of　whistles；　they　all　beheld　two　flights　of　silver　steps　begin　to　descend　from　the　top　of　the　wall；　and　these　came　nearer　and　nearer　the　ground　until　at　last　they　rested　at　the　feet　of　the　Ki。　　Then　the　old　men　began　ascending　the　steps　carefully　and　slowly；　and　the　captains　motioned　to　the　prisoners　to　follow。　　So　Prince　Marvel　followed　one　of　the　Ki　up　the　steps　and　Nerle　the　other　Ki；　while　the　two　Ki…Ki　came　behind　them　so　they　could　not　escape。
  So　to　the　top　of　the　wall　they　climbed；　where　a　pair　of　twin　servants　in　yellow　and　greenwhich　seemed　to　be　the　royal　colorswelcomed　them　and　drew　up　the　pair　of　silver　steps；　afterward　letting　them　down　on　the　other　side　of　the　wall；　side　by　side。
  They　descended　in　the　same　order　as　they　had　mounted　to　the　top　of　the　wall；　and　now　Prince　Marvel　and　Nerle　found　themselves　in　a　most　beautiful　garden；　filled　with　twin　beds　of　twin　flowers；　with　many　pairs　of　rare　shrubs。　　Also；　there　were　several　double　statuettes　on　pedestals；　and　double　fountains　sending　exactly　the　same　sprays　of　water　the　same　distance　into　the　air。
  Double　walks　ran　in　every　direction　through　the　garden；　and　in　the　center　of　the　inclosure　stood　a　magnificent　twin　palace；　built　of　blocks　of　white　marble　exquisitely　carved。
  The　Ki　and　the　Ki…Ki　at　once　led　their　prisoners　toward　the　palace　and　entered　at　its　large　arched　double　doors；　where　several　pairs　of　servants　met　them。　　These　servants；　they　found；　were　all　dumb；　so　that　should　they　escape　from　the　palace　walls　they　could　tell　no　tales　of　the　High　Ki。
  The　prisoners　now　proceeded　through　several　pairs　of　halls；　winding　this　way　and　that；　and　at　last　came　to　a　pair　of　golden　double　doors　leading　into　the　throne…room　of　the　mighty　High　Ki。　　Here　they　all　paused；　and　the　Ki…Ki　both　turned　to　the　prince　and　Nerle　and　said：
  〃You　are　the　only　persons；　excepting　ourselves　and　the　palace　servants；　who　have　ever　been　permitted　to　see　the　High　Ki　of　Twi。　　As　you　are　about　to　die；　that　does　not　matter；　but　should　you　by　any　chance　be　permitted　to　live；　you　must　never　breathe　a　word　of　what　you　are　about　to　see；　under　penalty　of　a　sure　and　horrible　death。〃
  The　prisoners　made　no　reply　to　this　speech；　and；　after　the　two　Ki…Ki　had　given　them　another　mild　look　from　their　gentle　blue　eyes；　these　officials　clapped　their　twin　hands　together　and　the　doors　of　gold　flew　open。
  A　perfect　silence　greeted　them；　during　which　the　double　Ki　and　the　double　Ki…Ki　bent　their　four　bodies　low　and　advanced　into　the　throne…room；　followed　by　Prince　Marvel　and　Nerle。
  In　the　center　of　the　room　stood　two　thrones　of　dainty　filigree　work　in　solid　gold；　and　over　them　were　canopies　of　yellow　velvet；　the　folds　of　which　were　caught　up　and　draped　with　bands　of　green　ribbon。　　And　on　the　thrones　were　seated　two　of　the　sweetest　and　fairest　little　maidens　that　mortal　man　had　ever　beheld。　　Their　lovely　hair　was　fine　as　a　spider's　web；　their　eyes　were　kind　and　smiling；　their　cheeks　soft　and　dimpled；　their　mouths　shapely　as　a　cupid's　bow　and　tinted　like　the　petals　of　a　rose。　　Upon　their　heads　were　set　two　crowns　of　fine　spun　gold；　worked　into　fantastic　shapes　and　set　with　glittering　gems。　Their　robes　were　soft　silks　of　pale　yellow；　with　strings　of　sparkling　emeralds　for　ornament。
  Anything　so　lovely　and　fascinating　as　these　little　maids；　who　were　precisely　alike　in　every　particular；　neither　Prince　Marvel　nor　Nerle　had　ever　dreamed　could　exist。　　They　stood　for　a　time　spellbound　and　filled　with　admiration；　while　the　two　pairs　of　rulers　bowed　again　and　again　before　the　dainty　and　lovable　persons　of　their　High　Ki。
  But　it　was　hard　for　Nerle　to　keep　quiet　for　long；　and　presently　he　exclaimed；　in　a　voice　loud　enough　to　be　heard　by　all　present：
  〃By　the　Great　Kika…koo　of　our　friends　the　Ki；　these　darling　High　Ki　of　Twi　are　sweet　enough　to　be　kissed！〃
  16。　　The　Rebellion　of　the　High　Ki
  The　bold　speech　of　Nerle's　made　the　two　damsels　laugh　at　the　same　time；　and　their　sweet　laughter　sounded　like　rippling　strains　of　harmonious　music。　　But　the　two　Ki…Ki　frowned　angrily；　and　the　two　Ki　looked　at　the　boy　in　surprise；　as　if　wondering　at　his　temerity。
  〃Who　are　these　strangers？〃　asked　the　pretty　High　Ki；　speaking　together　as　all　the　twins　of　Twi　did；　〃and　why　are　they　not　mates；　but　only　half　of　each　other？〃
  〃These　questions；　your　Supreme　Highnesses；〃　said　the　blond…haired　pair　of　Ki…Ki；　〃we　are　unable　to　answer。〃
  〃Perhaps；　then；　the　strangers　can　answer　themselves；〃　said　the　little　maids；　smiling　first　upon　the　Ki…Ki　and　then　upon　the　prisoners。
  Prince　Marvel　bowed。
  〃I　am　from　the　great　outside　world；〃　said　he；　〃and　my　name　is　Prince　Marvel。　　Until　now　I　have　never　seen　people　that　live　in　pairs；　and　speak　in　unison；　and　act　in　the　same　way　and　think　the　same　thoughts。　My　world　is　much　bigger　than　your　world；　and　in　it　every　person　is　proud　to　think　and　act　for　himself。　　You　say　I　am　only　a　'half；'　but　that　is　not　so。　　I　am　perfect；　without　a　counterpart；　my　friend　Nerle　is　perfect　without　a　counterpart；　and　it　is　yourselves　who　are　halved。　For　in　the　Land　of　Twi　no　person　is　complete　or　perfect　without　its　other　half；　and　it　seems　to　take　two　of　you　to　make　one　manor　one　maid。〃
  The　sweet　faces　of　the　twin　High　Ki　grew　thoughtful　at　this　speech；　and　they　said：
  〃Indeed；　it　may　be　you　are　right。　　But　it　is　our　custom　in　Twi　to　do　everything　double　and　to　live　double。〃　Then；　turning　to　the　Ki；　they　asked：　〃Why　have　you　brought　these　strangers　here？〃
  〃To　ask　your　Supreme　Highnesses　to　permit　them　to　return　again　to　the　world　from　whence　they　came；〃　answered　the　Ki；　both　of　them　regarding　their　supreme　rulers　earnestly。
  But　here　the　Ki…Ki　spoke　up　quickly　in　their　mild　voices；　saying：
  〃That　is　not　our　idea；　your　Highnesses。　　We；　the　Ki…Ki　of　Twi；　think　it　best　the　strangers　should　be　put　to　death。　　And　we　pray　your　Supreme　Highnesses　to　favor　our　wish。〃
  The　two　little　maids　looked　from　the　Ki　to　the　Ki…Ki；　and　frowned　and　pouted　their　rosy　lips　in　evident　perplexity。
  But　Nerle　whispered　to　Prince　Marvel：
  〃It's　all　up　with　us！　　I　know　very　well　why　her　royal　doublets　always　favors　the　Ki…Ki。　　It's　because　they　are　young　and　hand