asked：
  〃How　did　you　penetrate　to　this　hidden　country？　Did　you
  cross　the　desert　or　the　mountains？〃
  〃Desert；〃　answered　Cap'n　Bill；　as　if　the　task　were　too
  easy　to　be　worth　talking　about。
  〃Indeed！　No　one　has　ever　been　able　to　do　that　before；〃
  said　the　King。
  〃Well；　it's　easy　enough；　if　you　know　how；〃　asserted
  Cap'n　Bill；　so　carelessly　that　it　greatly　impressed　his
  hearers。　The　King　shifted　in　his　throne　uneasily。　He　was
  more　afraid　of　these　strangers　than　before。
  〃Do　you　intend　to　stay　long　in　Jinxland？〃　was　his　next
  anxious　question。
  〃Depends　on　how　we　like　it；〃　said　Cap'n　Bill。　〃Just　now
  I　might　suggest　to　your　Majesty　to　order　some　rooms　got
  ready　for　us　in　your　dinky　little　castle　here。　And　a
  royal　banquet；　with　some　fried　onions　an'　pickled　tripe；
  would　set　easy　on　our　stomicks　an'　make　us　a　bit　happier
  than　we　are　now。〃
  〃Your　wishes　shall　be　attended　to；〃　said　King　Krewl；
  but　his　eyes　flashed　from　between　their　slits　in　a　wicked
  way　that　made　Trot　hope　the　food　wouldn't　be　poisoned。　At
  the　King's　command　several　of　his　attendants　hastened
  away　to　give　the　proper　orders　to　the　castle　servants　and
  no　sooner　were　they　gone　than　a　skinny　old　man　entered
  the　courtyard　and　bowed　before　the　King。
  This　disagreeable　person　was　dressed　in　rich　velvets；
  with　many　furbelows　and　laces。　He　was　covered　with　golden
  chains；　finely　wrought　rings　and　jeweled　ornaments。　He
  walked　with　mincing　steps　and　glared　at　all　the　courtiers
  as　if　he　considered　himself　far　superior　to　any　or　all　of
  them。
  〃Well；　well；　your　Majesty；　what　news　　what　news？〃　he
  demanded；　in　a　shrill；　cracked　voice。
  The　King　gave　him　a　surly　look。
  〃No　news；　Lord　Googly…Goo；　except　that　strangers　have
  arrived；〃　he　said。
  Googly…Goo　cast　a　contemptuous　glance　at　Cap'n　Bill　and
  a　disdainful　one　at　Trot　and　Button…Bright。　Then　he　said：
  〃Strangers　do　not　interest　me；　your　Majesty。　But　the
  Princess　Gloria　is　very　interesting　　very　interesting；
  indeed！　　What　does　she　say；　Sire？　　Will　she　marry　me？〃
  〃Ask　her；〃　retorted　the　King。
  〃I　have；　many　times；　and　every　time　she　has　refused。〃
  〃Well？〃　said　the　King　harshly。
  〃Well；〃　said　Googly…Goo　in　a　jaunty　tone；　〃a　bird
  that　can　sing；　and　won't　sing；　must　be　made　to　sing。〃
  〃Huh！〃　sneered　the　King。　〃That's　easy；　with　a　bird；　but
  a　girl　is　harder　to　manage。〃
  〃Still；〃　persisted　Googly…Goo；　〃we　must　overcome
  difficulties。　The　chief　trouble　is　that　Gloria　fancies
  she　loves　that　miserable　gardener's　boy；　Pon。　Suppose　we
  throw　Pon　into　the　Great　Gulf；　your　Majesty？〃
  〃It　would　do　you　no　good；〃　returned　the　King。　〃She
  would　still　love　him。〃
  〃Too　bad；　too　bad！〃　sighed　Googly…Goo。　〃I　have　laid
  aside　more　than　a　bushel　of　precious　gems　each　worth　a
  king's　ransom　　to　present　to　your　Majesty　on　the　day　I
  wed　Gloria。〃
  The　King's　eyes　sparkled；　for　he　loved　wealth　above
  everything；　but　the　next　moment　he　frowned　deeply　again。
  〃It　won't　help　us　to　kill　Pon；〃　he　muttered。　〃What　we
  must　do　is　kill　Gloria's　love　for　Pon。〃
  〃That　is　better；　if　you　can　find　a　way　to　do　it；〃
  agreed　Googly…Goo。　〃Everything　would　come　right　if　you
  could　kill　Gloria's　love　for　that　gardener's　boy。　Really；
  Sire；　now　that　I　come　to　think　of　it；　there　must　be　fully
  a　bushel　and　a　half　of　those　jewels！〃
  Just　then　a　messenger　entered　the　court　to　say　that　the
  banquet　was　prepared　for　the　strangers。　So　Cap'n　Bill；
  Trot　and　Button…Bright　entered　the　castle　and　were　taken
  to　a　room　where　a　fine　feast　was　spread　upon　the　table。
  〃I　don't　like　that　Lord　Googly…Goo；〃　remarked　Trot　as
  she　was　busily　eating。
  〃Nor　I；〃　said　Cap'n　Bill。　〃But　from　the　talk　we　heard　I
  guess　the　gardener's　boy　won't　get　the　Princess。〃
  〃Perhaps　not；〃　returned　the　girl；　〃but　I　hope　old
  Googly　doesn't　get　her；　either。〃
  〃The　King　means　to　sell　her　for　all　those　jewels；〃
  observed　Button…Bright；　his　mouth　half　full　of　cake　and
  jam。
  〃Poor　Princess！〃　sighed　Trot。　〃I'm　sorry　for　her；
  although　I've　never　seen　her。　But　if　she　says　no　to
  Googly…Goo；　and　means　it；　what　can　they　do？〃
  〃Don't　let　us　worry　about　a　strange　Princess；〃　advised
  Cap'n　Bill。　〃I've　a　notion　we're　not　too　safe；　ourselves；
  with　this　cruel　King。〃
  The　two　children　felt　the　same　way　and　all　three　were
  rather　solemn　during　the　remainder　of　the　meal。
  When　they　had　eaten；　the　servants　escorted　them　to
  their　rooms。　Cap'n　Bill's　room　was　way　to　one　end　of　the
  castle；　very　high　up；　and　Trot's　room　was　at　the　opposite
  end；　rather　low　down。　As　for　Button…Bright；　they　placed
  him　in　the　middle；　so　that　all　were　as　far　apart　as　they
  could　possibly　be。　They　didn't　like　this　arrangement　very
  well；　but　all　the　rooms　were　handsomely　furnished　and
  being　guests　of　the　King　they　dared　not　complain。
  After　the　strangers　had　left　the　courtyard　the　King　and
  Googly…Goo　had　a　long　talk　together；　and　the　King　said：
  〃I　cannot　force　Gloria　to　marry　you　just　now；　because
  those　strangers　may　interfere。　I　suspect　that　the　wooden…
  legged　man　possesses　great　magical　powers；　or　he　would
  never　have　been　able　to　carry　himself　and　those　children
  across　the　deadly　desert。〃
  〃I　don't　like　him；　he　looks　dangerous；〃　answered
  Googly…Goo。　〃But　perhaps　you　are　mistaken　about　his　being
  a　wizard。　Why　don't　you　test　his　powers？〃
  〃How？〃　asked　the　King。
  〃Send　for　the　Wicked　Witch。　She　will　tell　you　in　a
  moment　whether　that　wooden…legged　person　is　a　common　man
  or　a　magician。〃
  〃Ha！　that's　a　good　idea；〃　cried　the　King。　〃Why　didn't　I
  think　of　the　Wicked　Witch　before？　But　the　woman　demands
  rich　rewards　for　her　services。〃
  〃Never　mind；　I　will　pay　her；〃　promised　the　wealthy
  Googly…Goo。
  So　a　servant　was　dispatched　to　summon　the　Wicked　Witch；
  who　lived　but　a　few　leagues　from　King　Krewl's　castle。
  While　they　awaited　her；　the　withered　old　courtier
  proposed　that　they　pay　a　visit　to　Princess　Gloria　and　see
  if　she　was　not　now　in　a　more　complaisant　mood。　So　the　two
  started　away　together　and　searched　the　castle　over
  without　finding　Gloria。
  At　last　Googly…Goo　suggested　she　might　be　in　the　rear
  garden；　which　was　a　large　park　filled　with　bushes　and
  trees　and　surrounded　by　a　high　wall。　And　what　was　their
  anger；　when　they　turned　a　corner　of　the　path；　to　find　in
  a　quiet　nook　the　beautiful　Princess；　and　kneeling　before
  her；　Pon；　the　gardener's　boy！　With　a　roar　of　rage　the
  King　dashed　forward；　but　Pon　had　scaled　the　wall　by　means
  of　a　ladder；　which　still　stood　in　its　place；　and　when　he
  saw　the　King　coming　he　ran　up　the　ladder　and　made　good
  his　escape。　But　this　left　Gloria　confronted　by　her　angry
  guardian；　the　King；　and　by　old　Googly…Goo；　who　was
  trembling　with　a　fury　he　could　not　express　in　words。
  Seizing　the　Princess　by　her　arm　the　King　dragged　her
  back　to　the　castle。　Pushing　her　into　a　room　on　the　lower
  floor　he　locked　the　door　upon　the　unhappy　girl。　And　at
  that　moment　the　arrival　of　the　Wicked　Witch　was
  announced。
  Hearing　this；　the　King　smiled；　as　a　tiger　smiles；
  showing　his　teeth。　And　Googly…Goo　smiled；　as　a　serpent
  smiles；　for　he　had　no　teeth　except　a　couple　of　fangs。　And
  having　frightened　each　other　with　these　smiles　the　two
  dreadful　men　went　away　to　the　Royal　Council　Chamber　to
  meet　the　Wicked　Witch。
  Chapter　Twelve
  The　Wooden…Legged　Grass…Hopper
  Now　it　so　happened　that　Trot；　from　the　window　of　her
  room；　had　witnessed　the　meeting　of　the　lovers　in　the
  garden　and　had　seen　the　King　come　and　drag　Gloria　away。
  The　little　girl's　heart　went　out　in　sympathy　for　the　poor
  Princess；　who　seemed　to　her　to　be　one　of　the　sweetest　and
  loveliest　young　ladies　she　had　ever　seen；　so　she　crept
  along　the　passages　and　from　a　hidden　niche　saw　Gloria
  locked　in　her　room。
  The　key　was　still　in　the　lock；　so　when　the　King　had
  gone　away；　followed　by　Googly…Goo；　Trot　stole　up　to　the
  door；　turned　the　key　and　entered。　The　Princess　lay　prone
  upon　a　couch；　sobbing　bitterly。　Trot　went　up　to　her　and
  smoothed　her　hair　and　tried　to　comfort　her。
  〃Don't　cry；〃　she　s