ople
would be sure to hurt the strangers if they had the chance to attack
them.

"You're safer in the palace than anywhere else," said the Majordomo,
"for there is no way you can escape from the island, and here the
servants and soldiers dare not injure you for fear of the Boolooroo."

He placed Trot and her six pets--which followed her wherever she
went--in one room, and Cap'n Bill in another, and took Button-Bright
away with him to show the boy the way to the King's bedchamber. As they
proceeded, they passed many rooms with closed doors, and before one of
these a patched Blueskin was pacing up and down in a tired and sleepy
way. It was Jimfred Jinksjones, the double of the Fredjim Jonesjinks
they had talked with in the servants' hall, and he bowed low before the
Majordomo.

"This is the King's new bootblue, a stranger who has lately arrived
here," said Ghip-Ghisizzle, introducing the boy to the patched man.

"I'm sorry for him," muttered Jimfred. "He's a queer-looking chap, with
his pale yellow skin, and I imagine our cruel Boolooroo is likely to
patch him before long, as he did me--I mean us."

"No he won't," said Button-Bright positively. "The Boolooroo's afraid
of me."

"Oh, that's different," said Jimfred. "You're the first person I ever
knew that could scare our Boolooroo."

They passed on, and Ghip-Ghisizzle whispered, "That is the Royal
Treasure Chamber." Button-Bright nodded. He had marked the place well
so he couldn't miss it when he wanted to find it again. When they came
to the King's apartments there was another guard before the door, this
time a long-necked soldier with a terrible scowl.

"This slave is the Royal Bootblue," said Ghip-Ghisizzle to the guard.
"You will allow him to pass into his Majesty's chamber to get the royal
shoes and to return them when they are blued."

"All right," answered the guard. "Our Boolooroo is in an ugly mood
tonight. It will go hard with this little short-necked creature if he
doesn't polish the shoes properly."

Then Ghip-Ghisizzle left Button-Bright and went away, and the boy
passed through several rooms to the Royal Bedchamber, where his Majesty
sat undressing.

"Hi, there! What are you doing here?" he roared as he saw Button-Bright.

"I've come for the shoes," said the boy.

The king threw them at his head, aiming carefully, but Button-Bright
dodged the missiles, and one smashed a mirror while the other shattered
a vase on a small table. His Majesty lo