ow tones. Then one
of the women came forward and addressed the strangers. "Your story is
the strangest we have ever heard," said she, "and your presence here is
still more strange and astonishing. So we have decided to take you to
Tourmaline and let her decide what shall be your fate."

"Who is Tourmaline?" inquired Trot doubtfully, for she didn't like the
idea of being "taken" to anyone.

"The Queen of the Pinkies. She is the sole Ruler of our country, so the
word of Tourmaline is the Law of the Land."

"Seems to me we've had 'bout enough of kings an' queens," remarked
Cap'n Bill. "Can't we shy your Tut-Tor-mar-line--or whatever you call
her--in some way an' deal with you direct?"

"No. Until we prove your truth and honor we must regard you as enemies
of our race. If you had a Magic Umbrella, you may be magicians and
sorcerers come here to deceive us and perhaps betray us to our natural
enemies, the Blueskins."

"Mud and bricks, fiddlesticks!
We don't play such nasty tricks,"

yelled the parrot angrily, and this caused the Pinkies to shrink back
in alarm, for they had never seen a parrot before.

"Surely this is magic!" declared one of the men. "No bird can talk
unless inspired by witchcraft."

"Oh yes, parrots can," said Trot. But this incident had determined the
Pinkies to consider our friends prisoners and to take them immediately
before their Queen.

"Must we fight you?" asked the woman. "Or will you come with us
peaceably?"

"We'll go peaceable," answered Cap'n Bill. "You're a-makin' a sad
mistake, for we're as harmless as doves; but seein' as you're
suspicious, we'd better have it out with your Queen first as last."

Their clothing was quite dry by this time, although much wrinkled and
discolored by the penetrating fog, so at once they prepared to follow
the Pinkies. The two men walked on either side of them, holding the
pointed sticks ready to jab them if they attempted to escape, and the
two women followed in the rear, also armed with sharp sticks.

So the procession moved along the pretty roadways to the City, which
they soon reached. There was a strong, high wall of pink marble around
it, and they passed through a gate made of pink metal bars and found
themselves in a most delightful and picturesque town. The houses were
big and substantial, all round in shape, with domed roofs and circular
windows and doorways. In all the place there was but one street--a
circular one that started at the