he success of her
witchcraft.

"Did you see clearly?" she asked.

"We did, O Wonderful Witch!" they declared.

"Then," said Rosalie, "there can be no doubt in your minds that these
strangers have told you the truth."

"None at all," they admitted.

"What arguments are advanced by the six Counselors who voted to allow
them to remain here as guests?" inquired the Witch.

"They have done us no harm," answered Coralie, speaking for her side,
"therefore we should, in honor and justice, do them no harm."

Rosalie nodded. "What arguments have the others advanced?" she asked.

"They interfere with our color scheme and do not harmonize with our
people," a man of the Sunrise Tribe answered.

Again Rosalie nodded, and Trot thought her eyes twinkled a little.

"I think I now fully comprehend the matter," said she, "and so I will
cast my vote. I favor taking the Earth people to the edge of the island
and casting them into the sky."

For a moment there was perfect silence in the room. All present
realized that this was a decree of death to the strangers. Trot was
greatly surprised at the decision, and for a moment she thought her
heart had stopped beating, for a wave of fear swept over her.
Button-Bright flushed red as a Pinky and then grew very pale. He crept
closer to Trot and took her hand in his own, pressing it to give the
little girl courage. As for Cap'n Bill, he was watching the smiling
face of the Witch in a puzzled but not hopeless way, for he thought she
did not seem wholly in earnest in what she had said.

"The case is decided," announced Tourmaline in a clear, cold voice.
"The three strangers shall be taken at once to the edge of the island
and thrown over the bushes into the sky."

"It's raining hard outside," announced Coralie, who sat near the door.
"Why not wait until this shower is over?"

"I have said 'at once,'" replied the little Queen with dignity, "and so
it must be at once. We are accustomed to rain, so it need not delay us,
and when a disagreeable duty is to be performed, the sooner it is
accomplished the better."

"May I ask, ma'am," said Cap'n Bill, addressing the Witch, "why you
have decided to murder of us in this cold-blooded way?"

"I did not decide to murder you," answered Rosalie.

"To throw us off the island will be murder," declared the sailor.

"Then they cannot throw you off," the Witch replied.

"The Queen says they will."

"I know," said Rosalie, "but I'm quite positive