than the Pinkies, and if they have sharp sticks which are
longer than ours, they will surely defeat us."

"I have one magic charm," said Rosalie thoughtfully, "that will save
our army; but I am allowed to work only one magic charm every three
days--not oftener--and perhaps I'll need the magic for other things."

"Strikes me, ma'am," returned the sailor, "that what we need most on
this expedition is to capture the Blueskins. If we don't, we'll need
plenty of magic to help us back to the Pink Country; but if we do, we
can take care of ourselves without magic."

"Very well," replied Rosalie. "I will take your advice, Cap'n, and
enchant the weapons of the Pinkies." She then went out and had all the
Pinkies come before her, one by one, and she enchanted their sharp
sticks by muttering some cabalistic words and making queer passes with
her hands over the weapons. "Now," she said to them, "you will be
powerful enough to defeat the Blueskins whatever they may do." The
Pinkies were overjoyed at this promise, and it made them very brave
indeed, since they now believed they would surely be victorious.

When the Boolooroo's people were armed with long, thin, lances of
bluewood all sharpened to fine points at one end, they prepared to
march once more against the invaders. Their sticks were twice as long
as those of the Pinkies, and the Boolooroo chuckled with glee to think
what fun they would have in punching holes in the round, fat bodies of
his enemies.

Out from the gate they marched very boldly and pressed on to attack the
Pinkies, who were drawn up in line of battle to receive them, with
Cap'n Bill at their head. When the opposing forces came together,
however, and the Blueskins pushed their points against the Pinkies, the
weapons which had been enchanted by Rosalie began to whirl in swift
circles--so swift that the eye could scarcely follow the motion. The
result was that the lances of the Boolooroo's people could not touch
the Pinkies, but were thrust aside with violence and either broken in
two or sent hurling through the air in all directions. Finding
themselves so suddenly disarmed, the amazed Blueskins turned about and
ran again, while Cap'n Bill, greatly excited by his victory, shouted to
his followers to pursue the enemy, and hobbled after them as fast as he
could make his wooden leg go, swinging his sharp stick as he advanced.

The Blues were in such a frightened, confused mass that they got in one
another's way