lights here and there, but Trot knew the general
direction in which the palace lay, and she decided to go there first.
She believed the Boolooroo would surely keep so important a prisoner as
Cap'n Bill locked up in his own palace.

Once or twice the little girl lost her way, for the streets were very
puzzling to one not accustomed to them, but finally she sighted the
great palace and went up to the entrance. There she found a double
guard posted. They were sitting on a bench outside the doorway, and
both stood up as she approached.

"We thought we heard footsteps," said one.

"So did we," replied the other, "yet there is no one in sight."

Trot then saw that the guards were the two patched men, Jimfred
Jonesjinks and Fredjim Jinksjones, who had been talking together quite
cheerfully. It was the first time the girl had seen them together, and
she marveled at the queer patching that had been so strongly united
here, yet so thoroughly separated them.

"You see," remarked Jimfred as they seated themselves again upon the
bench, "The Boolooroo has ordered the patching to take place tomorrow
morning after breakfast. The old Earth man is to be patched to poor
Tiggle instead of Ghip-Ghisizzle, who has in some way managed to escape
from the Room of the Great Knife--no one knows how but Tiggle, and
Tiggle won't tell."

"We're sorry for anyone who has to be patched," replied Fredjim in a
reflective tone, "for although it didn't hurt us as much as we
expected, it's a terrible mix-up to be in until we become used to our
strange combination. You and we are about alike, now, Jimfred, although
we were so different before."

"Not so," said Jimfred. "We are really more intelligent than you are,
for the left side of our brain was always the keenest before we were
patched."

"That may be," admitted Fredjim, "but we are much the strongest,
because our right arm was by far the best before we were patched."

"We are not sure of that," responded Jimfred, "for we have a right arm,
too, and it is pretty strong."

"We will test it," suggested the other, "by all pulling upon one end of
this bench with our right arms. Whichever can pull the bench from the
others must be the strongest."

While they were tussling at the bench, dragging it first here and then
there in the trial of strength, Trot opened the door of the palace and
walked in. It was pretty dark in the hall, and only a few dim blue
lights showed at intervals down the long co