ng or early morning, and the rest of the day
you are at liberty to do as you please."

"It won't last long, Button-Bright," said Cap'n Bill consolingly.
"Somethin's bound to happen pretty soon, you know."

"I think so myself," answered the boy.

"And now," remarked Ghip-Ghisizzle, "since you understand your new
duties, perhaps you'd like to walk out with me and see the Blue City
and the glorious Blue Country of Sky Island."

"We would that!" cried Cap'n Bill promptly.

So they accompanied their new friend through a maze of passages--for
the palace was very big--and then through a high, arched portal into
the streets of the City. So rapid had been their descent when the
umbrella landed them in the royal garden that they had not even caught
a glimpse of the Blue City, so now they gazed with wonder and interest
at the splendid sights that met their eyes.

THE BLUE CITY

CHAPTER 8

The Blue City was quite extensive, and consisted of many broad streets
paved with blue marble and lined with splendid buildings of the same
beautiful material. There were houses and castles and shops for the
merchants, and all were prettily designed and had many slender spires
and imposing turrets that rose far into the blue air. Everything was
blue here, just as was everything in the Royal Palace and gardens, and
a blue haze overhung all the city.

"Doesn't the sun ever shine?" asked Cap'n Bill.

"Not in the blue part of Sky Island," replied Ghip-Ghisizzle. "The moon
shines here every night, but we never see the sun. I am told, however,
that on the other half of the Island--which I have never seen--the sun
shines brightly but there is no moon at all."

"Oh," said Button-Bright. "Is there another half to Sky Island?'

"Yes, a dreadful place called the Pink Country. I'm told everything
there is pink instead of blue. A fearful place it must be, indeed!"
said the Blueskin with a shudder.

"I dunno 'bout that," remarked Cap'n Bill. "That Pink Country sounds
kind o' cheerful to me. Is your Blue Country very big?"

"It is immense," was the proud reply. "This enormous city extends a
half mile in all directions from the center, and the country outside
the City is fully a half-mile further in extent. That's very big, isn't
it?"

"Not very," replied Cap'n Bill with a smile. "We've cities on the Earth
ten times bigger, an' then some big besides. We'd call this a small
town in our country."

"Our Country is thousands of miles wid