he palace yard they
discovered, by chance, an old door that led to the stairway in a tower.
Of course they climbed up, up, up, until they stood at last in the
cupola at the very top. Far beneath their feet they saw the roofs of the
Royal Palace, and the gardens, fields, and orchards, like spots and
splashes of color. The walks and courts appeared as lines and squares of
white, while the soldiers and servants moved about like tiny animated
dots. Reaching away from the palace grounds on every side was the
wonderful city Daybyday, so far below that no sound could reach their
ears. To their delight, the princes found that they could even look down
upon the Great Wall; and, because there were that day no clouds to shut
out the view, they could see far, far away over the Land of Allthetime.

[Illustration: (see king005.png)]

"Look, brother," cried Seemsto-Be, catching Really-Is by the arm in
quick excitement, "Look! what is that flashing and gleaming in the sun?"

As he spoke, he pointed afar off to the land beyond the river that marks
the end of Allthetime.

"I'm sure I cannot tell;" answered Really-Is, shading his eyes with his
open hand and gazing long and earnestly in the direction his brother
indicated; "It looks--it looks like a city."

"It is, it is," cried Seemsto-Be. "It is the City Sometime in the Land
of Yettocome. I remember hearing once the Chief Gardener telling the
Chief Coachman about it, and he said that the Chief Cook said that he
heard the Captain of the Guard say that it is far more wonderful than
our own city Daybyday; and it must be so, Really-Is, for see, brother,
how the walls shine like polished silver, and look! Is not that a palace
or a temple blazing so like a ruby flame?"

Often after that did the twin princes, Really-Is and Seemsto-Be, climb
the winding stairs in the palace tower and look away over the Great Wall
of Daybyday to the City Sometime in the Land of Yettocome. Many were the
hours they spent talking of the marvelous place that so filled the
distance with dazzling splendor. And at last, when the princes were
quite grown, they went before their royal father and asked permission to
visit the city they had seen.

Now King What-Soever-Youthink was very sad when his sons made their
request, but nevertheless, because he was a wise king, he gave his royal
consent, and, that the brothers might make their journey in comfort,
presented to each a priceless horse from the palace stables. T