"Can't you get another one?" asked the little boy.

"I don't want another!" wailed the young man.

By this time Trot and Cap'n Bill arrived at the spot and the girl
leaned over and said in a sympathetic voice:

"Tell us your troubles and perhaps we may help you."

The youth sat up, then, and bowed politely. Afterward he got upon his
feet, but still kept wringing his hands as he tried to choke down his
sobs. Trot thought he was very brave to control such awful agony so
well.

"My name is Pon," he began. "I'm the gardener's boy."

"Then the gardener of the King is your father, I suppose," said Trot.

"Not my father, but my master," was the reply

"I do the work and the gardener gives the orders. And it was not my
fault, in the least, that the Princess Gloria fell in love with me."

"Did she, really?" asked the little girl.

"I don't see why," remarked Button-Bright, staring at the youth.

"And who may the Princess Gloria be?" inquired Cap'n Bill.

"She is the niece of King Krewl, who is her guardian. The Princess
lives in the castle and is the loveliest and sweetest maiden in all
Jinxland. She is fond of flowers and used to walk in the gardens with
her attendants. At such times, if I was working at my tasks, I used to
cast down my eyes as Gloria passed me; but one day I glanced up and
found her gazing at me with a very tender look in her eyes. The next
day she dismissed her attendants and, coming to my side, began to talk
with me. She said I had touched her heart as no other young man had
ever done. I kissed her hand. Just then the King came around a bend in
the walk. He struck me with his fist and kicked me with his foot. Then
he seized the arm of the Princess and rudely dragged her into the
castle."

"Wasn't he awful!" gasped Trot indignantly.

"He is a very abrupt King," said Pon, "so it was the least I could
expect. Up to that time I had not thought of loving Princess Gloria,
but realizing it would be impolite not to return her love, I did so. We
met at evening, now and then, and she told me the King wanted her to
marry a rich courtier named Googly-Goo, who is old enough to be
Gloria's father. She has refused Googly-Goo thirty-nine times, but he
still persists and has brought many rich presents to bribe the King. On
that account King Krewl has commanded his niece to marry the old man,
but the Princess has assured me, time and again, that she will wed only
me. This morning we happened to meet in the