King Terribus
and Marvel standing quietly waiting to receive them, weapons in hand
and ready for battle. A few paces off the soldiers hesitated and
stopped altogether, and Kwytoffle yelled at the captain:

"Why don't you go on? Why don't you capture them? Why don't you fight
them?"

"Why, they have drawn their swords!" responded the captain,
reproachfully.

"Who cares?" roared the sorcerer.

"We care," said the captain, giving a shudder, as he looked upon the
strangers. "Their swords are sharp, and some of us would get hurt."

"You're cowards!" shrieked the enraged Kwytoffle. "I'll turn you all
into June-bugs!"

At this threat the soldiers dropped their swords and axes, and all fell
upon their knees, trembling visibly and imploring their cruel master
not to change them into june-bugs.

"Bah!" cried Nerle, scornfully; "why don't you fight? If we kill you,
then you will escape being June-bugs."

"The fact is," said the captain, woefully, "we simply can't fight. For
our swords are only tin, and our axes are made of wood, with
silver-paper pasted over them."

"But why is that?" asked Wul-Takim, while all the party showed their
surprise.

"Why, until now we have never had any need to fight," said the captain,
"for every one has quickly surrendered to us or run away the moment we
came near. But you people do not appear to be properly frightened, and
now, alas! since you have drawn upon us the great sorcerer's anger, we
shall all be transformed into June-bugs."

"Yes!" roared Kwytoffle, hopping up and down with anger, "you shall all
be June-bugs, and these strangers I will transform into grasshoppers!"

"Very well," said Prince Marvel, quietly; "you can do it now."

"I will! I will!" cried the sorcerer.

"Then why don't you begin?" inquired the prince.

"Why don't I begin? Why, I haven't got the enchantments with me,
that's why. Do you suppose we great magicians carry around
enchantments in our pockets?" returned the other, in a milder tone.

"Where do you keep your enchantments?" asked the prince.

"They're in my dwelling," snapped Kwytoffle, taking off his hat and
fanning his fat face with the brim.

"Then go and get them," said Marvel.

"Nonsense! If I went to get the enchantments you would all run away!"
retorted the sorcerer.

"Not so!" protested Nerle, who was beginning to be amused. "My
greatest longing in life is to become a grasshopper."

"Oh, yes! PLEASE let us be grasshoppe