ulace, your Majesty, they only get the stale loaves or none at
all, and they're wild, your Majesty, very wild indeed."

"I suppose they are, Jinks," sighed the Queen.

"And the worst of it is, your Majesty, we're very short of soldiers.
The Commander-in-Chief"--both Jinks and the sergeant drew themselves
up and saluted at the name--"has taken a whole company to the seaboard
for to repel the cat pirates, and very fierce them pirates are, I've
heard tell. We may have to send him reinforcements at any time."

"The Commander-in-Chief, Jinks," said the Queen haughtily, "is a great
general. He will manage the pirates and the baker, too, if you can't
do it. And if the worst should come to the worst before he gets back,
why I'll just abdicate, that's all, and the baker can be king and much
good may it do him." She turned to the children and smiled at them.
"Now," she said, "you shall come with me and I will show you where I
used to live before I was a Queen."

The corn-cob doll waved her hand, gave an order, and immediately the
carriage in which sat Marie-Louise and Angelina-Elfrida was turned and
driven back to where the children stood.

"These ladies will enjoy a walk," said the Queen.

Very sulkily the two elegant doll-ladies got out of their carriage,
not daring to disobey, and passed by Ann, noses in the air, without so
much as a nod.

"Never mind them, dears," said the Queen kindly. "They don't know any
better. Now jump in!"

The children obeyed, hardly able to believe in their good luck, and in
another moment, much to the surprise and indignation of Captain
Jinks, they were rolling away from him, the Queen riding close beside
their carriage.

"You are safe now," said she, "at least until the revolution begins.
If Jinks should fire his cannon, that's a sign it's starting, but
don't worry"--as she saw that the children were looking rather
alarmed--"I dare say it will blow over without a battle. And now I
want you to look about you, for I don't think you have ever seen
anything like this before."

They had not indeed, and as their shyness wore off, the children began
to ask the Queen a great many questions. Was this her capital city
they were coming to? Were those the stores where all the dolls'
clothes in the world came from? Was it real water in the little
fountain playing in the middle of the square? All this time they were
being carried swiftly through the streets of the neatest, prettiest,
little, toy town