court frequently donated old ribbons,
feathers, or flowers, from discarded millinery or other finery, and all
these were utilized by the frippery loving courtiers.

Hester had contrived a witch costume, which was greatly admired. A red
skirt, a yellow shawl folded cornerwise, and a very tall peaked hat of
black with red and yellow ribbons, made the child look like some weird
creature.

Marjorie's tastes ran rather to magnificent attire, and she accumulated
waving plumes, artificial flowers, and floating gauze veils and
draperies.

The boys wore nondescript costumes, in which red jerseys and yellow
sashes played a prominent part, while King achieved the dignity of a
mantle, picturesquely slung from one shoulder. Many badges and orders
adorned their breasts, and lances and spears, wound with gilt paper,
added to the courtly effect.

"My dearly beloved Court," Marjorie began, beaming graciously from her
flower decked throne, "we are gathered together here to-day to listen to
the reading of our Court Journal,--a noble paper,--published by our
noble courtier, the Sand Piper, who will now read it to us."

"Hear! Hear!" cried all the courtiers.

"Most liege Majesty," began King, bowing so low that his shoulder cape
fell off. But he hastily swung it back into place and went on. "Also,
most liege lady-in-waiting, our noble Sand Witch, we greet thee. And we
greet our Grand Sandjandrum, and our noble Sandow, and our beloved Sand
Crab. We greet all, and everybody. Did I leave anybody out of this
greeting?"

"No! No!"

"All right; then I'll fire away. The first article in this paper is an
editorial,--I wrote it myself because I am editor-in-chief. You're all
editors, you know, but I'm the head editor."

"Why not say headitor?" suggested Tom.

"Good idea, friend Courtier! I'm the headitor, then. And this is my
headitorial. Here goes! 'Courtiers and Citizens: This journal, called
_The Jolly Sandboy_, shall relate from time to time the doings of our
noble court. It shall tell of the doughty deeds of our brave knights,
and relate the gay doings of our fair ladies. It shall mention news of
interest, if any, concerning the inhabitants of Seacote in general, and
the families of this court in particular. Our politics are not confined
to any especial party, but our platform is to grow up to be presidents
ourselves.' This ends my headitorial."

Great applause followed this masterpiece of journalistic literature, and
the Sand P