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impressive voice (although it still squeaked), "This is the wonderful city known
to fame as Bear Center!"
"
But there are no houses, there are no bears living here at all!" exclaimed
Cayke.
"
Oh indeed!" retorted their captor, and raising his gun he pulled the trigger.
The cork flew out of the tin barrel with a loud "pop!" and at once from every
hole in every tree within view of the clearing appeared the head of a bear.
They were of many colors and of many sizes, but all were made in the same
manner as the bear who had met and captured them.
At first a chorus of growls arose, and then a sharp voice cried, "What has
happened, Corporal Waddle?"
"
Captives, Your Majesty!" answered the Brown Bear. "Intruders upon our
domain and slanderers of our good name."
"
Ah, that's important," answered the voice.
Then from out the hollow trees tumbled a whole regiment of stuffed bears,
some carrying tin swords, some popguns and others long spears with gay
ribbons tied to the handles. There were hundreds of them, altogether, and
they quietly formed a circle around the Frogman and the Cookie Cook, but
kept at a distance and left a large space for the prisoners to stand in.
Presently, this circle parted, and into the center of it stalked a huge toy bear of
a lovely lavender color. He walked upon his hind legs, as did all the others,
and on his head he wore a tin crown set with diamonds and amethysts, while
in one paw he carried a short wand of some glittering metal that resembled
silver but wasn't.
"
His Majesty the King!" Corporal Waddle, and all the bears bowed low. Some
bowed so low that they lost their balance and toppled over, but they soon
scrambled up again, and the Lavender King squatted on his haunches before
the prisoners and gazed at them steadily with his bright, pink eyes.
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