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with Krewl and tapped him gently on the nose with the knuckles of his closed

hand. This so provoked the wicked Krewl that he tripped my father backward,

so that he fell into a deep pond. At once Krewl threw in a mass of heavy

stones, which so weighted down my poor father that his body could not rise

again to the surface. It is impossible to kill anyone in this land, as perhaps

you know, but when my father was pressed down into the mud at the bottom

of the deep pool and the stones held him so he could never escape, he was of

no more use to himself or the world than if he had died. Knowing this, Krewl

proclaimed himself King, taking possession of the royal castle and driving all

my father's people out. I was a small boy, then, but when I grew up I became a

gardener. I have served King Krewl without his knowing that I am the son of

the same King Phearse whom he so cruelly made away with."

My, but that's a terr'bly exciting story!" said Trot, drawing a long breath. "But

tell us, Pon, who was Gloria's father?"

Oh, he was the King before my father," replied Pon. "Father was Prime

Minister for King Kynd, who was Gloria's father. She was only a baby when

King Kynd fell into the Great Gulf that lies just this side of the mountains--the

same mountains that separate Jinxland from the rest of the Land of Oz. It is

said the Great Gulf has no bottom; but, however that may be, King Kynd has

never been seen again and my father became King in his place."

Seems to me," said Trot, "that if Gloria had her rights she would be Queen of

Jinxland."

Well, her father was a King," admitted Pon, "and so was my father; so we are

of equal rank, although she's a great lady and I'm a humble gardener's boy. I

can't see why we should not marry if we want to except that King Krewl won't

let us."

It's a sort of mixed-up mess, taken altogether," remarked Cap'n Bill. "But we

are on our way to visit King Krewl, and if we get a chance, young man, we'll

put in a good word for you."

Do, please!" begged Pon.

Was it the flogging you got that broke your heart?" inquired Button-Bright.

Why, it helped to break it, of course," said Pon.

The Scarecrow of Oz