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Huh!" sneered the King. "That's easy, with a bird; but a girl is harder to

manage."

Still," persisted Googly-Goo, "we must overcome difficulties. The chief trouble

is that Gloria fancies she loves that miserable gardener's boy, Pon. Suppose

we throw Pon into the Great Gulf, your Majesty?"

It would do you no good," returned the King. "She would still love him."

Too bad, too bad!" sighed Googly-Goo. "I have laid aside more than a bushel

of precious gems--each worth a king's ransom--to present to your Majesty on

the day I wed Gloria."

The King's eyes sparkled, for he loved wealth above everything; but the next

moment he frowned deeply again.

It won't help us to kill Pon," he muttered. "What we must do is kill Gloria's

love for Pon."

That is better, if you can find a way to do it," agreed Googly-Goo. "Everything

would come right if you could kill Gloria's love for that gardener's boy. Really,

Sire, now that I come to think of it, there must be fully a bushel and a half of

those jewels!"

Just then a messenger entered the court to say that the banquet was prepared

for the strangers. So Cap'n Bill, Trot and Button-Bright entered the castle and

were taken to a room where a fine feast was spread upon the table.

I don't like that Lord Googly-Goo," remarked Trot as she was busily eating.

Nor I," said Cap'n Bill. "But from the talk we heard I guess the gardener's boy

won't get the Princess."

Perhaps not," returned the girl; "but I hope old Googly doesn't get her, either."

The King means to sell her for all those jewels," observed Button-Bright, his

mouth half full of cake and jam.

Poor Princess!" sighed Trot. "I'm sorry for her, although I've never seen her.

But if she says no to Googly-Goo, and means it, what can they do?"

Don't let us worry about a strange Princess," advised Cap'n Bill. "I've a notion

we're not too safe, ourselves, with this cruel King."

The Scarecrow of Oz