Sky Island

Trot took her place next to Button-Bright at the table, and the parrot perched upon her shoulder, while the peacock stood upon one side of h

put out of the room, but Ghip-Ghisizzle said they could remain,

w that they were reunited-for a time, at least-they paid little heed to the sour looks and tau

and advised them to stay there until he returned so that the servants and soldiers would not molest them. "My people seem to dislike strangers," said the Majordomo thoughtfully, "and that surpris

replied Trot. "The Snubnoses ha

e becoming a royal favorit

mixer," adde

rrecting the sailor. "I'll not be gone long, for I'm no favorite of the

bbons with. Then, when he had retired to his own private room, he decided to send for the umbrella he had stolen from Button-Bright and test its magic powers. But the umbrella, in his hands, proved just as common as any other umbrella might be. He opened it and closed it, and turned it this way and that,

k that Magic Umbrella?"

sty, I do not,

teskins tell you so that I ca

your Majesty," s

waste any time, either, for as soon as we find out the secret of the umbrella I'm going to ha

, your Majesty," s

can

e who have lived that length of time are allowed to marc

neer. "Has anyone ever come out

one has ever gone into the Blue Gro

ey come out alive, I'll do a new sort of patching-I'll chop off their heads and mix 'em up, putting the wrong head on each of 'em. Ha, ha!

y will," replied

't. I've a suspicion that once they enter th

not approve the way the strangers were being treated an

rnestly. "We must get away from here somehow 'r other," said Cap'n

e to get my umbrella fir

Trot, "for I can't stand th

tonight,"

"but seein' as the Blue Boolooroo has locked it up in h

be done, Cap'n Bill, and there's no use waiting any longer. No

a Blue Wolf in the Treasur

, I

n guard outside," Ca

epeated But

King's own pocket," ad

feared they would never see the Magic Umbrella again. But their present position was a very s

rl had better keep away from the Princesses for tonight unless they demand her presence. The boy must go for the King's shoes and blue them and

end Sizzle," s

nd I will take yo

n it. Cap'n Bill's room had a small door leading out into the street of the City, but Ghip Ghisizzle advised him to

"for there is no way you can escape from the island, and here the s

way to the King's bedchamber. As they proceeded, they passed many rooms with closed doors, and before one of these a patched Blueskin was pacing up and down in a ti

who has lately arrived here," said Ghip-Ghisi

hap, with his pale yellow skin, and I imagine our cruel Booloo

n-Bright positively. "The

d. "You're the first person I ever

had marked the place well so he couldn't miss it when he wanted to find it again. When they came to the Kin

guard. "You will allow him to pass into his Majesty's chamber

ugly mood tonight. It will go hard with this little short

y, and the boy passed through several rooms to the

doing here?" he roared

r the shoes,"

e smashed a mirror while the other shattered a vase on a small table. His Majesty looked around

mbrella. All they need to do was to step out into the street, through the door of Cap'n Bill's room, and open the umbrella. Fortunately, the seats and

ight finally took the shoes in his hand and started for the Royal Bedchamber. He passed the guard of the Royal Treasu

ng here at this h

Majesty's shoes,"

till morning," c

looroo's orders," returned the boy quie

Boolooroo had given his Royal Bootblue. "Go in, then," said he, "but if you m

iet," promi

tiptoed carefully into the room, set down the royal shoes very gently and then crept to the chair where his Majesty's clothes were piled. Scarcely daring to breathe for fear of awakening the terrible monarch, the boy searched in t

ious umbrella he was seeking, or that he was undertaking a desperate adventure all for nothing. He passed the long-necked guard again, finding the man half asleep, and then made his way to the Treasure Chamber. Facing Jimfred, he said to the p

the surprised Jimfred. "Who w

our place," sai

mething absurd. You're not much of a guard, seems to me, but if anyone tries to rob the Treasure Chamber you must r

aid Butt

to the Treasure Chamber in his hand. But he had not forgotten that the ferocious Blue Wolf was guarding the interior of the Chamb

g fast with the excitement of the moment, but he knew he must regain the Magic Umbrella if he would save his comrades and himself from destruction, for wi

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