BY the time the three Musicians appeared before the King and Queen, the entertainment was at an end, and only the few people who waited to see the donkey riding of Rolie Polie remained in the park.

Upon Mr. Poodle hearing that Rolie Polie proposed to give a performance, he hurried off to find the little clown, and put an end to his plans. “There is no telling, your Honor,” he said to the Mayor, “what that little clown of mine may do; he is apt to be up to all kinds of tricks, and if he once gets astride his donkey and tries to perform in this park, something serious is sure to happen.” {76}

When the Master of Ceremonies told the King about the three Musicians, King Tommy said: “So three strolling players have come! well, that is good. We will hear what kind of music they can play. Bid them tune up and say to them, we are listening and desire the best selection which they know how to render.”

The Master delivered the King’s command. Then the three whispered together, after which they made believe to tune their instruments, and began to play.

Well, perhaps the three were Musicians and perhaps the noise the horns made was called music, but it sounded no better than the howling of three cats; indeed, it sounded even worse.

“Hold!” cried King Tommy, as he placed a finger in each ear. “Stop, stop, we have had enough of that music! If there is no other tune you can play better than this one, you had best be going, for we can’t stand any more.”

“There is another tune we can play!” cried the big one; and quick as a wink he and the other two threw away their horns and thrust their hands under their coats.

Now what tune it was the three Musicians were going to play, I can do no more than guess; for no sooner did they get their hands inside their coats, than around the corner of a booth came Rolie Polie, driving his little donkey in a white and red chariot. The tooting of the horns had been too much for the donkey, and now the little clown could do nothing to check its wild gallop as it tore past the people and straight towards the three Musicians. One loud bray it gave; then a kick to the right and another to the left, and down went all three Musicians tumbling heels over head in the dust. {77}

Musicians, did I say? Well, they were musicians no longer, for beneath the torn and tumbled coat of each there might now be seen a broad belt holding big pistols and a keen edged cutlass.

“The three Buccaneers from Grumbletown!” yelled the Mayor. “Capture them quickly!”

Big Bill was on his feet in a moment. “We are discovered, we are discovered!” he cried. “Every man run for his life!”

Hardly were these words off his tongue, when the three were scurrying across the park and had no sooner reached the Arch of Welcome, than two of them bounded to the back of Coal Black, while Big Bill jumped into the saddle of Snow White, and away they rode like the wind.

The captain and soldiers followed quickly, but there was no chance of the Buccaneers being overtaken, for not a horse in Toyville could ever catch Coal Black and Snow White, even with Coal Black carrying double.

“Which way did the Buccaneers ride?” asked Tommy of the captain as soon as the soldiers returned.

“Your Majesty,” answered the captain, saluting the King, “they are headed for Grumbletown.”

“Grumbletown?” cried the Mayor. “Then we must look for trouble: Their King will probably declare war.”

“We must post our guards and call out the army,” said King Tommy. “If the King of Grumbletown makes an attack, he will find us ready.”

“Is there danger of war, Tommy?” asked Helen, who had been listening to the talk of the King and Mr. Poodle. “Because if there is, I think I would like to go home again. I don’t like battles.” {79}

“Don’t be afraid,” said Tommy. “You can go up to the Castle and stay; nothing will harm you there, and it won’t take me long when I have the Toyville army at my back, to defeat the soldiers of Grumbletown.”

Helen could see quite plainly that the Mayor and the captains liked to hear their King talking that way, and thought him very brave. She thought Tommy was brave too, when he spoke all those big words; so she said: “May we go up to the Castle now, Tommy?”

“Yes,” said Tommy. “Mr. Mayor will you please lead the way?”

“I will be glad, indeed, to do so” answered the Mayor; “and in any event, I think the people at the Castle are ready, by this time, to serve their banquet.”

“A banquet?” said Helen. “Are we to have a banquet? Won’t that be lovely!”

This was the second time Rolie Polie’s tricks had proved lucky for everybody, and it made the little clown quite a hero. But, although, he received an urgent invitation to attend the banquet at the castle, he preferred to stroll about a little with the Miller of Dee, who had invited him to see the sights of the town, and later to luncheon at the Barley Mill.

King Tommy at first was not inclined to give his consent to this plan, for he had been seriously considering a reward for Rolie Polie, which he intended bestowing at the banquet. Thinking the reward could wait, however, he gave the desired permission.