WHEN the Buccaneers arrived in Grumbletown and Red Beard heard what they had to tell, he began to make new plans. “Yo, ho, my husky lads!” said he; “so the boy King of Toyville wasn’t clever enough to capture you, was he? You hoisted sail and made a safe passage out of the harbor, did you? Well these are two fine craft you have brought along, and no mistake about that; we will find safe anchorage for them in our own city of Grumbletown.”

Red Beard meant Snow White and Coal Black, when he spoke of the two craft. He talked in that way to the {84} three Buccaneers, because once having been a pirate captain, that is the kind of language he liked best to use.

After a few minutes of thought, Red Beard spoke again.

“Listen, my hearties,” said he, “I have a new scheme to unfold to you. We can’t afford to have a boy and girl ruling in Toyville. Do I speak the truth, now?”

“Aye, aye, aye!” answered the three Buccaneers.

“’Tis well,” said Red Beard. “I see you are listening, and I say, ’tis well.” As he spoke, he tapped with his knuckles the butt of a pistol that was sticking out of his belt. “No, we can’t afford to let those Toy people have a boy and girl for their King and Queen. They will teach them too much skill and too many tricks, and soon make them so clever that it will mean the end of Grumbletown. Do I speak the truth, my bonny babies?”

“Aye, aye, aye!” answered the three Buccaneers.

“’Tis well, I see you listen,” said Red Beard; and again he tapped the butt of his big pistol. “Now I will give you my new plan: soldiers and cannon are all right for Kings that are used to ruling on land, but for a King that once was a pirate captain, give us a good smart ship and some stout rogues to man her, and that’s the way to win, say I. What ho, my hearties?”

“Aye, aye, aye!” cried the three Buccaneers.

“What do you say the King of Toyville will be doing just now?” asked Red Beard. “He will be eating his fine banquet up at the Castle with his Queen, won’t he? Well, then, now is the time to act, say I. Let someone go and spread the word in Toyville of a big battle, and tell the Toy people about how their soldiers have been attacked and how hundreds have been made prisoners.” {85}

“When the King and his Nobles up at the Castle hear of this, what will they do? What will they do, I say? Listen, my sea dogs, and I will tell you what King Tommy and his Nobles will do. They will mount their horses and ride out into the hills, and take all the soldiers with them. And how about Queen Helen? Will any soldiers be left at the Castle to protect the Queen? No, my husky darlings, no one will be left to protect the Queen. So, I say, now is our time to act; King Tommy and his soldiers will be too clever for us; we can’t fight them, but we can capture the Queen, and after that it won’t take long before we can strike up a bargain with the King. Are you listening, my three little lambs?”

“Aye, aye, aye!” cried the three Buccaneers.

“But,” grumbled Red Beard, as he took a hitch at his belt and let his sword jingle against the barrel of his pistol, “when we are rid of the King, how are we going to find a way to capture the Queen? that’s what I say. How are we going to capture the Queen?”

No one answered for almost a minute. Then Long Jim stepped into the room; the crafty courtier had arrived just in time to hear the King’s question, and, being a clever one, this is the way he answered:

“If our noble King will permit me to speak, I will tell the Buccaneers the plan I think our noble and kind King was about to unfold to them.”

“You may tell them my plan, old Oily Tongue,” replied Red Beard, for that is the name he had for Long Jim.

Of course, Long Jim knew the King didn’t really have any plan, and he just pretended, when he offered to tell what it was, because he thought that would please Red {86} Beard, who wanted to be thought very clever. Red Beard, however, knew the smooth ways of Long Jim, and that is why he called the crafty courtier “Oily Tongue.”

“Most kind and gentle Buccaneers,” said the courtier, “the King’s plan is this: he wishes you to take your pirate ship, the Black Rover, and sail through the River into the Lake at Toyville, where you are to await developments. Before night comes, you will have the Queen captive.”

“Aye, aye, aye!” answered the three Buccaneers, marching off to their ship, in which they soon were sailing down the river towards the Lake of Toyville.

After the departure of the three Buccaneers, Long Jim and Red Beard put their heads together, and to everything Long Jim said, the King kept nodding approval, until in the end, Long Jim bowed good day to Red Beard, and putting on his feathered cap, he too, set forth for Toyville.