wall.

The Goat-mother and her children seated themselves gratefully, and as
they did so, a burst of music floated upon the air, several tunes
struggling together for the mastery.

"Yes; it's very unpleasant, isn't it?" said the Goat-Queen, seeing the
expression of surprise and uneasiness that showed itself on the
visitors' faces. "We're obliged to have all the chairs made like that,
to encourage the trade in musical boxes. I get very tired of it, I
assure you, and I often stand up all day, just for the sake of peace
and quietness. I really _dread_ sitting down!"

Meanwhile, the Goat-King was busily writing, covering his white paws
with ink in the process; and the Queen, in a very loud voice to make
herself heard, was conversing with the Goat-mother about her household
affairs.

"Supplies are most difficult to procure in this secluded spot," she
said mournfully. "Would you believe me, that last week we dined
_every_ day off boiled Geneva newspapers and cabbage? So monotonous,
and the King gets quite angry!"

"I wish we could live on boiled cuckoos!" cried the eldest Princess,
who with her sisters was seated on a bench by the window, spinning;
the pale green light of the Glacier shining upon their white dresses,
and the little brown spinning-wheels that whirred so rapidly before
them.

"Petitioner, the order is ready," said the King at this moment, waving
a large envelope. "Go straight home, and send this paper round to all
the Goats of the neighbourhood. It is an order to the 'Free-will'
Goats, to arm, and assemble at your house for the defence of your
family, and the rescue of the Heif-father."

The Goat-mother curtsied to the ground, kissed the Queen's hand, and
retired with Heinrich and Pyto through the passages to the landing
place.

At the last moment one of the Princesses came running after the
Goat-mother, to press a cuckoo clock upon her, as a parting present
from the Queen.

The clock was large, and they had some difficulty in getting it into
the boat, but the Goat-mother did not dare to refuse it.

With the Porter's help they got off at last, and started upon the
return voyage, Heinrich and Pyto rowing their hardest; for the current
swept through the ice-caves with such force that the Goat-mother had
some difficulty in steering.

As they came out into the daylight, they saw that the sun was almost
setting, and a faint pink light tinged the snow-fields, and the tops
of the distant mountains.