had struck a rubber rock headforemost and was so crumpled up
that his round body looked more like a bouncing-ball than the form of a
man.

Betsy laughed merrily at the strange sight and Polychrome echoed her
laughter. But Ozga was grave and wondering, while Queen Ann became
angry at seeing the chief officers of the Army of Oogaboo bounding
around in so undignified a manner. She shouted to them to stop, but
they were unable to obey, even though they would have been glad to do
so. Finally, however, they all ceased bounding and managed to get upon
their feet and rejoin the Army.

"Why did you do that?" demanded Ann, who seemed greatly provoked.

"Don't ask them why," said Shaggy earnestly. "I knew you would ask them
why, but you ought not to do it. The reason is plain. Those stones are
rubber; therefore they are not stones. Those rocks around us are
rubber, and therefore they are not rocks. Even this path is not a path;
it's rubber. Unless we are very careful, your Majesty, we are all
likely to get the bounce, just as your poor officers and Tik-Tok did."

"Then let's be careful," remarked Files, who was full of wisdom; but
Polychrome wanted to test the quality of the rubber, so she began
dancing. Every step sent her higher and higher into the air, so that
she resembled a big butterfly fluttering lightly. Presently she made a
great bound and bounded way across the stream, landing lightly and
steadily on the other side.

"There is no rubber over here," she called to them. "Suppose you all
try to bound over the stream, without touching the stepping-stones."

Ann and her officers were reluctant to undertake such a risky
adventure, but Betsy at once grasped the value of the suggestion and
began jumping up and down until she found herself bounding almost as
high as Polychrome had done. Then she suddenly leaned forward and the
next bound took her easily across the brook, where she alighted by the
side of the Rainbow's Daughter.

"Come on, Hank!" called the girl, and the donkey tried to obey. He
managed to bound pretty high but when he tried to bound across the
stream he misjudged the distance and fell with a splash into the middle
of the water.

"Hee-haw!" he wailed, struggling toward the far bank. Betsy rushed
forward to help him out, but when the mule stood safely beside her she
was amazed to find he was not wet at all.

"It's dry water," said Polychrome, dipping her hand into the stream and
showing how the water fel