"Rawly now--!" The King's English tottered to his knees.

"I _did_," prompted Gwendolyn, eager to help him.

"I did," repeated the King's English--but the polished tongue slipped
from his grasp!

"I seen!" followed up Thomas. "I sung!" _Crack! Crack!_

It was the last fatal onslaught.

The scarlet-coated figure fell forward. Yet bravely he strove again to
give tongue-lash for tongue-lash--by reaching out one palsied hand
toward his weapon.

"I--I--s-a-w!" he muttered; "I s-s-s-ing!"--And expired, with his last
breath gasping good grammar.

Instantly Thomas leaped the prostrate figure and strode to the Gate. He
was breathing hard, but looking about him boldly. "Now _I_ come
through," he boasted.

"O-o-o!" It was Gwendolyn's cry. "Officer, don't let him! _Don't!_"

In answer to her appeal, the Policeman seized Thomas by a lower ear and
shoved him against a gate-post. "You've committed murder!" he cried.
"And I arrest you!"

"Tongue-tie him!" shouted the little old gentleman, springing to jerk
Thomas's weapon out of his hand, and to snatch up the nicked and
splintered weapon of the vanquished soldier.

Under the great blazing sign of the Zoo entrance the capture was
accomplished. And in a moment, from his feet to his very ears, Thomas
was wrapped, arms tight against sides, in the scarlet toils of the
tongues.

"So!" exclaimed the little old gentleman as he tied a last knot.
"Thomas'll never bother my little girl again." And taking Gwendolyn by
the hand, he led her away.

It was not until she had gone some distance that she turned to take a
last look back. And saw, there beside the wide Gate, a rubber-plant, its
long leaves waving gently. It was Thomas, bound securely, and abandoned.

Yet she did not pity him. He had murdered the King's English, and he
deserved his punishment. Furthermore, he looked so green, so cool, so
ornamental!

CHAPTER XIII

So far, the Piper had seemed to be no one's friend--unless, perhaps, his
own. He had lagged along, surly or boisterous by turns, and careless of
his manners; not even showing respect to the Man-Who-Makes-Faces and the
Policeman! But now Gwendolyn remarked a change in him. For as he spoke
to her, he took his pipe out of his mouth--under the pretext of cleaning
it.

"Say!" he began in a cautious undertone: "I'll give you some advice
about Jane."

Gwendolyn was looking about her at the Zoo. Its roofs seemed countless.
They touched, having no streets