s rebelled at such treatment, and believing
they ought to protect Trot, whom they knew to be their friend, they
proceeded to defend her. The little blue dog dashed at Indigo and bit
her right ankle, while the blue cat scratched her left leg with its
claws and the parrot flew upon her shoulder and pecked her ear. The
lamb ran up and butted Indigo so that she stumbled forward on her face,
when the peacock proceeded to pound her head with his wings. Indigo,
screaming with fright, sprang to her feet again, but the rabbit ran
between her legs and tripped her up, all the time roaring loudly like a
lion, and the dog crowed triumphantly, as a rooster crows, while the
cat warbled noisily and the lamb chattered and the parrot barked and
the peacock screeched "me-ow!"

Altogether, Indigo was, as Trot said, "scared stiff," and she howled
for help until her sisters ran in and rescued her, pulling her through
the bedchamber into the reception room. When she was alone, Trot sat
down on the floor and laughed until the tears came to her eyes, and she
hugged all the pets and kissed them every one and thanked them for
protecting her.

"That's all right;
We like a fight,"

declared the parrot in reply.

The Princesses were horrified to find Indigo so scratched and bitten,
and they were likewise amazed at the rebellion of their six pets, which
they had never petted, indeed, but kept in their boudoirs so they could
abuse them whenever they felt especially wicked or ill-natured. None of
the snubnosed ones dared enter the room where the girl was, but they
called through a crack in the door for Trot to come out instantly.
Trot, pretending not to hear, paid no attention to these demands.

Finding themselves helpless and balked of their revenge, the Six
Snubnosed Princesses finally recovered from their excitement and
settled down to a pleasant sisterly quarrel, as was their customary
amusement. Indigo wanted to have Trot patched, and Cerulia wanted her
beaten with knotted cords, and Cobalt wanted her locked up in a dark
room, and Sapphire wanted her fed on sand, and Turquoise wanted her
bound to a windmill, and so between these various desires, they
quarreled and argued until dinner time arrived.

Trot was occupying Indigo's room, so that Princess was obliged to dress
with Azure, not daring to enter her own chamber, and the two sisters
quarreled so enthusiastically that they almost came to blows before
they were ready for dinner.

B