he amused himself. But now the frown died
away from his face and was replaced with a look of satisfaction.

"Have you nearly finished?" he inquired.

"No," said Trot, "we've got to eat our apples yet."

"Apples? Apples? What are apples?" he asked.

Trot took some from the basket. "Have one?" she said. "They're awful
good."

The Boolooroo advanced a step and took the apple, which he regarded
with much curiosity.

"Guess they don't grow anywhere but on the Earth," remarked Cap'n Bill.

"Are they good to eat?" asked the Boolooroo.

"Try it and see," answered Trot, biting into an apple herself.

The Blueskin sat down on the end of their bench, next to Button-Bright,
and began to eat his apple. He seemed to like it, for he finished it in
a hurry, and when it was gone he picked up the Magic Umbrella.

"Let that alone!" said Button-Bright, making a grab for it. But the
Boolooroo jerked it away in an instant, and standing up he held the
umbrella behind him and laughed aloud.

"Now then," said he, "you can't get away until I'm willing to let you
go. You are my prisoners."

"I guess not," returned Cap'n Bill, and reaching out one of his long
arms, the sailorman suddenly grasped the Boolooroo around his long,
thin neck and shook him until his whole body fluttered like a flag.
"Drop that umbrel. Drop it!" yelled Cap'n Bill, and the Boolooroo
quickly obeyed. The Magic Umbrella fell to the ground, and
Button-Bright promptly seized it. Then the sailor let go his hold and
the King staggered to a seat, choking and coughing to get his breath
back.

"I told you to let things alone," growled Cap'n Bill. "If you don't
behave, your Majesty, this Blue Island'll have to get another
Boolooroo."

"Why?" asked the Blueskin.

"Because I'll prob'ly spoil you for a king, an' mebbe for anything
else. Anyhow, you'll get badly damaged if you try to interfere with us,
an' that's a fact."

"Don't kill him, Cap'n Bill," said Trot cheerfully.

"Kill me? Why, he couldn't do that," observed the King, who was trying
to rearrange the ruffle around his neck. "Nothing can kill me."

"Why not?" asked Cap'n Bill.

"Because I haven't lived my six hundred years yet. Perhaps you don't
know that every Blueskin in Sky Island lives exactly six hundred years
from the time he is born."

"No, I didn't know that," admitted the sailor.

"It's a fact," said the King. "Nothing can kill us until we've lived to
the last day of our appointed lives. Wh