Princess Turquoise, "A lock of my hair is loosened; bind
it up."

"Slave!" cried Princess Cobalt, "Unfasten my shoes; they're too tight."

"Slave!" cried Princess Sapphire, "Bring hither my box of blue
chocolates."

"Slave!" cried Princess Azure, "Stand by my side and fan me."

"Slave!" cried Princess Indigo, "Get out of that chair. How dare you
sit in our presence?"

"If you're saying all those things to me," replied Trot, "you may as
well save your breath. I'm no slave." And she cuddled down closer in
the chair.

"You ARE a slave!" shouted the six all together.

"I'm not!"

"Our father, the Revered and Resplendent Royal Ruler of the Blues, has
made you our slave," asserted Indigo with a yawn.

"But he can't," objected the little girl. "I'm some Royal an' Rapturous
an' Ridic'lous myself, an' I won't allow any cheap Boolooroo to order
me 'round."

"Are you of royal birth?" asked Azure, seeming surprised.

"Royal! Why, I'm an American, Snubnoses, and if there's anything
royaler than an American, I'd like to know what it is."

The Princesses seemed uncertain what reply to make to this speech and
began whispering together. Finally, Indigo said to Trot, "We do not
think it matters what you were in your own country, for having left
there you have forfeited your rank. By recklessly intruding into our
domain, you have become a slave, and being a slave you must obey us or
suffer the consequences."

"What cons'quences?" asked the girl.

"Dare to disobey us and you will quickly find out," snapped Indigo,
swaying her head from side to side on its long, swan-like neck like the
pendulum of a clock.

"I don't want any trouble," said Trot gravely. "We came to Sky Island
by mistake and wanted to go right away again; but your father wouldn't
let us. It isn't our fault we're still here, an' I'm free to say you're
a very dis'gree'ble an' horrid lot of people with no manners to speak
of, or you'd treat us nicely."

"No impertinence!" cried Indigo savagely.

"Why, it's the truth," replied Trot.

Indigo made a rush and caught Trot by both shoulders. The Princess was
twice the little girl's size, and she shook her victim so violently
that Trot's teeth rattled together. Then Princess Cobalt came up and
slapped one side of the slave's face, and Princess Turquoise ran
forward and slapped the other side. Cerulia gave Trot a push one way,
and Sapphire pushed her the other way, so the little girl was quite out
of breath an