usually
knows, it is true, but I am not yet so wise as I hope to become at some
future time."

The King nodded, and when he did so something squeaked in his chest.

"Did Your Majesty speak?" asked Cayke.

"Not just then," answered the Lavender Bear, seeming to be somewhat
embarrassed. "I am so built, you must know, that when anything pushes
against my chest, as my chin accidentally did just then, I make that
silly noise. In this city it isn't considered good manners to notice it.
But I like your Frogman. He is honest and truthful, which is more than
can be said of many others. As for your late lamented dishpan, I'll show
it to you."

With this he waved three times the metal wand which he held in his paw
and instantly there appeared upon the ground, midway between the King
and Cayke, a big round pan made of beaten gold. Around the top edge was
a row of small diamonds; around the center of the pan was another row of
larger diamonds; and at the bottom was a row of exceedingly large and
brilliant diamonds. In fact, they all sparkled magnificently and the pan
was so big and broad that it took a lot of diamonds to go around it
three times.

Cayke stared so hard that her eyes seemed about to pop out of her head.

"O-o-o-oh!" she exclaimed, drawing a deep breath of delight.

"Is this your dishpan?" inquired the King.

[Illustration]

"It is--it is!" cried the Cookie Cook, and rushing forward she fell on
her knees and threw her arms around the precious pan. But her arms came
together without meeting any resistance at all. Cayke tried to seize the
edge, but found nothing to grasp. The pan was surely there, she thought,
for she could see it plainly; but it was not solid; she could not feel
it at all. With a moan of astonishment and despair she raised her head
to look at the Bear King, who was watching her actions curiously. Then
she turned to the pan again, only to find it had completely disappeared.

"Poor creature!" murmured the King pityingly. "You must have thought,
for the moment, that you had actually recovered your dishpan. But what
you saw was merely the image of it, conjured up by means of my magic. It
is a pretty dishpan, indeed, though rather big and awkward to handle. I
hope you will some day find it."

Cayke was grievously disappointed. She began to cry, wiping her eyes on
her apron. The King turned to the throng of toy bears surrounding him
and asked:

"Has any of you ever seen this golden dishpan befo