hought
the Frogman was much wiser than he really was, and he allowed them to
think so, being very proud of his position of authority.

There was another pool on the tableland, which was not enchanted but
contained good clear water and was located close to the dwellings. Here
the people built the Frogman a house of his own, close to the edge of
the pool, so that he could take a bath or a swim whenever he wished. He
usually swam in the pool in the early morning, before anyone else was
up, and during the day he dressed himself in his beautiful clothes and
sat in his house and received the visits of all the Yips who came to him
to ask his advice.

The Frogman's usual costume consisted of knee-breeches made of yellow
satin plush, with trimmings of gold braid and jeweled knee-buckles; a
white satin vest with silver buttons in which were set solitaire rubies;
a swallow-tailed coat of bright yellow; green stockings and red leather
shoes turned up at the toes and having diamond buckles. He wore, when he
walked out, a purple silk hat and carried a gold-headed cane. Over his
eyes he wore great spectacles with gold rims, not because his eyes were
bad but because the spectacles made him look wise, and so distinguished
and gorgeous was his appearance that all the Yips were very proud of
him.

There was no King or Queen in the Yip Country, so the simple inhabitants
naturally came to look upon the Frogman as their leader as well as their
counselor in all times of emergency. In his heart the big frog knew he
was no wiser than the Yips, but for a frog to know as much as a person
was quite remarkable, and the Frogman was shrewd enough to make the
people believe he was far more wise than he really was. They never
suspected he was a humbug, but listened to his words with great respect
and did just what he advised them to do.

Now, when Cayke the Cookie Cook raised such an outcry over the theft of
her diamond-studded dishpan, the first thought of the people was to take
her to the Frogman and inform him of the loss, thinking that of course
he could tell her where to find it.

He listened to the story with his big eyes wide open behind his
spectacles, and said in his deep, croaking voice:

"If the dishpan is stolen, somebody must have taken it."

"But who?" asked Cayke, anxiously. "Who is the thief?"

[Illustration]

"The one who took the dishpan, of course," replied the Frogman, and
hearing this all the Yips nodded their heads grav