such
unkind names."

"Well, she _is_ a crosspatch."

"Well, never mind if she is. Don't let's call names, anyway."

And then Hester arrived. It was easily seen she was prepared for a fray.
She was not smiling, and she said "Hello" with a very sour expression of
face. Then she turned to Midget.

"Did you make me a new crown?" she said. "Are you going to let me be
Queen?"

"We have to vote about that," returned Marjorie, "and I do hope, my
courtiers, that we won't have any squabbling before our royal visitor,
Miss Princess Sand,--Sand--well, San Diego is the only name I can think
of for Kit!"

"Hail, Princess Sandeago!" cried Tom, and all the courtiers ducked
almost to the ground in low bows.

"Now," went on Marjorie, "our first business this morning is the
election of a new Queen."

"Queens aren't elected," growled Tom, "they,--they,--what _do_ they do?
Oh, they succeed!"

"That's exactly what they do!" cried Midget. "And _I'm_ going to
succeed! I mean I'm going to succeed in my plan of having Hester succeed
me! I asked Father about elections, and he said people could be
instructed to vote a certain way. So I hereby instruct you all, my
beloved courtiers, to vote for a new Queen. The same to be our beloved
Sand Witch."

"Beloved grandmother!" exclaimed Tom, irrepressibly.

"No, my Grand Sandjandrum," went on Midget, looking sternly at him, "she
isn't your grandmother, but she's to be your new sovereign, so you may
as well make up your mind to it."

As Hester began to think Midget was going to make the change, whether
the boys wanted to or not, she suddenly became very light-hearted and
smiled at everybody.

"I'll be a good Queen," she said, ingratiatingly, "and I'll do whatever
you want me to."

And then King waked up to the fact that since Midget desired this
change, and since it might have the effect of keeping Hester pleasant
and good-natured, perhaps it was a good plan after all. So he said:

"All right; I'll vote as Queen Sandy instructs."

Tom looked at him in surprise, and then, remembering he had practically
promised to do as Marjorie asked, he said:

"Well, I will too. But only on condition that the new Queen promises to
be pleasant and nice all the time."

"I will," declared Hester, earnestly, her face fairly radiant now at
the thought of wearing the crown.

"You ought to take an oath of office and say so," advised Kitty, who was
critically watching the proceedings.

"What's that m