ean?" demanded Hester.

"Why, swear that you won't lose your temper."

"Oh, I wouldn't _swear_!" cried Hester, in dismay.

"Kit doesn't mean bad swearing," explained King. "She means official
swearing, or something like that. All Queens do it, and juries, and
presidents, and everything. It's only promising or vowing."

"Well, I'll promise or vow," agreed Hester, "but I won't swear."

"All right," said Marjorie. "You must hold up both hands, and say 'I
promise or vow to be a good Queen and not get mad at my courtiers.' Say
it now."

So Hester raised both hands as high as she could and repeated Marjorie's
words.

"Now you've taken your oath of office, and you're queen," said Kitty,
who was unconsciously taking charge of affairs. "Where's the crown,
Mops?"

"The new Queen tore it up the other day," said Midget, demurely.

"Then she must make a new one," commanded Kitty. "Never mind; for to-day
this will do."

The Princess San Diego hastily twisted some vines into a wreath, and
laid it gently on the brilliant locks of the new Queen.

"I crown you Queen Sandy!" she said, dramatically.

"It's all right, Kit," said King, looking quizzical, "but just how do
you happen to be running this court?"

"Oh, I might as well," returned Kitty carelessly. "I don't think the
rest of you are very good at it."

"That's so," admitted Tom. "I guess we do squabble a lot."

"It isn't only that," said Kitty, "but you don't have much order and
ceremony."

"I've noticed that," put in Dick. "We just talk every-day sort of talk.
I think we ought to be grander."

"So do I," agreed Kitty. "Here, Hester, give me that crown; I'll be
Queen for to-day, and show you how."

There was nothing bumptious or even dictatorial in Kitty's manner; she
merely wanted to show them how a Queen ought to act. So she put the vine
wreath on her own head, and breaking a branch from a tall shrub nearby
for a sceptre, she seated herself on the dilapidated throne.

"I pray you sit," she said, condescendingly, to her court. "Ha! where is
my page?"

"There is no page, O Queen," said the Grand Sandjandrum, looking
mortified.

"Thus I create one!" announced Kitty, calmly. "Sand Crab, kneel before
me!"

Harry sprang forward to obey, and kneeled at Kitty's feet.

"Thus I anoint thee page!" declared the Queen, dramatically tapping him
three times on his shoulder. "Rise, Sir Page, and attend upon me!"

"Yes, ma'am! What shall I do?" asked the new page, g