reatly flustered.

"Stand thou here at my right hand. It may be I might have an errand or
two now and then."

"Aye, aye, O Queen!" declaimed Dick, who was catching the spirit of
Kitty's rule.

"Well spoke, fair sir. Stand thou there, I prithee. And now, Courtiers,
is there any business to be discussed?"

"Nay, O Queen," said Tom, "we but wait thy pleasure."

"Then my pleasure is now to install the new Queen. And, prithee, my
courtiers, when that the new Queen is enthroned, then does the receding
Queen become the Sand Witch?"

"Yea, O fair Queen," said Marjorie, coming up with mincing steps and
bowing before Kitty. "From now on I am the Sand Witch of this court, and
I humbly beg thy favor."

"Favor be thine!" announced the temporary Queen. "And now, O my
courtiers, lead to me Queen Hester Sandy, Queen of Sand Court!"

Reconciled at last to this state of things, King and Tom sprang to
escort Hester. Dick and Harry marched gravely behind, while Midget
stalked along ahead, and thus quite an imposing procession approached
Queen Kitty and ranged themselves before her.

"O Queen," Kitty began, "you have already taken oath of office, O Queen!
So now naught remains but to take the seat of royalty, the honored
throne of Sand Court, O Queen!"

And then Hester scored her success. She stepped up on the sand mound
that was the throne, and bowed her head while Kitty transferred the vine
wreath that represented the crown. Then Hester drew herself up
majestically, waved her sceptre, and declaimed:

"I, the Queen of Sand Court, accept this honor that is thus thrust upon
me!"

There were some astonished faces among the courtiers at this speech,
but nobody interrupted.

"I, Queen Sandy, promise to be a good Queen to my beloved courtiers, and
never to lose my temper or speak cross, but to emulate the sweet and
sunlighty disposition of our departing and beloved Queen, who is now a
Sand Witch. Wherefore, my courtiers, I beseech your fealty and faith,
and I present my compliments, and the compliments of this court to our
visitor, the Princess San Diego. This lovely lady has been a great help,
and we now salute her. I bid thee all salute!"

They all saluted by bowing low to Kitty; indeed, the page bowed so low
that he tumbled over, but soon scrambled up again.

"And now," went on Queen Sandy, "I bid thee salute our Sand Witch. She
is a witch of goodness and joy. We all love her, the court honors her,
and one and all we now s