"I don't feel very hungry this morning, Singing Tree," he said; "I think I'll save my appetite for to-night. May I have some eggs?" No sooner said than done-- "Higglepy, Piggleby, My black hen, She lays eggs For gentlemen: Sometimes nine And sometimes ten, Higglepy, Piggleby, My black hen!" sang the Singing Tree, and held out a bowl of nine steaming hot eggs. "She is a very good hen, isn't she?" said Billy, "and I suppose, under the circumstances, she must consider me a gentleman, even if I do sometimes forget to brush the cow-lick on the crown of my head. M-m, how good!" He broke three nice eggs into the cup the tree held out to him, dropped a delicious lump of butter into the cup, shook in a little pepper and a little salt, and sat down on the ground to enjoy his breakfast. "Give the hen back her eggs, and as they are cooked," he said, laughing, "maybe if she sits on them she will hatch out a chicken fricassee for dinner." And he went to work with a light heart. He had just gotten down to the last mouthful when a little speck of pepper that had flown into his nose when he seasoned his eggs made him sneeze. "Gehsundheit!" and there stood the little German Count who had been so powerless to help him in Eggs Aggeration. "Eggs again, isn't it?" said Gehsundheit. "That's so," said Billy. "How do you do?" "Vell, I haf been resting mineself since I saved your life in dot Egg City." "Saved my life--I'd like to know----" "Vat," said Gehsundheit, "you mean to say dat I did _not_ save it?" "Indeed I do," said Billy warmly. "Ach, de ungratitude of boys--and after Mr. Gas thanked me so kindly for vat I did for you." "Well, what did you do?" "Did I not lend you a pocket handkerchief?" "Yes, but that didn't save my life." "Of course you say it did not, but it did." "How?" asked Billy. "You used it to gag the jailer--iss it not?" "Certainly not; I didn't gag him." "Dat is not my fault; you could have gagged him with it, could you not?" "Perhaps," said Billy, "but I didn't think of that." "Ach, so, vat did I tell you--am I to be plamed because you did not think of it?" said Gehsundheit. "But you didn't suggest it--you didn't think of it yourself." "Perhaps not at the time--but I thought of it afterwards and said--so I haf saved his life. Now can you say I did not?" "I think I'd rather not say," said Billy. "As you vish--but here," and Gehsundheit struck an attitude and pointed to his heart, "here I haf de satisfaction of knowing dat I am a brave hero and a great magician." "Well, if you're pleased," said Billy, "that's something." "You are right," said Gehsundheit, bowing low; "to be pleased vit oneself iss enough. But I accept your apology." "What apology?" "When you said Gehsundheit, you are a brave hero. Mr. Gas shall know how pleased you are with me."