As he was the first dragon they had ever seen, the two little girls, of course, gazed upon him with great interest. He had a long body and a long tail and a long neck which he could draw in or stretch out like a telescope, just as he pleased; he had six feet, on each of which he was wearing his best, white-kid, company boxing-gloves; and his back was shingled all over with copper-colored scales, two of which, placed just beneath his shoulder-blades, were about the size and shape of stove-lids. These two big scales appeared to work on hinges, like the lid of a box, the reason for which arrangement the children could not at first understand. "Now, Lobsterneck, old boy!" said the King. "Clear your pipes and get to work." "Very well," replied the dragon. "What would you like first?" "Give us a fantasia on the drum and cymbals--just to show the ladies how you do it." At this, the obliging old snap-dragon sat up straight, with his tail curled round his hind feet, when, with his middle pair of fists he hit himself several hard thumps on his chest, producing a sound like the beating of a big drum. At the same time, every thump on his chest caused the "stove-lid" scales on his back to fly up on their hinges and come down again with a clash, making altogether a pretty good imitation of the drum and cymbals. "Good!" cried Frances, clapping her hands. "Isn't that clever!" "Isn't it!" responded Margaret. "Did it take you a very long time to learn, Mr. Snap-Dragon?" "A longish time," replied the dragon, with a sideways wag of his head. "The drum part is easy enough, of course, but I've had to spend hours and hours practising my scales." "I should think so," said Margaret, feelingly. "Scales on the piano are difficult enough, but scales on your back must be much worse. Now, won't you please sing us a song?" "With pleasure," replied the dragon. "What sort of a song would you like?" "Sing something suitable to the occasion," said the King. "Something about a garden-party, and put Margaret in." "Oh, yes, do!" cried both the little girls. "Can you? That would be nice!" "Anything to oblige," said the dragon once more; adding, with a modest cough behind his boxing-glove, "I'll sing you a little song to a tune of my own decomposing." With that he unfolded a sheet of music, and holding it in his front paws, prepared to sing. [Illustration: _With that he unfolded a sheet of music and prepared to sing_] CHAPTER IX THE SNAP-DRAGON SINGS While the dragon was fidgeting about, arranging and re-arranging his tail--just like a young lady with her skirts--Margaret slipped behind him to look at the music. It was the queerest music she had ever seen, for it consisted of one big, black semi-breve, after which was written, "Ad lib."--the same as saying, "Go as you please." On top of the sheet was written: "Margaret's Tea Party. To the tune of Michael Roy. Decomposed by Lobsterneck, The Great American Snap-Dragon."