"Who are you?" she asked, in a pleasant voice, but with some anxiety, Dot thought; "and how did you ever get to Merryland?" "We came in a boat," replied the girl; "and this is my friend, Tot Thompson, and I am Dot Freeland." "Dot F'eelun," murmured Tot, shyly lifting his eyes and nodding his head. "But you shouldn't have come here," said the little lady. "This is private property, and I have placed guards to prevent anyone entering my Valleys." "Are you the Queen?" asked the girl. "Yes, I am Queen of all Merryland; and I cannot understand why my guards have disobeyed my orders." "Oh, the guards were all right," said Dot. "It was we who disobeyed. But we really couldn't help it, for we had to go wherever the boat carried us." Then she told the Queen all the story of their adventures, and of how they had been carried by accident into the Valleys of Merryland. After she had heard the story, the little lady looked puzzled for a moment and then said, "No one who enters my kingdom should ever be allowed to leave it again, for if they did the world should soon know all about me and my people. If that happened, all our comfort and fun would be spoiled, for strangers would be coming here every day." "Have strangers been here before?" asked Dot, timidly. "Never," answered the Queen. "Then what are you going to do with us?" inquired the girl. "Really, I do not know. You see, I am so perplexed that I have stopped smiling, and that will never do in the world; for should the weather change and cool my wax, I would remain solemn until it warmed up again, and my people would then think me unworthy to be the Queen of Merryland." "I'm sorry to have caused you so much trouble," said Dot, softly. "I'd much rather be at home again, if I could, although your Valleys are so queer and delightful." Then the Queen again smiled upon them. "Don't worry, my dear," she exclaimed, brightly, "I'll find some way out of our difficulty when I have used my thinking machine. Until then you must come to my palace and be treated as my guests." "Thank you," said Dot and Tot together. The Queen turned to the wooden Captain and commanded: "Escort these strangers to my royal palace, and see that you treat them most politely; for although they are in reality my prisoners, they have been guilty of no intentional wrong and seem to be nice children." The wooden Captain removed his wooden hat and bowed very low, so low indeed that Tot could see the peg on the top of his head that held the hat on when it was in place. "Your Majesty's commands shall be obeyed," he said. Then the Queen stepped into her carriage, the rag coachman cracked his whip, and the wheels of the horses' platform began spinning around. Then the Queen rode swiftly up the street to her royal palace. Dot and Tot followed more slowly, for the Captain who escorted them was exceedingly small and walked stiffly, having no joints in his knees. As they trudged along Tot asked the Captain: