The portcullis was straightway raised, and in trooped a queer, motley crowd. They were attended by four grinning imps in red who varied their walk with somersaulting antics, and the arms of all but the leader were full of presents. These evidently had been selected with much care and thought for the wedding, and the same taste and judgment were shown that can be found in nearly all weddings. One of them had a gigantic pair of scissors which would have taken as many as a half-dozen Brownies or fairies to cut with. Another held a cradle big enough to hold the offspring of a giant. [Illustration] A third in a cage carried a hen which was alleged to lay three strictly guaranteed fresh eggs a day. From each hand of a fourth dangled an immense round clock, and the faces of them were lettered: FALSE ALARM. MADE IN DEMONLAND. A fifth had a pair of abnormal candle-snuffers. Others had gifts equally absurd and useless. [Illustration] [Illustration] At the instigation of the leader all grouped themselves in a semi-circle humbly before the bride and groom to-be, and Florimel, who was still somewhat suspicious, asked: "What do you want?" "We are friends," said the leader, in his gentle voice, "most anxious to pay homage to you." "If you are friends," said Florimel, "we shall be glad to have you join in our festivities. Do you dance?" All shook their heads in unison. "Don't you tango or do the fox-trot?" Again they shook their heads. "Or sing?" They still shook their heads. "But just you wait till you see them at the supper-table!" said the Dude decidedly. [Illustration] "Nevertheless," said Florimel kindly, "I trust we shall find some means for your enjoyment. Have you come far?" "Yes," said the leader, "many leagues to do you honor. We crave your acceptance of these few, simple, unpretentious gifts as a trifling evidence of the distinguished consideration and esteem in which we hold your fair bride and yourself." It was plain that he had first carefully prepared and then committed to memory such a flowery speech. [Illustration] In their curiosity to examine the presents the Brownies began to circulate among the strangers. When in doing so the Chinaman thoughtlessly put his head between the open scissors-blades the big, hulking fellow who held them could not repress an evil inclination, and snapped them together almost instantly so that the head was held between them in a vise-like grip. Taking note of this another who had the snuffers clapped the hood forthwith over an ordinary Brownie so it looked as though he did not have a head. [Illustration] The leader angrily stamped his foot for them to desist from such rude, ill-mannered antics, whereupon the one reluctantly released the frightened Chinaman, while the other removed the snuffers from Brownie's head. [Illustration] "You must be weary and travel-stained from your long journey," said Florimel, not knowing what to think.