"We are going to hold a council instead," shouted the Chief Contractor, and drops of perspiration, big and pink as strawberries, rolled down his mask. Suddenly he snatched it off and replaced it with a mask which signified "Anger." The assembly trembled. There was a sound as of shuddering macaroni or of dominoes rattling with fear. "Reckybecky, you are out of line!" cried the Chief Contractor from beneath his mask of saffron and flame colour. "Papylick and Mistigris, pay attention! Is it possible that already the intrusion here of two rascals made of suet is going to corrupt you all and reduce you to anarchy?" Mistigris and Papylick came running up with a cord, and, each taking an end, they held it in front of the row of Wigs to keep them straight. Those Wigs whose feet stuck out too far drew them back, and those whose feet did not come out far enough advanced them until every one's toes touched the cord and made a straight line. "You can roll the cord up," commanded the master; then he turned to Smaly. "Tell the truth," he demanded, "are you made of suet?" * * * * * At this moment Papylick and the Young Stork gave a cry of horror. They had discovered that Smaly and Redy had licked the painted landscapes off the insides of the nuts in which they had been transported. [Illustration: THE YOUNG STORK] Every one uttered cries of indignation, and pressed forward so that their feet had to be brought to order again with the help of the cord. [Illustration: EVERY ONE UTTERED CRIES OF INDIGNATION] "The law is clear. These people made of cardboard and suet must be banished at once," said the Despoiler, who did not wear a mask, but could roll his eyes and open his mouth as much as he liked. "The sun is at its height. It's hot enough to bake tarts," said the Confectioner. "If these two people go out now the sun will melt them, and our beautiful lawns will be covered with fat." "Horror!" cried several of the Wigs. "Then they must stay here until the sun has set," decided the Chief Contractor, and putting on a mask called "The Listener" he continued: [Illustration: "YOU CAN ROLL THE CORD"] "Now tell me what they want, these disturbing people whom you have brought here. Tell me everything that you know, O Short-Legged Man." But Smaly and Redy spoke together, and they said: "We wish to have three girls. Fine, sweet, pink and good. They shall have more pudding than they like, And a green, green----" Here Redy stopped and said: "... each a green garden." The Chief Contractor replied, "Won't do." The Crow added, "Because there aren't any." "There are the three daughters of the Prisoner," said the Chief Contractor; "but they can't go out of the country." "Look here," said the Mother of the Crow, who had just been brought in seated in her oyster-shell, "why shouldn't this man and his wife live just behind the wall of the country, then they will be able to look at the Prisoner's daughters."