"One day some feather-headed person or other began describing a bridge to him. The Chief Contractor insisted on having the nature of a bridge fully explained to him, and next day he caused a canal to be dug right across the middle of the country; but all the water that they poured into it disappeared at once, for it soaked away through the soil of sugar and flour. "However, in spite of the fact that there was no water in the canal, he caused the bridge of nougat to be built across it; the bridge which I have destroyed a hundred times passing over it in my prison. [Illustration: "I HAVE DESTROYED A HUNDRED TIMES PASSING OVER IT IN MY PRISON"] "It was forbidden under the most heavy penalties to cross the canal, although it was dry, by any other means than by way of the bridge. I had to conform to this stupid law, in spite of the fact that the nougat cracked beneath my feet each time I crossed the bridge. [Illustration: "I WAS CAUGHT STEPPING RIGHT OVER THEIR SILLY OLD DRY CANAL WITH ONE STRIDE"] "However, one evening I was caught stepping right over their silly old dry canal with one stride. [Illustration: THE MANUFACTURER OF CARDBOARD BOXES] "The Despoiler's rage, although he hid it from me, was deep and terrible. Doubtless that very evening my doom was agreed upon, for the next morning when I awoke I was surrounded by this barrier of sugar-canes," and the Prisoner wrung his hands and seemed in an impotent rage. He went on jumping up and down, and gesticulating, for his madness had caught him again. Once more he began to break the sugar-canes in his frenzy. At that moment Smaly and Redy saw the Despoiler pass by, followed by the Young Stork, carrying a pair of nippers. They were on their way to a secret meeting with the Manufacturer of Cardboard Boxes. The Despoiler seemed to be literally shaking with anger. The Young Stork had been forced to tell him that he stood in urgent need of certain repairs to his back, and the Despoiler, therefore, found himself in the humiliating situation of having to make a purchase from the Manufacturer of Cardboard Boxes. It added to the Despoiler's vexation to have been seen by the two little humans. He stopped and looked at the sun, of which only a small piece of the rim was visible. The Despoiler turned towards the Rats and, pointing to the cauldron, called out angrily: "Take that and run with it to the frontier and empty it out there." And thus it was done. [Illustration: THE PICNIC WHICH FOLLOWED WAS AN UNFORGETTABLE REPAST _Page 177_] CHAPTER XIV The three daughters of the Prisoner are installed in their gardens. So Smaly and Redy found themselves on the frontier of the Wigs' country. They were so tired from having seen and done so many things during the day that hardly had they arrived than they fell sound asleep amid the myrtle-bushes which grew between the rocks.