Herby and Phil exchanged a satisfied little nod at this, and the King, taking High Boy by the fore lock, introduced him to the travelers. "High Boy, this is the Prince of the Ozure Isles! Prince, my horse!" The Giant Horse pulled himself up and politely thrust out his hoof, which Philador shook with some nervousness. Next Herby was presented and hastily munched a laugh lozenge, so he could keep a straight face during the proceedings. "High Boy will carry you quickly to the capital, won't you, old fellow?" High Boy nodded his head merrily and after several prances came over and stood beside the King. His legs were now all of the same length, and as Philador wondered how they should ever mount upon his back there came a series of clicks. The horse's legs grew shorter and shorter, till its body almost touched the ground. "Hop on," directed Joe and, seizing his lunch basket, Philador hastened to obey. Herby, holding his chest with both hands, climbed up after him and the King mounting last of all gave the signal to start. Then up went High Boy's legs to an unbelievable height, up snapped his umbrella tail shading the travelers most comfortably and next instant they were galloping over the purple mountain as fast as the West Wind and the South Wind, too. And riding a high horse has its advantages, let me tell you. When climbing a mountain it keeps its front legs short and its back legs long, so that its body is always on a level. This was quite fortunate, for Herby and Philador had trouble enough keeping their seats and the little Medicine Man was so jostled and bounced about he did nothing but groan. "My bottles will be smashed to bits," he chattered anxiously. "Do you hear them knocking about?" Philador certainly did, but was so excited and interested in this strange steed and his merry master he could not be properly sympathetic. "Look!" he cried breathlessly, "We're almost to the top and there's a purple city and a castle high up in the clouds." "That's Up Town!" cried Joe King pridefully. "And a tip top place to be, isn't it, Highty, old boy?" "Take the high way up and the low way down, And when you are there, you may have the town!" he roared lustily. "And here we are on my mountain top! Where we have high times. Whoa! High Boy. Stop!" The Giant Horse, with a joyous neigh, did stop, for they were right at the city gates. No one came to admit them so High Boy raised himself up and looked over the wall. "Open in the name of the law!" he snorted impatiently. "The King and two strangers are without!" CHAPTER 10 High Times Up Town At High Boy's loud call, two Uplander Guards in purple kilts came running to open the gates. They were as tall and comical as their King and bowed deeply as they swung back the golden bars. High Boy was in such haste to enter he did not lower himself sufficiently, and the King's head was knocked severely on the top of the arch.