"I certainly did," said Zep, "and--" "Whoopee!" yelled the Kokkipop, joyfully, "then I _have_ got a job at last." Whereupon he took off his coat, rolled up his sleeves, and began to paste magic postage stamps all over the Prince. "There," he said, standing off to admire his work, "I guess that will take you back all right." "Take him back," sneered the Emperor, crawling from under his throne, "why it'll take him twice over. You've put excess postage on him. Shows what a Kokkipop knows about his business." "Is that so," retorted the Kokkipop, "well, I know enough to send this boy where you won't stick pins in him any more, and where he won't want his own way any more." He turned to Zep. "Isn't that so?" "Yes, indeed," said the Prince. "Then," responded the Kokkipop, "here's to a quick and comfortable trip. Good-by, I'll see you later." "No--wait!" shouted the Emperor, running toward Zep, "don't go. I'll put you in the upper classes again. I'll--" But it was no use. Once again Zep felt himself leap into the air, and whiz, and whiz, and whiz, even faster than he had before. And then just as he was beginning to get used to the whizzing and rather enjoy it, he commenced to descend in a graceful curve, and presently landed with a bump in the gardens adjoining his father's palace. And there, sitting on the grass, was the Kokkipop waiting for him. "Greeting," said the Kokkipop, "did you have a nice trip?" "Fine," said Zep, "but of course I'm glad it's over and that I'm safe home again. And of course I'm awfully obliged to you for getting me out of such a scrape." "Oh, that's all right," said the Kokkipop, as he peeled off the magic postage stamps, "it's been a pleasure to help you. And who knows but you may try to have your own way again and be taken back to Obstinate Town. And if you do, don't forget I'm always glad to get a job." "All right," said Zep, "I won't, but I never expect to visit Obstinate Town again if I can help it." And sure enough Zep never did. From that moment he was a changed boy, so much so that it really worried his father, the king. "I don't understand it," said the King to his Prime Minister. "He does just what I tell him and never whines; and when he takes a walk he jumps about a foot if a leaf falls on him. I don't understand it." But if the King did not, Zep did, and was determined no Poppykok should get another chance at him. TOOBAD THE TAILOR Once there lived in the city of Vex a tailor named Toobad, which was a very good name for him, for he really was too bad for anything, in fact, he was downright wicked. And not only was he wicked but he was also deceitful, because he was really not a tailor at all but an enchanter or conjuror, and only practiced a tailor's trade to fool the fathers, and grandfathers, and uncles, and big brothers of the little boys of Vex, and make them pay him money. And this is the way he did it: