"I'll swallow any one who interferes with me," said Alligator.
"They'll not hurt us," said Coal and Ember growling.
"Then, if we're all agreed, let's go to the King's court," said Hortense, and with her and Andy leading the way, off they went.
The court was assembled in a glade in the woods, all the Little People grouped about their King and Queen. When Andy and Hortense appeared with their odd captives, way was made for them, every one staring in surprise. Even the King was dumb with astonishment.
"What have we here, a traveling circus?" said he at last.
"Prisoners we captured near the Royal Raspberry Patch," said Andy in as martial a tone as he could muster.
"Where could they come from and what are they doing here?" the King demanded. "Speak," he commanded them.
Owl took it upon himself to answer.
"We were hunting the great Cat and Grater, who are our enemies."
"So the boy and girl said who escaped the other night, no one knows how. For all we know, you may be servants of the terrible Grater of whom my most valiant soldiers are afraid, and of the great Cat with the claws."