The king was greatly disappointed to see what a little world he'd found, but nevertheless, he commanded Bobbie to come forth and swear allegiance to him.

[Original Size]

Now Bobbie would have been very glad, indeed, to step out of the bubble if he could have gone home, but he didn't much like the looks of the King of Mars. Anyway, as you know, it was quite impossible for him to leave the bubble.

“I can't get out, your Majesty,” he said; “and besides, I'm not allowed to swear, so it wouldn't be any use to get out for that.”

“Indeed!” cried the king in a great rage. “Indeed! Haven't I conquered your whole world and brought you here prisoner?”

“Why, no,” answered Bobbie, frightened to see the king so very angry. “You haven't conquered my world at all. You don't think this little bubble is a world, do you? It's nothing but soap and water and air—a fairy balloon, my mother says—though why it's grown so big and sailed off with me like this, I'm sure I don't; know.”

“Oh, it's water, is it? Well, then, why don't you say flowing? Say flowing, not sailing. Water doesn't sail, it flows,” cried the king. “Your language is something terrible. The whole thing's a case for the naval authorities. Admiral, scuttle this water balloon so the prisoner cannot flow away, and put the enemy under guard. But mind you don't wreck the water balloon. We'll use it as a model for our new fleet.” Poor little Bobbie! He had stuck a pin in a soap bubble one day, and he remembered how suddenly it collapsed into a little spot of soapy water. If they scuttled his bubble now, how would he ever get home?