“Gone away! Where to?” cried the Wallypug in surprise.
“Prison,” said the Doctor-in-law, beginning to sob.
“Do you mean to tell me,” said the Wallypug indignantly, “that they have gone to prison for taxes, too?”
“Yes,” faltered the Doctor-in-law. “You may as well know, at once, that everybody, except the Cockatoo and myself, is either in prison or in bed because no one has any more money left to pay taxes with.”
The Wallypug stamped his foot impatiently. “Go and bring the Town Crier to me at once,” he said.
And the Doctor-in-law got up from his knees and hurried out of the room.
“Shall I go, too?” asked the Cockatoo meekly.
“Stop where you are!” shouted the Wallypug. “Well, this is a pretty state of affairs,” he continued, addressing himself to Girlie and the Royal Microscopist. “I wonder what would have happened, if we had not returned when we did. Oh! here comes the Town Crier!” he exclaimed a few minutes later, when the Doctor-in-law and he entered the room both panting heavily and looking as though they had been running very quickly.
“Go at once and proclaim that I have returned, that all the taxes are abolished, that there will be a meeting in the Public Hall at five o’clock, and that all the People of Why are expected to attend it,” said the Wallypug.
The Town Crier bowed respectfully. “Certainly, sir,” he said, “And I should like to say, sir, that I am very glad to see you back. We have been getting on very badly without you.”