He broke out into a volume of sharp, angry barks, and showed his white teeth in the most threatening manner.
Upon which the monsters rolled back in mock terror and consternation, crying out:
“The King! The King! Save the King! The walking box is filled with explosives; it may fly into pieces!”
When the hubbub was over, and the King had commanded silence, I stepped boldly forward and exclaimed:
“Unfinished! What meanest thou, thou globe-shaped monster?”
The term “globe” seemed to please his majesty very much.
A great, wrinkled smile overran his huge countenance.
“Mean?” he ejaculated, with a deep, gurgling, chuckling laugh. “Mean? why, little baron—whatever that may be—see for thyself. Has not Nature left useless flaps at one end of the box, and a still more useless bit of rope hanging down from the other?”
This insulting allusion to Bulger’s ears and tail seemed to be perfectly understood by him, for he fairly bristled with rage, and advanced upon the round-bodied monster, snapping, snarling, and showing his teeth.
Whereupon the deep, rumbling laughter again broke forth, and the cry, “Save the King! Save the King!” went up in mock earnestness.