"Oh, I certainly have," answered the little lady. "My name is——." Then she stopped suddenly and leaned over the balcony, while she held up one of her pink hands and whispered: "Listen!"
The children now heard the sound of martial music approaching, and in a few minutes there marched around the corner of the palace a band of pewter musicians. They were dressed in brightly painted uniforms and marched proudly and in excellent time, while they played as loudly as possible upon their instruments.
Following the band came a squadron of pewter soldiers on horseback, and the horses reared and pranced, while the officers waved their pewter swords above their heads in an impressive manner. Next came the foot soldiers, company after company, wearing red painted uniforms and blue painted uniforms, as well as uniforms of green and yellow paint.
Not a man in the entire army was more than six inches high, and all were made of pewter—just like the boxes of soldiers you buy at the toy shops; but they marched like real live soldiers, and there were so many of them that it was actually an impressive sight.
As each company passed beneath the balcony where the Queen sat, the men saluted her respectfully and the officers raised their hats, while the doll Queen bowed graciously in return.
"Isn't that a fine army?" she asked, proudly.
"They're rather small for soldiers," replied Dot.
"I could kick 'em all over with my foot!" said Tot.
"Oh, but that would be wrong," exclaimed the Queen. "Surely they haven't done you any harm."
"No," said Tot; "but I could fight 'em all."