“My mother told me,” he finally said, “that King Bud would give me fifty gold pieces for it, and the Queen of Ix would give me another fifty gold pieces, and that your Highness would give me fifty neckties.”
“That is all true,” returned Fluff; “so here are the fifty neckties.”
Tillydib, the lord high purse-bearer, counted out fifty gold pieces, and Zixi’s treasurer counted out another fifty, and all were given to the sailorman.
Then the miller’s son unfastened the necktie from about his collar and handed it to Fluff.
During the murmur of satisfaction that followed, the girl unlocked her silver chest, which Jikki had brought, and drew out the magic cloak. Lifting the skirt of the garment, she attempted to fit the sailor’s necktie into the place it should go; and then, while every one looked on with breathless interest, the girl lifted a white face to the sailorman and exclaimed:
“This is not the necktie your mother gave you!”
“‘THIS IS NOT THE NECKTIE YOUR MOTHER GAVE YOU!’”
For a moment there was silence, while the assemblage glared angrily upon the sailor. Then the king, rising from his seat, demanded:
“Are you sure, Fluff? Are you sure of that?”