“Ah! very good!” said Jikki. “Now, number six, take this shoe into the boot-room, and clean and polish it.”
Number six bowed and glided from the room as swiftly and silently as if he were obeying a command of the King of Noland.
“Number five,” continued Jikki, “take this tray to the kitchen.” Number five obeyed instantly, and Jikki chuckled with delight.
“Number two, take this to the milliner in Royal Street, and have the feathers curled.”
Number two bowed and departed almost before the words had left Jikki’s mouth; and then the king’s valet regarded the remaining three in some perplexity.
“Half a dozen servants is almost too many,” he thought. “It will keep me busy to keep them busy. I should have wished for only one—or two at the most.”
Just then he remembered something.
“Number four,” said he, “go after number two and tell the milliner that the hat belongs to Madam Rivette, the king’s aunt.”
And a few moments later, when the remaining two servants, standing upright before him, had begun to make him nervous, Jikki cried out:
“Number three, take this other shoe down to the boot-room and tell number six to clean and polish it also.”