“Conduct us to your Ruler!” roared Kabumpo, in the dead silence that followed.
“How’d you know we had a Ruler?” asked a Seven, getting cautiously to its feet.
“Most countries have,” said the Elegant Elephant shortly.
“He’s got no right to order us around,” said a Six, sitting up and jerking its thumb at Kabumpo.
“Yes—but!” Seven frowned at Six and put his hands over his ears. “This way,” he said gruffly, and Kabumpo, stepping carefully, for many of the Figure Heads were still on their backs, followed Seven.
If the inhabitants of this strange city were queer, their city was even more so. The air was dry and choky and the houses were dull, oblong affairs, set in rows and rows with never a garden in sight. Each street had a large signpost on the corner, but they were not like the signs one usually sees in cities. For these were plus and minus signs with here and there a long division sign.
“I suppose everything in this street’s divided up,” mumbled Pompadore, looking up at a division sign curiously.
“Hope they don’t subtract any of our belongings,” whispered Kabumpo, as they turned into Minus Alley. “Look, Pompa, at the houses. Ever see anything like ’em before?”
“They remind me of something disagreeable,” mused the Prince. “Why, they’re books, Kabumpo, great big arithmetic books!” Pompa pointed at one.