Well, perhaps the three were Musicians and perhaps the noise the horns made was called music, but it sounded no better than the howling of three cats; indeed, it sounded even worse.
“Hold!” cried King Tommy, as he placed a finger in each ear. “Stop, stop, we have had enough of that music! If there is no other tune you can play better than this one, you had best be going, for we can’t stand any more.”
“There is another tune we can play!” cried the big one; and quick as a wink he and the other two threw away their horns and thrust their hands under their coats.
Now what tune it was the three Musicians were going to play, I can do no more than guess; for no sooner did they get their hands inside their coats, than around the corner of a booth came Rolie Polie, driving his little donkey in a white and red chariot. The tooting of the horns had been too much for the donkey, and now the little clown could do nothing to check its wild gallop as it tore past the people and straight towards the three Musicians. One loud bray it gave; then a kick to the right and another to the left, and down went all three Musicians tumbling heels over head in the dust. {77}
Musicians, did I say? Well, they were musicians no longer, for beneath the torn and tumbled coat of each there might now be seen a broad belt holding big pistols and a keen edged cutlass.
“The three Buccaneers from Grumbletown!” yelled the Mayor. “Capture them quickly!”
Big Bill was on his feet in a moment. “We are discovered, we are discovered!” he cried. “Every man run for his life!”
Hardly were these words off his tongue, when the three were scurrying across the park and had no sooner reached the Arch of Welcome, than two of them bounded to the back of Coal Black, while Big Bill jumped into the saddle of Snow White, and away they rode like the wind.
The captain and soldiers followed quickly, but there was no chance of the Buccaneers being overtaken, for not a horse in Toyville could ever catch Coal Black and Snow White, even with Coal Black carrying double.