“Which way did the Buccaneers ride?” asked Tommy of the captain as soon as the soldiers returned.
“Your Majesty,” answered the captain, saluting the King, “they are headed for Grumbletown.”
“Grumbletown?” cried the Mayor. “Then we must look for trouble: Their King will probably declare war.”
“We must post our guards and call out the army,” said King Tommy. “If the King of Grumbletown makes an attack, he will find us ready.”
“Is there danger of war, Tommy?” asked Helen, who had been listening to the talk of the King and Mr. Poodle. “Because if there is, I think I would like to go home again. I don’t like battles.” {79}
“Don’t be afraid,” said Tommy. “You can go up to the Castle and stay; nothing will harm you there, and it won’t take me long when I have the Toyville army at my back, to defeat the soldiers of Grumbletown.”
Helen could see quite plainly that the Mayor and the captains liked to hear their King talking that way, and thought him very brave. She thought Tommy was brave too, when he spoke all those big words; so she said: “May we go up to the Castle now, Tommy?”
“Yes,” said Tommy. “Mr. Mayor will you please lead the way?”
“I will be glad, indeed, to do so” answered the Mayor; “and in any event, I think the people at the Castle are ready, by this time, to serve their banquet.”
“A banquet?” said Helen. “Are we to have a banquet? Won’t that be lovely!”