her own imagination, made her eyes rounder than ever. A bland smile
broke on Wan Lee's face, as to the children's amazement, he quietly
disengaged himself from the group and stepped before the leader.

"Melican man plenty foolee Melican chillern. No foolee China boy!
China boy knowee you. YOU no Led Lofer. YOU no Pilat--you allee same
tunnel-man--you Bob Johnson! Me shabbee you! You dressee up allee same
as Led Lofer--but you Bob Johnson--allee same. My fader washee washee
for you. You no payee him. You owee him folty dolla! Me blingee you
billee. You no payee billee! You say, 'Chalkee up, John.' You say,
'Bimeby, John.' But me no catchee folty dolla!"

A roar of laughter followed, in which even the leader apparently forgot
himself enough to join. But the next moment springing to his feet
he shouted, "Ho! ho! A traitor! Away with him to the deepest dungeon
beneath the castle moat!"

Hickory and Patsey began to whimper, but Polly, albeit with a tremulous
lip, stepped to the side of her little Pagan friend. "Don't you dare
touch him," she said with a shake of unexpected determination in her
little curly head; "if you do, I'll tell my father, and he will slay
you! All of you--there!"

"Your father! Then you are NOT the Queen!"

It was a sore struggle to Polly to abdicate her royal position; it was
harder to do it with befitting dignity. To evade the direct question she
was obliged to abandon her defiant attitude. "If you please, sir," she
said hurriedly, with an increasing color and no stops, "we're not always
Pirates, you know, and Wan Lee is only our boy what brushes my shoes in