"Surely this is magic!" declared one of the men. "No bird can talk
unless inspired by witchcraft."

"Oh yes, parrots can," said Trot. But this incident had determined
the Pinkies to consider our friends prisoners and to take them
immediately before their Queen.

"Must we fight you?" asked the woman. "Or will you come with us
peaceably?"

"We'll go peaceable," answered Cap'n Bill. "You're a-makin' a sad
mistake, for we're as harmless as doves; but seein' as you're
suspicious, we'd better have it out with your Queen first as last."

Their clothing was quite dry by this time, although much wrinkled
and discolored by the penetrating fog, so at once they prepared to
follow the Pinkies. The two men walked on either side of them,
holding the pointed sticks ready to jab them if they attempted to
escape, and the two women followed in the rear, also armed with
sharp sticks.

So the procession moved along the pretty roadways to the City, which
they soon reached. There was a strong, high wall of pink marble
around it, and they passed through a gate made of pink metal bars
and found themselves in a most delightful and picturesque town. The
houses were big and substantial, all round in shape, with domed
roofs and circular windows and doorways. In all the place there was
but one street--a circular one that started at the gate and wound
like a corkscrew toward the center of the City. It was paved with