you the Royal Nectar Mixer to the court of Sky Island, and if you
don't mix our nectar properly, I'll have you patched."

"How do you mix it?" asked Cap'n Bill.

"I don't mix it. It's not the Boolooroo's place to mix nectar," was
the stern reply. "But you may inquire of the palace servants, and
perhaps the Royal Chef or the Major-domo will condescend to tell
you. Take him to the servants' quarters, Captain Ultramarine, and
give him a suit of the royal livery."

So Cap'n Bill was lad away by the chief of the soldiers, and when he
had gone, the king said to Button-Bright, "You, slave, shall be the
Royal Bootblue. Your duty will be to keep the boots and shoes of the
royal family nicely polished with blue."

"I don't know how," answered Button-Bright surlily.

"You'll soon learn. The Royal Steward will supply you with blue
paste, and when you've brushed this on our shoes, you must shine
them with Q-rays of Moonshine. Do you understand?"

"No," said Button-Bright.

Then the Boolooroo told one of the soldiers to take the boy to the
shoeblue den and have him instructed in his duties, and the soldiers
promptly obeyed and dragged Button-Bright away to the end of the
palace where the servants lived.