"If the Boolooroo would consent, I think it could be done," Jimfred
replied, "but he never will consent. This is about the meanest
Boolooroo who ever ruled this land, and he was the first to invent
patching people as a punishment. I think we will all be glad when
his three hundred years of rule are ended."

"When will that be?" inquired the boy.

"Hush-sh-sh!" cried everyone in a chorus, and they all looked over
their shoulders as if frightened by the question. The officer with
the blue-gold chain pulled Button-Bright's sleeve and whispered,
"Follow me, please." And then he beckoned to Cap'n Bill and led the
two slaves to another room where they were alone.

"I must instruct you in your duties," said he when they were all
comfortably seated in cozy chairs with blue cushions. "You must
learn how to obey the Boolooroo's commands, so he won't become angry
and have you patched."

"How could he patch US?" asked the sailorman curiously.

"Oh, he'd just slice you all in halves and then patch half of the
boy to half of the girl, and the other half to half of you, and the
other half of you to the other half of the girl. See?"

"Can't say I do," said Cap'n Bill, much bewildered. "It's a reg'lar
mix-up."

"That's what it's meant to be," explained the young officer.