sack with a piece of twine that was in his pocket, and then threw the
sack over his shoulder and began again his journey to London.

"I have made a good exchange, after all," he thought, "for surely four
and twenty blackbirds are worth more than a handful of rye, and
perhaps even more than a sixpence, if I can find anyone who wishes to
buy them."

He now walked rapidly forward, and about noon entered the great city
of London.

Gilligren wandered about the streets until he came to the King's
palace, where there was a great concourse of people and many guards to
keep intruders from the gates.

Seeing he could not enter from the front, the boy walked around to the
rear of the palace and found himself near the royal kitchen, where the
cooks and other servants were rushing around to hasten the preparation
of the King's dinner.

Gilligren sat down upon a stone where he could watch them, and laying
the sack at his feet was soon deeply interested in the strange sight.
Presently a servant in the King's livery saw him and came to his side.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, roughly.

"I am waiting to see the King," replied Gilligren.

"The King! The King never comes here," said the servant; "and
neither do we allow idlers about the royal kitchen. So depart at once,