in all the castles are silver--but then that's nothin'--silver's so
common even their frying-pans are made outo' that. But you ought to
see their lamp-posts in the street. Their poles are built of ivory
from the tusks of elephants of the first water; an' the glass on top
is nothing but rubies--"

"Whew!" exclaimed Marmaduke, "that's a great city."

"Yes," added the Toyman, "it's a great city."

So for a little while they watched that great Cloud City with all its
towers, and flags and banners waving in the wind; and heard the horses
prance over the bright cobbles, and the glorious music coming from out
the great church doors. Suddenly Marmaduke asked,--

"Do you 'spose we could take that city?"

"'_Spose_!" exclaimed the Toyman, "why, I'm _sure_ of it.
Just call up your horses an' call up your men." And he put his hands
to his lips and hallooed through them as through a trumpet, Echo
answering back as if she had a trumpet, too.

"Hurry," the Toyman went on in excitement, "there's your horse--come,
put your foot in the stirrup an' lick him up an' away we'll go!"

And he made all the motions of mounting a horse himself, and calling,
"Charge!" to the soldiers. It was a beautiful game, and so real that
Marmaduke felt he was actually flying through the air on a winged
horse, at the head of a mighty column of soldiers, straight towards
the Cloud City.