"And where did you come from?" he continued.
"Over the fence. Don't be silly. There's no
other place I could have come from," she replied.
He looked at her thoughtfully.
"You are not a Hopper," said he, "for you
have two legs. They're not very well shaped,
but they are two in number. And that strange
creature on top the fence--why doesn't he stop
kicking?--must be your brother, or father, or son,
for he also has two legs."
"You must have been to visit the Wise Donkey,"
said Scraps, laughing so merrily that the crowd
smiled with her, in sympathy. "But that reminds
me, Captain--or King--"
"I am Chief of the Horners, and my name is Jak."
"Of course; Little Jack Horner; I might have
known it. But the reason I volplaned over the
fence was so I could have a talk with you about
the Hoppers."
"What about the Hoppers?" asked the Chief,
frowning.
"You've insulted them, and you'd better beg
their pardon," said Scraps. "If you don't, they'll
probably hop over here and conquer you."
"We're not afraid--as long as the gate is
locked," declared the Chief. "And we didn't insult
them at all. One of us made a joke that the stupid
Hoppers couldn't see."
The Chief smiled as he said this and the smile
made his face look quite jolly.
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