phant's voice was drowned in the hubbub. Finally, Kabumpo's eyes began to snap angrily and, taking a deep breath, he threw up his trunk and trumpeted like fifty ferry-boat whistles. The effect was immediate and astonishing. Half of the Figure Heads fell on their faces, and the other half fell on their backs and stared vacantly up at the sky.
"Conduct us to your Ruler!" roared Kabumpo, in the dead silence that followed.
"How'd you know we had a Ruler?" asked a Seven, getting cautiously to its feet.
"Most countries have," said the Elegant Elephant shortly.
"He's got no right to order us around," said a Six, sitting up and jerking its thumb at Kabumpo.
"Yes—but!" Seven frowned at Six and put his hands over his ears. "This way," he said gruffly, and Kabumpo, stepping carefully, for many of the Figure Heads were still on their backs, followed Seven.
If the inhabitants of this strange city were queer, their city was even more so. The air was dry and choky and the houses were dull, oblong affairs, set in rows and rows with never a garden in sight. Each Street had a large signpost on the corner, but they were not at all like the signs one usually sees in cities.
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