respectfully to the King, and the little Star Fish winked one of his
five small eyes at the Princess. The Polar Bear smiled at Mary Louise,
but said nothing.

"Well," exclaimed King Seaphus, after a brief silence, "you honor us
by your presence, but, what do you want?"

"I want redress," cried the Star Fish in a queer little gurgle.

"You want what?" thundered the King, realizing now that his visitors
were looking for damages on account of the accident. This naturally
worried him, as he was a heavy stockholder in the Sea Bottom Subway.

"One of my five fingers has been badly bruised," continued the Star
Fish, "for which reason I shall sue for damages."

"I have suffered internal injuries," said the Polar Bear, speaking up
quickly, encouraged by the independent manner of the Star Fish.

"Internal injuries!" laughed the King; "infernal fiddlesticks, I have
heard that tune before!"

"Your Highness," interposed the Star Fish, "my condition is quite
serious. As I have but five fingers, to have one of them injured is
far worse than to have one of my feet, for of the latter I have
hundreds."

The King looked at him inquiringly. Although he was Monarch of the
Sea, perhaps he did not know that a Star Fish, while he has hundreds
of little feet, has no legs at all. Even his feet do not move as