Just then a rabbit band of nearly fifty pieces marched in, playingupon golden instruments and dressed in neat uniforms. Following theband came the nobility of Bunnybury, all richly dressed and hoppingalong on their rear legs. Both the ladies and the gentlemen worewhite gloves upon their paws, with their rings on the outside of thegloves, as this seemed to be the fashion here. Some of the ladyrabbits carried lorgnettes, while many of the gentlemen rabbits woremonocles in their left eyes.

The courtiers and their ladies paraded past the King, who introducedPrincess Dorothy to each couple in a very graceful manner. Then thecompany seated themselves in chairs and on sofas and lookedexpectantly at their monarch.

"It is our royal duty, as well as our royal pleasure," he said, "toprovide fitting entertainment for our distinguished guest. We willnow present the Royal Band of Whiskered Friskers."

As he spoke the musicians, who had arranged themselves in a corner,struck up a dance melody while into the room pranced the WhiskeredFriskers. They were eight pretty rabbits dressed only in gauzy purpleskirts fastened around their waists with diamond bands. Their whiskerswere colored a rich purple, but otherwise they were pure white.

After bowing before the King and Dorothy the Friskers began theirpranks, and these were so comical that Dorothy laughed with realenjoyment. They not only danced together, whirling and gyratingaround the room, but they leaped over one another, stood upon theirheads and hopped and skipped here and there so nimbly that it washard work to keep track of them. Finally, they all made doublesomersaults and turned handsprings out of the room.

The nobility enthusiastically applauded, and Dorothy applauded with them.

"They're fine!" she said to the King.

"Yes, the Whiskered Friskers are really very clever," he replied."I shall hate to part with them when I go away, for they have oftenamused me when I was very miserable. I wonder if you would ask Glinda--"

"No, it wouldn't do at all," declared Dorothy, positively. "Therewouldn't be room in your hole in the ground for so many rabbits,'spec'ly when you get the lily chair and your clothes there. Don'tthink of such a thing, your Majesty."

The King sighed. Then he stood up and announced to the company:

"We will now hold a military drill by my picked Bodyguardof Royal Pikemen."

Now the band played a march and a company of rabbit soldiers came in.They wore green and gold uniforms and marched very stiffly but inperfect time. Their spears, or pikes, had slender shafts of polishedsilver with golden heads, and during the drill they handled theseweapons with wonderful dexterity.

"I should think you'd feel pretty safe with such a fine Bodyguard,"remarked Dorothy.

"I do," said the King. "They protect me from every harm. I supposeGlinda wouldn't--"

"No," interrupted the girl; "I'm sure she wouldn't. It's the King'sown Bodyguard, and when you are no longer King you can't have 'em."

The King did not reply, but he looked rather sorrowful for a time.

When the soldiers had marched out he said to the company:

"The Royal Jugglers will now appear."

Dorothy had seen many jugglers in her lifetime, but never any sointeresting as these. There were six of them, dressed in black satinembroidered with queer symbols in silver--a costume which contrastedstrongly with their snow-white fur.

First, they pushed in a big red ball and three of the rabbit jugglersstood upon its top and made it roll. Then two of them caught up athird and tossed him into the air, all vanishing, until only the twowere left. Then one of these tossed the other upward and remainedalone of all his fellows. This last juggler now touched the red ball,which fell apart, being hollow, and the five rabbits who haddisappeared in the air scrambled out of the hollow ball.

Next they all clung together and rolled swiftly upon the floor. Whenthey came to a stop only one fat rabbit juggler was seen, the othersseeming to be inside him. This one leaped lightly into the air andwhen he came down he exploded and separated into the original six.Then four of them rolled themselves into round balls and the othertwo tossed them around and played ball with them.

These were but a few of the tricks the rabbit jugglers performed, andthey were so skillful that all the nobility and even the Kingapplauded as loudly as did Dorothy.

"I suppose there are no rabbit jugglers in all the world to comparewith these," remarked the King. "And since I may not have theWhiskers Friskers or my Bodyguard, you might ask Glinda to let me takeaway just two or three of these jugglers. Will you?"

"I'll ask her," replied Dorothy, doubtfully.

"Thank you," said the King; "thank you very much. And now you shalllisten to the Winsome Waggish Warblers, who have often cheered me inmy moments of anguish."

The Winsome Waggish Warblers proved to be a quartette of rabbitsingers, two gentlemen and two lady rabbits. The gentlemen Warblerswore full-dress swallow-tailed suits of white satin, with pearls forbuttons, while the lady Warblers were gowned in white satin dresseswith long trails.

The first song they sang began in this way:

"When a rabbit gets a habitOf living in a cityAnd wearing clothes and furbelowsAnd jewels rare and pretty,He scorns the Bun who has to runAnd burrow in the groundAnd pities those whose watchful foesAre man and gun and hound."

Dorothy looked at the King when she heard this song and noticedthat he seemed disturbed and ill at ease.

"I don't like that song," he said to the Warblers. "Give us somethingjolly and rollicking."

So they sang to a joyous, tinkling melody as follows:

"Bunnies gayDelight to playIn their fairy town secure;Ev'ry friskerFlirts his whiskerAt a pink-eyed girl demure.Ev'ry maidIn silk arrayedAt her partner shyly glances,Paws are grasped,Waists are claspedAs they whirl in giddy dances.Then togetherThrough the heather'Neath the moonlight soft they stroll;Each is veryBlithe and merry,Gamboling with laughter droll.Life is funTo ev'ry oneGuarded by our magic charmFor to dangersWe are strangers,Safe from any thought of harm."

"You see," said Dorothy to the King, when the song ended, "the rabbitsall seem to like Bunnybury except you. And I guess you're the onlyone that ever has cried or was unhappy and wanted to get back to yourmuddy hole in the ground."

His Majesty seemed thoughtful, and while the servants passed aroundglasses of nectar and plates of frosted cakes their King was silentand a bit nervous.

When the refreshments had been enjoyed by all and the servants hadretired Dorothy said:

"I must go now, for it's getting late and I'm lost. I've got to findthe Wizard and Aunt Em and Uncle Henry and all the rest sometimebefore night comes, if I poss'bly can."

"Won't you stay with us?" asked the King. "You will be very welcome."

"No, thank you," she replied. "I must get back to my friends. And Iwant to see Glinda just as soon as I can, you know."

So the King dismissed his court and said he would himself walk withDorothy to the gate. He did not weep nor groan any more, but his longface was quite solemn and his big ears hung dejectedly on each sideof it. He still wore his crown and his ermine and walked with ahandsome gold-headed cane.

When they arrived at the room in the wall the little girl found Totoand Billina waiting for her very patiently. They had been liberallyfed by some of the attendants and were in no hurry to leave suchcomfortable quarters.

The Keeper of the Wicket was by this time back in his old place, buthe kept a safe distance from Toto. Dorothy bade good bye to the Kingas they stood just inside the wall.

"You've been good to me," she said, "and I thank you ever so much. Assoon as poss'ble I'll see Glinda and ask her to put another King inyour place and send you back into the wild forest. And I'll ask herto let you keep some of your clothes and the lily chair and one or twojugglers to amuse you. I'm sure she will do it, 'cause she's so kindshe doesn't like any one to be unhappy."

"Ahem!" said the King, looking rather downcast. "I don't like totrouble you with my misery; so you needn't see Glinda."

"Oh, yes I will," she replied. "It won't be any trouble at all."

"But, my dear," continued the King, in an embarrassed way, "I've beenthinking the subject over carefully, and I find there are a lot ofpleasant things here in Bunnybury that I would miss if I went away.So perhaps I'd better stay."

Dorothy laughed. Then she looked grave.

"It won't do for you to be a King and a cry-baby at the same time,"she said. "You've been making all the other rabbits unhappy anddiscontented with your howls about being so miserable. So I guessit's better to have another King."

"Oh, no indeed!" exclaimed the King, earnestly. "If you won't sayanything to Glinda I'll promise to be merry and gay all the time,and never cry or wail again."

"Honor bright?" she asked.

"On the royal word of a King I promise it!" he answered.

"All right," said Dorothy. "You'd be a reg'lar lunatic to want toleave Bunnybury for a wild life in the forest, and I'm sure any rabbitoutside the city would be glad to take your place."

"Forget it, my dear; forget all my foolishness," pleaded the King,earnestly. "Hereafter I'll try to enjoy myself and do my dutyby my subjects."

So then she left him and entered through the little door into the roomin the wall, where she grew gradually bigger and bigger until she hadresumed her natural size.

The Keeper of the Wicket let them out into the forest and told Dorothythat she had been of great service to Bunnybury because she hadbrought their dismal King to a realization of the pleasure of rulingso beautiful a city.

"I shall start a petition to have your statue erected beside Glinda'sin the public square," said the Keeper. "I hope you will come again,some day, and see it."

"Perhaps I shall," she replied.

Then, followed by Toto and Billina, she walked away from the highmarble wall and started back along the narrow path toward the sign-post.