When the prisoners entered, the pairs of captains and soldiers bowed
low to the two pairs of rulers, and the Ki exclaimed--both in the same
voice of surprise:
"Great Kika-koo! what have we here?"
"Most wonderful prisoners, your Highnesses," answered the captains.
"We found them at your cities' gates and brought them to you at once.
They are, as your Highnesses will see, each singular, and but half of
what he should be."
"'Tis so!" cried the double Ki, in loud voices, and slapping their
right thighs with their right palms at the same time. "Most
remarkable! Most remarkable!"
"I don't see anything remarkable about it," returned Prince Marvel,
calmly. "It is you, who are not singular, but double, that seem
strange and outlandish."
"Perhaps--perhaps!" said the two old men, thoughtfully. "It is what
we are not accustomed to that seems to us remarkable. Eh, Ki-Ki?"
they added, turning to the other rulers.
The Ki-Ki, who had not spoken a word but continued to play softly,
simply nodded their blond heads carelessly; so the Ki looked again at
the prisoners and asked:
"How did you get here?"
"We cut a hole through the prickly hedge," replied Prince Marvel.
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