"
"I guess not," returned Cap'n Bill, and reaching out one of his long
arms, the sailorman suddenly grasped the Boolooroo around his long,
thin neck and shook him until his whole body fluttered like a flag.
"Drop that umbrel. Drop it!" yelled Cap'n Bill, and the Boolooroo
quickly obeyed. The Magic Umbrella fell to the ground, and
Button-Bright promptly seized it. Then the sailor let go his hold
and the King staggered to a seat, choking and coughing to get his
breath back.
"I told you to let things alone," growled Cap'n Bill. "If you don't
behave, your Majesty, this Blue Island'll have to get another
Boolooroo."
"Why?" asked the Blueskin.
"Because I'll prob'ly spoil you for a king, an' mebbe for anything
else. Anyhow, you'll get badly damaged if you try to interfere with
us, an' that's a fact."
"Don't kill him, Cap'n Bill," said Trot cheerfully.
"Kill me? Why, he couldn't do that," observed the King, who was
trying to rearrange the ruffle around his neck. "Nothing can kill
me."
"Why not?" asked Cap'n Bill.
"Because I haven't lived my six hundred years yet. Perhaps you don't
know that every Blueskin in Sky Island lives exactly six hundred
years from the time he is born."
"No, I didn't know that," admitted the sailor.
"It's a fact, said the King. "Nothing can kill us until we've lived
to the last day of our appointed lives.
Pages:
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62