"
"Looks like rain now," remarked Cap'n Bill.
"It does," said the man, glancing at the sky. "We must hurry, or we
may get wet."
"Haven't you any umbrellas?" asked Button-Bright.
"No, we don't know what umbrellas are," replied the Pinky man.
It did not rain at once, and they reached Tourmaline's wretched hut
in safety. There they found quite a number of Pinkies assembled, and
a spirited discussion was taking place when they arrived.
"Come in, please," said Tourmaline, opening the door for them, and
when they had entered, she placed a pinkwood bench for them to sit
upon and went back to her throne, which was a common rocking chair.
At her right were seated six men and women of the Sunrise Tribe, and
on her left six men and women of the Sunset Tribe, among the latter
being Coralie. The contrast between the plain, simple dress of the
Queen and the gorgeous apparel of her Counselors was quite
remarkable, yet her beauty far surpassed that of any of her people,
and her demeanor was so modest and unassuming that it was difficult
for the prisoners to believe that her word would decree life or
death and that all the others were subservient to her. Tourmaline's
eyes were so deep a shade of pink that they were almost hazel, and
her hair was darker than that of the others, being a golden-red in
color. These points, taken with her light-pink skin and slender
form, rendered her distinctive among the Pinkies, whatever gown she
might wear.
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