Page:The Floating Prince - Frank R Stockton.djvu/179

164 Early the next morning, the giant appeared before the palace of Gantalor, where his army was all drawn up, ready to be dismissed for a short furlough. The royal treasurer was there, with his money-bags, to pay them off, and the soldiers were just going to stack their spears in the courtyard.

"Halloo!" said the giant; "what's up now?"

"Oh! you see," said the young king, "we are about to have a short peace, and my men are going home for a while."

"That's bad," said Derido, "for I came here to make war on you."

"Is that so?" said Gantalor; and then, turning to his army, he shouted: "Put away those money-bags! 'Tention battalions! Shoulder spears! By the right flank, wheel! Forward, march!" And springing on his horse, he put himself at the head of his army.

"It seems to me that you are in an awful hurry," said Derido. "This is no place to fight, but I know of a splendid battle-ground, and I will show you where it is."

So the giant led the way, and Gantalor and his whole army went after him, to the good place for a battle that he had spoken of. After marching a long time, Gantalor called out:

"Halloo there, Derido! I should think that by this time we had gone far enough."

"Oh! no," replied the giant, "we havn't got there yet Don't be impatient. It's an excellent place that I am taking you to, and it's a great deal better to do things right, while you are about it."

"Oh! yes," said the king, who was very fair in all his dealings, "certainly, I want to have things all right, while we are about them."

So they marched on until they came to a beautiful level plain and the giant said that was the place, and Gantalor agreed that