Page:St. Nicholas (serial) (IA stnicholasserial321dodg).pdf/40

While they talked of these matters, the ever-active Jikki kept rushing in and saying:

“So the chief counselor brought the book.”

“Had n’t I better toll the bell?”

“No!” they would shout in a chorus; and then Jikki would rush out again.

So they sat and thought and counseled together during the whole long night, and by morning they were no nearer a solution of the problem than before.

At daybreak Jikki stuck his head into the room and said:

“Had n't I better—”

“No!” they all shouted in a breath.

“Very well,” returned Jikki “Twas only going to ask if I had n’t better get you some breakfast.”

“Yes!” they cried, again in one breath.

“And shall I toll the bell?”

“No!” they screamed; and the lord high steward threw an inkstand that hit the door several seconds after Jikki had closed it and disappeared.

While they were at breakfast they again discussed their future action in the choice of a king; and finally the chief counselor had a thought that caused him to start so suddenly that he nearly choked.

“The book!” he gasped, staring at his brother counselors in a rather wild manner.

“What book?” asked the lord high general.

“The book of laws,” answered the chief counselor.

“I never knew there was such a thing,” remarked the lord high executioner, looking puzzled. “I always thought the king’s will was the law.”

“So it was! So it was when we had a king,” answered Tullydub, excitedly.“ But this book of laws was written years ago, and was meant to be used when the king was absent, or ill, or asleep.”

For a moment there was silence,

“Have you ever read the book?” then asked Tillydib.

“No; but I will fetch it at once, and we shall see if there is not a law to help us out of our difficulty.”

So the chief counselor brought the book—a huge old volume that had a musty smell to it and was locked together with a silver padlock. Then the key had to be found, which was no easy task; but finally the great book of laws lay open upon the table, and all the five periwigs of the five fat counselors were bent over it at once.

Long and carnestly they searched the pages, but it was not until after noon that Tullydub