If only," she added, and then paused to look around her with a frightened expression.

"If only--" here she stopped again, as if not daring to go on with her speech.
"If only what, ma'am ?" asked Cap'n Bill.
The woman sent the children into the house.

Then she came closer to the strangers and whispered: "If only we had a different King, we would be very happy and contented." "What's the matter with your King ?" asked Trot, curiously.

But the woman seemed frightened to have said so much.

She retreated to her porch, merely saying: "The King punishes severely any treason on the part of his subjects." "What's treason ?" asked Button-Bright.
"In this case," replied Cap'n Bill, "treason seems to consist of knockin' the King; but I guess we know his disposition now as well as if the lady had said more." "I wonder," said Trot, going up to the woman, "if you could spare us something to eat.