"Hi! Hi! Three cheers for Princess Trot!" whinnied High Boy above all the noise and clapping. When Ozma could make herself heard, she again called for silence. Wondering what surprising announcement would come next the company turned eagerly to their little ruler.
"As Orin is no longer Good Witch of the North and the Gillikens are without a sovereign, I have decided to make Joe and Hyacinth rulers of the North!" declared Ozma imperiously-"And-"
"We accept with pleasure!" interrupted High Boy, not only rising to his feet but stretching up till he towered over them all. "We accept this high honor Your Majesty has conferred upon us, and if you will just excuse me, I'll dash off and tell the good news to Joe." Holding his head so high that he bumped it on the top of the door, High Boy clattered from the banquet hall to the great astonishment and amusement of all. That is all except Trot and Philador. Rushing after the high horse, they called loudly for him to stop. And when he saw the little girl and boy waving from the top steps of the castle he did come and, stretching up, let each of them embrace him heartily.
"I'm coming again to visit you," promised High Boy with a slight choke, for he hated to say goodbye to his little friends. "I'll see you have high positions at our court, too." Then shaking his head and stretching up a bit higher he cantered off, neighing tremendously as he went.
"Hi! Hi! Everybody Hi! I am the highest horse in Oz! High horse to Their Majesties, King and Queen of the North." Arm in arm Philador and Trot returned to the banquet hall and, after the last speech had been made and they had all drunk the health of the new sovereigns in pale pink lemonade, the party broke up and they all went out into the garden to play blind-man's buff.
As the royal family from the Ozure Isles did not return to their capital for ten days, they had plenty of time to see all the wonderful sights in the Emerald City and to grow as fond of dear little Ozma and her gay court and courtiers as we are, ourselves!
The End
The Giant Horse Of Oz Page 13
