"That"s right," he went on. "If people want people to like them, they must be likeable. They must be obliging and kind and pleasant, and not small and spiteful."
"You haven"t been very nice to me," muttered Hester.
"We haven"t had a chance. And before we get a chance you upset everything by making us dislike you! What kind of common sense is that?"
"Maybe you could forgive me," suggested Hester, hopefully.
"Maybe we could, later on. But we"re for fair play, and you treated us unfairly. So now, you"ve got to be punished. Queen Sandy, Grand Sandjandrum, which of you can suggest proper punishment for this prisoner of ours?"
Tom thought for a moment, then he said:
"Seems "s if she ought to put this palace back in order, just as it was when she found it,--but that"s too hard work for a girl."
"I"ll help her," said Harry, earnestly. "I"m sorry for her."
"Sorry for her!" cried Tom, with blazing eyes. "_Sorry_ for the girl that spoiled our palace!"
"Well, you see," went on Harry, "she"s sorry herself now."
CHAPTER IV
SAND COURT
With one accord, they all looked at Hester. Sure enough, it was easily to be seen that she was sorry. All her anger and rage had vanished, and she stood digging one toe into the sand, and twisting from side to side, with her eyes cast down, and two big tears rolling slowly down her cheeks.
Marjorie sprang up from her wabbly throne, and running to Hester, threw her arms around her.
"Don"t cry, Hester," she said. "We"ll all forgive you. I think you lost your temper and I think you"re sorry now, aren"t you?"
"Oh, yes, yes, I am!" sobbed Hester. "But I envied the good times you had, and when Tom wouldn"t let me into your club, I got so mad I didn"t know what to do."
"There, there, don"t cry any more," and Midget smoothed the tangled red mop, and tried to comfort the bad little Hester.
Tom looked rather disappointed.
"I say," he began, "she did an awful mean thing, and she ought to be----"
"Hold on a minute, Tom," said Marjorie. "I"m Queen of this club, and what I say goes! Is that right, my courtiers?"
She looked round at the boys, smiling in a wheedlesome way, and King said, "Right, O Queen Sandy! Right always and ever, in the hearts of your gentlemen-in-waiting."
"You bet you are!" cried Tom, quick to follow King"s lead. "Our n.o.ble Queen has but to say the word, and it is our law. Therefore, O Queen, we beg thee to mete out a just punishment to this prisoner within our gates."
"Hear ye! Hear ye!" said Midget, with great dramatic fervor. "I hereby forgive this prisoner of ours, because she"s truly sorry she acted like the d.i.c.kens. And as a punishment, I condemn her to rebuild this royal palace, but, following Harry"s example, we will all help her with the work."
Then King burst forth into song:
"Hooray, Hooray, for our n.o.ble Queen, The very best monarch that ever was seen.
There"s n.o.body quite so perfectly dandy, As our most gracious, most n.o.ble Queen Sandy!"
They all repeated this chorus, and the Queen bowed and smiled at her devoted court.
"And also," her Royal Highness went on, "we hereby take into our club Miss Hester Corey as a new member. I"m glad to have another girl in it,--and what I say goes!"
This time Tom made up the song:
"What she says, goes!
She"s sweet as a rose, From head to toes, So what she says, goes!"
"Miss Hester Corey is now a member," said Midget, "and her name is,--is----"
"Sand Witch," suggested Tom.
"Yes," said King; "you expect witches to cut up tricks."
"All right," said Hester. "Call me Sand Witch, and you"ll see there are good witches as well as bad."
"Come on, then," said Marjorie, "and show us how you can work. Let"s put this palace back into shape again as quick as scat!"
They all fell to work, and it didn"t take so very long after all. Hester was conquered by the power of Marjorie"s kindness, and she was meek as a lamb. She did whatever she was told, and was a quick and willing worker.
"Now," said Midget, after it was all in order once more, "now we"ll have our celebration. You see, we have six in our court now, instead of five, and I think it"s nicer. I"ll give the Sand Witch my sash to wear, and she can be my first lady-in-waiting."
This position greatly pleased Hester, and she took her place at the side of the enthroned Queen, while Tom stood at her other side. King played a grand tune, and they all sang.
The song was in honor of the flag-raising, and was hastily composed by Marjorie for the occasion:
"Our Flag, our Flag, our Sand Club Flag!
Long may she wave, long may she wag!
And may our Sand Club ever stand A glory to our Native Land."
Tom persisted in singing "a glory to our native _sand_," and King said _strand_, but after all, it didn"t matter.
Then Sandow, bearing the flag, stepped gravely forward, and the boys all helped to plant it firmly in the middle of Sand Court, while the Queen and her lady-in-waiting nodded approval.
"Ha, Courtiers! I prithee sit!" the Queen commanded, when the flag was gaily waving in the breeze.
Her four courtiers promptly sat on the ground at her feet, and the Queen addressed them thus:
"Gentlemen-in-waiting of Sandringham Palace, there are much affairs of state now before us. First must we form our club, our Sand Club."
"Most n.o.ble Queen," and Tom rose to his feet, "have I your permission to speak?"
"Speak!" said the Queen, graciously, waving her sceptre at him.