“The next,” announced the Sand Piper, “is an original poem by our most liege majesty, the Queen.  It’s pretty fine, I think.

    “Most noble Court, I greet you now,
    From Grand Sandjandrum to small Sandow. 
    From old Sand Piper, and gay Sand Witch,
    To Sand Crab, with hair as black as pitch. 
    I hope our Court will ever be
    Renowned for its fun and harmony. 
    And as I gaze on this gorgeous scene,
    I’m glad I am your beloved Queen.”

“Jinks! that’s gay!” exclaimed Tom.  “How do you ever do it, Marjorie?  I did a poem, but it doesn’t run nice and slick like yours.”

“I’ll read it next,” said King.  “I think it’s pretty good.

    “I love the people named Maynard,
    I like to play in their back yard. 
    We have a jolly Sand Court,
    Which makes the time fly very short. 
    Except going in the ocean bathing,
    There’s nothing I like so much for a plaything.”

“That’s very nice, Tom,” said Marjorie, forgetting her role.

“No, it isn’t.  It seems as if it ought to be right, and then somehow it isn’t.  Bathing and plaything are ’most alike, and yet they sound awful different.”

“That’s so.  Well, anyway, it’s plenty good enough, and it’s all true, Tom.”

“Yes, it’s all true.”

“Then it must be right, ’cause there’s a quotation or something that says truth is beauty.  We wouldn’t want all our poems to be just alike, you know.”

“No, I s’pose not,” and Tom felt greatly encouraged by Marjorie’s kind criticism.

“Next,” said King, “is our Puzzle Department.  It’s sort of queer, but it’s Sandow’s contribution, and he said to put it in, and he’d explain about it.  So here it is.

* * * * *

“’SANDY PRIZE PUZZLE.  Prize, a musical top, donated by the author.  Question:  Is the number of sands on the seashore odd or even?  Anybody in this court who can answer this question truthfully will receive the prize.  Signed, SANDOW.’”

* * * * *

“That’s nonsense,” cried Hester.  “How can anybody tell whether we answer truthfully or not?”

“I can tell,” said Sandow, gravely.  “Whoever first answers it truthfully will get the prize.”

“But it’s ridiculous,” said King.  “In the first place, how much seashore do you mean?  Only that here at Seacote, or all the Atlantic shore?  Or all the world?”

Dick considered.  “I mean all the seashore in all the world,” he said, at last.

“Then that’s silly, too,” said Tom, “for how far does the seashore go?  Just to the edge of the ocean, or all the way under?”

“All the way under,” replied Dick, solemnly.

“Then you really mean all the sand in all the world!”

“Yes; that’s it.  Of course, all the sand in all the world numbers a certain number of grains.  Now, is that number odd or even?”