“The new Queen tore it up the other day,” said Midget, demurely.

“Then she must make a new one,” commanded Kitty.  “Never mind; for to-day this will do.”

The Princess San Diego hastily twisted some vines into a wreath, and laid it gently on the brilliant locks of the new Queen.

“I crown you Queen Sandy!” she said, dramatically.

“It’s all right, Kit,” said King, looking quizzical, “but just how do you happen to be running this court?”

“Oh, I might as well,” returned Kitty carelessly.  “I don’t think the rest of you are very good at it.”

“That’s so,” admitted Tom.  “I guess we do squabble a lot.”

“It isn’t only that,” said Kitty, “but you don’t have much order and ceremony.”

“I’ve noticed that,” put in Dick.  “We just talk every-day sort of talk.  I think we ought to be grander.”

“So do I,” agreed Kitty.  “Here, Hester, give me that crown; I’ll be Queen for to-day, and show you how.”

There was nothing bumptious or even dictatorial in Kitty’s manner; she merely wanted to show them how a Queen ought to act.  So she put the vine wreath on her own head, and breaking a branch from a tall shrub nearby for a sceptre, she seated herself on the dilapidated throne.

“I pray you sit,” she said, condescendingly, to her court.  “Ha! where is my page?”

“There is no page, O Queen,” said the Grand Sandjandrum, looking mortified.

“Thus I create one!” announced Kitty, calmly.  “Sand Crab, kneel before me!”

Harry sprang forward to obey, and kneeled at Kitty’s feet.

“Thus I anoint thee page!” declared the Queen, dramatically tapping him three times on his shoulder.  “Rise, Sir Page, and attend upon me!”

“Yes, ma’am!  What shall I do?” asked the new page, greatly flustered.

“Stand thou here at my right hand.  It may be I might have an errand or two now and then.”

“Aye, aye, O Queen!” declaimed Dick, who was catching the spirit of Kitty’s rule.

“Well spoke, fair sir.  Stand thou there, I prithee.  And now, Courtiers, is there any business to be discussed?”

“Nay, O Queen,” said Tom, “we but wait thy pleasure.”

“Then my pleasure is now to install the new Queen.  And, prithee, my courtiers, when that the new Queen is enthroned, then does the receding Queen become the Sand Witch?”

“Yea, O fair Queen,” said Marjorie, coming up with mincing steps and bowing before Kitty.  “From now on I am the Sand Witch of this court, and I humbly beg thy favor.”

“Favor be thine!” announced the temporary Queen.  “And now, O my courtiers, lead to me Queen Hester Sandy, Queen of Sand Court!”

Reconciled at last to this state of things, King and Tom sprang to escort Hester.  Dick and Harry marched gravely behind, while Midget stalked along ahead, and thus quite an imposing procession approached Queen Kitty and ranged themselves before her.