The man sent
the boys all over the city, but he himself went straight to the
palace.
He knocked at the palace-door, and the maid-servant came. "Is the King
at home?" asked the Pop-corn man.
The maid said he was, and the Pop-corn man asked to see him. Just then
a baby cried.
"What baby is that crying?" asked he.
"A baby that was brought here at sunset, several months ago," replied
the maid; and he knew at once that he had found the Princess.
"Will you find out if I can see the King?" he said.
"I'll see," answered the maid. And she went in to find the King.
Pretty soon she returned and asked the Pop-corn man to step into the
parlor, which he did, and soon the King came downstairs.
[Illustration: "YOU!" CRIED THE BARON SCORNFULLY.]
The Pop-corn man displayed his wares, and the King tasted. He had
never seen any pop-corn before, and he was both an epicure and a man
of hobbies. "It is the nicest food that ever I tasted," he declared,
and he bought all the man's stock.
"I can buy corn for you for seed, and I can order poppers enough to
supply the city," suggested the Pop-corn man.
"So do," cried the King. And he gave orders for seven ships' cargoes
of seed corn and fifty of poppers. "My people shall eat nothing else,"
said the King, "and the whole kingdom shall be planted with it. I am
satisfied that it is the best national food.
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