"You don't. You take my word for it. Otherwise, I don'ttalk, no matter how hard you squeeze me."

"All right," said William. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"That's better," said Bell, after William had set himdown. "What's your name?"

"William."

"Great. Okay, now here is what you do..."

"You just turned gray!" said William. "Like the stone!"

"Yes, I have some chameleon blood in me from my mother'sside of the family. Now about this dragon business: I amanxious to see your king and his court and his kingdom. I amalso anxious to know how it is that you came to this valley tolook for dragons."

"I have a map," said William. "See? 'Here There BeDragons' is what it says about this valley."

"Who drew that map?" "The Royal Cartographer, MisterGibberling," said William.

"Aha! A Gibberling map!" said Bell. "An original! I'lltell you what. If you take me back with you to the court, andarrange for me to meet Mister Gibberling, I promise you that Iwill produce one real, live dragon upon demand."

"How?" William wanted to know.

"That is my business," said Bell, "and that is myproposition. Take it or leave it."

"Are you sure you can do it?"

"Yes," said Bell.

"All right," said William. "You produce a dragon when Iask you to, and I promise that you will get to meet MisterGibberling."

"It's a deal," said Bell, turning brown as he jumped intothe saddlebag. "Let's get going."

William mounted his horse and they rode away together.

Chapter 5

The princess' birthday party promised to be a gala affair.The great dining hall of the palace resounded with music. Therewas dancing and wine and big platters of food. There were wholeroasted pigs with apples in their mouths, and there werechickens and dumplings and great roasts of beef.