diff options
| -rw-r--r-- | .gitattributes | 3 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h.zip | bin | 0 -> 7325264 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/28552-h.htm | 3381 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/103.jpg | bin | 0 -> 54245 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/107.jpg | bin | 0 -> 62055 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/111.jpg | bin | 0 -> 55342 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/115.jpg | bin | 0 -> 61787 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/119.jpg | bin | 0 -> 84182 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/122.jpg | bin | 0 -> 76571 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/123.jpg | bin | 0 -> 67274 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/127.jpg | bin | 0 -> 71365 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/129.jpg | bin | 0 -> 22055 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/13.jpg | bin | 0 -> 95347 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/131.jpg | bin | 0 -> 75019 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/135.jpg | bin | 0 -> 77712 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/139.jpg | bin | 0 -> 40635 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/143.jpg | bin | 0 -> 67179 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/144.jpg | bin | 0 -> 9936 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/147.jpg | bin | 0 -> 85338 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/149.jpg | bin | 0 -> 9446 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/151.jpg | bin | 0 -> 71027 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/155.jpg | bin | 0 -> 89606 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/157.jpg | bin | 0 -> 10763 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/159.jpg | bin | 0 -> 90758 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/16.jpg | bin | 0 -> 8964 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/163.jpg | bin | 0 -> 72326 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/165.jpg | bin | 0 -> 8632 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/167.jpg | bin | 0 -> 88090 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/17.jpg | bin | 0 -> 84477 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/171.jpg | bin | 0 -> 70831 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/173.jpg | bin | 0 -> 10151 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/175.jpg | bin | 0 -> 81390 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/179.jpg | bin | 0 -> 50991 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/183.jpg | bin | 0 -> 74565 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/187.jpg | bin | 0 -> 44868 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/188.jpg | bin | 0 -> 8448 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/191.jpg | bin | 0 -> 102383 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/197.jpg | bin | 0 -> 85133 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/201.jpg | bin | 0 -> 81998 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/205.jpg | bin | 0 -> 82534 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/209.jpg | bin | 0 -> 84185 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/21.jpg | bin | 0 -> 68429 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/213.jpg | bin | 0 -> 44938 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/217.jpg | bin | 0 -> 71603 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/221.jpg | bin | 0 -> 86504 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/225.jpg | bin | 0 -> 66338 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/229.jpg | bin | 0 -> 52548 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/233.jpg | bin | 0 -> 81894 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/237.jpg | bin | 0 -> 73070 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/238.jpg | bin | 0 -> 10681 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/241.jpg | bin | 0 -> 75517 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/243.jpg | bin | 0 -> 7505 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/245.jpg | bin | 0 -> 88917 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/249.jpg | bin | 0 -> 80412 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/25.jpg | bin | 0 -> 88397 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/253.jpg | bin | 0 -> 96232 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/259.jpg | bin | 0 -> 92002 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/263.jpg | bin | 0 -> 69676 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/267.jpg | bin | 0 -> 82176 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/268.jpg | bin | 0 -> 7181 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/271.jpg | bin | 0 -> 88642 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/275.jpg | bin | 0 -> 62993 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/279.jpg | bin | 0 -> 75105 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/283.jpg | bin | 0 -> 82119 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/286.jpg | bin | 0 -> 6915 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/287.jpg | bin | 0 -> 86180 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/29.jpg | bin | 0 -> 64414 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/291.jpg | bin | 0 -> 65568 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/295.jpg | bin | 0 -> 54209 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/297.jpg | bin | 0 -> 4219 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/299.jpg | bin | 0 -> 81913 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/303.jpg | bin | 0 -> 70814 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/305.jpg | bin | 0 -> 8221 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/307.jpg | bin | 0 -> 73348 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/310.jpg | bin | 0 -> 7257 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/311.jpg | bin | 0 -> 78644 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/315.jpg | bin | 0 -> 82120 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/319.jpg | bin | 0 -> 93984 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/320.jpg | bin | 0 -> 4411 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/323.jpg | bin | 0 -> 74254 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/327.jpg | bin | 0 -> 77270 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/33.jpg | bin | 0 -> 80765 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/331.jpg | bin | 0 -> 74259 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/332.jpg | bin | 0 -> 3099 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/335.jpg | bin | 0 -> 69085 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/339.jpg | bin | 0 -> 70167 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/343.jpg | bin | 0 -> 67794 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/347.jpg | bin | 0 -> 48458 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/351.jpg | bin | 0 -> 91676 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/355.jpg | bin | 0 -> 93657 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/359.jpg | bin | 0 -> 45743 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/363.jpg | bin | 0 -> 91281 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/367.jpg | bin | 0 -> 82857 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/37.jpg | bin | 0 -> 78497 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/370.jpg | bin | 0 -> 7301 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/371.jpg | bin | 0 -> 73152 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/375.jpg | bin | 0 -> 78485 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/379.jpg | bin | 0 -> 68549 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/380.jpg | bin | 0 -> 3903 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/383.jpg | bin | 0 -> 74781 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/41.jpg | bin | 0 -> 102255 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/42.jpg | bin | 0 -> 9098 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/45.jpg | bin | 0 -> 38306 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/49.jpg | bin | 0 -> 81247 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/53.jpg | bin | 0 -> 79349 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/55.jpg | bin | 0 -> 9637 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/57.jpg | bin | 0 -> 56228 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/61.jpg | bin | 0 -> 60318 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/64.jpg | bin | 0 -> 86039 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/65.jpg | bin | 0 -> 10785 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/68.jpg | bin | 0 -> 29021 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/71.jpg | bin | 0 -> 70586 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/75.jpg | bin | 0 -> 65084 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/79.jpg | bin | 0 -> 65219 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/81.jpg | bin | 0 -> 9442 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/83.jpg | bin | 0 -> 42677 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/87.jpg | bin | 0 -> 88906 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/9.jpg | bin | 0 -> 68397 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/91.jpg | bin | 0 -> 97470 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/95.jpg | bin | 0 -> 84920 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/97.jpg | bin | 0 -> 4731 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/99.jpg | bin | 0 -> 84022 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552-h/images/logo.jpg | bin | 0 -> 18184 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552.txt | 4268 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 28552.zip | bin | 0 -> 66782 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | LICENSE.txt | 11 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | README.md | 2 |
127 files changed, 7665 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/28552-h.zip b/28552-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..e2fad0a --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h.zip diff --git a/28552-h/28552-h.htm b/28552-h/28552-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1a999fb --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/28552-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,3381 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<html> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1"> +<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of Twinkle and Chubbins, by L. Frank (Lyman Frank) Baum</title> +<style type="text/css"> + h1 { text-align: center } + h2 { text-align: center } + .red { color:red } + body { margin-left:10%; margin-right:10% } + hr.full { width: 100%; + height: 5px; } + a:link {color:#0000ff; + text-decoration:none; } + link {color:#0000ff; + text-decoration:none; } + a:visited {color:#0000ff; + text-decoration:none; } + a:hover {color:#ff0000; + text-decoration: underline; } + pre {font-size: 85%; } +</style> +</head> +<body> +<h1 align="center">The Project Gutenberg eBook of Twinkle and Chubbins, by L. Frank (Lyman +Frank) Baum, Illustrated by Maginel Wright Enright</h1> +<pre> +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at <a href = "http://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a></pre> +<p>Title: Twinkle and Chubbins</p> +<p> Their Astonishing Adventures in Nature-Fairyland</p> +<p>Author: L. Frank (Lyman Frank) Baum</p> +<p>Release Date: April 10, 2009 [eBook #28552]</p> +<p>Language: English</p> +<p>Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1</p> +<p>***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TWINKLE AND CHUBBINS***</p> +<br><br><center><h3>E-text prepared by Michael Gray</h3></center><br><br> + +<p> </p> +<hr class="full" noshade> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h1><i>TWINKLE<br>and<br>CHUBBINS</i></h1> +<br><br><br><br> +<h1><span class="red">TWINKLE AND CHUBBINS</span></h1> +<br> +<p align="center"><b><i>Their Astonishing Adventures<br>in Nature-Fairyland</i></b></p> +<br> +<p align="center">BY<br><big>LAURA BANCROFT</big></p> +<br> +<p align="center">ILLUSTRATED<br>BY<br>MAGINAL WRIGHT ENRIGHT</p> +<br> +<p align="center"><img src="images/logo.jpg" alt="The Reilly and Britton Company logo"></p> +<br> +<p align="center">PUBLISHERS<br><big>THE REILLY & BRITTON +CO.</big><br>CHICAGO</p> +<br><br><br><br> +<p align="center">COPYRIGHT, 1911<br>BY<br>THE REILLY & BRITTON CO.</p> + + +<br><br><br><br> +<h1>CONTENTS</h1> +<table border="0" align="center"> +<tr><td colspan="4"><p> </p> +<td><p>PAGE</p> +<tr><td><p>I</p> +<td width="10"><p> </p> +<td><p><a href="#1">Mr. Woodchuck</a></p> +<td><p>........</p> +<td><p align="right">9</p> +<tr><td><p>II</p> +<td width="10"><p> </p> +<td><p><a href="#2">Bandit Jim Crow</a></p> +<td><p>........</p> +<td><p align="right">69</p> +<tr><td><p>III</p> +<td width="10"><p> </p> +<td><p><a href="#3">Prarie-Dog Town</a></p> +<td><p>........</p> +<td><p align="right">133</p> +<tr><td><p>IV</p> +<td width="10"><p> </p> +<td><p><a href="#4">Prince Mud-Turtle</a></p> +<td><p>........</p> +<td><p align="right">195</p> +<tr><td><p>V</p> +<td width="10"><p> </p> +<td><p><a href="#5">Twinkle's Enchantment</a></p> +<td><p>........</p> +<td><p align="right">257</p> +<tr><td><p>VI</p> +<td width="10"><p> </p> +<td><p><a href="#6">Sugar-Loaf Mountain</a></p> +<td><p>........</p> +<td><p align="right">321</p> +</table> + + +<br><br><br><br> +<p align="center"><a name="1"><img src="images/9.jpg" alt="Mr. Woodchuck"></a></p> +<br><br><br><br> +<h2>List of Chapters</h2> +<hr width="10%"> +<table border="0" align="center"> +<tr><td colspan="4"><p> </p> +<td><p>PAGE</p> +<tr><td><p>I</p> +<td width="10"><p> </p> +<td><p><a href="#1-1">The Trap</a></p> +<td><p>........</p> +<td><p align="right">11</p> +<tr><td><p>II</p> +<td width="10"><p> </p> +<td><p><a href="#1-2">Mr. Woodchuck Captures a Girl</a></p> +<td><p>........</p> +<td><p align="right">18</p> +<tr><td><p>III</p> +<td width="10"><p> </p> +<td><p><a href="#1-3">Mr. Woodchuck Scolds Twinkle</a></p> +<td><p>........</p> +<td><p align="right">26</p> +<tr><td><p>IV</p> +<td width="10"><p> </p> +<td><p><a href="#1-4">Mrs. Woodchuck and Her Family</a></p> +<td><p>........</p> +<td><p align="right">35</p> +<tr><td><p>V</p> +<td width="10"><p> </p> +<td><p><a href="#1-5">Mr. Woodchuck Argues the Question</a></p> +<td><p>........</p> +<td><p align="right">43</p> +<tr><td><p>VI</p> +<td width="10"><p> </p> +<td><p><a href="#1-6">Twinkle is Taken to the Judge</a></p> +<td><p>........</p> +<td><p align="right">50</p> +<tr><td><p>VII</p> +<td width="10"><p> </p> +<td><p><a href="#1-7">Twinkle is Condemned</a></p> +<td><p>........</p> +<td><p align="right">56</p> +<tr><td><p>VIII</p> +<td width="10"><p> </p> +<td><p><a href="#1-8">Twinkle Remembers</a></p> +<td><p>........</p> +<td><p align="right">66</p> +</table> + +<br><br><br><br> +<h1><a name="1-1">Chapter I</a></h1> +<hr width="10%"> +<h2>The Trap</h2> +<p><font size="+4">"T</font><font size="+2">HERE'S</font> a woodchuck over on the side hill +that is eating my clover," said Twinkle's father, who was a farmer. +</p><p> +"Why don't you set a trap for it?" asked Twinkle's mother. +</p><p> +"I believe I will," answered the man. +</p><p> +So, when the midday dinner was over, the farmer went to the barn and got a steel trap, and carried +it over to the clover-field on the hillside. +</p><p> +Twinkle wanted very much to go with him, but she had to help mamma wash the dishes and put +them away, and then brush up the dining-room and put it in order. But when the work was done, +and she had all the rest of the afternoon to herself, she decided to go over to the woodchuck's hole +and see how papa had set the trap, and also discover if the woodchuck had yet been caught.</p> +<p>So the little girl took her blue-and-white sun-bonnet, and climbed over the garden fence and ran +across the corn-field and through the rye until she came to the red-clover patch on the hill.</p> +<p>She knew perfectly well where the woodchuck's hole was, for she had looked at it curiously +many times; so she approached it carefully and found the trap set just in front of the hole. If the +woodchuck stepped on it, when he came out, it would grab his leg and hold him fast; and there was +a chain fastened to the trap, and also to a stout post driven into the ground, so that when the +woodchuck was caught he couldn't run away with the trap.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/13.jpg" alt="Twinkle waits for the +woodchuck"><br>TWINKLE WAITS FOR THE WOODCHUCK</p> +<p>But although the day was bright and sunshiny, and just the kind of day woodchucks like, the +clover-eater had not yet walked out of his hole to get caught in the trap.</p> +<p>So Twinkle lay down in the clover-field, half hidden by a small bank in front of the +woodchuck's hole, and began to watch for the little animal to come out. Her eyes could see right +into the hole, which seemed to slant upward into the hill instead of downward; but of course she +couldn't see very far in, because the hole wasn't straight, and grew black a little way from the +opening.</p> +<p>It was somewhat wearisome, waiting and watching so long, and the warm sun and the soft chirp +of the crickets that hopped through the clover made Twinkle drowsy. She didn't intend to go to +sleep, because then she might miss the woodchuck; but there was no harm in closing her eyes just +one little minute; so she allowed the long lashes to droop over her pretty pink cheeks—just +because they felt so heavy, and there was no way to prop them up.</p> +<p>Then, with a start, she opened her eyes again, and saw the trap and the woodchuck hole just as +they were before. Not quite, though, come to look carefully. The hole seemed to be bigger than at +first; yes, strange as it might seem, the hole was growing bigger every minute! She watched it with +much surprise, and then looked at the trap, which remained the same size it had always been. And +when she turned her eyes upon the hole once more it had not only become very big and high, but a +stone arch appeared over it, and a fine, polished front door now shut it off from the outside world. +She could even read a name upon the silver door-plate, and the name was this:</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/16.jpg" alt="Mr. Woodchuck"></p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/17.jpg" alt="Mr. Woodchuck receives a telegram"><br>MR. +WOODCHUCK RECEIVES A TELEGRAM</p> + +<br><br><br> +<h1><a name="1-2">Chapter II</a></h1> +<hr width="10%"> +<h2>Mister Woodchuck Captures a Girl</h2> +<p><font size="+4">"W</font><font size="+2">ELL,</font> I declare!" whispered Twinkle to +herself; "how could all that have happened?"</p> +<p>On each side of the door was a little green bench, big enough for two to sit upon, and between +the benches was a doorstep of white marble, with a mat lying on it. On one side Twinkle saw an +electric door-bell.</p> +<p>While she gazed at this astonishing sight a sound of rapid footsteps was heard, and a large Jack- +Rabbit, almost as big as herself, and dressed in a messenger-boy's uniform, ran up to the +woodchuck's front door and rang the bell.</p> +<p>Almost at once the door opened inward, and a curious personage stepped out.</p> +<p>Twinkle saw at a glance that it was the woodchuck himself,—but what a big and queer +woodchuck it was!</p> +<p>He wore a swallow-tailed coat, with a waistcoat of white satin and fancy knee-breeches, and +upon his feet were shoes with silver buckles. On his head was perched a tall silk hat that made him +look just as high as Twinkle's father, and in one paw he held a gold-headed cane. Also he wore big +spectacles over his eyes, which made him look more dignified than any other woodchuck Twinkle +had ever seen.</p> +<p>When this person opened the door and saw the Jack-Rabbit messenger-boy, he cried out:</p> +<p>"Well, what do you mean by ringing my bell so violently? I suppose you're half an hour late, +and trying to make me think you're in a hurry."</p> +<p>The Jack-Rabbit took a telegram from its pocket and handed it to the woodchuck without a +word in reply. At once the woodchuck tore open the envelope and read the telegram carefully.</p> +<p>"Thank you. There's no answer," he said; and in an instant the Jack-Rabbit had whisked away +and was gone.</p> +<p>"Well, well," said the woodchuck, as if to himself, "the foolish farmer has set a trap for me, it +seems, and my friends have sent a telegram to warn me. Let's see—where is the thing?"</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/21.jpg" alt="Mr. Woodchuck discovers Twinkle"><br>MR. +WOODCHUCK DISCOVERS TWINKLE</p> +<p>He soon discovered the trap, and seizing hold of the chain he pulled the peg out of the ground +and threw the whole thing far away into the field.</p> +<p>"I must give that farmer a sound scolding," he muttered, "for he's becoming so impudent lately +that soon he will think he owns the whole country."</p> +<p>But now his eyes fell upon Twinkle, who lay in the clover staring up at him; and the +woodchuck gave a laugh and grabbed her fast by one arm.</p> +<p>"Oh ho!" he exclaimed; "you're spying upon me, are you?"</p> +<p>"I'm just waiting to see you get caught in the trap," said the girl, standing up because the big +creature pulled upon her arm. She wasn't much frightened, strange to say, because this woodchuck +had a good-humored way about him that gave her confidence.</p> +<p>"You would have to wait a long time for that," he said, with a laugh that was a sort of low +chuckle. "Instead of seeing me caught, you've got caught yourself. That's turning the tables, sure +enough; isn't it?"</p> +<p>"I suppose it is," said Twinkle, regretfully. "Am I a prisoner?"</p> +<p>"You might call it that; and then, again, you mightn't," answered the woodchuck. "To tell you +the truth, I hardly know what to do with you. But come inside, and we'll talk it over. We musn't be +seen out here in the fields."</p> +<p>Still holding fast to her arm, the woodchuck led her through the door, which he carefully closed +and locked. Then they passed through a kind of hallway, into which opened several handsomely +furnished rooms, and out again into a beautiful garden at the back, all filled with flowers and +brightly colored plants, and with a pretty fountain playing in the middle. A high stone wall was built +around the garden, shutting it off from all the rest of the world.</p> +<p>The woodchuck led his prisoner to a bench beside the fountain, and told her to sit down and +make herself comfortable.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/25.jpg" alt="Mr. Woodchuck struts up and down"><br>MR. +WOODCHUCK STRUTS UP AND DOWN</p> + +<br><br><br> +<h1><a name="1-3">Chapter III</a></h1> +<hr width="10%"> +<h2>Mister Woodchuck Scolds Tinkle</h2> +<p><font size="+4">T</font><font size="+2">WINKLE</font> was much pleased with her +surroundings, and soon discovered several gold-fishes swimming in the water at the foot of the +mountain.</p> +<p>"Well, how does it strike you?" asked the woodchuck, strutting up and down the gravel walk +before her and swinging his gold-headed cane rather gracefully.</p> +<p>"It seems like a dream," said Twinkle.</p> +<p>"To be sure," he answered, nodding. "You'd no business to fall asleep in the clover."</p> +<p>"Did I?" she asked, rather startled at the suggestion.</p> +<p>"It stands to reason you did," he replied. "You don't for a moment think this is real, do +you?"</p> +<p>"It <i>seems</i> real," she answered. "Aren't you the woodchuck?"</p> +<p>"<i>Mister</i> Woodchuck, if you please. Address me properly, young lady, or you'll make me +angry."</p> +<p>"Well, then, aren't you Mister Woodchuck?"</p> +<p>"At present I am; but when you wake up, I won't be," he said.</p> +<p>"Then you think I'm dreaming?"</p> +<p>"You must figure that out for yourself," said Mister Woodchuck.</p> +<p>"What do you suppose made me dream?"</p> +<p>"I don't know."</p> +<p>"Do you think it's something I've eaten?" she asked anxiously.</p> +<p>"I hardly think so. This isn't any nightmare, you know, because there's nothing at all horrible +about it so far. You've probably been reading some of those creepy, sensational story-books."</p> +<p>"I haven't read a book in a long time," said Twinkle.</p> +<p>"Dreams," remarked Mister Woodchuck, thoughtfully, "are not always to be accounted for. But +this conversation is all wrong. When one is dreaming one doesn't talk about it, or even know it's a +dream. So let's speak of something else."</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/29.jpg" alt="Do you think it's something I've eaten?"><br>"DO +YOU THINK IT'S SOMETHING I'VE EATEN?"</p> +<p>"It's very pleasant in this garden," said Twinkle. "I don't mind being here a bit."</p> +<p>"But you can't stay here," replied Mister Woodchuck, "and you ought to be very uncomfortable +in my presence. You see, you're one of the deadliest enemies of my race. All you human beings +live for or think of is how to torture and destroy woodchucks."</p> +<p>"Oh, no!" she answered. "We have many more important things than that to think of. But when +a woodchuck gets eating our clover and the vegetables, and spoils a lot, we just have to do +something to stop it. That's why my papa set the trap."</p> +<p>"You're selfish," said Mister Woodchuck, "and you're cruel to poor little animals that can't help +themselves, and have to eat what they can find, or starve. There's enough for all of us growing in +the broad fields."</p> +<p>Twinkle felt a little ashamed.</p> +<p>"We have to sell the clover and the vegetables to earn our living," she explained; "and if the +animals eat them up we can't sell them."</p> +<p>"We don't eat enough to rob you," said the woodchuck, "and the land belonged to the wild +creatures long before you people came here and began to farm. And really, there is no reason why +you should be so cruel. It hurts dreadfully to be caught in a trap, and an animal captured in that +way sometimes has to suffer for many hours before the man comes to kill it. We don't mind the +killing so much. Death doesn't last but an instant. But every minute of suffering seems to be an +hour."</p> +<p>"That's true," said Twinkle, feeling sorry and repentant. "I'll ask papa never to set another +trap."</p> +<p>"That will be some help," returned Mister Woodchuck, more cheerfully, "and I hope you'll not +forget the promise when you wake up. But that isn't enough to settle the account for all our past +sufferings, I assure you; so I am trying to think of a suitable way to punish you for the past +wickedness of your father, and of all other men that have set traps."</p> +<p>"Why, if you feel that way," said the little girl, "you're just as bad as we are!"</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/33.jpg" alt="Mrs. Woodchuck and her family"><br>MRS. +WOODCHUCK AND HER FAMILY</p> +<p>"How's that?" asked Mister Woodchuck, pausing in his walk to look at her.</p> +<p>"It's as naughty to want revenge as it is to be selfish and cruel," she said.</p> +<p>"I believe you are right about that," answered the animal, taking off his silk hat and rubbing the +fur smooth with his elbow. "But woodchucks are not perfect, any more than men are, so you'll +have to take us as you find us. And now I'll call my family, and exhibit you to them. The children, +especially, will enjoy seeing the wild human girl I've had the luck to capture."</p> +<p>"Wild!" she cried, indignantly.</p> +<p>"If you're not wild now, you will be before you wake up," he said.</p> + +<br><br><br> +<h1><a name="1-4">Chapter IV</a></h1> +<hr width="10%"> +<h2>Mrs. Woodchuck and Her Family</h2> +<p><font size="+4">B</font><font size="+2">UT</font>UT Mister Woodchuck had no need to call +his family, for just as he spoke a chatter of voices was heard and Mrs. Woodchuck came walking +down a path of the garden with several young woodchucks following after her.</p> +<p>The lady animal was very fussily dressed, with puffs and ruffles and laces all over her silk +gown, and perched upon her head was a broad white hat with long ostrich plumes. She was +exceedingly fat, even for a woodchuck, and her head fitted close to her body, without any neck +whatever to separate them. Although it was shady in the garden, she held a lace parasol over her +head, and her walk was so mincing and airy that Twinkle almost laughed in her face.</p> +<p>The young woodchucks were of several sizes and kinds. One little woodchuck girl rolled before +her a doll's baby-cab, in which lay a woodchuck doll made of cloth, in quite a perfect imitation of a +real woodchuck. It was stuffed with something soft to make it round and fat, and its eyes were two +glass beads sewn upon the face. A big boy woodchuck wore knickerbockers and a Tam o' Shanter +cap and rolled a hoop; and there were several smaller boy and girl woodchucks, dressed quite as +absurdly, who followed after their mother in a long train.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/37.jpg" alt="Twinkle and the young +woodchucks"><br>TWINKLE AND THE YOUNG WOODCHUCKS</p> +<p>"My dear," said Mister Woodchuck to his wife, "here is a human creature that I captured just +outside our front door."</p> +<p>"Huh!" sneered the lady woodchuck, looking at Twinkle in a very haughty way; "why will you +bring such an animal into our garden, Leander? It makes me shiver just to look at the horrid +thing!"</p> +<p>"Oh, mommer!" yelled one of the children, "see how skinny the beast is!"</p> +<p>"Hasn't any hair on its face at all," said another, "or on its paws!"</p> +<p>"And no sign of a tail!" cried the little woodchuck girl with the doll.</p> +<p>"Yes, it's a very strange and remarkable creature," said the mother. "Don't touch it, my precious +darlings. It might bite."</p> +<p>"You needn't worry," said Twinkle, rather provoked at these speeches. "I wouldn't bite a dirty, +greasy woodchuck on any account!"</p> +<p>"Whoo! did you hear what she called us, mommer? She says we're greasy and dirty!" shouted +the children, and some of them grabbed pebbles from the path in their paws, as if to throw them at +Twinkle.</p> +<p>"Tut, tut! don't be cruel," said Mister Woodchuck. "Remember the poor creature is a prisoner, +and isn't used to good society; and besides that, she's dreaming."</p> +<p>"Really?" exclaimed Mrs. Woodchuck, looking at the girl curiously.</p> +<p>"To be sure," he answered. "Otherwise she wouldn't see us dressed in such fancy clothes, nor +would we be bigger than she is. The whole thing is unnatural, my dear, as you must admit."</p> +<p>"But <i>we</i>'re not dreaming; are we, Daddy?" anxiously asked the boy with the hoop.</p> +<p>"Certainly not," Mister Woodchuck answered; "so this is a fine opportunity for you to study one +of those human animals who have always been our worst enemies. You will notice they are very +curiously made. Aside from their lack of hair in any place except the top of the head, their paws +are formed in a strange manner. Those long slits in them make what are called fingers, and their +claws are flat and dull—not at all sharp and strong like ours."</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/41.jpg" alt=""You're a disagreeable +creature!""><br>"YOU'RE A DISAGREEABLE CREATURE!"</p> +<p>"I think the beast is ugly," said Mrs. Woodchuck. "It would give me the shivers to touch its +skinny flesh."</p> +<p>"I'm glad of that," said Twinkle, indignantly. "You wouldn't have <i>all</i> the shivers, I can +tell you! And you're a disagreeable, ign'rant creature! If you had any manners at all, you'd treat +strangers more politely."</p> +<p>"Just listen to the thing!" said Mrs. Woodchuck, in a horrified tone. "Isn't it wild, though!"</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/42.jpg" alt="One of the woodchuck children"></p> + + +<br><br><br> +<h1><a name="1-5">Chapter V</a></h1> +<hr width="10%"> +<h2>Mr. Woodchuck Argues the Question</h2> +<p><font size="+4">"R</font><font size="+2">EALLY,"</font> Mister Woodchuck said to his wife, +"you should be more considerate of the little human's feelings. She is quite intelligent and tame, for +one of her kind, and has a tender heart, I am sure."</p> +<p>"I don't see anything intelligent about her," said the girl woodchuck.</p> +<p>"I guess I've been to school as much as you have," said Twinkle.</p> +<p>"School! Why, what's that?"</p> +<p>"Don't you know what school is?" cried Twinkle, much amused.</p> +<p>"We don't have school here," said Mister Woodchuck, as if proud of the fact.</p> +<p>"Don't you know any geography?" asked the child.</p> +<p>"We haven't any use for it," said Mister Woodchuck; "for we never get far from home, and +don't care a rap what state bounds Florida on the south. We don't travel much, and studying +geography would be time wasted."</p> +<p>"But don't you study arithmetic?" she asked; "don't you know how to do sums?"</p> +<p>"Why should we?" he returned. "The thing that bothers you humans most, and that's money, is +not used by us woodchucks. So we don't need to figure and do sums."</p> +<p>"I don't see how you get along without money," said Twinkle, wonderingly. "You must have to +buy all your fine clothes."</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/45.jpg" alt=""You'd make a mighty poor +woodchuck""><br>"YOU'D MAKE A MIGHTY POOR WOODCHUCK"</p> +<p>"You know very well that woodchucks don't wear clothes, under ordinary circumstances," +Mister Woodchuck replied. "It's only because you are dreaming that you see us dressed in this +way."</p> +<p>"Perhaps that's true," said Twinkle. "But don't talk to me about not being intelligent, or not +knowing things. If you haven't any schools it's certain I know more than your whole family put +together!"</p> +<p>"About some things, perhaps," acknowledged Mister Woodchuck. "But tell me: do you know +which kind of red clover is the best to eat?"</p> +<p>"No," she said.</p> +<p>"Or how to dig a hole in the ground to live in, with different rooms and passages, so that it +slants up hill and the rain won't come in and drown you?"</p> +<p>"No," said Twinkle.</p> +<p>"And could you tell, on the second day of February (which is woodchuck day, you know), +whether it's going to be warm weather, or cold, during the next six weeks?"</p> +<p>"I don't believe I could," replied the girl.</p> +<p>"Then," said Mister Woodchuck, "there are some things that we know that you don't; and +although a woodchuck might not be of much account in one of your schoolrooms, you must +forgive me for saying that I think you 'd make a mighty poor woodchuck."</p> +<p>"I think so, too!" said Twinkle, laughing.</p> +<p>"And now, little human," he resumed, after looking at his watch, "it's nearly time for you to +wake up; so if we intend to punish you for all the misery your people has inflicted on the +woodchucks, we won't have a minute to spare."</p> +<p>"Don't be in a hurry," said Twinkle. "I can wait."</p> +<p>"She's trying to get out of it," exclaimed Mrs. Woodchuck, scornfully. "Don't you let her, +Leander."</p> +<p>"Certainly not, my dear," he replied; "but I haven't decided how to punish her."</p> +<p>"Take her to Judge Stoneyheart," said Mrs. Woodchuck. "He will know what to do with +her."</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/49.jpg" alt="The little woodchucks hooting with joy"><br>THE +LITTLE WOODCHUCKS HOOTING WITH JOY</p> + + +<br><br><br> +<h1><a name="1-6">Chapter VI</a></h1> +<hr width="10%"> +<h2>Twinkle is Taken to the Judge</h2> +<p><font size="+4">A</font><font size="+2">T</font> this the woodchuck children all hooted +with joy, crying: "Take her, Daddy! Take her to old Stoneyheart! Oh, my! won't he give it to her, +though!"</p> +<p>"Who is Judge Stoneyheart?" asked Twinkle, a little uneasily.</p> +<p>"A highly respected and aged woodchuck who is cousin to my wife's grandfather," was the +reply. "We consider him the wisest and most intelligent of our race; but, while he is very just in all +things, the judge never shows any mercy to evil-doers."</p> +<p>"I haven't done anything wrong," said the girl.</p> +<p>"But your father has, and much wrong is done us by the other farmers around here. They fight +my people without mercy, and kill every woodchuck they can possibly catch."</p> +<p>Twinkle was silent, for she knew this to be true.</p> +<p>"For my part," continued Mister Woodchuck, "I'm very soft-hearted, and wouldn't even step on +an ant if I could help it. Also I am sure you have a kind disposition. But you are a human, and I am +a woodchuck; so I think I will take you to old Stoneyheart and let him decide your fate."</p> +<p>"Hooray!" yelled the young woodchucks, and away they ran through the paths of the garden, +followed slowly by their fat mother, who held the lace parasol over her head as if she feared she +would be sunstruck.</p> +<p>Twinkle was glad to see them go. She didn't care much for the woodchuck children, they were +so wild and ill-mannered, and their mother was even more disagreeable than they were. As for +Mister Woodchuck, she did not object to him so much; in fact, she rather liked to talk to him, for +his words were polite and his eyes pleasant and kindly.</p> +<p>"Now, my dear," he said, "as we are about to leave this garden, where you have been quite +secure, I must try to prevent your running away when we are outside the wall. I hope it won't hurt +your feelings to become a real prisoner for a few minutes."</p> + +<p align="center"><img src="images/53.jpg" alt="Arriving at Judge Stoneyheart's"><br>ARRIVING +AT JUDGE STONEYHEART'S</p> +<p>Then Mister Woodchuck drew from his pocket a leather collar, very much like a dog-collar, +Twinkle thought, and proceeded to buckle it around the girl's neck. To the collar was attached a +fine chain about six feet long, and the other end of the chain Mister Woodchuck held in his +hand.</p> +<p>"Now, then," said he, "please come along quietly, and don't make a fuss."</p> +<p>He led her to the end of the garden and opened a wooden gate in the wall, through which they +passed. Outside the garden the ground was nothing but hard, baked earth, without any grass or other +green thing growing upon it, or any tree or shrub to shade it from the hot sun. And not far away +stood a round mound, also of baked earth, which Twinkle at once decided to be a house, because it +had a door and some windows in it.</p> +<p>There was no living thing in sight—not even a woodchuck—and Twinkle didn't +care much for the baked-clay scenery.</p> +<p>Mister Woodchuck, holding fast to the chain, led his prisoner across the barren space to the +round mound, where he paused to rap softly upon the door.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/55.jpg" alt="Mr. Woodchuck"></p> + +<br><br><br> +<h1><a name="1-7">Chapter VII</a></h1> +<hr width="10%"> +<h2>Twinkle is Condemned</h2> +<p><font size="+4">"C</font><font size="+2">OME</font> in!" called a voice.</p> +<p>Mister Woodchuck pushed open the door and entered, drawing Tinkle after him by the +chain.</p> +<p>In the middle of the room sat a woodchuck whose hair was grizzled with old age. He wore big +spectacles upon his nose, and a round knitted cap, with a tassel dangling from the top, upon his +head. His only garment was an old and faded dressing-gown.</p> +<p>When they entered, the old woodchuck was busy playing a game with a number of baked-clay +dominoes, which he shuffled and arranged upon a baked-mud table; nor did he look up for a long +time, but continued to match the dominoes and to study their arrangement with intense interest.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/57.jpg" alt="Judge Stoneyheart at home"><br>JUDGE +STONEYHEART AT HOME</p> +<p>Finally, however, he finished the game, and then he raised his head and looked sharply at his +visitors.</p> +<p>"Good afternoon, Judge," said Mister Woodchuck, taking off his silk hat and bowing +respectfully.</p> +<p>The judge did not answer him, but continued to stare at Twinkle.</p> +<p>"I have called to ask your advice," continued Mister Woodchuck. "By good chance I have been +able to capture one of those fierce humans that are the greatest enemies of peaceful +woodchucks."</p> +<p>The judge nodded his gray head wisely, but still answered nothing.</p> +<p>"But now that I've captured the creature, I don't know what to do with her," went on Mister +Woodchuck; "although I believe, of course, she should be punished in some way, and made to feel +as unhappy as her people have made us feel. Yet I realize that it's a dreadful thing to hurt any living +creature, and as far as I'm concerned I'm quite willing to forgive her." With these words he wiped +his face with a red silk handkerchief, as if really distressed.</p> +<p>"She's dreaming," said the judge, in a sharp, quick voice.</p> +<p>"Am I?" asked Twinkle.</p> +<p>"Of course. You were probably lying on the wrong side when you went to sleep."</p> +<p>"Oh!" she said. "I wondered what made it."</p> +<p>"Very disagreeable dream, isn't it?" continued the judge.</p> +<p>"Not so very," she answered. "It's interesting to see and hear woodchucks in their own homes, +and Mister Woodchuck has shown me how cruel it is for us to set traps for you."</p> +<p>"Good!" said the judge. "But some dreams are easily forgotten, so I'll teach you a lesson you'll +be likely to remember. You shall be caught in a trap yourself."</p> +<p>"Me!" cried Twinkle, in dismay.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/61.jpg" alt="The judge fetches a trap"><br>THE JUDGE +FETCHES A TRAP</p> +<p>"Yes, you. When you find how dreadfully it hurts you'll bear the traps in mind forever +afterward. People don't remember dreams unless the dreams are unusually horrible. But I guess +you'll remember this one."</p> +<p>He got up and opened a mud cupboard, from which he took a big steel trap. Twinkle could see +that it was just like the trap papa had set to catch the woodchucks, only it seemed much bigger and +stronger.</p> +<p>The judge got a mallet and with it pounded a stake into the mud floor. Then he fastened the +chain of the trap to the stake, and afterward opened the iron jaws of the cruel-looking thing and set +them with a lever, so that the slightest touch would spring the trap and make the strong jaws snap +together.</p> +<p>"Now, little girl," said he, "you must step in the trap and get caught."</p> +<p>"Why, it would break my leg!" cried Twinkle.</p> +<p>"Did your father care whether a woodchuck got its leg broken or not?" asked the judge.</p> +<p>"No," she answered, beginning to be greatly frightened.</p> +<p>"Step!" cried the judge, sternly.</p> +<p>"It will hurt awfully," said Mister Woodchuck; "but that can't be helped. Traps are cruel things, +at the best."</p> +<p>Twinkle was now trembling with nervousness and fear.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/64.jpg" alt=""Step!" cried the judge, +sternly"><br>"STEP!" CRIED THE JUDGE, STERNLY</p> +<p>"Step!" called the judge, again.</p> +<p>"Dear me!" said Mister Woodchuck, just then, as he looked earnestly into Twinkle's face, "I +believe she's going to wake up!"</p> +<p>"That's too bad," said the judge.</p> +<p>"No, I'm glad of it," replied Mister Woodchuck.</p> +<p>And just then the girl gave a start and opened her eyes.</p> +<p>She was lying in the clover, and before her was the opening of the woodchuck's hole, with the +trap still set before it.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/65.jpg" alt="The trap"></p> + +<br><br><br> +<h1><a name="1-8">Chapter VIII</a></h1> +<hr width="10%"> +<h2>Twinkle Remembers</h2> +<p><font size="+4">"P</font><font size="+2">APA,"</font> said Twinkle, when supper was over +and she was nestled snugly in his lap, "I wish you wouldn't set any more traps for the +woodchucks."</p> +<p>"Why not, my darling?" he asked in surprise.</p> +<p>"They're cruel," she answered. "It must hurt the poor animals dreadfully to be caught in +them."</p> +<p>"I suppose it does," said her father, thoughtfully. "But if I don't trap the woodchucks they eat +our clover and vegetables."</p> +<p>"Never mind that," said Twinkle, earnestly. "Let's divide with them. God made the woodchucks, +you know, just as He made us, and they can't plant and grow things as we do; so they have to take +what they can get, or starve to death. And surely, papa, there's enough to eat in this big and +beautiful world, for all of God's creatures."</p> +<p>Papa whistled softly, although his face was grave; and then he bent down and kissed his little +girl's forehead.</p> +<p>"I won't set any more traps, dear," he said.</p> +<p>And that evening, after Twinkle had been tucked snugly away in bed, her father walked slowly +through the sweet-smelling fields to the woodchuck's hole; there lay the trap, showing plainly in the +bright moonlight. He picked it up and carried it back to the barn. It was never used again.</p> +<br> +<p align="center">THE END</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/68.jpg" alt="Twinkle's father removes the trap"></p> + + +<br><br><br><br> +<h1><a name="2">BANDIT JIM CROW</a></h1> +<br><br><br><br> +<p align="center"><img src="images/71.jpg" alt="Bandit Jim Crow"></p> +<br><br><br><br> +<h2>List of Chapters</h2> +<hr width="10%"> +<table border="0" align="center"> +<tr><td colspan="4"><p> </p> +<td><p>PAGE</p> +<tr><td><p>I</p> +<td width="10"><p> </p> +<td><p><a href="#2-1">Jim Crow Becomes a Pet</a></p> +<td><p>........</p> +<td><p align="right">73</p> +<tr><td><p>II</p> +<td width="10"><p> </p> +<td><p><a href="#2-2">Jim Crow Runs Away</a></p> +<td><p>........</p> +<td><p align="right">81</p> +<tr><td><p>III</p> +<td width="10"><p> </p> +<td><p><a href="#2-3">Jim Crow Finds a New Home</a></p> +<td><p>........</p> +<td><p align="right">86</p> +<tr><td><p>IV</p> +<td width="10"><p> </p> +<td><p><a href="#2-4">Jim Crow Becomes a Robber</a></p> +<td><p>........</p> +<td><p align="right">97</p> +<tr><td><p>V</p> +<td width="10"><p> </p> +<td><p><a href="#2-5">Jim Crow Meets Policeman Blue Jay</a></p> +<td><p>........</p> +<td><p align="right">105</p> +<tr><td><p>VI</p> +<td width="10"><p> </p> +<td><p><a href="#2-6">Jim Crow Fools the Policeman</a></p> +<td><p>........</p> +<td><p align="right">113</p> +<tr><td><p>VII</p> +<td width="10"><p> </p> +<td><p><a href="#2-7">Jim Crow is Punished</a></p> +<td><p>........</p> +<td><p align="right">121</p> +<tr><td><p>VIII</p> +<td width="10"><p> </p> +<td><p><a href="#2-8">Jim Crow has Time to Repent His Sins</a></p> +<td><p>........</p> +<td><p align="right">129</p> +</table> + + +<br><br><br><br> +<h1><a name="2-1">Chapter I</a></h1> +<hr width="10%"> +<h2>Jim Crow Becomes a Pet</h2> +<p><font size="+4">O</font><font size="+2">NE</font> day, when Twinkle's father was in the +corn-field, he shot his gun at a flock of crows that were busy digging up, with their long bills, the +kernels of corn he had planted. But Twinkle's father didn't aim very straight, for the birds screamed +at the bang of the gun and quickly flew away—all except one young crow that fluttered its +wings, but couldn't rise into the air, and so began to run along the ground in an effort to escape.</p> +<p>The man chased the young crow, and caught it; and then he found that one of the little lead +bullets had broken the right wing, although the bird seemed not to be hurt in any other way.</p> +<p>It struggled hard, and tried to peck the hands that held it; but it was too young to hurt any one, +so Twinkle's father decided he would carry it home to his little girl.</p> +<p>"Here's a pet for you, Twinkle," he said, as he came into the house. "It can't fly, because its +wing is broken; but don't let it get too near your eyes, or it may peck at them. It's very wild and +fierce, you know."</p> +<p>Twinkle was delighted with her pet, and at once got her mother to bandage the broken wing, so +that it would heal quickly.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/75.jpg" alt="Twinkle and Jim Crow"><br>TWINKLE AND +JIM CROW</p> +<p>The crow had jet black feathers, but there was a pretty purplish and violet gloss, or sheen, on its +back and wings, and its eyes were bright and had a knowing look in them. They were hazel-brown +in color, and the bird had a queer way of turning his head on one side to look at Twinkle with his +right eye, and then twisting it the other side that he might see her with his left eye. She often +wondered if she looked the same to both eyes, or if each one made her seem different.</p> +<p>She named her pet "Jim Crow" because papa said that all crows were called Jim, although he +never could find out the reason. But the name seemed to fit her pet as well as any, so Twinkle +never bothered about the reason.</p> +<p>Having no cage to keep him in, and fearing he would run away, the girl tied a strong cord +around one of Jim Crow's legs, and the other end of the cord she fastened to the round of a +chair—or to the table-leg—when they were in the house. The crow would run all +around, as far as the string would let him go; but he couldn't get away. And when they went out of +doors Twinkle held the end of the cord in her hand, as one leads a dog, and Jim Crow would run +along in front of her, and then stop and wait. And when she came near he'd run on again, +screaming "Caw! Caw!" at the top of his shrill little voice.</p> +<p>He soon came to know he belonged to Twinkle, and would often lie in her lap or perch upon +her shoulder. And whenever she entered the room where he was he would say, "Caw—caw!" +to her, in pleading tones, until she picked him up or took some notice of him.</p> +<p>It was wonderful how quickly a bird that had always lived wild and free seemed to become +tame and gentle. Twinkle's father said that was because he was so young, and because his broken +wing kept him from flying in the air and rejoining his fellows. But Jim Crow wasn't as tame as he +seemed, and he had a very wicked and ungrateful disposition, as you will presently learn.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/79.jpg" alt="Jim gets into mischief"><br>JIM GETS INTO +MISCHIEF</p> +<p>For a few weeks, however, he was as nice a pet as any little girl could wish for. He got into +mischief occasionally, and caused mamma some annoyance when he waded into a pan of milk or +jumped upon the dinner table and ate up papa's pumpkin pie before Twinkle could stop him. But +all pets are more or less trouble, at times, so Jim Crow escaped with a few severe scoldings from +mamma, which never seemed to worry him in the least or make him a bit unhappy. +</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/81.jpg" alt="Jim Crow"> + + +<br><br><br> +<h1><a name="2-2">Chapter II</a></h1> +<hr width="10%"> +<h2>Jim Crow Runs Away</h2> +<p><font size="+4">A</font><font size="+2">T</font> last Jim got so tame that Twinkle took the +cord off his leg and let him go free, wherever he pleased. So he wandered all over the house and +out into the yard, where he chased the ducks and bothered the pigs and made himself generally +disliked. He had a way of perching upon the back of old Tom, papa's favorite horse, and chattering +away in Tom's ear until the horse plunged and pranced in his stall to get rid of his unwelcome +visitor.</p> +<p>Twinkle always kept the bandage on the wounded wing, for she didn't know whether it was +well yet, or not, and she thought it was better to be on the safe side. But the truth was, that Jim +Crow's wing had healed long ago, and was now as strong as ever; and, as the weeks passed by, and +he grew big and fat, a great longing came into his wild heart to fly again—far, far up into the +air and away to the lands where there were forests of trees and brooks of running water.</p> +<p>He didn't ever expect to rejoin his family again. They were far enough away by this time. And +he didn't care much to associate with other crows. All he wanted was to be free, and do exactly as +he pleased, and not have some one cuffing him a dozen times a day because he was doing +wrong.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/83.jpg" alt="Jim gets rid of his bandage"><br>JIM GETS RID +OF HIS BANDAGE</p> +<p>So one morning, before Twinkle was up, or even awake, Jim Crow pecked at the bandage on +his wing until he got the end unfastened, and then it wasn't long before the entire strip of cloth was +loosened and fell to the ground.</p> +<p>Now Jim fluttered his feathers, and pruned them with his long bill where they had been pressed +together, and presently he knew that the wing which had been injured was exactly as strong and +well as the other one. He could fly away whenever he pleased.</p> +<p>The crow had been well fed by Twinkle and her mamma, and was in splendid health. But he +was not at all grateful. With the knowledge of his freedom a fierce, cruel joy crept into his heart, +and he resumed the wild nature that crows are born with and never lay aside as long as they +live.</p> +<p>Having forgotten in an instant that he had ever been tame, and the pet of a gentle little girl, Jim +Crow had no thought of saying good-bye to Twinkle. Instead, he decided he would do something +that would make these foolish humans remember him for a long time. So he dashed into a group of +young chickens that had only been hatched a day or two before, and killed seven of them with his +strong, curved claws and his wicked black beak. When the mother hen flew at him he pecked at her +eyes; and then, screaming a defiance to all the world, Jim Crow flew into the air and sailed away to +a new life in another part of the world.</p> + + +<br><br><br> +<h1><a name="2-3">Chapter III</a></h1> +<hr width="10%"> +<h2>Jim Crow Finds a New Home</h2> +<p><font size="+4">I</font><font size="+2">'LL</font> not try to tell you of all the awful things +this bad crow did during the next few days, on his long journey toward the South.</p> +<p>Twinkle almost cried when she found her pet gone; and she really did cry when she saw the +poor murdered chickens. But mamma said she was very glad to have Jim Crow run away, and papa +scowled angrily and declared he was sorry he had not killed the cruel bird when he shot at it in the +corn-field.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/87.jpg" alt="Twinkle mourns for her +chickens"><br>TWINKLE MOURNS FOR HER CHICKENS</p> +<p>In the mean time the runaway crow flew through the country, and when he was hungry he +would stop at a farm-house and rob a hen's nest and eat the eggs. It was his knowledge of farm- +houses that made him so bold; but the farmers shot at the thieving bird once or twice, and this +frightened Jim Crow so badly that he decided to keep away from the farms and find a living in +some less dangerous way.</p> +<p>And one day he came to a fine forest, where there were big and little trees of all kinds, with +several streams of water running through the woods.</p> +<p>"Here," said Jim Crow, "I will make my home; for surely this is the finest place I am ever likely +to find."</p> +<p>There were plenty of birds in this forest, for Jim could hear them singing and twittering +everywhere among the trees; and their nests hung suspended from branches, or nestled in a fork +made by two limbs, in almost every direction he might look. And the birds were of many kinds, +too: robins, thrushes, bullfinches, mocking-birds, wrens, yellowtails and skylarks. Even tiny +humming-birds fluttered around the wild flowers that grew in the glades; and in the waters of the +brooks waded long-legged herons, while kingfishers sat upon overhanging branches and waited +patiently to seize any careless fish that might swim too near them. Jim Crow decided this must be a +real paradise for birds, because it was far away from the houses of men. So he made up his mind to +get acquainted with the inhabitants of the forest as soon as possible, and let them know who he +was, and that he must be treated with proper respect.</p> +<p>In a big fir-tree, whose branches reached nearly to the ground, he saw a large gathering of the +birds, who sat chattering and gossiping pleasantly together. So he flew down and joined them.</p> +<p>"Good morning, folks," he said; and his voice sounded to them like a harsh croak, because it +had become much deeper in tone since he had grown to his full size.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/91.jpg" alt=""Good morning, folks""><br>"GOOD +MORNING, FOLKS"</p> +<p>The birds looked at him curiously, and one or two fluttered their wings in a timid and nervous +way; but none of them, little or big, thought best to make any reply.</p> +<p>"Well," said Jim Crow, gruffly, "what's the matter with you fellows? Haven't you got tongues? +You seemed to talk fast enough a minute ago."</p> +<p>"Excuse me," replied a bullfinch, in a dignified voice; "we haven't the honor of your +acquaintance. You are a stranger."</p> +<p>"My name's Jim Crow," he answered, "and I won't be a stranger long, because I'm going to live +here."</p> +<p>They all looked grave at this speech, and a little thrush hopped from one branch to another, and +remarked:</p> +<p>"We haven't any crows here at all. If you want to find your own folks you must go to some +other place."</p> +<p>"What do I care about my own folks?" asked Jim, with a laugh that made the little thrush +shudder. "I prefer to live alone."</p> +<p>"Haven't you a mate?" asked a robin, speaking in a very polite tone.</p> +<p>"No; and I don't want any," said Jim Crow. "I'm going to live all by myself. There's plenty of +room in this forest, I guess."</p> +<p>"Certainly," replied the bullfinch. "There is plenty of room for you here if you behave yourself +and obey the laws."</p> +<p>"Who's going to make me?" he asked, angrily.</p> +<p>"Any decent person, even if he's a crow, is bound to respect the law," answered the bullfinch, +calmly.</p> +<p>Jim Crow was a little ashamed, for he didn't wish to acknowledge he wasn't decent. So he +said:</p> +<p>"What are your laws?"</p> +<p>"The same as those in all other forests. You must respect the nests and the property of all other +birds, and not interfere with them when they're hunting for food. And you must warn your fellow- +birds whenever there is danger, and assist them to protect their young from prowling beasts. If you +obey these laws, and do not steal from or interfere with your neighbors, you have a right to a nest +in our forest."</p> +<p>"To be quite frank with you, though," said the robin, "we prefer your room to your +company."</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/95.jpg" alt="Jim finds a home"><br>JIM FINDS A HOME</p> +<p>"I'm going to stay," said the crow. "I guess I'm as good as the rest of you; so you fellows just +mind your own business and I'll mind mine."</p> +<p>With these words he left them, and when he had mounted to a position above the trees he saw +that one tall, slim pine was higher than all the rest, and that at its very top was a big deserted +nest.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/97.jpg" alt="Jim Crow"></p> + +<br><br><br> +<h1><a name="2-4">Chapter IV</a></h1> +<hr width="10%"> +<h2>Jim Crow Becomes a Robber</h2> +<p><font size="+4">I</font><font size="+2">T</font> looked like a crow's nest to Jim, so he flew +toward the pine tree and lit upon a branch close by. One glance told him that at some time it really +must have been the home of birds of his kind, who for some reason had abandoned it long ago. +The nest was large and bulky, being made of strong sticks woven together with fine roots and +grasses. It was rough outside, but smooth inside, and when Jim Crow had kicked out the dead +leaves and twigs that had fallen into it, he decided it was nearly as good as new, and plenty good +enough for a solitary crow like him to live in. So with his bill he made a mark on the nest, that +every bird might know it belonged to him, and felt that at last he had found a home.</p> +<p>During the next few days he made several attempts to get acquainted with the other birds, but +they were cold and distant, though very polite to him; and none of them seemed to care for his +society.</p> +<p>No bird ever came near his nest, but he often flew down to the lower trees and perched upon +one or another of them, so gradually the birds of the forest got used to seeing him around, and paid +very little attention to his actions.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/99.jpg" alt="Mrs. Wren is heart-broken"><br>MRS. WREN IS +HEART-BROKEN</p> +<p>One day Mrs. Wren missed two brown eggs from her nest, and her little heart was nearly broken +with grief. It took the mocking bird and the bullfinch a whole afternoon to comfort her, while Mr. +Wren hopped around in nearly as much distress as his wife. No animals had been seen in the forest +who would do this evil thing, so no one could imagine who the thief might be.</p> +<p>Such an outrage was almost unknown in this pleasant forest, and it made all the birds nervous +and fearful. A few days later a still greater horror came upon them, for the helpless young children +of Mrs. Linnet were seized one morning from their nest, while their parents were absent in search +of food, and were carried away bodily. Mr. Linnet declared that on his way back to his nest he had +seen a big black monster leaving it, but had been too frightened to notice just what the creature +looked like. But the lark, who had been up very early that morning, stated that he had seen no one +near that part of the forest except Jim Crow, who had flown swiftly to his nest in the tall pine- +tree.</p> +<p>This was enough to make all the birds look upon Jim Crow with grave suspicion, and Robin +Redbreast called a secret meeting of all the birds to discuss the question and decide what must be +done to preserve their nests from the robber. Jim Crow was so much bigger and fiercer than any of +the others that none dared accuse him openly or venture to quarrel with him; but they had a good +friend living not far away who was not afraid of Jim Crow or any one else, so they finally decided +to send for him and ask his assistance.</p> +<p>The starling undertook to be the messenger, and as soon as the meeting was over he flew away +upon his errand.</p> +<p>"What were all you folks talking about?" asked the crow, flying down and alighting upon a limb +near to those who had not yet left the place of meeting.</p> +<p>"We were talking about you," said the thrush, boldly; "and you wouldn't care at all to know +what we said, Mister Jim Crow."</p> +<p>Jim looked a trifle guilty and ashamed at hearing this, but knowing they were all afraid of him +he burst out into a rude laugh.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/103.jpg" alt=""Caw! Caw! Caw! What do I +care?""><br>"CAW! CAW! CAW! WHAT DO I CARE?"</p> +<p>"Caw! caw! caw!" he chuckled hoarsely; "what do I care what you say about me? But don't you +get saucy, my pretty thrush, or your friends will miss you some fine morning, and never see you +again."</p> +<p>This awful threat made them all silent, for they remembered the fate of poor Mrs. Linnet's +children, and very few of the birds now had any doubt but that Jim Crow knew more about the +death of those helpless little ones than he cared to tell.</p> +<p>Finding they would not talk with him, the crow flew back to his tree, where he sat sullenly +perched upon a branch near his nest. And they were very glad to get rid of him so easily.</p> + +<br><br><br> +<h1><a name="2-5">Chapter V</a></h1> +<hr width="10%"> +<h2>Jim Crow Meets Policeman Blue Jay</h2> +<p><font size="+4">N</font><font size="+2">EXT</font> morning Jim Crow woke up hungry, +and as he sat lazily in his big nest, he remembered that he had seen four pretty brown eggs, +speckled with white, in the nest of the oriole that lived at the edge of the forest.</p> +<p>"Those eggs will taste very good for breakfast," he thought. "I'll go at once and get them; and if +old Mammy Oriole makes a fuss, I'll eat her, too."</p> +<p>He hopped out of his nest and on to a branch, and the first thing his sharp eye saw was a big +and strange bird sitting upon the tree just opposite him and looking steadily in his direction.</p> +<p>Never having lived among other birds until now, the crow did not know what kind of bird this +was, but as he faced the new-comer he had a sort of shiver in his heart that warned him to beware +an enemy. Indeed, it was none other than the Blue Jay that had appeared so suddenly, and he had +arrived that morning because the starling had told him of the thefts that had taken place, and the +Blue Jay is well known as the policeman of the forest and a terror to all evil-doers.</p> +<p>In size he was nearly as big as Jim Crow himself, and he had a large crest of feathers on the top +of his head that made him look even more fierce—especially when he ruffled them up. His +body was purplish blue color on the back and purplish gray below, and there was a collar of black +feathers running all around his neck. But his wings and tail were a beautiful rich blue, as delightful +in color as the sky on a fine May morning; so in personal appearance Policeman Blue Jay was +much handsomer than Jim Crow. But it was the sharp, stout beak that most alarmed the crow, and +had Jim been wiser he would have known that before him was the most deadly foe of his race, and +that the greatest pleasure a Blue Jay finds in life is to fight with and punish a crow.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/107.jpg" alt="Policeman Blue Jay"><br>POLICEMAN BLUE +JAY</p> +<p>But Jim was not very wise; and so he imagined, after his first terror had passed away, that he +could bully this bird as he had the others, and make it fear him.</p> +<p>"Well, what are you doing here?" he called out, in his crossest voice, for he was anxious to get +away and rob the oriole's nest.</p> +<p>The Blue Jay gave a scornful, chattering laugh as he answered:</p> +<p>"That's none of your business, Jim Crow."</p> +<p>"Take care!" warned the crow; "you'll be sorry if you don't treat me with proper respect."</p> +<p>The Blue Jay winked solemnly, in a way that would have been very comical to any observer +other than the angry crow.</p> +<p>"Don't hurt me—please don't!" he said, fluttering on the branch as if greatly frightened. +"My mother would feel dreadful bad if anything happened to me."</p> +<p>"Well, then, behave yourself," returned the crow, strutting proudly along a limb and flopping +his broad wings in an impressive manner. For he was foolish enough to think he had made the other +afraid.</p> +<p>But no sooner had he taken flight and soared into the air than the Blue Jay darted at him like an +arrow from a bow, and before Jim Crow could turn to defend himself the bill of his enemy struck +him full in the breast. Then, with a shriek of shrill laughter, the policeman darted away and +disappeared in the forest, leaving the crow to whirl around in the air once or twice and then sink +slowly down, with some of his own torn feathers floating near him as witnesses to his defeat.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/111.jpg" alt="Policeman Blue Jay punishes +Jim"><br>POLICEMAN BLUE JAY PUNISHES JIM</p> +<p>The attack had dazed and astonished him beyond measure; but he found he was not much hurt, +after all. Crows are tougher than most birds. Jim managed to reach one of the brooks, where he +bathed his breast in the cool water, and soon he felt much refreshed and more like his old self +again.</p> +<p>But he decided not to go to the oriole's nest that morning, but to search for grabs and beetles +amongst the mosses beneath the oak-trees.</p> + + +<br><br><br> +<h1><a name="2-6">Chapter VI</a></h1> +<hr width="10%"> +<h2>Jim Crow Fools the Policeman</h2> +<p><font size="+4">F</font><font size="+2">ROM</font> that time on Policeman Blue Jay made +his home in the forest, keeping a sharp eye upon the actions of Jim Crow. And one day he flew +away to the southward and returned with Mrs. Blue Jay, who was even more beautiful than her +mate. Together they built a fine nest in a tree that stood near to the crow's tall pine, and soon after +they had settled down to housekeeping Mrs. Blue Jay began to lay eggs of a pretty brown color +mottled with darker brown specks.</p> +<p>Had Jim Crow known what was best for him he would have flown away from this forest and +found himself a new home. Within a short flight were many bits of woodland where a crow might +get a good living and not be bothered by blue jays. But Jim was obstinate and foolish, and had +made up his mind that he never would again be happy until he had been revenged upon his +enemy.</p> +<p>He dared no longer rob the nests so boldly as he had before, so he became sly and cunning. He +soon found out that the Blue Jay could not fly as high as he could, nor as fast; so, if he kept a sharp +lookout for the approach of his foe, he had no trouble in escaping. But if he went near to the nests +of the smaller birds, there was the blue policeman standing guard, and ready and anxious to fight at +a moment's notice. It was really no place for a robber at all, unless the robber was clever.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/115.jpg" alt="Jim disguises himself"><br>JIM DISGUISES +HIMSELF</p> +<p>One day Jim Crow discovered a chalkpit among the rocks at the north of the forest, just beyond +the edge of trees. The chalk was soft and in some places crumbled to a fine powder, so that when +he had rolled himself for a few minutes in the dust all his feathers became as white as snow. This +fact gave to Jim Crow a bright idea. No longer black, but white as a dove, he flew away to the +forest and passed right by Policeman Blue Jay, who only noticed that a big white bird had flown +amongst the trees, and did not suspect it was the thieving crow in a clever disguise.</p> +<p>Jim found a robin's nest that was not protected, both the robin and his wife being away in +search of food. So he ate up the eggs and kicked the nest to pieces and then flew away again, +passing the Blue Jay a second time all unnoticed.</p> +<p>When he reached a brook he washed all the chalk away from his feathers and then returned to +his nest as black as ever.</p> +<p>All the birds were angry and dismayed when they found what had happened, but none could +imagine who had robbed the robins. Mrs. Robin, who was not easily discouraged, built another nest +and laid more eggs in it; but the next day a second nest in the forest was robbed, and then another +and another, until the birds complained that Policeman Blue Jay did not protect them at all.</p> +<p>"I can't understand it in the least," said the policeman, "for I have watched carefully, and I +know Jim Crow has never dared to come near to your trees."</p> +<p>"Then some one else is the robber," declared the thrush fussily.</p> +<p>"The only stranger I have noticed around here is a big white bird," replied the Blue Jay, "and +white birds never rob nests or eat eggs, as you all know very well."</p> +<p>So they were no nearer the truth than before, and the thefts continued; for each day Jim Crow +would make himself white in the chalk-pit, fly into the forest and destroy the precious eggs of some +innocent little bird, and afterward wash himself in some far-away brook, and return to his nest +chuckling with glee to think he had fooled the Blue Jay so nicely.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/119.jpg" alt="Policeman Blue Jay discovers the +culprit"><br>POLICEMAN BLUE JAY DISCOVERS THE CULPRIT</p> +<p>But the Blue Jay, although stupid and unsuspecting at first, presently began to get a little +wisdom. He remembered that all this trouble had commenced when the strange white bird first +arrived in the forest; and although it was doubtless true that white birds never eat eggs and have +honest reputations, he decided to watch this stranger and make sure that it was innocent of the +frightful crimes that had so aroused the dwellers in the forest.</p> + +<br><br><br> +<h1><a name="2-7">Chapter VII</a></h1> +<hr width="10%"> +<h2>Jim Crow is Punished</h2> +<p><font size="+4">S</font><font size="+2">O</font> one day Policeman Blue Jay hid himself in +some thick bushes until he saw the big white bird fly by, and then he followed quietly after it, +flitting from tree to tree and keeping out of sight as much as possible, until at last he saw the white +bird alight near a bullfinch's nest and eat up all the eggs it contained.</p> +<p>Then, ruffling his crest angrily, Policeman Blue Jay flew to attack the big white robber, and was +astonished to find he could not catch it. For the white bird flew higher into the air than he could, +and also flew much faster, so that it soon escaped and passed out of sight.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/122.jpg" alt="The birds of the forest"><br>THE BIRDS OF +THE FOREST</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/123.jpg" alt="are revenged on Jim"><br>ARE REVENGED +ON JIM</p> +<p>"It must be a white crow," thought the Blue Jay; "for only a crow can beat me at flying, and +some of that race are said to be white, although I have never seen one."</p> +<p>So he called together all the birds, and told them what he had seen, and they all agreed to hide +themselves the next day and lie in wait for the thief.</p> +<p>By this time Jim Crow thought himself perfectly safe, and success had made him as bold as he +was wicked. Therefore he suspected nothing when, after rolling himself in the chalk, he flew down +the next day into the forest to feast upon birds' eggs. He soon came to a pretty nest, and was just +about to rob it, when a chorus of shrill cries arose on every side of him and hundreds of +birds—so many that they quite filled the air—flew straight at the white one, pecking +him with their bills and striking him with their wings; for anger had made even the most timid of the +little birds fierce, and there were so many of them that they gave each other courage.</p> +<p>Jim Crow tried to escape, but whichever way he might fly his foes clustered all around him, +getting in his way so that he could not use his big wings properly. And all the time they were +pecking at him and fighting him as hard as they could. Also, the chalk was brushed from his +feathers, by degrees, and soon the birds were able to recognize their old enemy the crow, and then, +indeed, they became more furious than ever.</p> +<p>Policeman Blue Jay was especially angry at the deception practiced upon him, and if he could +have got at the crow just then he would have killed it instantly. But the little birds were all in his +way, so he was forced to hold aloof.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/127.jpg" alt="The birds bear water to Jim"><br>THE BIRDS +BEAR WATER TO JIM</p> +<p>Filled with terror and smarting with pain, Jim Crow had only one thought: to get to the shelter of +his nest in the pine-tree. In some way he managed to do this, and to sink exhausted into the hollow +of his nest. But many of his enemies followed him, and although the thick feathers of his back and +wings protected his body, Jim's head and eyes were at the mercy of the sharp bills of the vengeful +birds.</p> +<p>When at last they left him, thinking he had been sufficiently punished, Jim Crow was as nearly +dead as a bird could be. But crows are tough, and this one was unlucky enough to remain alive. For +when his wounds had healed he had become totally blind, and day after day he sat in his nest, +helpless and alone, and dared not leave it.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/129.jpg" alt="Jim Crow"></p> + +<br><br><br> +<h1><a name="2-8">Chapter VIII</a></h1> +<hr width="10%"> +<h2>Jim Crow Has Time to Repent His Sins</h2> +<p><font size="+4">"W</font><font size="+2">HERE</font> are you going, my dear?" asked the +Blue Jay of his wife.</p> +<p>"I'm going to carry some grubs to Jim Crow," she answered. "I'll be back in a minute."</p> +<p>"Jim Crow is a robber and a murderer!" said the policeman, harshly.</p> +<p>"I know," she replied, in a sweet voice; "but he is blind."</p> +<p>"Well, fly along," said her husband; "but hurry back again."</p> +<p>And the robin-redbreast and his wife filled a cup-shaped flower with water from the brook, and +then carried it in their bills to the pine-tree, without spilling a drop.</p> +<p>"Where are you going?" asked the oriole, as they passed.</p> +<p>"We're just taking some water to Jim Crow," replied Mrs. Robin.</p> +<p>"He's a thief and a scoundrel!" cried the oriole, indignantly.</p> +<p>"That is true." said Mrs. Robin, in a soft, pitiful voice; "but he is blind."</p> +<p>"Let me help you." exclaimed the oriole. "I'll carry this side of the cup, so it can't tip."</p> +<p>So Jim Crow, blind and helpless, sat in his nest day after day and week after week, while the +little birds he had so cruelly wronged brought him food and water and cared for him as generously +as they could.</p> +<p>And I wonder what his thoughts were—don't you?</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/131.jpg" alt="Jim Crow"></p> + + + + + + +<br><br><br><br> +<h1><a name="3">PRARIE-DOG TOWN</a></h1> +<br><br><br><br> +<p align="center"><img src="images/135.jpg" alt="Prarie-Dog Town"></p> +<br><br><br><br> +<h2>List of Chapters</h2> +<hr width="10%"> +<table border="0" align="center"> +<tr><td colspan="4"><p> </p> +<td><p>PAGE</p> +<tr><td><p>I</p> +<td width="10"><p> </p> +<td><p><a href="#3-1">The Picnic</a></p> +<td><p>........</p> +<td><p align="right">137</p> +<tr><td><p>II</p> +<td width="10"><p> </p> +<td><p><a href="#3-2">Prarie-Dog Town</a></p> +<td><p>........</p> +<td><p align="right">145</p> +<tr><td><p>III</p> +<td width="10"><p> </p> +<td><p><a href="#3-3">Mr. Bowko, the Mayor</a></p> +<td><p>........</p> +<td><p align="right">150</p> +<tr><td><p>IV</p> +<td width="10"><p> </p> +<td><p><a href="#3-4">Presto Digi, the Magician</a></p> +<td><p>........</p> +<td><p align="right">158</p> +<tr><td><p>V</p> +<td width="10"><p> </p> +<td><p><a href="#3-5">The Home of the Puff-Pudgys</a></p> +<td><p>........</p> +<td><p align="right">166</p> +<tr><td><p>VI</p> +<td width="10"><p> </p> +<td><p><a href="#3-6">Teenty and Weenty</a></p> +<td><p>........</p> +<td><p align="right">174</p> +<tr><td><p>VII</p> +<td width="10"><p> </p> +<td><p><a href="#3-7">The Mayour Gives a Luncheon</a></p> +<td><p>........</p> +<td><p align="right">181</p> +<tr><td><p>VIII</p> +<td width="10"><p> </p> +<td><p><a href="#3-8">On Top of the Earth Again</a></p> +<td><p>........</p> +<td><p align="right">189</p> +</table> + +<br><br><br> +<h1><a name="3-1">Chapter I</a></h1> +<hr width="10%"> +<h2>The Picnic</h2> +<p><font size="+4">O</font><font size="+2">N</font> the great western prairies of Dakota is a +little town called Edgeley, because it is on the edge of civilization—a very big word which +means some folks have found a better way to live than other folks. The Edgeley people have a +good way to live, for there are almost seventeen wooden houses there, and among them is a school- +house, a church, a store and a blacksmith-shop. If people walked out their front doors they were +upon the little street; if they walked out the back doors they were on the broad prairies. That was +why Twinkle, who was a farmer's little girl, lived so near the town that she could easily walk to +school.</p> +<p>She was a pretty, rosy-cheeked little thing, with long, fluffy hair, and big round eyes that +everybody smiled into when they saw them. It was hard to keep that fluffy hair from getting +tangled; so mamma used to tie it in the back with a big, broad ribbon. And Twinkle wore calico +slips for school days and gingham dresses when she wanted to "dress up" or look especially nice. +And to keep the sun from spotting her face with freckles, she wore sunbonnets made of the same +goods as her dresses.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/139.jpg" alt="Chubbins"><br>CHUBBINS</p> +<p>Twinkle's best chum was a little boy called Chubbins, who was the only child of the tired-faced +school-teacher. Chubbins was about as old as Twinkle; but he wasn't so tall and slender for his age +as she was, being short and rather fat. The hair on his little round head was cut close, and he +usually wore a shirt-waist and "knickers," with a wide straw hat on the back of his head. Chubbins's +face was very solemn. He never said many words when grown folks were around, but he could talk +fast enough when he and Twinkle were playing together alone.</p> +<p>Well, one Saturday the school had a picnic, and Twinkle and Chubbins both went. On the +Dakota prairies there are no shade-trees at all, and very little water except what they they get by +boring deep holes in the ground; so you may wonder where the people could possibly have a +picnic. But about three miles from the town a little stream of water (which they called a "river," but +we would call only a brook) ran slow and muddy across the prairie; and where the road crossed it a +flat bridge had been built. If you climbed down the banks of the river you would find a nice shady +place under the wooden bridge; and so here it was that the picnics were held.</p> +<p>All the village went to the picnic, and they started bright and early in the morning, with horses +and farm-wagons, and baskets full of good things to eat, and soon arrived at the bridge.</p> +<p>There was room enough in its shade for all to be comfortable; so they unhitched the horses and +carried the baskets to the river bank, and began to laugh and be as merry as they could.</p> +<p>Twinkle and Chubbins, however, didn't care much for the shade of the bridge. This was a +strange place to them, so they decided to explore it and see if it was any different from any other +part of the prairie. Without telling anybody where they were going, they took hold of hands and +trotted across the bridge and away into the plains on the other side.</p> +<p>The ground here wasn't flat, but had long rolls to it, like big waves on the ocean, so that as soon +as the little girl and boy had climbed over the top of the first wave, or hill, those by the river lost +sight of them.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/143.jpg" alt="Twinkle and Chubbins start to +explore"><br>TWINKLE AND CHUBBINS START TO EXPLORE</p> +<p>They saw nothing but grass in the first hollow, but there was another hill just beyond, so they +kept going, and climbed over that too. And now they found, lying in the second hollow, one of the +most curious sights that the western prairies afford.</p> +<p>"What is it?" asked Chubbins, wonderingly.</p> +<p>"Why, it's a Prairie-Dog Town," said Twinkle.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/144.jpg" alt="A prarie-dog"></p> + + + + +<br><br><br> +<h1><a name="3-2">Chapter II</a></h1> +<hr width="10%"> +<h2>Prarie-Dog Town</h2> +<p><font size="+4">L</font><font size="+2">YING</font> in every direction, and quite filling the +little hollow, were round mounds of earth, each one having a hole in the center. The mounds were +about two feet high and as big around as a wash-tub, and the edges of the holes were pounded hard +and smooth by the pattering feet of the little creatures that lived within.</p> +<p>"Isn't it funny!" said Chubbins, staring at the mounds.</p> +<p>"Awful," replied Twinkle, staring too. "Do you know, Chub, there are an'mals living in every +single one of those holes?"</p> +<p>"What kind?" asked Chubbins.</p> +<p>"Well, they're something like squirrels, only they <i>aren't</i> squirrels," she explained. +"They're prairie-dogs."</p> +<p>"Don't like dogs," said the boy, looking a bit uneasy.</p> +<p>"Oh, they're not dogs at all," said Twinkle; "they're soft and fluffy, and gentle."</p> +<p>"Do they bark?" he asked.</p> +<p>"Yes; but they don't bite."</p> +<p>"How d' you know, Twink?"</p> +<p>"Papa has told me about them, lots of times. He says they're so shy that they run into their holes +when anybody's around; but if you keep quiet and watch, they'll stick their heads out in a few +minutes."</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/147.jpg" alt="Watching"><br>WATCHING</p> +<p>"Let's watch," said Chubbins.</p> +<p>"All right," she agreed.</p> +<p>Very near to some of the mounds was a raised bank, covered with soft grass; so the children +stole softly up to this bank and lay down upon it in such a way that their heads just stuck over the +top of it, while their bodies were hidden from the eyes of any of the folks of Prairie-Dog +Town.</p> +<p>"Are you comferble, Chub?" asked the little girl.</p> +<p>"Yes."</p> +<p>"Then lie still and don't talk, and keep your eyes open, and perhaps the an'mals will stick their +heads up."</p> +<p>"All right," says Chubbins.</p> +<p>So they kept quiet and waited, and it seemed a long time to both the boy and the girl before a +soft, furry head popped out of a near-by hole, and two big, gentle brown eyes looked at them +curiously.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/149.jpg" alt="A prarie-dog"></p> + + +<br><br><br> +<h1><a name="3-3">Chapter III</a></h1> +<hr width="10%"> +<h2>Mr. Bowko, the Mayor</h2> +<p><font size="+4">"D</font><font size="+2">EAR</font> me!" said the prairie-dog, speaking +almost in a whisper; "here are some of those queer humans from the village."</p> +<p>"Let me see! Let me see!" cried two shrill little voices, and the wee heads of two small creatures +popped out of the hole and fixed their bright eyes upon the heads of Twinkle and Chubbins.</p> +<p>"Go down at once!" said the mother prairie-dog. "Do you want to get hurt, you naughty little +things?"</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/151.jpg" alt=""Go down at once!""><br>"GO +DOWN AT ONCE!"</p> +<p>"Oh, they won't get hurt," said another deeper voice, and the children turned their eyes toward a +second mound, on top of which sat a plump prairie-dog whose reddish fur was tipped with white +on the end of each hair. He seemed to be quite old, or at least well along in years, and he had a +wise and thoughtful look on his face.</p> +<p>"They're humans," said the mother.</p> +<p>"True enough; but they're only human children, and wouldn't hurt your little ones for the +world," the old one said.</p> +<p>"That's so!" called Twinkle. "All we want, is to get acquainted."</p> +<p>"Why, in that case," replied the old prairie-dog, "you are very welcome in our town, and we're +glad to see you."</p> +<p>"Thank you," said Twinkle, gratefully. It didn't occur to her just then that it was wonderful to be +talking to the little prairie-dogs just as if they were people. It seemed very natural they should speak +with each other and be friendly.</p> +<p>As if attracted by the sound of voices, little heads began to pop out of the other +mounds—one here and one there—until the town was alive with the pretty creatures, +all squatting near the edges of their holes and eyeing Chubbins and Twinkle with grave and curious +looks.</p> +<p>"Let me introduce myself," said the old one that had first proved friendly. "My name is Bowko, +and I'm the Mayor and High Chief of Prairie-Dog Town."</p> +<p>"Don't you have a king?" asked Twinkle.</p> +<p>"Not in this town," he answered. "There seems to be no place for kings in this free United +States. And a Mayor and High Chief is just as good as a king, any day."</p> +<p>"I think so, too," answered the girl.</p> +<p>"Better!" declared Chubbins.</p> +<p>The Mayor smiled, as if pleased.</p> +<p>"I see you've been properly brought up," he continued; "and now let me introduce to you some +of my fellow-citizens. This," pointing with one little paw to the hole where the mother and her two +children were sitting, "is Mrs. Puff-Pudgy and her family—Teenty and Weenty. Mr. Puff- +Pudgy, I regret to say, was recently chased out of town for saying his prayers backwards."</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/155.jpg" alt="Mr. Puff-Pudgy would say his prayers +backward"><br>MR. PUFF-PUDGY WOULD SAY HIS PRAYERS BACKWARD</p> +<p>"How could he?" asked Chubbins, much surprised.</p> +<p>"He was always contrary," answered the Mayor, with a sigh, "and wouldn't do things the same +way that others did. His good wife, Mrs. Puff-Pudgy, had to scold him all day long; so we finally +made him leave the town, and I don't know where he's gone to."</p> +<p>"Won't he be sorry not to have his little children any more?" asked Twinkle, regretfully.</p> +<p>"I suppose so; but if people are contrary, and won't behave, they must take the consequences. +This is Mr. Chuckledorf," continued the Mayor, and a very fat prairie-dog bowed to them most +politely; "and here is Mrs. Fuzcum; and Mrs. Chatterby; and Mr. Sneezeley, and Doctor +Dosem."</p> +<p>All these folks bowed gravely and politely, and Chubbins and Twinkle bobbed their heads in +return until their necks ached, for it seemed as if the Mayor would never get through introducing +the hundreds of prairie-dogs that were squatting around.</p> +<p>"I'll never be able to tell one from the other," whispered the girl; "'cause they all look exactly +alike."</p> +<p>"Some of 'em's fatter," observed Chubbins; "but I don't know which."</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/157.jpg" alt="A prarie-dog"></p> + + + +<br><br><br> +<h1><a name="3-4">Chapter IV</a></h1> +<hr width="10%"> +<h2>Presto Digi, the Magician</h2> +<p><font size="+4">"A</font><font size="+2">ND</font> now, if you like, we will be pleased to +have you visit some of our houses," said Mr. Bowko, the Mayor, in a friendly tone.</p> +<p>"But we can't!" exclaimed Twinkle. "We're too big," and she got up and sat down upon the +bank, to show him how big she really was when compared with the prairie-dogs.</p> +<p>"Oh, that doesn't matter in the least," the Mayor replied. "I'll have Presto Digi, our magician, +reduce you to our size."</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/159.jpg" alt="Mr. Bowko, the Mayor"><br>MR. BOWKO, +THE MAYOR</p> +<p>"Can he?" asked Twinkle, doubtfully.</p> +<p>"Our magician can do anything," declared the Mayor. Then he sat up and put both his front +paws to his mouth and made a curious sound that was something like a bark and something like a +whistle, but not exactly like either one.</p> +<p>Then everybody waited in silence until a queer old prairie-dog slowly put his head out of a big +mound near the center of the village.</p> +<p>"Good morning, Mr. Presto Digi," said the Mayor.</p> +<p>"Morning!" answered the magician, blinking his eyes as if he had just awakened from +sleep.</p> +<p>Twinkle nearly laughed at this scrawny, skinny personage; but by good fortune, for she didn't +wish to offend him, she kept her face straight and did not even smile.</p> +<p>"We have two guests here, this morning," continued the Mayor, addressing the magician, "who +are a little too large to get into our houses. So, as they are invited to stay to luncheon, it would +please us all if you would kindly reduce them to fit our underground rooms."</p> +<p>"Is <i>that</i> all you want?" asked Mr. Presto Digi, bobbing his head at the children.</p> +<p>"It seems to me a great deal," answered Twinkle. "I'm afraid you never could do it."</p> +<p>"Wow!" said the magician, in a scornful voice that was almost a bark. "I can do that with one +paw. Come here to me, and don't step on any of our mounds while you're so big and clumsy."</p> +<p>So Twinkle and Chubbins got up and walked slowly toward the magician, taking great care +where they stepped. Teenty and Weenty were frightened, and ducked their heads with little squeals +as the big children passed their mound; but they bobbed up again the next moment, being curious to +see what would happen.</p> +<p>When the boy and girl stopped before Mr. Presto Digi's mound, he began waving one of his +thin, scraggy paws and at the same time made a gurgling noise that was deep down in his throat. +And his eyes rolled and twisted around in a very odd way.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/163.jpg" alt="Mr. Presto Digi works magic"><br>MR. PRESTO +DIGI WORKS MAGIC</p> +<p>Neither Twinkle nor Chubbins felt any effect from the magic, nor any different from ordinary; +but they knew they were growing smaller, because their eyes were getting closer to the +magician.</p> +<p>"Is that enough?" asked Mr. Presto, after a while.</p> +<p>"Just a little more, please," replied the Mayor; "I don't want them to bump their heads against the +doorways."</p> +<p>So the magician again waved his paw and chuckled and gurgled and blinked, until Twinkle +suddenly found she had to look up at him as he squatted on his mound.</p> +<p>"Stop!" she screamed; "if you keep on, we won't be anything at all!"</p> +<p>"You're just about the right size," said the Mayor, looking them over with much pleasure, and +when the girl turned around she found Mr. Bowko and Mrs. Puff-Pudgy standing beside her, and +she could easily see that Chubbins was no bigger than they, and she was no bigger than +Chubbins.</p> +<p>"Kindly follow me," said Mrs. Puff-Pudgy, "for my little darlings are anxious to make your +acquaintance, and as I was the first to discover you, you are to be my guests first of all, and +afterward go to the Mayor's to luncheon."</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/165.jpg" alt="A prarie-dog"></p> + + +<br><br><br> +<h1><a name="3-5">Chapter V</a></h1> +<hr width="10%"> +<h2>The Home of the Puff-Pudgys</h2> +<p><font size="+4">S</font><font size="+2">O</font> Twinkle and Chubbins, still holding hands, +trotted along to the Puff-Pudgy mound, and it was strange how rough the ground now seemed to +their tiny feet. They climbed up the slope of the mound rather clumsily, and when they came to the +hole it seemed to them as big as a well. Then they saw that it wasn't a deep hole, but a sort of tunnel +leading down hill into the mound, and Twinkle knew if they were careful they were not likely to +slip or tumble down.</p> + +<p align="center"><img src="images/167.jpg" alt="The ground now seemed rough to their tiny +feet"><br>THE GROUND NOW SEEMED ROUGH TO THEIR TINY FEET</p> +<p>Mrs. Puff-Pudgy popped into the hole like a flash, for she was used to it, and waited just below +the opening to guide them. So, Twinkle slipped down to the floor of the tunnel and Chubbins +followed close after her, and then they began to go downward.</p> +<p>"It's a little dark right here," said Mrs. Puff-Pudgy; "but I've ordered the maid to light the candles +for you, so you'll see well enough when you're in the rooms."</p> +<p>"Thank you," said Twinkle, walking along the hall and feeling her way by keeping her hand +upon the smooth sides of the passage. "I hope you won't go to any trouble, or put on airs, just +because we've come to visit you."</p> +<p>"If I do," replied Mrs. Puffy-Pudgy, "it's because I know the right way to treat company. We've +always belonged to the 'four hundred,' you know. Some folks never know what to do, or how to do +it, but that isn't the way with the Puff-Pudgys. Hi! you, Teenty and Weenty—get out of here +and behave yourselves! You'll soon have a good look at our visitors."</p> +<p>And now they came into a room so comfortable and even splendid that Twinkle's eyes opened +wide with amazement.</p> +<p>It was big, and of a round shape, and on the walls were painted very handsome portraits of +different prairie-dogs of the Puff-Pudgy family. The furniture was made of white clay, baked hard +in the sun and decorated with paints made from blue clay and red clay and yellow clay. This gave it +a gorgeous appearance. There was a round table in the middle of the room, and several comfortable +chairs and sofas. Around the walls were little brackets with candles in them, lighting the place very +pleasantly.</p> +<p>"Sit down, please," said Mrs. Puff-Pudgy. "You'll want to rest a minute before I show you +around."</p> +<p>So Twinkle and Chubbins sat upon the pretty clay chairs, and Teenty and Weenty sat opposite +them and stared with their mischievous round eyes as hard as they could.</p> +<p>"What nice furniture," exclaimed the girl.</p> +<p>"Yes," replied Mrs. Puff-Pudgy, looking up at the picture of a sad-faced prairie-dog; "Mr. Puff- +Pudgy made it all himself. He was very handy at such things. It's a shame he turned out so +obstinate."</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/171.jpg" alt="Mr. Puff-Pudgy's portrait"><br>MR. PUFF- +PUDGY'S PORTRAIT</p> +<p>"Did he build the house too?"</p> +<p>"Why, he dug it out, if that's what you mean. But I advised him how to do it, so I deserve some +credit for it myself. Next to the Mayor's, it's the best house in town, which accounts for our high +social standing. Weenty! take your paw out of your mouth. You're biting your claws again."</p> +<p>"I'm not!" said Weenty.</p> +<p>"And now," continued Mrs. Puff-Pudgy, "if you are rested, I'll show you through the rest of our +house."</p> +<p>So, they got up and followed her, and she led the children through an archway into the dining- +room. Here was a cupboard full of the cunningest little dishes Twinkle had ever seen. They were all +made of clay, baked hard in the sun, and were of graceful shapes, and nearly as smooth and +perfect as our own dishes.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/173.jpg" alt="A prarie-dog"></p> + + +<br><br><br> +<h1><a name="3-6">Chapter VI</a></h1> +<hr width="10%"> +<h2>Teenty and Weenty</h2> +<p><font size="+4">A</font><font size="+2">LL</font> around the sides of the dining-room were +pockets, or bins, in the wall; and these were full of those things the prairie-dogs are most fond of +eating. Clover-seeds filled one bin, and sweet roots another; dried mulberry leaves—that +must have come from a long distance—were in another bin, and even kernels of yellow field +corn were heaped in one place. The Puff-Pudgys were surely in no danger of starving for some +time to come.</p> +<p>"Teenty! Put back that grain of wheat," commanded the mother, in a severe voice.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/175.jpg" alt="The children examine the dining- +room"><br>THE CHILDREN EXAMINE THE DINING-ROOM</p> +<p>Instead of obeying, Teenty put the wheat in his mouth and ate it as quickly as possible.</p> +<p>"The little dears are <i>so</i> restless," Mrs. Puff-Pudgy said to Twinkle, "that it's hard to +manage them."</p> +<p>"They don't behave," remarked Chubbins, staring hard at the children.</p> +<p>"No, they have a share of their father's obstinate nature," replied Mrs. Puff-Pudgy. "Excuse me +a minute and I'll cuff them; It'll do them good."</p> +<p>But before their mother could reach them, the children found trouble of their own. Teenty +sprang at Weenty and began to fight, because his brother had pinched him, and Weenty fought +back with all his might and main. They scratched with their claws and bit with their teeth, and rolled +over and over upon the floor, bumping into the wall and upsetting the chairs, and snarling and +growling all the while like two puppies.</p> +<p>Mrs. Puff-Pudgy sat down and watched them, but did not interfere.</p> +<p>"Won't they hurt themselves?" asked Twinkle, anxiously.</p> +<p>"Perhaps so," said the mother; "but if they do, it will punish them for being so naughty. I always +let them fight it out, because they are so sore for a day or two afterward that they have to keep +quiet, and then I get a little rest."</p> +<p>Weenty set up a great howling, just then, and Teenty drew away from his defeated brother and +looked at him closely. The fur on both of them was badly mussed up, and Weenty had a long +scratch on his nose, that must have hurt him, or he wouldn't have howled so. Teenty's left eye was +closed tight, but if it hurt him he bore the pain in silence.</p> +<p>Mrs. Puff-Pudgy now pushed them both into a little room and shut them up, saying they must +stay there until bedtime; and then she led Twinkle and Chubbins into the kitchen and showed them +a pool of clear water, in a big clay basin, that had been caught during the last rain and saved for +drinking purposes. The children drank of it, and found it cool and refreshing.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/179.jpg" alt="The quarrel"><br>THE QUARREL</p> +<p>Then they saw the bedrooms, and learned that the beds of prairie-dogs were nothing more than +round hollows made in heaps of clay. These animals always curl themselves up when they sleep, +and the round hollows just fitted their bodies; so, no doubt, they found them very comfortable.</p> +<p>There were several bedrooms, for the Puff-Pudgy house was really very large. It was also very +cool and pleasant, being all underground and not a bit damp.</p> +<p>After they had admired everything in a way that made Mrs. Puff-Pudgy very proud and happy, +their hostess took one of the lighted candles from a bracket and said she would now escort them to +the house of the Honorable Mr. Bowko, the Mayor.</p> +<p></p> + +<br><br><br> +<h1><a name="3-7">Chapter VII</a></h1> +<hr width="10%"> +<h2>The Mayor Gives a Luncheon</h2> +<p><font size="+4">"D</font><font size="+2">ON'T</font> we have to go upstairs and out of +doors?" asked Twinkle.</p> +<p>"Oh, no," replied the prairie-dog, "we have halls connecting all the different houses of +importance. Just follow me, and you can't get lost."</p> +<p>They might easily have been lost without their guide, the little girl thought, after they had gone +through several winding passages. They turned this way and that, in quite a bewildering manner, +and there were so many underground tunnels going in every direction that it was a wonder Mrs. +Puff-Pudgy knew which way to go.</p> +<p>"You ought to have sign-posts," said Chubbins, who had once been in a city.</p> +<p>"Why, as for that, every one in the town knows which way to go," answered their guide; "and it +isn't often we have visitors. Last week a gray owl stopped with us for a couple of days, and we had +a fine ball in her honor. But you are the first humans that have ever been entertained in our town, +so it's quite an event with us." A few minutes later she said: "Here we are, at the Mayor's house," +and as they passed under a broad archway she blew out her candle, because the Mayor's house was +so brilliantly lighted.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/183.jpg" alt="The luncheon at the mayor's"><br>THE +LUNCHEON AT THE MAYOR'S</p> +<p>"Welcome!" said Mr. Bowko, greeting the children with polite bows. "You are just in time, for +luncheon is about ready and my guests are waiting for you."</p> +<p>He led them at once into a big dining-room that was so magnificently painted with colored clays +that the walls were as bright as a June rainbow.</p> +<p>"How pretty!" cried Twinkle, clapping her hands together in delight.</p> +<p>"I'm glad you like it," said the Mayor, much pleased. "Some people, who are lacking in good +taste, think it's a little overdone, but a Mayor's house should be gorgeous, I think, so as to be a +credit to the community. My grandfather, who designed and painted this house, was a very fine +artist. But luncheon is ready, so pray be seated."</p> +<p>They sat down on little clay chairs that were placed at the round table. The Mayor sat on one +side of Twinkle and Mrs. Puff-Pudgy on the other, and Chubbins was between the skinny old +magician and Mr. Sneezeley. Also, in other chairs sat Dr. Dosem, and Mrs. Chatterby, and Mrs. +Fuzcum, and several others. It was a large company, indeed, which showed that the Mayor +considered this a very important occasion.</p> +<p>They were waited upon by several sleek prairie-dog maids in white aprons and white caps, who +looked neat and respectable, and were very graceful in their motions.</p> +<p>Neither Twinkle nor Chubbins was very hungry, but they were curious to know what kind of +food the prairie-dogs ate, so they watched carefully when the different dishes were passed around. +Only grains and vegetables were used, for prairie-dogs do not eat meat. There was a milk-weed +soup at first; and then yellow corn, boiled and sliced thin. Afterward they had a salad of thistle +leaves, and some bread made of barley. The dessert was a dish of the sweet, dark honey made by +prairie-bees, and some cakes flavored with sweet and spicy roots that only prairie-dogs know how +to find.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/187.jpg" alt="Mrs. Fuzcum singing"><br>MRS. FUZCUM +SINGING</p> +<p>The children tasted of several dishes, just to show their politeness; but they couldn't eat much. +Chubbins spent most of his time watching Mr. Presto Digi, who ate up everything that was near him +and seemed to be as hungry after the luncheon as he had been before.</p> +<p>Mrs. Puff-Pudgy talked so much about the social standing and dignity of the Puff-Pudgys that +she couldn't find time to eat much, although she asked for the recipe of the milk-weed soup. But +most of the others present paid strict attention to the meal and ate with very good appetites.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/188.jpg" alt="Prarie-dogs"></p> + +<br><br><br> +<h1><a name="3-8">Chapter VIII</a></h1> +<hr width="10%"> +<h2>On Top of the Earth Again</h2> +<p><font size="+4">A</font><font size="+2">FTERWARD</font> they all went into the big +drawing-room, where Mrs. Fuzcum sang a song for them in a very shrill voice, and Mr. Sneezeley +and Mrs. Chatterby danced a graceful minuet that was much admired by all present.</p> +<p>"We ought to be going home," said Twinkle, after this entertainment was over. "I'm afraid our +folks will worry about us."</p> +<p>"We regret to part with you," replied the Mayor; "but, if you really think you ought to go, we +will not be so impolite as to urge you to stay."</p> +<p>"You'll find we have excellent manners," added Mrs. Puff-Pudgy.</p> +<p>"I want to get big again," said Chubbins.</p> +<p>"Very well; please step this way," said the Mayor.</p> +<p>So they all followed him through a long passage until they began to go upward, as if climbing a +hill. And then a gleam of daylight showed just ahead of them, and a few more steps brought them +to the hole in the middle of the mound.</p> +<p>The Mayor and Mrs. Puff-Pudgy jumped up first, and then they helped Twinkle and Chubbins +to scramble out. The strong sunlight made them blink their eyes for a time, but when they were able +to look around they found one or more heads of prairie-dogs sticking from every mound.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/191.jpg" alt=""Do you think we've been +asleep?""><br>"DO YOU THINK WE'VE BEEN ASLEEP?"</p> +<p>"Now, Mr. Presto Digi," said the Mayor, when all the party were standing on the ground, "please +enlarge our friends to their natural sizes again."</p> +<p>"That is very easy," said the magician, with a sigh. "I really wish, Mr. Mayor, that you would +find something for me to do that is difficult."</p> +<p>"I will, some time," promised the Mayor. "Just now, this is all I can require of you."</p> +<p>So the magician waved his paw and gurgled, much in the same way he had done before, and +Twinkle and Chubbins began to grow, and swell out until they were as large as ever, and the prairie- +dogs again seemed very small beside them.</p> +<p>"Good-bye," said the little girl, "and thank you all, very much, for your kindness to us."</p> +<p>"Good-bye!" answered a chorus of small voices, and then all the prairie-dogs popped into their +holes and quickly disappeared.</p> +<p>Twinkle and Chubbins found they were sitting on the green bank again, at the edge of Prairie- +Dog Town.</p> +<p>"Do you think we've been asleep, Chub?" asked the girl.</p> +<p>"'Course not," replied Chubbins, with a big yawn. "It's easy 'nough to know that, Twink, 'cause +I'm sleepy now!"</p> +<br> +<p align="center">THE END</p> + + +<br><br><br><br> +<h1><a name="4">PRINCE MUD-TURTLE</a></h1> +<br><br><br><br> +<p align="center"><img src="images/197.jpg" alt="Prince Mud-Turtle"></p> + +<br><br><br><br> +<h2>List of Chapters</h2> +<hr width="10%"> +<table border="0" align="center"> +<tr><td colspan="4"><p> </p> +<td><p>PAGE</p> +<tr><td><p>I</p> +<td width="10"><p> </p> +<td><p><a href="#4-1">Twinkle Captures the Turtle</a></p> +<td><p>........</p> +<td><p align="right">199</p> +<tr><td><p>II</p> +<td width="10"><p> </p> +<td><p><a href="#4-2">Twinkle Discovers the Turtle can Talk</a></p> +<td><p>........</p> +<td><p align="right">207</p> +<tr><td><p>III</p> +<td width="10"><p> </p> +<td><p><a href="#4-3">The Turtle Tells of the Corrugated Giant</a></p> +<td><p>........</p> +<td><p align="right">214</p> +<tr><td><p>IV</p> +<td width="10"><p> </p> +<td><p><a href="#4-4">Prince Turtle Remembers His Magic</a></p> +<td><p>........</p> +<td><p align="right">223</p> +<tr><td><p>V</p> +<td width="10"><p> </p> +<td><p><a href="#4-5">Twinkle Promises to be Brave</a></p> +<td><p>........</p> +<td><p align="right">232</p> +<tr><td><p>VI</p> +<td width="10"><p> </p> +<td><p><a href="#4-6">Twinkle Meets the Corrugated Giant</a></p> +<td><p>........</p> +<td><p align="right">239</p> +<tr><td><p>VII</p> +<td width="10"><p> </p> +<td><p><a href="#4-7">Prince Mud-Turtle Becomes Prince Melga</a></p> +<td><p>........</p> +<td><p align="right">244</p> +<tr><td><p>VIII</p> +<td width="10"><p> </p> +<td><p><a href="#4-8">Twinkle Receives a Medal</a></p> +<td><p>........</p> +<td><p align="right">250</p> +</table> + + +<br><br><br> +<h1><a name="4-1">Chapter I</a></h1> +<hr width="10%"> +<h2>Twinkle Captures the Turtle</h2> +<p><font size="+4">O</font><font size="+2">NE</font> hot summer day Twinkle went down into +the meadow to where the brook ran tinkling over its stones or rushed and whirled around the curves +of the banks or floated lazily through the more wide and shallow parts. It wasn't much of a brook, +to tell the facts, for there were many places where an active child could leap across it. But it was the +only brook for miles around, and to Twinkle it was a never-ending source of delight. Nothing +amused or refreshed the little girl more than to go wading on the pebbly bottom and let the little +waves wash around her slim ankles.</p> +<p>There was one place, just below the pasture lot, where it was deeper; and here there were real +fishes swimming about, such as "horned aces" and "chubs" and "shiners"; and once in a while you +could catch a mud-turtle under the edges of the flat stones or in hollows beneath the banks. The +deep part was not very big, being merely a pool, but Twinkle never waded in it, because the water +would come quite up to her waist, and then she would be sure to get her skirts wet, which would +mean a good scolding from mamma.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/201.jpg" alt="Twinkle prepares to go wading"><br>TWINKLE +PREPARES TO GO WADING</p> +<p>To-day she climbed the fence in the lane, just where the rickety wooden bridge crossed the +brook, and at once sat down upon the grassy bank and took off her shoes and stockings. Then, +wearing her sun-bonnet to shield her face from the sun, she stepped softly into the brook and stood +watching the cool water rush by her legs.</p> +<p>It was very nice and pleasant; but Twinkle never could stand still for very long, so she began to +wade slowly down the stream, keeping in the middle of the brook, and being able to see through the +clear water all the best places to put her feet.</p> +<p>Pretty soon she had to duck her head to pass under the fence that separated the meadow from +the pasture lot; but she got through all right, and then kept on down the stream, until she came close +to the deep pool. She couldn't wade through this, as I have explained; so she got on dry land and +crept on her hands and knees up to the edge of the bank, so as not to scare the fishes, if any were +swimming in the pool.</p> +<p>By good luck there were several fishes in the pool to-day, and they didn't seem to notice that +Twinkle was looking at them, so quiet had she been. One little fellow shone like silver when the +sunshine caught his glossy sides, and the little girl watched him wiggling here and there with much +delight. There was also a big, mud-colored fish that lay a long time upon the bottom without +moving anything except his fins and the tip of his tail, and Twinkle also discovered a group of +several small fishes not over an inch long, that always swam together in a bunch, as if they +belonged to one family.</p> +<p>The girl watched these little creatures long and earnestly. The pool was all of the world these +simple fishes would ever know. They were born here, and would die here, without ever getting +away from the place, or even knowing there was a much bigger world outside of it.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/205.jpg" alt="Twinkle captures the turtle"><br>TWINKLE +CAPTURES THE TURTLE</p> +<p>After a time the child noticed that the water had become a little muddy near the edge of the +bank where she lay, and as it slowly grew clear again she saw a beautiful turtle lying just under her +head and against the side of the bank. It was a little bigger around than a silver dollar, and instead +of its shell being of a dull brown color, like that of all other mud-turtles she had seen, this one's +back was streaked with brilliant patches of yellow and red.</p> +<p>"I must get that lovely turtle!" thought Twinkle; and as the water was shallow where it lay she +suddenly plunged in her hand, grabbed the turtle, and flung it out of the water on to the bank, +where it fell upon its back, wiggling its four fat legs desperately in an attempt to turn over.</p> + +<br><br><br> +<h1><a name="4-2">Chapter II</a></h1> +<hr width="10%"> +<h2>Twinkle Discovers the Turtle Can Talk</h2> +<p><font size="+4">A</font><font size="+2">T</font> this sudden commotion in their water, the +fishes darted away and disappeared in a flash. But Twinkle didn't mind that, for all her interest was +now centered in the struggling turtle.</p> +<p>She knelt upon the grass and bent over to watch it, and just then she thought she heard a small +voice say:</p> +<p>"It's no use; I can't do it!" and then the turtle drew its head and legs between the shells and +remained still.</p> +<p>"Good gracious!" said Twinkle, much astonished. Then, addressing the turtle, she asked:</p> +<p>"Did you say anything, a minute ago?"</p> +<p>There was no reply. The turtle lay as quiet as if it were dead. Twinkle thought she must have +been mistaken; so she picked up the turtle and held it in the palm of her hand while she got into the +water again and waded slowly back to where she had left her shoes and stockings.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/209.jpg" alt="Twinkle watching the turtle"><br>TWINKLE +WATCHING THE TURTLE</p> +<p>When she got home she put the mud-turtle in a tub which her papa had made by sawing a barrel +in two. Then she put a little water into the tub and blocked it up by putting a brick under one side, +so that the turtle could either stay in the water or crawl up the inclined bottom of the tub to where it +was dry, whichever he pleased. She did this because mamma said that turtles sometimes liked to +stay in the water and sometimes on land, and Twinkle's turtle could now take his choice. He +couldn't climb up the steep sides of the tub and so get away, and the little girl thoughtfully placed +crumbs of bread and fine bits of meat, where the turtle could get them whenever he felt +hungry.</p> +<p>After that, Twinkle often sat for hours watching the turtle, which would crawl around the +bottom of the tub, and swim in the little pool of water and eat the food placed before him in an +eager and amusing way.</p> +<p>At times she took him in her hand and examined him closely, and then the mud-turtle would +put out its little head and look at her with its bright eyes as curiously as the girl looked at him.</p> +<p>She had owned her turtle just a week, when she came to the tub one afternoon and held him in +her hand, intending to feed her pet some scraps of meat she had brought with her. But as soon as +the turtle put out its head it said to her, in a small but distinct voice:</p> +<p>"Good morning, Twinkle."</p> +<p>She was so surprised that the meat dropped from her hand, and she nearly dropped the turtle, +too. But she managed to control her astonishment, and asked, in a voice that trembled a little:</p> +<p>"Can you talk?"</p> +<p>"To be sure," replied the turtle; "but only on every seventh day—which of course is +every Saturday. On other days I cannot talk at all."</p> +<p>"Then I really must have heard you speak when I caught you; didn't I?"</p> +<p>"I believe you did. I was so startled at being captured that I spoke before I thought, which is a +bad habit to get into. But afterward I resolved not to answer when you questioned me, for I didn't +know you then, and feared it would be unwise to trust you with my secret. Even now I must ask +you not to tell any one that you have a turtle that knows how to talk."</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/213.jpg" alt=""Good morning, +Twinkle""><br>"GOOD MORNING, TWINKLE"</p> + + +<br><br><br> +<h1><a name="4-3">Chapter III</a></h1> +<hr width="10%"> +<h2>The Turtle Tells of the Corrugated Giant</h2> +<p><font size="+4">"W</font><font size="+2">HY,</font> it's wonderful!" said Twinkle, who had +listened eagerly to the turtle's speech.</p> +<p>"It would be wonderful, indeed, if I were but a simple turtle," was the reply.</p> +<p>"But aren't you a turtle?"</p> +<p>"Of course, so far as my outward appearance goes, I'm a common little mud-turtle," it +answered; "and I think you will agree with me that it was rather clever in the Corrugated Giant to +transform me into such a creature."</p> +<p>"What's a Corrulated Giant?" asked Twinkle, with breathless interest.</p> +<p>"The Corrugated Giant is a monster that is full of deep wrinkles, because he has no bones inside +him to hold his flesh up properly," said the turtle. "I hated this giant, who is both wicked and cruel, +I assure you; and this giant hated me in return. So, when one day I tried to destroy him, the monster +transformed me into the helpless little being you see before you."</p> +<p>"But who were you before you were transformed?" asked the girl.</p> +<p>"A fairy prince named Melga, the seventh son of the fairy Queen Flutterlight, who rules all the +fairies in the north part of this land."</p> +<p>"And how long have you been a turtle?"</p> +<p>"Fourteen years," replied the creature, with a deep sigh. "At least, I think it is fourteen years; but +of course when one is swimming around in brooks and grubbing in the mud for food, one is apt to +lose all track of time."</p> +<p>"I should think so, indeed," said Twinkle. "But, according to that, you're older than I am."</p> +<p>"Much older," declared the turtle. "I had lived about four hundred years before the Corrugated +Giant turned me into a turtle."</p> +<p>"Was your head gray?" she asked; "and did you have white whiskers?"</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/217.jpg" alt="Queen Flutterlight"><br>QUEEN +FLUTTERLIGHT</p> +<p>"No, indeed!" said the turtle. "Fairies are always young and beautiful in appearance, no matter +how many years they have lived. And, as they never die, they're bound to get pretty old sometimes, +as a matter of course."</p> +<p>"Of course!" agreed Twinkle. "Mama has told me about the fairies. But must you always be a +mud-turtle?"</p> +<p>"That will depend on whether you are willing to help me or not," was the answer.</p> +<p>"Why, it sounds just like a fairy tale in a book!" cried the little girl.</p> +<p>"Yes," replied the turtle, "these things have been happening ever since there were fairies, and +you might expect some of our adventures would get into books. But are you willing to help me? +That is the important thing just now."</p> +<p>"I'll do anything I can," said Twinkle.</p> +<p>"Then," said the turtle, "I may expect to get back to my own form again in a reasonably short +time. But you must be brave, and not shrink from such a little thing as danger."</p> +<p>That made Twinkle look solemn.</p> +<p>"Of course I don't want to get hurt," she said. "My mama and papa would go di<i>struc</i>ted if +anything happened to me."</p> +<p>"Something will happen, <i>sure,</i>" declared the turtle; "but nothing that happens will hurt +you in the least if you do exactly as I tell you."</p> +<p>"I won't have to fight that Carbolated Giant, will I?" Twinkle asked doubtfully.</p> +<p>"He isn't carbolated; he's corrugated. No, you won't have to fight at all. When the proper time +comes I'll do the fighting myself. But you may have to come with me to the Black Mountains, in +order to set me free."</p> +<p>"Is it far?" she asked.</p> +<p>"Yes; but it won't take us long to go there," answered the turtle. "Now, I'll tell you what to do +and, if you follow my advice no one will ever know you're been mixed up with fairies and strange +adventures."</p> +<p>"And Collerated Giants," she added.</p> +<p>"Corrugated," he corrected. "It is too late, this Saturday, to start upon our journey, so we must +wait another week. But next Saturday morning do you come to me bright and early, as soon as +you've had breakfast, and then I'll tell you what to do."</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/221.jpg" alt="The turtle explains his plans"><br>THE TURTLE +EXPLAINS HIS PLANS</p> +<p>"All right," said Twinkle; "I won't forget."</p> +<p>"In the mean time, do give me a little clean water now and then. I'm a mud-turtle, sure enough; +but I'm also a fairy prince, and I must say I prefer clean water."</p> +<p>"I'll attend to it," promised the girl.</p> +<p>"Now put me down and run away," continued the turtle. "It will take me all the week to think +over my plans, and decide exactly what we are to do."</p> + + + +<br><br><br> +<h1><a name="4-4">Chapter IV</a></h1> +<hr width="10%"> +<h2>Prince Turtle Remembers His Magic</h2> +<p><font size="+4">T</font><font size="+2">WINKLE</font> was as nervous as she could be +during all the week that followed this strange conversation with Prince Turtle. Every day, as soon as +school was out, she would run to the tub to see if the turtle was still safe—for she worried +lest it should run away or disappear in some strange manner. And during school hours it was such +hard work to keep her mind on her lessons that teacher scolded her more than once.</p> +<p>The fairy imprisoned in the turtle's form had nothing to say to her during this week, because he +would not be allowed to talk again until Saturday; so the most that Twinkle could do to show her +interest in the Prince was to give him the choicest food she could get and supply him with plenty of +fresh, clean water.</p> +<p>At last the day of her adventure arrived, and as soon as she could get away from the breakfast +table Twinkle ran out to the tub. There was her fairy turtle, safe as could be, and as she leaned over +the tub he put out his head and called "Good morning!" in his small, shrill voice.</p> +<p>"Good morning," she replied.</p> +<p>"Are you still willing and ready to assist me?" asked the turtle.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/225.jpg" alt="The trip through the air"><br>THE TRIP +THROUGH THE AIR/p> +<p>"To be sure," said Twinkle.</p> +<p>"Then take me in your hand," said he.</p> +<p>So she picked him out of the tub and placed him upon her hand. And the turtle said:</p> +<p>"Now pay strict attention, and do exactly as I tell you, and all will be well. In the first place, we +want to get to the Black Mountains; so you must repeat after me these words: '<i>Uller; aller; iller; +oller!</i>'"</p> +<p>"Uller; aller; iller; oller!" said Twinkle.</p> +<p>The next minute it seemed as though a gale of wind had struck her. It blew so strongly against +her eyes that she could not see; so she covered her face with one arm while with the other hand she +held fast to the turtle. Her skirts fluttered so wildly that it seemed as if they would tear themselves +from her body, and her sun-bonnet, not being properly fastened, was gone in a minute.</p> +<p>But it didn't last long, fortunately. After a few moments the wind stopped, and she found she +could breathe again. Then she looked around her and drew another long breath, for instead of being +in the back yard at home she stood on the side of a beautiful mountain, and spread before her were +the loveliest green valleys she had ever beheld.</p> +<p>"Well, we're here," said the turtle, in a voice that sounded as if he were well pleased. "I thought +I hadn't forgotten my fairy wisdom."</p> +<p>"Where are we?" asked the child.</p> +<p>"In the Black Mountains, of course," was the reply. "We've come a good way, but it didn't take +us long to arrive, did it?"</p> +<p>"No, indeed," she answered, still gazing down the mountain side at the flower-strewn grass-land +of the valleys.</p> +<p>"This," said the turtle, sticking his little head out of the shell as far as it would go, "is the realm +of the fairies, where I used to dwell. Those beautiful palaces you see yonder are inhabited by +Queen Flutterlight and my people, and that grim castle at your left, standing on the side of the +mountain, is where the Corrugated Giant lives."</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/229.jpg" alt=""Rub your eyelids with +it""><br>"RUB YOUR EYELIDS WITH IT"</p> +<p>"I don't see anything!" exclaimed Twinkle; "that is, nothing but the valleys and the flowers and +grass."</p> +<p>"True; I had forgotten that these things are invisible to your mortal eyes. But it is necessary that +you should see all clearly, if you are going to rescue me from this terrible form and restore me to +my natural shape. Now, put me down upon the ground, for I must search for a particular plant +whose leaf has a magic virtue."</p> +<p>So Twinkle put him down, and the little turtle began running around here and there, looking +carefully at the different plants that grew amongst the grass on the mountain side. But his legs were +so short and his shell-covered body so heavy, that he couldn't move very fast; so presently he +called for her to pick him up again, and hold him close to the ground while she walked among the +plants. She did this, and after what seemed a long search the turtle suddenly cried out:</p> +<p>"Stop! Here it is! This is the plant I want."</p> +<p>"Which—this?" asked the girl, touching a broad green leaf.</p> +<p>"Yes. Pluck the leaf from the stem and rub your eyelids with it."</p> +<p>She obeyed, and having rubbed her lids well with the leaf, she again opened her eyes and +beheld the real Fairyland.</p> + + +<br><br><br> +<h1><a name="4-5">Chapter V</a></h1> +<hr width="10%"> +<h2>Twinkle Promises to Be Brave</h2> +<p><font size="+4">I</font><font size="+2">N</font> the center of the valley was a great cluster +of palaces that appeared to be built of crystal and silver and mother-of-pearl, and golden filigree- +work. So dainty and beautiful were these fairy dwellings that Twinkle had no doubt for an instant +but that she gazed upon fairyland. She could almost see, from the far mountain upon which she +stood, the airy, gauze-winged forms of the fairies themselves, floating gently amidst their pretty +palaces and moving gracefully along the jeweled streets.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/233.jpg" alt=""That fence is +enchanted""><br>"THAT FENCE IS ENCHANTED"</p> +<p>But another sight now attracted her attention—a big, gray, ugly looking castle standing +frowning on the mountain side at her left. It overlooked the lovely city of palaces like a dark cloud +on the edge of a blue sky, and the girl could not help giving a shudder as she saw it. All around the +castle was a high fence of iron spikes.</p> +<p>"That fence is enchanted," said the turtle, as if he knew she was looking at it; "and no fairy can +pass it, because the power to prevent it has been given to the giant. But a mortal has never been +forbidden to pass the fence, for no one ever supposed that a mortal would come here or be able to +see it. That is the reason I have brought you to this place, and the reason why you alone are able to +help me."</p> +<p>"Gracious!" cried Twinkle; "must I meet the Carbonated Giant?"</p> +<p>"He's corrugated," said the turtle.</p> +<p>"I know he's something dreadful," she wailed, "because he's so hard to pronounce."</p> +<p>"You will surely have to meet him," declared the turtle; "but do not fear, I will protect you from +all harm."</p> +<p>"Well, a Corralated Giant's a mighty big person," said the girl, doubtfully, "and a mud-turtle isn't +much of a fighter. I guess I'll go home."</p> +<p>"That is impossible," declared the turtle. "You are too far from home ever to get back without +my help, so you may as well be good and obedient."</p> +<p>"What must I do?" she asked.</p> +<p>"We will wait until it is nearly noon, when the giant will put his pot on the fire to boil his dinner. +We can tell the right time by watching the smoke come out of his chimney. Then you must march +straight up to the castle and into the kitchen where the giant is at work, and throw me quickly into +the boiling kettle. That is all that you will be required to do."</p> +<p>"I never could do it!" declared Twinkle.</p> +<p>"Why not?"</p> +<p>"You'd be scalded to death, and then I'd be a murderer!"</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/237.jpg" alt="Hunting the magic flower"><br>HUNTING THE +MAGIC FLOWER</p> +<p>"Nonsense!" said the turtle, peevishly. "I know what I'm doing, and if you obey me I'll not be +scalded but an instant; for then I'll resume my own form. Remember that I'm a fairy, and fairies +can't be killed so easily as you seem to think."</p> +<p>"Won't it hurt you?" she inquired.</p> +<p>"Only for a moment; but the reward will be so great that I won't mind an instant's pain. Will you +do this favor for me?"</p> +<p>"I'll try," replied Twinkle, gravely.</p> +<p>"Then I will be very grateful," said Prince Turtle, "and agree to afterward send you home safe +and sound, and as quickly as you came."</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/238.jpg" alt="Turtles"></p> + +<br><br><br> +<h1><a name="4-6">Chapter VI</a></h1> +<hr width="10%"> +<h2>Twinkle Meets the Corrugated Giants</h2> +<p><font size="+4">"A</font><font size="+2">ND</font> now, while we are waiting," continued +the fairy turtle, "I want to find a certain flower that has wonderful powers to protect mortals from +any injury. Not that I fear I shall be unable to take care of you, but it's just as well to be on the safe +side."</p> +<p>"Better," said Twinkle, earnestly. "Where's the flower?"</p> +<p>"We'll hunt for it," replied the turtle.</p> +<p>So holding him in her hand in such a way that he could see all the flowers that grew, the girl +began wandering over the mountain side, and everything was so beautiful around her that she +would have been quite contented and happy had not the gray castle been before her to remind her +constantly that she must face the terrible giant who lived within it.</p> +<p>They found the flower at last—a pretty pink blossom that looked like a double daisy, but +must have been something else, because a daisy has no magic power that I ever heard of. And +when it was found, the turtle told her to pick the flower and pin it fast to the front of her dress; +which she did.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/241.jpg" alt="Twinkle manages to squeeze +through"><br>TWINKLE MANAGES TO SQUEEZE THROUGH</p> +<p>By that time the smoke began to roll out of the giant's chimney in big black clouds; so the fairy +turtle said the giant must be getting dinner, and the pot would surely be boiling by the time they got +to the castle.</p> +<p>Twinkle couldn't help being a little afraid to approach the giant's stronghold, but she tried to be +brave, and so stepped along briskly until she came to the fence of iron spikes.</p> +<p>"You must squeeze through between two of the spikes," said the turtle.</p> +<p>She didn't think it could possibly be done; but to her surprise it was quite easy, and she +managed to squeeze through the fence without even tearing her dress. Then she walked up a great +driveway, which was lined with white skulls of many sheep which the giant had eaten, to the front +door of the castle, which stood ajar.</p> +<p>"Go in," said the turtle; so she boldly entered and passed down a high arched hall toward a +room in the rear.</p> +<p>"This is the kitchen," said the turtle, "Enter quickly, go straight to the kettle, and throw me into +the boiling water."</p> +<p>Twinkle entered quickly enough, but then she stopped short with a cry of amazement; for there +before her stood the ugly giant, blowing the fire with an immense pair of bellows.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/243.jpg" alt="A turtle"></p> + + +<br><br><br> +<h1><a name="4-7">Chapter VII</a></h1> +<hr width="10%"> +<h2>Prince Mud-Turtle Becomes Prince Melga</h2> +<p><font size="+4">T</font><font size="+2">HE</font> giant was as big around as ten men, and +as tall as two; but, having no bones, he seemed pushed together, so that his skin wrinkled up like +the sides of an accordeon, or a photograph camera, even his face being so wrinkled that his nose +stuck out between two folds of flesh and his eyes from between two more. In one end of the +kitchen was the great fireplace, above which hung an iron kettle with a big iron spoon in it. And at +the other end was a table set for dinner.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/245.jpg" alt="Twinkle meets the Corrugated +Giant"><br>TWINKLE MEETS THE CORRUGATED GIANT</p> +<p>As the giant was standing between the kettle and Twinkle, she could not do as the turtle had +commanded, and throw him into the pot. So she hesitated, wondering how to obey the fairy. Just +then the giant happened to turn around and see her.</p> +<p>"By the whiskers of Gammarog—who was one of my ancestors that was killed by Jack +the Giant-Killer!" he cried, but in a very mild voice for so big a person. "Whom have we here?"</p> +<p>"I'm Twinkle," said the girl, drawing a long breath.</p> +<p>"Then, to pay you for your folly in entering my castle, I will make you my slave, and some +day, if you're not good, I'll feed you to my seventeen-headed dog. I never eat little girls myself. I +prefer mutton."</p> +<p>Twinkle's heart almost stopped beating when she heard these awful words. All she could do +was to stand still and look imploringly at the giant. But she held the fairy mud-turtle clasped tight in +her hand, so that the monster couldn't see it.</p> +<p>"Well, what are you staring at?" shouted the Corrugated Giant, angrily. "Blow up that fire this +instant, slave!"</p> +<p>He stood aside for her to pass, and Twinkle ran at once to the fireplace. The pot was now +before her, and within easy reach, and it was bubbling hot.</p> +<p>In an instant she reached out her hand and tossed the turtle into the boiling water; and then, with +a cry of horror at her own action, she drew back to see what would happen.</p> +<p>The turtle was a fairy, all right; and he had known very well the best way to break the +enchantment his enemy had put upon him. For no sooner had Twinkle tossed him into the boiling +pot than a great hissing was heard, and a cloud of steam hid for an instant the fireplace. Then, as it +cleared away, a handsome young prince stepped forward, fully armed; for the turtle was again a +fairy, and the kettle had changed into a strong shield which he bore upon his left arm, and the iron +spoon was now a long and glittering sword.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/249.jpg" alt="The prince kisses Twinkle's hand"><br>THE +PRINCE KISSES TWINKLE'S HAND</p> + +<br><br><br> +<h1><a name="4-8">Chapter VIII</a></h1> +<hr width="10%"> +<h2>Twinkle Receives a Medal</h2> +<p><font size="+4">T</font><font size="+2">HE</font> giant gave a roar like that of a baby bull +when he saw Prince Melga standing before him, and in a twinkling he had caught up a big club that +stood near and began whirling it over his head. But before it could descend, the prince ran at him +and stuck his sword as far as it would go into the corrugated body of the giant. Again the monster +roared and tried to fight; but the sword had hurt him badly, and the prince pushed it into the evil +creature again and again, until the end came, and his corrugated enemy rolled over upon the floor +quite dead.</p> +<p>Then the fairy turned to Twinkle, and kneeling before her he kissed her hand.</p> +<p>"Thank you very much," he said, in a sweet voice, "for setting me free. You are a very brave +little girl!"</p> +<p>"I'm not so sure about that," she answered. "I was dreadfully scared!"</p> +<p>Now he took her hand and led her from the castle; and she didn't have to squeeze through the +fence again, because the fairy had only to utter a magic word and the gate flew open. And when +they turned to look back, the castle of the Corrugated Giant, with all that it had contained, had +vanished from sight, never to be seen again by either mortal or fairy eyes. For that was sure to +happen whenever the giant was dead.</p> +<p>The prince led Twinkle into the valley where the fairy palaces stood, and told all his people, +when they crowded around to welcome him, how kind the little girl had been to him, and how her +courage had enabled him to defeat the giant and to regain his proper form. And all the fairies +praised Twinkle with kind words, and the lovely Queen Flutterlight, who seemed altogether too +young to be the mother of the handsome prince, gave to the child a golden medal with a tiny mud- +turtle engraved upon one side of it.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/253.jpg" alt=""Don't forget me, +Twinkle""><br>"DON'T FORGET ME, TWINKLE"</p> +<p>Then, after a fine feast had been prepared, and the little girl had eaten all she could of the fairy +sweetmeats, she told Prince Melga she would like to go home again.</p> +<p>"Very well," said he. "Don't forget me, Twinkle, although we probably shall never meet again. +I'll send you home quite as safely as you came; but as your eyes have been rubbed with the magic +maita-leaf, you will doubtless always see many strange sights that are hidden from other +mortals."</p> +<p>"I don't mind," said Twinkle.</p> +<p>Then she bade good-bye to the fairies, and the prince spoke a magic word. There was another +rush of wind, and when it had passed Twinkle found herself once more in the back yard at +home.</p> +<p>As she sat upon the grass rubbing her eyes and wondering at the strange adventure that had +befallen her, mamma came out upon the back porch and said:</p> +<p>"Your turtle has crawled out of the tub and run away."</p> +<p>"Yes," said Twinkle, "I know; and I'm glad of it!"</p> +<p>But she kept her secret to herself.</p> +<br> +<p align="center">THE END</p> +<br><br><br><br> + +<h1><a name="5">TWINKLE'S ENCHANTMENT</a></h1> +<br><br><br><br> +<p align="center"><img src="images/259.jpg" alt="Twinkle's Enchantment"></p> +<br><br><br><br> + + +<h2>List of Chapters</h2> +<hr width="10%"> +<table border="0" align="center"> +<tr><td colspan="4"><p> </p> +<td><p>PAGE</p> +<tr><td><p>I</p> +<td width="10"><p> </p> +<td><p><a href="#5-1">Twinkle Enters the Big Gulch</a></p> +<td><p>........</p> +<td><p align="right">261</p> +<tr><td><p>II</p> +<td width="10"><p> </p> +<td><p><a href="#5-2">The Rolling Stone</a></p> +<td><p>........</p> +<td><p align="right">269</p> +<tr><td><p>III</p> +<td width="10"><p> </p> +<td><p><a href="#5-3">Some Queer Acquaintances</a></p> +<td><p>........</p> +<td><p align="right">277</p> +<tr><td><p>IV</p> +<td width="10"><p> </p> +<td><p><a href="#5-4">The Dancing Bear</a></p> +<td><p>........</p> +<td><p align="right">288</p> +<tr><td><p>V</p> +<td width="10"><p> </p> +<td><p><a href="#5-5">The Cave of the Waterfall</a></p> +<td><p>........</p> +<td><p align="right">298</p> +<tr><td><p>VI</p> +<td width="10"><p> </p> +<td><p><a href="#5-6">Prince Nimble</a></p> +<td><p>........</p> +<td><p align="right">306</p> +<tr><td><p>VII</p> +<td width="10"><p> </p> +<td><p><a href="#5-7">The Grasshoppers' Hop</a></p> +<td><p>........</p> +<td><p align="right">312</p> +</table> + +<br><br><br> +<h1><a name="5-1">Chapter I</a></h1> +<hr width="10%"> +<h2>Twinkle Enters the Big Gulch</h2> +<p><font size="+4">O</font><font size="+2">NE</font> afternoon Twinkle decided to go into the +big gulch and pick some blueberries for papa's supper. She had on her blue gingham dress and her +blue sun-bonnet, and there were stout shoes upon her feet. So she took her tin pail and started +out.</p> +<p>"Be back in time for supper," called mamma from the kitchen porch.</p> +<p>"'Course," said Twinkle, as she trotted away. "I'm not hungry now, but I'll be hungry 'nough +when supper-time comes. 'Course I'll be back!"</p> +<p>The side of the gulch was but a little way from the house. It was like a big ditch, only the sides +were not too steep to crawl down; and in the middle of the gulch were rolling hills and deep gullies, +all covered with wild bushes and vines and a few flowering plants—very rare in this part of +the country.</p> +<p>Twinkle hadn't lived very long in this section of Dakota, for her father had just bought the new +farm that lay beside the gulch. So the big ditch was a great delight to her, and she loved to wander +through it and pick the berries and flowers that never grew on the plains above.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/263.jpg" alt="Twinkle Goes into the Gulch"><br>TWINKLE +GOES INTO THE GULCH</p> +<p>To-day she crept carefully down the path back of the house and soon reached the bottom of the +gulch. Then she began to search for the berries; but all were gone in the places where she had +picked them before; so she found she must go further along.</p> + +<p>She sat down to rest for a time, and by and by she happened to look up at the other side and +saw a big cluster of bushes hanging full of ripe blueberries—just about half way up the +opposite bank.</p> +<p>She had never gone so far before, but if she wanted the berries for papa's supper she knew she +must climb up the slope and get them; so she rose to her feet and began to walk in that direction. It +was all new to the little girl, and seemed to her like a beautiful fairyland; but she had no idea that +the gulch was enchanted. Soon a beetle crawled across her path, and as she stopped to let it go by, +she heard it say:</p> +<p>"Look out for the line of enchantment! You'll soon cross it, if you don't watch out."</p> +<p>"What line of enchantment?" asked Twinkle.</p> +<p>"It's almost under your nose," replied the little creature.</p> +<p>"I don't see anything at all," she said, after looking closely.</p> +<p>"Of course you don't," said the beetle. "It isn't a mark, you know, that any one can see with +their eyes; but it's a line of enchantment, just the same, and whoever steps over it is sure to see +strange things and have strange adventures."</p> +<p>"I don't mind that," said Twinkle.</p> +<p>"Well, I don't mind if you don't," returned the beetle, and by that time he had crept across the +path and disappeared underneath a big rock.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/267.jpg" alt="Twinkle Meets the Beetle"><br>TWINKLE +MEETS THE BEETLE</p> +<p>Twinkle went on, without being at all afraid. If the beetle spoke truly, and there really was an +invisible line that divided the common, real world from an enchanted country, she was very eager +to cross it, as any little girl might well be. And then it occurred to her that she must have crossed the +enchanted line before she met the beetle, for otherwise she wouldn't have understood his language, +or known what he was talking about. Children don't talk with beetles in the real world, as Twinkle +knew very well, and she was walking along soberly, thinking this over, when suddenly a voice +cried out to her:</p> +<p>"Be careful!"</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/268.jpg" alt="Flowers"></p> + + +<br><br><br> +<h1><a name="5-2">Chapter II</a></h1> +<hr width="10%"> +<h2>The Rolling Stone</h2> +<p><font size="+4">O</font><font size="+2">F</font> course Twinkle stopped then, and looked +around to see who had spoken. But no one was anywhere in sight. So she started on again.</p> +<p>"Look out, or you'll step on me!" cried the voice a second time.</p> +<p>She looked at her feet very carefully. There was nothing near them but a big round stone that +was about the size of her head, and a prickly thistle that she never would step on if she could +possibly help it.</p> +<p>"Who's talking?" she asked.</p> +<p>"Why, <i>I'm</i> talking," answered the voice. "Who do you suppose it is?"</p> +<p>"I don't know," said Twinkle. "I just can't see anybody at all."</p> +<p>"Then you must be blind," said the voice. "I'm the Rolling Stone, and I'm about two inches from +your left toes."</p> +<p>"The Rolling Stone!"</p> +<p>"That's it. That's me. I'm the Rolling Stone that gathers no moss."</p> +<p>"You can't be," said Twinkle, sitting down in the path and looking carefully at the stone.</p> +<p>"Why not?"</p> +<p>"Because you don't roll," she said. "You're a stone, of course; I can see that, all right. But you're +not rolling."</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/271.jpg" alt="Twinkle looks carefully at the +stone"><br>TWINKLE LOOKS CAREFULLY AT THE STONE</p> +<p>How silly!" replied the Stone. "I don't have to roll every minute to be a Rolling Stone, do +I?"</p> +<p>"Of course you do," answered Twinkle. "If you don't roll you're just a common, <i>still</i> +stone."</p> +<p>"Well, I declare!" exclaimed the Stone; "you don't seem to understand anything. You're a +Talking Girl, are you not?"</p> +<p>"To be sure I am," said Twinkle.</p> +<p>"But you don't talk every minute, do you?"</p> +<p>"Mama says I do," she answered.</p> +<p>"But you don't. You're sometimes quiet, aren't you?"</p> +<p>"'Course I am."</p> +<p>"That's the way with me. Sometimes I roll, and so I'm called the Rolling Stone. Sometimes you +talk, and so you're the Talking Girl."</p> +<p>"No; I'm Twinkle," she said.</p> +<p>"That doesn't sound like a name," remarked the Stone.</p> +<p>"It's what papa calls me, anyway," explained the girl. Then, thinking she had lingered long +enough, she added:</p> +<p>"I'm going up the hill to pick those berries. Since you can roll, suppose you go with me."</p> +<p>"What! Up hill?" exclaimed the Stone.</p> +<p>"Why not?" asked Twinkle.</p> +<p>"Who ever heard of a stone rolling up hill? It's unnatural!"</p> +<p>"Any stone can roll down hill," said the child. "If you can't roll up hill, you're no better than a +common cobble-stone."</p> +<p>"Oh, I can roll up hill if I have to," declared the Stone, peevishly. "But it's hard work, and +nearly breaks my back."</p> +<p>"I can't see that you have any back," said Twinkle.</p> +<p>"Why, I'm all back," replied the Stone. "When <i>your</i> back aches, it's only a part of you. +But when <i>my</i> back aches, it's all of me except the middle."</p> +<p>"The middle ache is the worst of all," said Twinkle, solemnly. "Well, if you don't want to go," +she added, jumping up, "I'll say good-bye."</p> +<p>"Anything to be sociable," said the Stone, sighing deeply. "I'll go along and keep you company. +But it's lots easier to roll down than it is to roll up, I assure you!"</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/275.jpg" alt=""Wait a minute""><br>"WAIT A +MINUTE"</p> +<p>"Why, you're a reg'lar grumbler!" exclaimed Twinkle.</p> +<p>"That's because I lead a hard life," returned the Stone, dismally. "But don't let us quarrel; it is so +seldom I get a chance to talk with one of my own standing in society."</p> +<p>"You can't have any standing, without feet," declared Twinkle, shaking her head at the +Stone.</p> +<p>"One can have <i>under</i>standing, at least," was the answer; "and understanding is the best +standing any person can have."</p> +<p>"Perhaps that is true," said the child, thoughtfully; "but I'm glad I have legs, just the same."</p> + + +<br><br><br> +<h1><a name="5-3">Chapter III</a></h1> +<hr width="10%"> +<h2>Some Queer Acquaintances</h2> +<p><font size="+4">"W</font><font size="+2">AIT</font> a minute!" implored a small voice, and +the girl noticed a yellow butterfly that had just settled down upon the stone. "Aren't you the child +from the farm?"</p> +<p>"To be sure," she answered, much amused to hear the butterfly speak.</p> +<p>"Then can you tell me if your mother expects to churn to-day," said the pretty creature, slowly +folding and unfolding its dainty wings.</p> +<p>"Why do you want to know?"</p> +<p>"If she churns to-day, I'll fly over to the house and try to steal some butter. But if your mother +isn't going to churn, I'll fly down into the gulch and rob a bees' nest I know of."</p> +<p>"Why do you rob and steal?" inquired Twinkle.</p> +<p>"It's the only way I can get my living," said the butterfly. "Nobody ever gives me anything, and +so I have to take what I want."</p> +<p>"Do you like butter?"</p> +<p>"Of course I do! That's why we are called butterflies, you know. I prefer butter to anything else, +and I have heard that in some countries the children always leave a little dish of butter on the +window-sill, so that we may help ourselves whenever we are hungry. I wish I had been born in +such a country."</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/279.jpg" alt="The Little Learning"><br>THE LITTLE +LEARNING</p> +<p>"Mother won't churn until Saturday," said Twinkle. "I know, 'cause I've got to help her, and I +just hate butter-making!"</p> +<p>"Then I won't go to the farm to-day," replied the butterfly. "Good-bye, little girl. If you think of +it, leave a dish of butter around where I can get at it."</p> +<p>"All right," said Twinkle, and the butterfly waved its wings and fluttered through the air into the +gulch below.</p> +<p>Then the girl started up the hill and the Stone rolled slowly beside her, groaning and grumbling +because the ground was so rough.</p> +<p>Presently she noticed running across the path a tiny Book, not much bigger than a postage- +stamp. It had two slender legs, like those of a bumble-bee, and upon these it ran so fast that all the +leaves fluttered wildly, the covers being half open.</p> +<p>"What's that?" asked Twinkle, looking after the book in surprise.</p> +<p>"That is a little Learning," answered the Stone. "Look out for it, for they say it's a dangerous +thing."</p> +<p>"It's gone already," said Twinkle.</p> +<p>"Let it go. Nobody wants it, that I know of. Just help me over this bump, will you?"</p> +<p>So she rolled the Stone over the little hillock, and just as she did so her attention was attracted +by a curious noise that sounded like "Pop! pop! pop!"</p> +<p>"What's that?" she inquired, hesitating to advance.</p> +<p>"Only a weasel," answered the Stone. "Stand still a minute, and you'll see him. Whenever he +thinks he's alone, and there's no one to hear, 'pop' goes the weasel."</p> +<p>Sure enough, a little animal soon crossed their path, making the funny noise at every step. But +as soon as he saw that Twinkle was staring at him he stopped popping and rushed into a bunch of +tall grass and hid himself.</p> +<p>And now they were almost at the berry-bushes, and Twinkle trotted so fast that the Rolling +Stone had hard work to keep up with her. But when she got to the bushes she found a flock of +strange birds sitting upon them and eating up the berries as fast as they could. The birds were not +much bigger than robins, and were covered with a soft, velvety skin instead of with feathers, and +they had merry black eyes and long, slender beaks curving downward from their noses, which gave +to their faces a saucy expression. The lack of usual feathers might not have surprised Twinkle so +much had she not noticed upon the tail of each bird one single, solitary feather of great length, +which was certainly a remarkable thing.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/283.jpg" alt="The birds of one feather"><br>THE BIRDS OF +ONE FEATHER</p> +<p>"I know what they are," she said, nodding her head wisely; "they're birds of a feather."</p> +<p>At this the birds burst into a chorus of laughter, and one of them said:</p> +<p>"Perhaps you think that's why we flock together."</p> +<p>"Well, isn't that the reason?" she asked.</p> +<p>"Not a bit of it," declared the bird. "The reason we flock together is because we're too proud to +mix with common birds, who have feathers all over them."</p> +<p>"I should think you'd be ashamed, 'cause you're so naked," she returned.</p> +<p>"The fact is, Twinkle," said another bird, as he pecked at a blueberry and swallowed it, "the +common things in this world don't amount to much. There are millions of birds on earth, but only a +few of us that have but one feather. In my opinion, if you had but one hair upon your head you'd +be much prettier."</p> +<p>"I'd be more 'strord'nary, I'm sure," said Twinkle, using the biggest word she could think of.</p> +<p>"There's no accounting for tastes," remarked the Rolling Stone, which had just arrived at +Twinkle's side after a hard roll up the path. "For my part, I haven't either hair or feathers, and I'm +glad of it."</p> +<p>The birds laughed again, at this, and as they had eaten all the berries they cared for, they now +flew into the air and disappeared.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/286.jpg" alt="The birds eat berries"></p> +<br><br> +<p align="center"><img src="images/287.jpg" alt="Twinkle meets the Dancing +Bear"><br>TWINKLE MEETS THE DANCING BEAR</p> + +<br><br><br> +<h1><a name="5-4">Chapter IV</a></h1> +<hr width="10%"> +<h2>The Dancing Bear</h2> +<p><font size="+4">"R</font><font size="+2">EALLY,"</font> said Twinkle, as she began picking +the berries and putting them into her pail, "I didn't know so many things could talk."</p> +<p>"It's because you are in the part of the gulch that's enchanted," answered the Rolling Stone. +"When you get home again, you'll think this is all a dream."</p> +<p>"I wonder if it isn't!" she suddenly cried, stopping to look around, and then feeling of herself +carefully. "It's usually the way in all the fairy stories that papa reads to me. I don't remember going +to sleep any time; but perhaps I did, after all."</p> +<p>"Don't let it worry you," said the Stone, making a queer noise that Twinkle thought was meant +for a laugh. "If you wake up, you'll be sorry you didn't dream longer; and if you find you haven't +been asleep, this will be a wonderful adventure."</p> +<p>"That's true enough," the girl answered, and again began filling her pail with the berries. "When +I tell mama all this, she won't believe a word of it. And papa will laugh and pinch my cheek, and +say I'm like Alice in Wonderland, or Dorothy in the Land of Oz."</p> +<p>Just then she noticed something big and black coming around the bushes from the other side, +and her heart beat a good deal faster when she saw before her a great bear standing upon his rear +legs beside her.</p> +<p>He had a little red cap on his head that was kept in place by a band of rubber elastic. His eyes +were small, but round and sparkling, and there seemed to be a smile upon his face, for his white +teeth showed in two long rows.</p> +<p>"Don't be afraid," called out the Rolling Stone; "it's only the Dancing Bear."</p> +<p>"Why should the child be afraid?" asked the bear, speaking in a low, soft tone that reminded +her of the purring of a kitten. "No one ever heard of a Dancing Bear hurting anybody. We're about +the most harmless things in the world."</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/291.jpg" alt="Twinkle and the bear continue their +walk"><br>TWINKLE AND THE BEAR CONTINUE THEIR WALK</p> +<p>"Are you really a Dancing Bear?" asked Twinkle, curiously.</p> +<p>"I am, my dear," he replied, bowing low and then folding his arms proudly as he leaned against +a big rock that was near. "I wish there was some one here who could tell you what a fine dancer I +am. It wouldn't be modest for me to praise myself, you know." </p>"<p>I s'pose not," said Twinkle. +"But if you're a Dancing Bear, why don't you dance?"</p> +<p>"There it is again!" cried the Rolling Stone. "This girl Twinkle wants to keep every body +moving. She wouldn't believe, at first, that I was a Rolling Stone, because I was lying quiet just +then. And now she won't believe you're a Dancing Bear, because you don't eternally keep +dancing."</p> +<p>"Well, there's some sense in that, after all," declared the Bear. "I'm only a Dancing Bear while +I'm dancing, to speak the exact truth; and you're only a Rolling Stone while you're rolling."</p> +<p>"I beg to disagree with you," returned the Stone, in a cold voice.</p> +<p>"Well, don't let us quarrel, on any account," said the Bear. "I invite you both to come to my +cave and see me dance. Then Twinkle will be sure I'm a Dancing Bear."</p> +<p>"I haven't filled my pail yet," said the little girl, "and I've got to get enough berries for papa's +supper."</p> +<p>"I'll help you," replied the Bear, politely; and at once he began to pick berries and to put them +into Twinkle's pail. His big paws looked very clumsy and awkward, but it was astonishing how +many blueberries the bear could pick with them. Twinkle had hard work to keep up with him, and +almost before she realized how fast they had worked, the little pail was full and overflowing with +fine, plump berries.</p> +<p>"And now," said the Bear, "I will show you the way to my cave."</p> +<p>He took her hand in his soft paw and began leading her along the side of the steep hill, while +the Stone rolled busily along just behind them. But they had not gone far before Twinkle's foot +slipped, and in trying to save herself from falling she pushed hard against the Stone and tumbled it +from the pathway.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/295.jpg" alt="The fall of the Rolling Stone"><br>THE FALL +OF THE ROLLING STONE</p> +<p>"Now you've done it!" growled the Stone, excitedly, as it whirled around. "Here I go, for I've +lost my balance and I can't help myself!"</p> +<p>Even as he spoke the big round stone was flying down the side of the gulch, bumping against +the hillocks and bits of rock—sometimes leaping into the air and then clinging close to the +ground, but going faster and faster every minute.</p> +<p>"Dear me," said Twinkle, looking after it; "I'm afraid the Rolling Stone will get hurt."</p> +<p>"No danger of that," replied the Bear. "It's as hard as a rock, and not a thing in the gulch could +hurt it a bit. But our friend would have to roll a long time to get back here again, so we won't wait. +Come along, my dear."</p> +<p>He held out his paw again, and Twinkle took it with one of her hands while she carried the pail +with the other, and so managed to get over the rough ground very easily.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/297.jpg" alt="The Dancing Bear"></p> + +<br><br><br> +<h1><a name="5-5">Chapter V</a></h1> +<hr width="10%"> +<h2>The Cave of the Waterfall</h2> +<p><font size="+4">B</font><font size="+2">EFORE</font> long they came to the entrance to the +cave, and as it looked dark and gloomy from without Twinkle drew back and said she guessed she +wouldn't go in.</p> +<p>"But it's quite light inside," said the bear, "and there's a pretty waterfall there, too. Don't be +afraid, Twinkle; I'll take good care of you."</p> +<p>So the girl plucked up courage and permitted him to lead her into the cave; and then she was +glad she had come, instead of being a 'fraid-cat. For the place was big and roomy, and there were +many cracks in the roof, that admitted plenty of light and air. Around the side walls were several +pairs of big ears, which seemed to have been carved out of the rock. These astonished the little +girl.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/299.jpg" alt="The Dancing Bear displays his talents"><br>THE +DANCING BEAR DISPLAYS HIS TALENTS</p> +<p>"What are the ears for?" she asked.</p> +<p>"Don't walls have ears where you live?" returned the Bear, as if surprised.</p> +<p>"I've heard they do," she answered, "but I've never seen any before."</p> +<p>At the back of the cave was a little, tinkling waterfall, that splashed into a pool beneath with a +sound that was very like music. Near this was a square slab of rock, a little raised above the level of +the floor.</p> +<p>"Kindly take a seat, my dear," said the bear, "and I'll try to amuse you, and at the same time +prove that I can dance."</p> +<p>So to the music of the waterfall the bear began dancing. He climbed upon the flat stone, made a +graceful bow to Twinkle, and then balanced himself first upon one foot and then upon the other, +and swung slowly around in a circle, and then back again.</p> +<p>"How do you like it?" he asked.</p> +<p>"I don't care much for it," said Twinkle. "I believe I could do better myself."</p> +<p>"But you are not a bear," he answered. "Girls ought to dance better than bears, you know. But +not every bear can dance. If I had a hand-organ to make the music, instead of this waterfall, I might +do better."</p> +<p>"Then I wish you had one," said the girl.</p> +<p>The Bear began dancing again, and this time he moved more rapidly and shuffled his feet in +quite a funny manner. He almost fell off the slab once or twice, so anxious was he to prove he +could dance. And once he tripped over his own foot, which made Twinkle laugh.</p> +<p>Just as he was finishing his dance a strange voice cried out:</p> +<p>"For bear!" and a green monkey sprang into the cave and threw a big rock at the performer. It +knocked the bear off the slab, and he fell into the pool of water at the foot of the waterfall, and +was dripping wet when he scrambled out again.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/303.jpg" alt="The green monkey makes mischief"><br>THE +GREEN MONKEY MAKES MISCHIEF</p> +<p>The Dancing Bear gave a big growl and ran as fast as he could after the monkey, finally chasing +him out of the cave. Twinkle picked up her pail of berries and followed, and when she got into the +sunshine again on the side of the hill she saw the monkey and the bear hugging each other tight, +and growling and chattering in a way that showed they were angry with each other and not on +pleasant terms.</p> +<p>"You <i>will</i> throw rocks at me, will you?" shouted the Bear.</p> +<p>"I will if I get the chance," replied the monkey. "Wasn't that a fine, straight shot? and didn't you +go plump into the water, though?" and he shrieked with laughter.</p> +<p>Just then they fell over in a heap, and began rolling down the hill.</p> +<p>"Let go!" yelled the Bear.</p> +<p>"Let go, yourself!" screamed the monkey.</p> +<p>But neither of them did let go, so they rolled faster and faster down the hill, and the last that +Twinkle saw of them they were bounding among the bushes at the very bottom of the big +gulch.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/305.jpg" alt="The green monkey"></p> + + +<br><br><br> +<h1><a name="5-6">Chapter VI</a></h1> +<hr width="10%"> +<h2>Prince Nimble</h2> +<p><font size="+4">"G</font><font size="+2">OOD</font> gracious!" said the little girl, looking +around her; "I'm as good as lost in this strange place, and I don't know in what direction to go to get +home again."</p> +<p>So she sat down on the grass and tried to think which way she had come, and which way she +ought to return in order to get across the gulch to the farm-house.</p> +<p>"If the Rolling Stone was here, he might tell me," she said aloud. "But I'm all alone."</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/307.jpg" alt="Twinkle meets Prince Nimble"><br>TWINKLE +MEETS PRINCE NIMBLE</p> +<p>"Oh, no, you're not," piped a small, sweet voice. "I'm here, and I know much more than the +Rolling Stone does."</p> +<p>Twinkle looked this way and then that, very carefully, in order to see who had spoken, and at +last she discovered a pretty grasshopper perched upon a long blade of grass nearby.</p> +<p>"Did I hear you speak?" she inquired.</p> +<p>"Yes," replied the grasshopper. "I'm Prince Nimble, the hoppiest hopper in Hoptown."</p> +<p>"Where is that?" asked the child.</p> +<p>"Why, Hoptown is near the bottom of the gulch, in that thick patch of grass you see yonder. It's +on your way home, so I'd be pleased to have you visit it."</p> +<p>"Won't I step on some of you?" she asked.</p> +<p>"Not if you are careful," replied Prince Nimble. "Grasshoppers don't often get stepped on. +We're pretty active, you know."</p> +<p>"All right," said Twinkle. "I'd like to see a grasshopper village."</p> +<p>"Then follow me, and I'll guide you," said Nimble, and at once he leaped from the blade of +grass and landed at least six feet away.</p> +<p>Twinkle got up and followed, keeping her eye on the pretty Prince, who leaped so fast that she +had to trot to keep up with him. Nimble would wait on some clump of grass or bit of rock until the +girl came up, and then away he'd go again.</p> +<p>"How far is it?" Twinkle once asked him.</p> +<p>"About a mile and a half," was the answer; "we'll soon be there, for you are as good as a mile, +and I'm good for the half-mile."</p> +<p>"How do you figure that out?" asked Twinkle.</p> +<p>"Why, I've always heard that a miss is as good as a mile, and you're a miss, are you not?"</p> +<p>"Not yet," she answered; "I'm only a little girl. But papa will be sure to miss me if I don't get +home to supper."</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/310.jpg" alt="A house"></p> +<br><br> +<p align="center"><img src="images/311.jpg" alt="The castles in the air"><br>THE CASTLES IN +THE AIR</p> + +<br><br><br> +<h1><a name="5-7">Chapter VII</a></h1> +<hr width="10%"> +<h2>The Grasshoppers' Hop</h2> +<p><font size="+4">T</font><font size="+2">WINKLE</font> now began to fear she wouldn't get +home to supper, for the sun started to sink into the big prairie, and in the golden glow it left behind, +the girl beheld most beautiful palaces and castles suspended in the air just above the hollow in +which she stood. Splendid banners floated from the peaks and spires of these magnificent +buildings, and all the windows seemed of silver and all the roofs of gold.</p> +<p>"What city is that?" she asked, standing still, in amazement.</p> +<p>"That isn't any city," replied the grasshopper. "They are only Castles in the Air—very +pretty to look at, but out of everybody's reach. Come along, my little friend; we're almost at +Hoptown."</p> +<p>So Twinkle walked on, and before long Prince Nimble paused on the stem of a hollyhock and +said:</p> +<p>"Now, sit down carefully, right where you are, and you will be able to watch my people. It is +the night of our regular hop—if you listen you can hear the orchestra tuning up."</p> +<p>She sat down, as he bade her, and tried to listen, but only heard a low whirr and rattle like the +noise of a beetle's wings.</p> +<p>"That's the drummer," said Prince Nimble. "He is very clever, indeed."</p> +<p>"Good gracious! It's night," said Twinkle, with a start. "I ought to be at home and in bed this +very minute!"</p> +<p>"Never mind," said the grasshopper; "you can sleep any time, but this is our annual ball, and it's +a great privilege to witness it."</p> +<p>Suddenly the grass all around them became brilliantly lighted, as if from a thousand tiny electric +lamps. Twinkle looked closely, and saw that a vast number of fireflies had formed a circle around +them, and were illuminating the scene of the ball.</p> +<p>In the center of the circle were assembled hundreds of grasshoppers, of all sizes. The small +ones were of a delicate green color, and the middle-sized ones of a deeper green, while the biggest +ones were a yellowish brown.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/315.jpg" alt="The bugs' orchestra"><br>THE BUGS' +ORCHESTRA</p> +<p>But the members of the orchestra interested Twinkle more than anything else. They were seated +upon the broad top of a big toadstool at one side, and the musicians were all beetles and big-bugs. +A fat water-beetle played a bass fiddle as big and fat as himself, and two pretty ladybugs played the +violins. A scarab, brightly colored with scarlet and black, tooted upon a long horn, and a sand- +beetle made the sound of a drum with its wings. Then there was a coleopto, making shrill sounds +like a flute—only of course Twinkle didn't know the names of these beetles, and thought +they were all just "bugs."</p> +<p>When the orchestra began to play, the music was more pleasing than you might suppose; +anyway, the grasshoppers liked it, for they commenced at once to dance.</p> +<p>The antics of the grasshoppers made Twinkle laugh more than once, for the way they danced +was to hop around in a circle, and jump over each other, and then a lady grasshopper and a +gentleman grasshopper would take hold of hands and stand on their long rear legs and swing +partners until it made the girl dizzy just to watch them.</p> +<p>Sometimes two of them would leap at once, and knock against each other in the air, and then go +tumbling to the ground, where the other dancers tripped over them. She saw Prince Nimble dancing +away with the others, and his partner was a lovely green grasshopper with sparkling black eyes and +wings that were like velvet. They didn't bump into as many of the others as some did, and Twinkle +thought they danced very gracefully indeed.</p> +<p>And now, while the merriment was at its height, and waiter-grasshoppers were passing around +refreshments that looked like grass seeds covered with thick molasses, a big cat suddenly jumped +into the circle.</p> +<p>At once all the lights went out, for the fire-flies fled in every direction; but in the darkness +Twinkle thought she could still hear the drone of the big bass fiddle and the flute-like trill of the +ladybugs.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/319.jpg" alt="The awakening"><br>THE AWAKENING</p> +<p>The next thing Twinkle knew, some one was shaking her shoulder.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/320.jpg" alt="Acorns"></p> +<p>"Wake up, dear," said her mother's voice. "It's nearly supper-time, and papa's waiting for you. +And I see you haven't picked a single blueberry."</p> +<p>"Why, I picked 'em, all right," replied Twinkle, sitting up and first rubbing her eyes and then +looking gravely at her empty tin pail. "They were all in the pail a few minutes ago. I wonder +whatever became of them!"</p> +<br> +<p align="center">THE END</p> +<br><br><br><br> + + + + + +<h1><a name="6">SUGAR-LOAF MOUNTAIN</a></h1> +<br><br><br><br> +<p align="center"><img src="images/323.jpg" alt="Sugar-Loaf Mountain"></p> +<br><br><br><br> +<h2>List of Chapters</h2> +<hr width="10%"> +<table border="0" align="center"> +<tr><td colspan="4"><p> </p> +<td><p>PAGE</p> +<tr><td><p>I</p> +<td width="10"><p> </p> +<td><p><a href="#6-1">The Golden Key</a></p> +<td><p>........</p> +<td><p align="right">325</p> +<tr><td><p>II</p> +<td width="10"><p> </p> +<td><p><a href="#6-2">Through the Tunnel</a></p> +<td><p>........</p> +<td><p align="right">333</p> +<tr><td><p>III</p> +<td width="10"><p> </p> +<td><p><a href="#6-3">Sugar-Loaf City</a></p> +<td><p>........</p> +<td><p align="right">340</p> +<tr><td><p>IV</p> +<td width="10"><p> </p> +<td><p><a href="#6-4">To the King's Palace</a></p> +<td><p>........</p> +<td><p align="right">348</p> +<tr><td><p>V</p> +<td width="10"><p> </p> +<td><p><a href="#6-5">Princess Sakareen</a></p> +<td><p>........</p> +<td><p align="right">357</p> +<tr><td><p>VI</p> +<td width="10"><p> </p> +<td><p><a href="#6-6">The Royal Chariot</a></p> +<td><p>........</p> +<td><p align="right">365</p> +<tr><td><p>VII</p> +<td width="10"><p> </p> +<td><p><a href="#6-7">Twinkle Gets Thirsty</a></p> +<td><p>........</p> +<td><p align="right">372</p> +<tr><td><p>VIII</p> +<td width="10"><p> </p> +<td><p><a href="#6-8">After the Runaway</a></p> +<td><p>........</p> +<td><p align="right">381</p> +</table> + + +<br><br><br> +<h1><a name="6-1">Chapter I</a></h1> +<hr width="10%"> +<h2>The Golden Key</h2> +<p><font size="+4">T</font><font size="+2">WINKLE</font> had come to visit her old friend +Chubbins, whose mother was now teaching school in a little town at the foot of the Ozark +Mountains, in Arkansas. Twinkle's own home was in Dakota, so the mountains that now towered +around her made her open her eyes in wonder.</p> +<p>Near by—so near, in fact, that she thought she might almost reach out her arm and touch +it—was Sugar-Loaf Mountain, round and high and big. And a little to the south was +Backbone Mountain, and still farther along a peak called Crystal Mountain.</p> +<p>The very next day after her arrival Twinkle asked Chubbins to take her to see the mountain; +and so the boy, who was about her own age, got his mother to fill for them a basket of good things +to eat, and away they started, hand in hand, to explore the mountain-side.</p> +<p>It was farther to Sugar-Loaf Mountain than Twinkle had thought, and by the time they reached +the foot of the great mound, the rocky sides of which were covered with bushes and small trees, +they were both rather tired by the walk.</p> +<p>"Let's eat something," suggested Chubbins.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/327.jpg" alt="Twinkle and Chubbins"><br>TWINKLE AND +CHUBBINS</p> +<p>"I'm willing," said Twinkle.</p> +<p>So they climbed up a little way, to where some big rocks lay flat upon the mountain, and sat +themselves down upon a slab of rock while they rested and ate some of the sandwiches and +cake.</p> +<p>"Why do they call it 'Sugar-Loaf'?" asked the girl, looking far up to the top of the +mountain.</p> +<p>"I don't know," replied Chubbins.</p> +<p>"It's a queer name," said Twinkle, thoughtfully.</p> +<p>"That's so," agreed the boy. "They might as well have called it 'gingerbread' or 'rock-salt,' or +'tea-biscuit.' They call mountains funny names, don't they?"</p> +<p>"Seems as if they do," said Twinkle.</p> +<p>They had been sitting upon the edge of one big flat rock, with their feet resting against another +that was almost as large. These rocks appeared to have been there for ages,—as if some big +giants in olden days had tossed them carelessly down and then gone away and left them. Yet as the +children pushed their feet against this one, the heavy mass suddenly began to tremble and then slide +downward.</p> +<p>"Look out!" cried the girl, frightened to see the slab of rock move. "We'll fall and get hurt!"</p> +<p>But they clung to the rock upon which they sat and met with no harm whatever. Nor did the big +slab of stone below them move very far from its original position.</p> +<p>It merely slid downward a few feet, and when they looked at the place where it had been they +discovered what seemed to be a small iron door, built into the solid stone underneath, and now +shown to their view by the moving of the upper rock.</p> +<p>"Why, it's a door!" exclaimed Twinkle.</p> +<p>Chubbins got down upon his knees and examined the door carefully. There was a ring in it that +seemed to be a handle, and he caught hold of it and pulled as hard as he could. But it wouldn't +move.</p> +<p>"It's locked, Twink," he said.</p> +<p>"What do you'spose is under it?" she asked.</p> +<p>"Maybe it's a treasure!" answered Chubbins, his eyes big with interest.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/331.jpg" alt=""May be it's a treasure""><br>"MAY +BE IT'S A TREASURE"</p> +<p>"Well, Chub, we can't get it, anyway," said the practical Twinkle; "so let's climb the +mountain."</p> +<p>She got down from her seat and approached the door, and as she did so she struck a small bit of +rock with her foot and sent it tumbling down the hill. Then she stopped short with a cry of wonder, +for under the stone she had kicked away was a little hole in the rock, and within this they saw a +small golden key.</p> +<p>"Perhaps," she said, eagerly, as she stooped to pick up the key, "this will unlock the iron +door."</p> +<p>"Let's try it!" cried the boy.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/332.jpg" alt="A key"></p> + + + +<br><br><br> +<h1><a name="6-2">Chapter II</a></h1> +<hr width="10%"> +<h2>Through the Tunnel</h2> +<p><font size="+4">T</font><font size="+2">HEY</font> examined the door carefully, and at last +found near the center of it a small hole. Twinkle put the golden key into this and found that it fitted +exactly. But it took all of Chubbins's strength to turn the key in the rusty lock. Yet finally it did +turn, and they heard the noise of bolts shooting back, so they both took hold of the ring, and +pulling hard together, managed to raise the iron door on its hinges.</p> +<p>All they saw was a dark tunnel, with stone steps leading down into the mountain.</p> +<p>"No treasure here," said the little girl.</p> +<p>"P'raps it's farther in," replied Chub-bins. "Shall we go down?"</p> +<p>"Won't it be dangerous?" she asked.</p> +<p>"Don't know," said Chubbins, honestly. "It's been years and years since this door was opened. +You can see for yourself. That rock must have covered it up a long time."</p> +<p>"There must be <i>something</i> inside," she declared, "or there wouldn't be any door, or any +steps."</p> +<p>"That's so," answered Chubbins. "I'll go down and see. You wait."</p> +<p>"No; I'll go too," said Twinkle. "I'd be just as scared waiting outside as I would be in. And I 'in +bigger than you are, Chub."</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/335.jpg" alt="They enter the tunnel"><br>THEY ENTER THE +TUNNEL</p> +<p>"You're taller, but you're only a month older, Twink; so don't you put on airs. And I'm the +strongest."</p> +<p>"We'll both go," she decided; "and then if we find the treasure we'll divide."</p> +<p>"All right; come on!"</p> +<p>Forgetting their basket, which they left upon the rocks, they crept through the little doorway and +down the steps. There were only seven steps in all, and then came a narrow but level tunnel that led +straight into the mountain-side. It was dark a few feet from the door, but the children resolved to go +on. Taking hold of hands, so as not to get separated, and feeling the sides of the passage to guide +them, they walked a long way into the black tunnel.</p> +<p>Twinkle was just about to say they'd better go back, when the passage suddenly turned, and far +ahead of them shone a faint light. This encouraged them, and they went on faster, hoping they +would soon come to the treasure.</p> +<p>"Keep it up, Twink," said the boy. "It's no use going home yet."</p> +<p>"We must be almost in the middle of Sugar-Loaf Mountain," she answered.</p> +<p>"Oh, no; it's an awful big mountain," said he. "But we've come quite a way, haven't we?"</p> +<p>"I guess mama'd scold, if she knew where we are."</p> +<p>"Mamas," said Chubbins, "shouldn't know everything, 'cause they'd only worry. And if we +don't get hurt I can't see as there's any harm done."</p> +<p>"But we mustn't be naughty, Chub."</p> +<p>"The only thing that's naughty," he replied, "is doing what you're told not to do. And no one +told us not to go into the middle of Sugar-Loaf Mountain."</p> +<p>Just then they came to another curve in their path, and saw a bright light ahead. It looked to the +children just like daylight; so they ran along and soon passed through a low arch and came out +into—</p> +<p>Well! the scene before them was so strange that it nearly took away their breath, and they stood +perfectly still and stared as hard as their big eyes could possibly stare.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/339.jpg" alt="The scene was strange"><br>THE SCENE WAS +STRANGE</p> + + +<br><br><br> +<h1><a name="6-3">Chapter III</a></h1> +<hr width="10%"> +<h2>Sugar-Loaf City</h2> +<p><font size="+4">S</font><font size="+2">UGAR-LOAF</font> Mountain was hollow inside, +for the children stood facing a great dome that rose so far above their heads that it seemed almost +as high as the sky. And underneath this dome lay spread out the loveliest city imaginable. There +were streets of houses, and buildings with round domes, and slender, delicate spires reaching far up +into the air, and turrets beautifully ornamented with carvings. And all these were white as the driven +snow and sparkling in every part like millions of diamonds—for all were built of pure loaf- +sugar! The pavements of the streets were also loaf-sugar, and the trees and bushes and flowers were +likewise sugar; but these last were not all white, because all sugar is not white, and they showed +many bright colors of red sugar and blue sugar and yellow, purple and green sugar, all contrasting +most prettily with the sparkling white buildings and the great white dome overhead.</p> +<p>This alone might well astonish the eyes of children from the outside world, but it was by no +means all that Twinkle and Chubbins beheld in that first curious look at Sugar-Loaf City. For the +city was inhabited by many people—men, women and children—who walked along +the streets just as briskly as we do; only all were made of sugar. There were several different kinds +of these sugar people. Some, who strutted proudly along, were evidently of pure loaf-sugar, and +these were of a most respectable appearance. Others seemed to be made of a light brown sugar, and +were more humble in their manners and seemed to hurry along as if they had business to attend to. +Then there were some of sugar so dark in color that Twinkle suspected it was maple-sugar, and +these folks seemed of less account than any of the others, being servants, drivers of carriages, and +beggars and idlers.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/343.jpg" alt=""Surrender!" said the +Captain"><br>"SURRENDER!" SAID THE CAPTAIN</p> +<p>Carts and carriages moved along the streets, and were mostly made of brown sugar. The horses +that drew them were either pressed sugar or maple-sugar. In fact, everything that existed in this +wonderful city was made of some kind of sugar.</p> +<p>Where the light, which made all this place so bright and beautiful, came from, Twinkle could +not imagine. There was no sun, nor were there any electric lights that could be seen; but it was fully +as bright as day and everything showed with great plainness.</p> +<p>While the children, who stood just inside the archway through which they had entered, were +looking at the wonders of Sugar-Loaf City, a file of sugar soldiers suddenly came around a corner +at a swift trot.</p> +<p>"Halt!" cried the Captain. He wore a red sugar jacket and a red sugar cap, and the soldiers were +dressed in the same manner as their Captain, but without the officer's yellow sugar shoulder-straps. +At the command, the sugar soldiers came to a stop, and all pointed their sugar muskets at Twinkle +and Chubbins.</p> +<p>"Surrender!" said the Captain to them. "Surrender, or I'll—I'll—"</p> +<p>He hesitated.</p> +<p>"What will you do?" said Twinkle.</p> +<p>"I don't know what, but something very dreadful," replied the Captain. "But of course you'll +surrender."</p> +<p>"I suppose we'll have to," answered the girl.</p> +<p>"That's right. I'll just take you to the king, and let him decide what to do," he added +pleasantly.</p> +<p>So the soldiers surrounded the two children, shouldered arms, and marched away down the +street, Twinkle and Chubbins walking slowly, so the candy folks would not have to run; for the +tallest soldiers were only as high as their shoulders.</p> +<p>"This is a great event," remarked the Captain, as he walked beside them with as much dignity as +he could muster. "It was really good of you to come and be arrested, for I haven't had any +excitement in a long time. The people here are such good sugar that they seldom do anything +wrong."</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/347.jpg" alt="The children talk to the Captain"><br>THE +CHILDREN TALK TO THE CAPTAIN</p> + +<br><br><br> +<h1><a name="6-4">Chapter IV</a></h1> +<hr width="10%"> +<h2>To the King's Palace</h2> +<p><font size="+4">"W</font><font size="+2">HAT,</font> allow me to ask, is your grade of +sugar?" inquired the Captain, with much politeness. "You do not seem to be the best loaf, but I +suppose that of course you are solid."</p> +<p>"Solid what?" asked Chubbins.</p> +<p>"Solid sugar," replied the Captain.</p> +<p>"We're not sugar at all," explained Twinkle. "We're just meat."</p> +<p>"Meat! And what is that?"</p> +<p>"Haven't you any meat in your city?"</p> +<p>"No," he replied, shaking his head. "Well, I can't explain exactly what meat is," she said; "but it +isn't sugar, anyway."</p> +<p>At this the Captain looked solemn.</p> +<p>"It isn't any of my business, after all," he told them. "The king must decide about you, for that's +<i>his</i> business. But since you are not made of sugar you must excuse me if I decline to +converse with you any longer. It is beneath my dignity."</p> + +<p>"Oh, that's all right," said Twinkle.</p> +<p>"Where we came from," said Chubbins, "meat costs more a pound than sugar does; so I guess +we're just as good as you are."</p> +<p>But the Captain made no reply to this statement, and before long they stopped in front of a big +sugar building, while a crowd of sugar people quickly gathered.</p> +<p>"Stand back!" cried the Captain, and the sugar soldiers formed a row between the children and +the sugar citizens, and kept the crowd from getting too near. Then the Captain led Twinkle and +Chubbins through a high sugar gateway and up a broad sugar walk to the entrance of the +building.</p> +<p>"Must be the king's castle," said Chubbins.</p> +<p>"The king's palace," corrected the Captain, stiffly.</p> +<p>"What's the difference?" asked Twinkle.</p> +<p>But the sugar officer did not care to explain.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/351.jpg" alt="The king's palace"><br>THE KING'S +PALACE</p> +<p>Brown sugar servants in plum-colored sugar coats stood at the entrance to the palace, and their +eyes stuck out like lozenges from their sugar faces when they saw the strangers the Captain was +escorting.</p> +<p>But every one bowed low, and stood aside for them to pass, and they walked through beautiful +halls and reception rooms where the sugar was cut into panels and scrolls and carved to represent +all kinds of fruit and flowers.</p> +<p>"Isn't it sweet!" said Twinkle.</p> +<p>"Sure it is," answered Chubbins.</p> +<p>And now they were ushered into a magnificent room, where a stout little sugar man was sitting +near the window playing upon a fiddle, while a group of sugar men and women stood before him +in respectful attitudes and listened to the music.</p> +<p>Twinkle knew at once that the fiddler was the king, because he had a sugar crown upon his +head. His Majesty was made of very white and sparkling cut loaf-sugar, and his clothing was +formed of the same pure material. The only color about him was the pink sugar in his cheeks and +the brown sugar in his eyes. His fiddle was also of white sugar, and the strings were of spun sugar +and had an excellent tone.</p> +<p>When the king saw the strange children enter the room he jumped up and exclaimed:</p> +<p>"Bless my beets! What have we here?"</p> +<p>"Mortals, Most Granular and Solidified Majesty," answered the Captain, bowing so low that his +forehead touched the floor. "They came in by the ancient tunnel."</p> +<p>"Well, I declare," said the king. "I thought that tunnel had been stopped up for good and +all."</p> +<p>"The stone above the door slipped," said Twinkle, "so we came down to see what we could +find."</p> +<p>"You must never do it again," said his Majesty, sternly. "This is our own kingdom, a peaceful +and retired nation of extra refined and substantial citizens, and we don't wish to mix with mortals, +or any other folks."</p> +<p>"We'll go back, pretty soon," said Twinkle.</p> +<p>"Now, that's very nice of you," declared the king, "and I appreciate your kindness. Are you +extra refined, my dear?"</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/355.jpg" alt="His Majesty the King"><br>HIS MAJESTY THE +KING</p> +<p>"I hope so," said the girl, a little doubtfully.</p> +<p>"Then there's no harm in our being friendly while you're here. And as you've promised to go +back to your own world soon, I have no objection to showing you around the town. You'd like to +see how we live, wouldn't you?"</p> +<p>"Very much," said Twinkle.</p> +<p>"Order my chariot, Captain Brittle," said his Majesty; and the Captain again made one of his +lowly bows and strutted from the room to execute the command.</p> +<p>The king now introduced Chubbins and Twinkle to the sugar ladies and gentlemen who were +present, and all of them treated the children very respectfully.</p> + + +<br><br><br> +<h1><a name="6-5">Chapter V</a></h1> +<hr width="10%"> +<h2>Princess Sakareen</h2> +<p><font size="+4">"S</font><font size="+2">AY,</font> play us a tune," said Chubbins to the +king. His Majesty didn't seem to like being addressed so bluntly, but he was very fond of playing +the fiddle, so he graciously obeyed the request and played a pretty and pathetic ballad upon the +spun sugar strings. Then, begging to be excused for a few minutes while the chariot was being made +ready, the king left them and went into another room.</p> +<p>This gave the children a chance to talk freely with the sugar people, and Chubbins said to one +man, who looked very smooth on the outside:</p> +<p>"I s'pose you're one of the big men of this place, aren't you?"</p> +<p>The man looked frightened for a moment, and then took the boy's arm and led him into a +corner of the room.</p> +<p>"You ask me an embarrassing question," he whispered, looking around to make sure that no +one overheard. "Although I pose as one of the nobility, I am, as a matter of fact, a great fraud!"</p> +<p>"How's that?" asked Chubbins.</p> +<p>"Have you noticed how smooth I am?" inquired the sugar man.</p> +<p>"Yes," replied the boy. "Why is it?"</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/359.jpg" alt=""I pose as one of the +nobility""><br>"I POSE AS ONE OF THE NOBILITY"</p> +<p>"Why, I'm frosted, that's the reason. No one here suspects it, and I'm considered very +respectable; but the truth is, I'm just coated over with frosting, and not solid sugar at all."</p> +<p>"What's inside you?" asked Chubbins.</p> +<p>"That," answered the man, "I do not know. I've never dared to find out. For if I broke my +frosting to see what I'm stuffed with, every one else would see too, and I would be disgraced and +ruined."</p> +<p>"Perhaps you're cake," suggested the boy.</p> +<p>"Perhaps so," answered the man, sadly. "Please keep my secret, for only those who are solid +loaf-sugar are of any account in this country, and at present I am received in the best society, as +you see."</p> +<p>"Oh, I won't tell," said Chubbins.</p> +<p>During this time Twinkle had been talking with a sugar lady, in another part of the room. This +lady seemed to be of the purest loaf-sugar, for she sparkled most beautifully, and Twinkle thought +she was quite the prettiest person to look at that she had yet seen.</p> +<p>"Are you related to the king?" she asked.</p> +<p>"No, indeed," answered the sugar lady, "although I'm considered one of the very highest +quality. But I'll tell you a secret, my dear." She took Twinkle's hand and led her across to a sugar +sofa, where they both sat down.</p> +<p>"No one," resumed the sugar lady, "has ever suspected the truth; but I'm only a sham, and it +worries me dreadfully."</p> +<p>"I don't understand what you mean," said Twinkle. "Your sugar seems as pure and sparkling as +that of the king."</p> +<p>"Things are not always what they seem," sighed the sugar lady. "What you see of me, on the +outside, is all right; but the fact is, <i>I'm hollow!</i>"</p> +<p>"Dear me!" exclaimed Twinkle, in surprise. "How do you know it?"</p> +<p>"I can feel it," answered the lady, impressively. "If you weighed me you'd find I'm not as heavy +as the solid ones, and for a long time I've realized the bitter truth that I'm hollow. It makes me very +unhappy, but I don't dare confide my secret to any one here, because it would disgrace me +forever."</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/363.jpg" alt=""I'm hollow!""><br>"I'M +HOLLOW!"</p> +<p>"I wouldn't worry," said the child. "They'll never know the difference."</p> +<p>"Not unless I should break," replied the sugar lady. "But if that happened, all the world could +see that I'm hollow, and instead of being welcomed in good society I'd become an outcast. It's even +more respectable to be made of brown sugar, than to be hollow; don't you think so?"</p> +<p>"I'm a stranger here," said Twinkle; "so I can't judge. But if I were you, I wouldn't worry unless +I got broke; and you may be wrong, after all, and as sound as a brick!"</p> + + +<br><br><br> +<h1><a name="6-6">Chapter VI</a></h1> +<hr width="10%"> +<h2>The Royal Chariot</h2> +<p><font size="+4">J</font><font size="+2">UST</font> then the king came back to the room and +said:</p> +<p>"The chariot is at the door; and, as there are three seats, I'll take Lord Cloy and Princess +Sakareen with us."</p> +<p>So the children followed the king to the door of the palace, where stood a beautiful white and +yellow sugar chariot, drawn by six handsome sugar horses with spun sugar tails and manes, and +driven by a brown sugar coachman in a blue sugar livery.</p> +<p>The king got in first, and the others followed. Then the children discovered that Lord Cloy was +the frosted man and Princess Sakareen was the sugar lady who had told Twinkle that she was +hollow.</p> +<p>There was quite a crowd of sugar people at the gates to watch the departure of the royal party, +and a few soldiers and policemen were also present to keep order. Twinkle sat beside the king, and +Chubbins sat on the same seat with the Princess Sakareen, while Lord Cloy was obliged to sit with +the coachman. When all were ready the driver cracked a sugar whip (but didn't break it), and away +the chariot dashed over a road paved with blocks of cut loaf-sugar.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/367.jpg" alt="The chariot dashed away"><br>THE CHARIOT +DASHED AWAY</p> +<p>The air was cool and pleasant, but there was a sweet smell to the breeze that was peculiar to this +strange country. Sugar birds flew here and there, singing sweet songs, and a few sugar dogs ran out +to bark at the king's chariot as it whirled along.</p> +<p>"Haven't you any automobiles in your country?" asked the girl.</p> +<p>"No," answered the king. "Anything that requires heat to make it go is avoided here, because +heat would melt us and ruin our bodies in a few minutes. Automobiles would be dangerous in +Sugar-Loaf City."</p> +<p>"They're dangerous enough anywhere," she said. "What do you feed to your horses?"</p> +<p>"They eat a fine quality of barley-sugar that grows in our fields," answered the king. "You'll see +it presently, for we will drive out to my country villa, which is near the edge of the dome, opposite +to where you came in."</p> +<p>First, however, they rode all about the city, and the king pointed out the public buildings, and +the theaters, and the churches, and a number of small but pretty public parks. And there was a high +tower near the center that rose half-way to the dome, it was so tall.</p> +<p>"Aren't you afraid the roof will cave in some time, and ruin your city?" Twinkle asked the +king.</p> +<p>"Oh, no," he answered. "We never think of such a thing. Isn't there a dome over the place +where you live?"</p> +<p>"Yes," said Twinkle; "but it's the sky."</p> +<p>"Do you ever fear it will cave in?" inquired the king.</p> +<p>"No, indeed!" she replied, with a laugh at the idea.</p> +<p>"Well, it's the same way with us," returned his Majesty. "Domes are the strongest things in all +the world."</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/370.jpg" alt="Mountains"></p> +<br><br> +<p align="center"><img src="images/371.jpg" alt="A Sugar-Loaf farm"><br>A SUGAR-LOAF +FARM</p> + +<br><br><br> +<h1><a name="6-7">Chapter VII</a></h1> +<hr width="10%"> +<h2>Twinkle Gets Thirsty</h2> +<p><font size="+4">A</font><font size="+2">FTER</font> they had seen the sights of the city the +carriage turned into a broad highway that led into the country, and soon they began to pass fields of +sugar corn and gardens of sugar cabbages and sugar beets and sugar potatoes. There were also +orchards of sugar plums and sugar apples and vineyards of sugar grapes. All the trees were sugar, +and even the grass was sugar, while sugar grasshoppers hopped about in it. Indeed, Chubbins +decided that not a speck of anything beneath the dome of Sugar-Loaf Mountain was anything but +pure sugar—unless the inside of the frosted man proved to be of a different material.</p> +<p>By and by they reached a pretty villa, where they all left the carriage and followed the sugar +king into the sugar house. Refreshments had been ordered in advance, over the sugar telephone, so +that the dining table was already laid and all they had to do was to sit in the pretty sugar chairs and +be waited upon by maple-sugar attendants.</p> +<p>There were sandwiches and salads and fruits and many other sugar things to eat, served on +sugar plates; and the children found that some were flavored with winter-green and raspberry and +lemon, so that they were almost as good as candies. At each plate was a glass made of crystal sugar +and filled with thick sugar syrup, and this seemed to be the only thing to drink. After eating so +much sugar the children naturally became thirsty, and when the king asked Twinkle if she would +like anything else she answered promptly:</p> +<p>"Yes, I'd like a drink of water."</p> +<p>At once a murmur of horror arose from the sugar people present, and the king pushed back his +chair as if greatly disturbed.</p> +<p>"Water!" he exclaimed, in amazement.</p> +<p>"Sure," replied Chubbins. "I want some, too. We're thirsty."</p> +<p>The king shuddered.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/375.jpg" alt=""Water!" he +exclaimed"><br>"WATER!" HE EXCLAIMED</p> +<p>"Nothing in the world," said he gravely, "is so dangerous as water. It melts sugar in no time, and +to drink it would destroy you instantly."</p> +<p>"We're not made of sugar," said Twinkle. "In our country we drink all the water we want."</p> +<p>"It may be true," returned the king; "but I am thankful to say there is no drop of water in all this +favored country. But we have syrup, which is much better for your health. It fills up the spaces +inside you, and hardens and makes you solid."</p> +<p>"It makes me thirstier than ever," said the girl. "But if you have no water we must try to get +along until we get home again."</p> +<p>When the luncheon was over, they entered the carriage again and were driven back towards the +city. On the way the six sugar horses became restless, and pranced around in so lively a manner +that the sugar coachman could scarcely hold them in. And when they had nearly reached the palace +a part of the harness broke, and without warning all six horses dashed madly away. The chariot +smashed against a high wall of sugar and broke into many pieces, the sugar people, as well as +Twinkle and Chubbins, being thrown out and scattered in all directions.</p> +<p>The little girl was not at all hurt, nor was Chubbins, who landed on top the wall and had to +climb down again. But the king had broken one of the points off his crown, and sat upon the +ground gazing sorrowfully at his wrecked chariot. And Lord Cloy, the frosted man, had smashed +one of his feet, and everybody could now see that underneath the frosting was a material very like +marshmallow—a discovery that was sure to condemn him as unfit for the society of the solid +sugar-loaf aristocracy of the country.</p> +<p>But perhaps the most serious accident of all had befallen Princess Sakareen, whose left leg had +broken short off at the knee. Twinkle ran up to her as soon as she could, and found the Princess +smiling happily and gazing at the part of the broken leg which she had picked up.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/379.jpg" alt="The Princess' leg had broken"><br>THE +PRINCESS' LEG HAD BROKEN</p> +<p>"See here, Twinkle," she cried; "it's as solid as the king himself! I'm not hollow at all. It was +only my imagination."</p> +<p>"I'm glad of that," answered Twinkle; "but what will you do with a broken leg?"</p> +<p>"Oh, that's easily mended," said the Princess, "All I must do is to put a little syrup on the broken +parts, and stick them together, and then sit in the breeze until it hardens. I'll be all right in an hour +from now."</p> +<p>It pleased Twinkle to hear this, for she liked the pretty sugar princess.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/380.jpg" alt="Birds and flowers"></p> + +<br><br><br> +<h1><a name="6-8">Chapter VIII</a></h1> +<hr width="10%"> +<h2>After the Runaway</h2> +<p><font size="+4">N</font><font size="+2">OW</font> the king came up to them, saying: "I +hope you are not injured."</p> +<p>"We are all right," said Twinkle; "but I'm getting dreadful thirsty, so if your Majesty has no +objection I guess we'll go home."</p> +<p>"No objection at all," answered the king.</p> +<p>Chubbins had been calmly filling his pockets with broken spokes and other bits of the wrecked +chariot; but feeling nearly as thirsty as Twinkle, he was glad to learn they were about to start for +home.</p> +<p>They exchanged good-byes with all their sugar friends, and thanked the sugar king for his royal +entertainment. Then Captain Brittle and his soldiers escorted the children to the archway through +which they had entered Sugar-Loaf City.</p> +<p>They had little trouble in going back, although the tunnel was so dark in places that they had to +feel their way. But finally daylight could be seen ahead, and a few minutes later they scrambled up +the stone steps and squeezed through the little doorway.</p> +<p>There was their basket, just as they had left it, and the afternoon sun was shining softly over the +familiar worldly landscape, which they were both rejoiced to see again.</p> +<p align="center"><img src="images/383.jpg" alt=""Where's the key?" asked +Twinkle"><br>"WHERE'S THE KEY?" ASKED TWINKLE</p> +<p>Chubbins closed the iron door, and as soon as he did so the bolts shot into place, locking it +securely.</p> +<p>"Where's the key?" asked Twinkle.</p> +<p>"I put it into my pocket," said Chubbins, "but it must have dropped out when I tumbled from +the king's chariot."</p> +<p>"That's too bad," said Twinkle; "for now no one can ever get to the sugar city again. The door is +locked, and the key is on the other side."</p> +<p>"Never mind," said the boy. "We've seen the inside of Sugar-Loaf Mountain once, and that'll do +us all our lives. Come on, Twink. Let's go home and get a drink!"</p> +<br> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<hr class="full" noshade> + + +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TWINKLE AND CHUBBINS***</p> +<p>******* This file should be named 28552-h.txt or 28552-h.zip *******</p> +<p>This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:<br> +<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/8/5/5/28552">http://www.gutenberg.org/2/8/5/5/28552</a></p> +<p>Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed.</p> + +<p>Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution.</p> + + + +<pre> +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/license">http://www.gutenberg.org/license)</a>. + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS,' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.gutenberg.org/fundraising/pglaf. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at http://www.gutenberg.org/about/contact + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://www.gutenberg.org/fundraising/pglaf + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: http://www.gutenberg.org/fundraising/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +Each eBook is in a subdirectory of the same number as the eBook's +eBook number, often in several formats including plain vanilla ASCII, +compressed (zipped), HTML and others. + +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks replace the old file and take over +the old filename and etext number. The replaced older file is renamed. +VERSIONS based on separate sources are treated as new eBooks receiving +new filenames and etext numbers. + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + +<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org">http://www.gutenberg.org</a> + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + +EBooks posted prior to November 2003, with eBook numbers BELOW #10000, +are filed in directories based on their release date. If you want to +download any of these eBooks directly, rather than using the regular +search system you may utilize the following addresses and just +download by the etext year. + +<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext06/">http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext06/</a> + + (Or /etext 05, 04, 03, 02, 01, 00, 99, + 98, 97, 96, 95, 94, 93, 92, 92, 91 or 90) + +EBooks posted since November 2003, with etext numbers OVER #10000, are +filed in a different way. The year of a release date is no longer part +of the directory path. The path is based on the etext number (which is +identical to the filename). The path to the file is made up of single +digits corresponding to all but the last digit in the filename. For +example an eBook of filename 10234 would be found at: + +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/0/2/3/10234 + +or filename 24689 would be found at: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/4/6/8/24689 + +An alternative method of locating eBooks: +<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/GUTINDEX.ALL">http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/GUTINDEX.ALL</a> + +*** END: FULL LICENSE *** +</pre> +</body> +</html> diff --git a/28552-h/images/103.jpg b/28552-h/images/103.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..7d0217d --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/103.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/107.jpg b/28552-h/images/107.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..7023d1f --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/107.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/111.jpg b/28552-h/images/111.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..79091ef --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/111.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/115.jpg b/28552-h/images/115.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..9692ebb --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/115.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/119.jpg b/28552-h/images/119.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f7282a5 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/119.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/122.jpg b/28552-h/images/122.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..e34a15a --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/122.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/123.jpg b/28552-h/images/123.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..05ff963 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/123.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/127.jpg b/28552-h/images/127.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..4570875 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/127.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/129.jpg b/28552-h/images/129.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..5ed7aa4 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/129.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/13.jpg b/28552-h/images/13.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..7b90bbe --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/13.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/131.jpg b/28552-h/images/131.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..752a766 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/131.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/135.jpg b/28552-h/images/135.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..a1cc557 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/135.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/139.jpg b/28552-h/images/139.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f22a8b1 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/139.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/143.jpg b/28552-h/images/143.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..e6db6ae --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/143.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/144.jpg b/28552-h/images/144.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..431ef4e --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/144.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/147.jpg b/28552-h/images/147.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..310927b --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/147.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/149.jpg b/28552-h/images/149.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..d8b89b7 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/149.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/151.jpg b/28552-h/images/151.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..7779793 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/151.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/155.jpg b/28552-h/images/155.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b616ebc --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/155.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/157.jpg b/28552-h/images/157.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..bf2cdfb --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/157.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/159.jpg b/28552-h/images/159.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..c85c94e --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/159.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/16.jpg b/28552-h/images/16.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..3eac8d9 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/16.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/163.jpg b/28552-h/images/163.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..012e5b1 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/163.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/165.jpg b/28552-h/images/165.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..d1fa3e6 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/165.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/167.jpg b/28552-h/images/167.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..7120ced --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/167.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/17.jpg b/28552-h/images/17.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..ee8bedc --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/17.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/171.jpg b/28552-h/images/171.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..34618f8 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/171.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/173.jpg b/28552-h/images/173.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..de2b88e --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/173.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/175.jpg b/28552-h/images/175.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..12c3998 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/175.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/179.jpg b/28552-h/images/179.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..a0321f0 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/179.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/183.jpg b/28552-h/images/183.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..edfb12e --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/183.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/187.jpg b/28552-h/images/187.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..df1f56c --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/187.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/188.jpg b/28552-h/images/188.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..5eb7738 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/188.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/191.jpg b/28552-h/images/191.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..405769a --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/191.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/197.jpg b/28552-h/images/197.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..6949ccb --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/197.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/201.jpg b/28552-h/images/201.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..e36187a --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/201.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/205.jpg b/28552-h/images/205.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..accf0a4 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/205.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/209.jpg b/28552-h/images/209.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..d501e71 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/209.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/21.jpg b/28552-h/images/21.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..95d4486 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/21.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/213.jpg b/28552-h/images/213.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..53efc3e --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/213.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/217.jpg b/28552-h/images/217.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..8a6414e --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/217.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/221.jpg b/28552-h/images/221.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..d5e9f54 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/221.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/225.jpg b/28552-h/images/225.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..ed5983d --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/225.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/229.jpg b/28552-h/images/229.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..4e3affe --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/229.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/233.jpg b/28552-h/images/233.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..515285d --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/233.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/237.jpg b/28552-h/images/237.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..00303ae --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/237.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/238.jpg b/28552-h/images/238.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..52bffb2 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/238.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/241.jpg b/28552-h/images/241.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..aa2ca9d --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/241.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/243.jpg b/28552-h/images/243.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..0dafb99 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/243.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/245.jpg b/28552-h/images/245.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b77fe55 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/245.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/249.jpg b/28552-h/images/249.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..8116ddc --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/249.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/25.jpg b/28552-h/images/25.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..4e7644f --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/25.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/253.jpg b/28552-h/images/253.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..6050795 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/253.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/259.jpg b/28552-h/images/259.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..ab10a9a --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/259.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/263.jpg b/28552-h/images/263.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..397da4b --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/263.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/267.jpg b/28552-h/images/267.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..4aefed4 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/267.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/268.jpg b/28552-h/images/268.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f337e7b --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/268.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/271.jpg b/28552-h/images/271.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..168a8bb --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/271.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/275.jpg b/28552-h/images/275.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..2d0f804 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/275.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/279.jpg b/28552-h/images/279.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..cb0d11f --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/279.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/283.jpg b/28552-h/images/283.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..2101c09 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/283.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/286.jpg b/28552-h/images/286.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..440c5d4 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/286.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/287.jpg b/28552-h/images/287.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..2160ccd --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/287.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/29.jpg b/28552-h/images/29.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..2b5ccd5 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/29.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/291.jpg b/28552-h/images/291.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..2f27c4e --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/291.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/295.jpg b/28552-h/images/295.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..1a711ff --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/295.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/297.jpg b/28552-h/images/297.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..eaff5d0 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/297.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/299.jpg b/28552-h/images/299.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..08ea155 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/299.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/303.jpg b/28552-h/images/303.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..9c3fc69 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/303.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/305.jpg b/28552-h/images/305.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..236e0a3 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/305.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/307.jpg b/28552-h/images/307.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..7d43866 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/307.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/310.jpg b/28552-h/images/310.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..380483f --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/310.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/311.jpg b/28552-h/images/311.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..2e3a539 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/311.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/315.jpg b/28552-h/images/315.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..714f5d2 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/315.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/319.jpg b/28552-h/images/319.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..0a10dab --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/319.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/320.jpg b/28552-h/images/320.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..865889c --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/320.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/323.jpg b/28552-h/images/323.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..afb21aa --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/323.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/327.jpg b/28552-h/images/327.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..51fd7c7 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/327.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/33.jpg b/28552-h/images/33.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..cfae574 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/33.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/331.jpg b/28552-h/images/331.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..84d68b1 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/331.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/332.jpg b/28552-h/images/332.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..e8ebcef --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/332.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/335.jpg b/28552-h/images/335.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b312714 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/335.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/339.jpg b/28552-h/images/339.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..267a15a --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/339.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/343.jpg b/28552-h/images/343.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..75774dc --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/343.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/347.jpg b/28552-h/images/347.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..3053c07 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/347.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/351.jpg b/28552-h/images/351.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..5a28bc8 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/351.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/355.jpg b/28552-h/images/355.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..680f6ff --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/355.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/359.jpg b/28552-h/images/359.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..1d939fb --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/359.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/363.jpg b/28552-h/images/363.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..2f6718b --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/363.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/367.jpg b/28552-h/images/367.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..2f4279b --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/367.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/37.jpg b/28552-h/images/37.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..5a00c73 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/37.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/370.jpg b/28552-h/images/370.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..2ff52c5 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/370.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/371.jpg b/28552-h/images/371.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..e7bcfba --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/371.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/375.jpg b/28552-h/images/375.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..ba35d29 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/375.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/379.jpg b/28552-h/images/379.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..afc983e --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/379.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/380.jpg b/28552-h/images/380.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..1b62aca --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/380.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/383.jpg b/28552-h/images/383.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..2aab9cf --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/383.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/41.jpg b/28552-h/images/41.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..a548d63 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/41.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/42.jpg b/28552-h/images/42.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..597fbeb --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/42.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/45.jpg b/28552-h/images/45.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..afd507f --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/45.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/49.jpg b/28552-h/images/49.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..71f373e --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/49.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/53.jpg b/28552-h/images/53.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..ac06513 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/53.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/55.jpg b/28552-h/images/55.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..0e22657 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/55.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/57.jpg b/28552-h/images/57.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..14d51f5 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/57.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/61.jpg b/28552-h/images/61.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..fb1448f --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/61.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/64.jpg b/28552-h/images/64.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..33903c4 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/64.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/65.jpg b/28552-h/images/65.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..02741eb --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/65.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/68.jpg b/28552-h/images/68.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..1f19a26 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/68.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/71.jpg b/28552-h/images/71.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..8b41c7f --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/71.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/75.jpg b/28552-h/images/75.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..7b00cc4 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/75.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/79.jpg b/28552-h/images/79.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..13c2a78 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/79.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/81.jpg b/28552-h/images/81.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..13cd2ae --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/81.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/83.jpg b/28552-h/images/83.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..3e61bc8 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/83.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/87.jpg b/28552-h/images/87.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..3f8442b --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/87.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/9.jpg b/28552-h/images/9.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..7ae4a0f --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/9.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/91.jpg b/28552-h/images/91.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..754f8a8 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/91.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/95.jpg b/28552-h/images/95.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..8fcbf17 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/95.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/97.jpg b/28552-h/images/97.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..7bce434 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/97.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/99.jpg b/28552-h/images/99.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..7a2996f --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/99.jpg diff --git a/28552-h/images/logo.jpg b/28552-h/images/logo.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..2b7b45c --- /dev/null +++ b/28552-h/images/logo.jpg diff --git a/28552.txt b/28552.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..779b5d5 --- /dev/null +++ b/28552.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4268 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook of Twinkle and Chubbins, by L. Frank (Lyman +Frank) Baum, Illustrated by Maginel Wright Enright + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Twinkle and Chubbins + Their Astonishing Adventures in Nature-Fairyland + + +Author: L. Frank (Lyman Frank) Baum + + + +Release Date: April 10, 2009 [eBook #28552] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TWINKLE AND CHUBBINS*** + + +E-text prepared by Michael Gray + + + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original lovely illustrations. + See 28552-h.htm or 28552-h.zip: + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/8/5/5/28552/28552-h/28552-h.htm) + or + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/8/5/5/28552/28552-h.zip) + + + + + +TWINKLE AND CHUBBINS + +Their Astonishing Adventures +in Nature-Fairyland + +by + +LAURA BANCROFT + +Illustrated by Maginal Wright Enright + + + + + + + +Publishers +The Reilly & Britton Co. +Chicago + +Copyright, 1911 +by +The Reilly & Britton Co. + + + + +CONTENTS + + PAGE +I Mr. Woodchuck.................9 +II Bandit Jim Crow..............69 +III Prarie-Dog Town.............133 +IV Prince Mud-Turtle...........195 +V Twinkle's Enchantment.......257 +VI Sugar-Loaf Mountain.........321 + + + + +List of Chapters + + PAGE +I The Trap............................11 +II Mr. Woodchuck Captures a Girl.......18 +III Mr. Woodchuck Scolds Tinkle.........26 +IV Mrs. Woodchuck and Her Family ......35 +V Mr. Woodchuck Argues the Question...43 +VI Twinkle is Taken to the Judge.......50 +VII Twinkle is Condemned................56 +VIII Twinkle Remembers...................66 + + + +Chapter I +The Trap + +"THERE'S a woodchuck over on the side hill that is eating my clover," said +Twinkle's father, who was a farmer. + +"Why don't you set a trap for it?" asked Twinkle's mother. + +"I believe I will," answered the man. + +So, when the midday dinner was over, the farmer went to the barn and got +a steel trap, and carried it over to the clover-field on the hillside. + +Twinkle wanted very much to go with him, but she had to help mamma wash +the dishes and put them away, and then brush up the dining-room and put +it in order. But when the work was done, and she had all the rest of the +afternoon to herself, she decided to go over to the woodchuck's hole and +see how papa had set the trap, and also discover if the woodchuck had +yet been caught. + +So the little girl took her blue-and-white sun-bonnet, and climbed over +the garden fence and ran across the corn-field and through the rye until +she came to the red-clover patch on the hill. + +She knew perfectly well where the woodchuck's hole was, for she had +looked at it curiously many times; so she approached it carefully and +found the trap set just in front of the hole. If the woodchuck stepped +on it, when he came out, it would grab his leg and hold him fast; and +there was a chain fastened to the trap, and also to a stout post driven +into the ground, so that when the woodchuck was caught he couldn't run +away with the trap. + +But although the day was bright and sunshiny, and just the kind of day +woodchucks like, the clover-eater had not yet walked out of his hole to +get caught in the trap. + +So Twinkle lay down in the clover-field, half hidden by a small bank in +front of the woodchuck's hole, and began to watch for the little animal +to come out. Her eyes could see right into the hole, which seemed to +slant upward into the hill instead of downward; but of course she +couldn't see very far in, because the hole wasn't straight, and grew +black a little way from the opening. + +It was somewhat wearisome, waiting and watching so long, and the warm +sun and the soft chirp of the crickets that hopped through the clover +made Twinkle drowsy. She didn't intend to go to sleep, because then she +might miss the woodchuck; but there was no harm in closing her eyes just +one little minute; so she allowed the long lashes to droop over her +pretty pink cheeks--just because they felt so heavy, and there was no +way to prop them up. + +Then, with a start, she opened her eyes again, and saw the trap and the +woodchuck hole just as they were before. Not quite, though, come to look +carefully. The hole seemed to be bigger than at first; yes, strange as +it might seem, the hole was growing bigger every minute! She watched it +with much surprise, and then looked at the trap, which remained the same +size it had always been. And when she turned her eyes upon the hole once +more it had not only become very big and high, but a stone arch appeared +over it, and a fine, polished front door now shut it off from the +outside world. She could even read a name upon the silver door-plate, +and the name was this: + +Mister Woodchuck + + + +Chapter II +Mister Woodchuck Captures a Girl + +"WELL, I declare!" whispered Twinkle to herself; "how could all that have +happened?" + +On each side of the door was a little green bench, big enough for two to +sit upon, and between the benches was a doorstep of white marble, with a +mat lying on it. On one side Twinkle saw an electric door-bell. + +While she gazed at this astonishing sight a sound of rapid footsteps was +heard, and a large Jack-Rabbit, almost as big as herself, and dressed in +a messenger-boy's uniform, ran up to the woodchuck's front door and rang +the bell. + +Almost at once the door opened inward, and a curious personage stepped +out. + +Twinkle saw at a glance that it was the woodchuck himself,--but what a +big and queer woodchuck it was! + +He wore a swallow-tailed coat, with a waistcoat of white satin and fancy +knee-breeches, and upon his feet were shoes with silver buckles. On his +head was perched a tall silk hat that made him look just as high as +Twinkle's father, and in one paw he held a gold-headed cane. Also he +wore big spectacles over his eyes, which made him look more dignified +than any other woodchuck Twinkle had ever seen. + +When this person opened the door and saw the Jack-Rabbit messenger-boy, +he cried out: + +"Well, what do you mean by ringing my bell so violently? I suppose +you're half an hour late, and trying to make me think you're in a +hurry." + +The Jack-Rabbit took a telegram from its pocket and handed it to the +woodchuck without a word in reply. At once the woodchuck tore open the +envelope and read the telegram carefully. + +"Thank you. There's no answer," he said; and in an instant the +Jack-Rabbit had whisked away and was gone. + +"Well, well," said the woodchuck, as if to himself, "the foolish farmer +has set a trap for me, it seems, and my friends have sent a telegram to +warn me. Let's see--where is the thing?" + +He soon discovered the trap, and seizing hold of the chain he pulled the +peg out of the ground and threw the whole thing far away into the field. + +"I must give that farmer a sound scolding," he muttered, "for he's +becoming so impudent lately that soon he will think he owns the whole +country." + +But now his eyes fell upon Twinkle, who lay in the clover staring up at +him; and the woodchuck gave a laugh and grabbed her fast by one arm. + +"Oh ho!" he exclaimed; "you're spying upon me, are you?" + +"I'm just waiting to see you get caught in the trap," said the girl, +standing up because the big creature pulled upon her arm. She wasn't +much frightened, strange to say, because this woodchuck had a +good-humored way about him that gave her confidence. + +"You would have to wait a long time for that," he said, with a laugh +that was a sort of low chuckle. "Instead of seeing me caught, you've got +caught yourself. That's turning the tables, sure enough; isn't it?" + +"I suppose it is," said Twinkle, regretfully. "Am I a prisoner?" + +"You might call it that; and then, again, you mightn't," answered the +woodchuck. "To tell you the truth, I hardly know what to do with you. +But come inside, and we'll talk it over. We musn't be seen out here in +the fields." + +Still holding fast to her arm, the woodchuck led her through the door, +which he carefully closed and locked. Then they passed through a kind of +hallway, into which opened several handsomely furnished rooms, and out +again into a beautiful garden at the back, all filled with flowers and +brightly colored plants, and with a pretty fountain playing in the +middle. A high stone wall was built around the garden, shutting it off +from all the rest of the world. + +The woodchuck led his prisoner to a bench beside the fountain, and told +her to sit down and make herself comfortable. + + + +Chapter III +Mister Woodchuck Scolds Twinkle + +TWINKLE was much pleased with her surroundings, and soon discovered +several gold-fishes swimming in the water at the foot of the fountain. + +"Well, how does it strike you?" asked the woodchuck, strutting up and +down the gravel walk before her and swinging his gold-headed cane rather +gracefully. + +"It seems like a dream," said Twinkle. + +"To be sure," he answered, nodding. "You'd no business to fall asleep in +the clover." + +"Did I?" she asked, rather startled at the suggestion. + +"It stands to reason you did," he replied. "You don't for a moment think +this is real, do you?" + +"It _seems_ real," she answered. "Aren't you the woodchuck?" + +"_Mister_ Woodchuck, if you please. Address me properly, young lady, or +you'll make me angry." + +"Well, then, aren't you Mister Woodchuck?" + +"At present I am; but when you wake up, I won't be," he said. + +"Then you think I'm dreaming?" + +"You must figure that out for yourself," said Mister Woodchuck. + +"What do you suppose made me dream?" + +"I don't know." + +"Do you think it's something I've eaten?" she asked anxiously. + +"I hardly think so. This isn't any nightmare, you know, because there's +nothing at all horrible about it so far. You've probably been reading +some of those creepy, sensational story-books." + +"I haven't read a book in a long time," said Twinkle. + +"Dreams," remarked Mister Woodchuck, thoughtfully, "are not always to be +accounted for. But this conversation is all wrong. When one is dreaming +one doesn't talk about it, or even know it's a dream. So let's speak of +something else." + +"It's very pleasant in this garden," said Twinkle. "I don't mind being +here a bit." + +"But you can't stay here," replied Mister Woodchuck, "and you ought to +be very uncomfortable in my presence. You see, you're one of the +deadliest enemies of my race. All you human beings live for or think of +is how to torture and destroy woodchucks." + +"Oh, no!" she answered. "We have many more important things than that to +think of. But when a woodchuck gets eating our clover and the +vegetables, and spoils a lot, we just have to do something to stop it. +That's why my papa set the trap." + +"You're selfish," said Mister Woodchuck, "and you're cruel to poor +little animals that can't help themselves, and have to eat what they can +find, or starve. There's enough for all of us growing in the broad +fields." + +Twinkle felt a little ashamed. + +"We have to sell the clover and the vegetables to earn our living," she +explained; "and if the animals eat them up we can't sell them." + +"We don't eat enough to rob you," said the woodchuck, "and the land +belonged to the wild creatures long before you people came here and +began to farm. And really, there is no reason why you should be so +cruel. It hurts dreadfully to be caught in a trap, and an animal +captured in that way sometimes has to suffer for many hours before the +man comes to kill it. We don't mind the killing so much. Death doesn't +last but an instant. But every minute of suffering seems to be an hour." + +"That's true," said Twinkle, feeling sorry and repentant. "I'll ask papa +never to set another trap." + +"That will be some help," returned Mister Woodchuck, more cheerfully, +"and I hope you'll not forget the promise when you wake up. But that +isn't enough to settle the account for all our past sufferings, I assure +you; so I am trying to think of a suitable way to punish you for the +past wickedness of your father, and of all other men that have set +traps." + +"Why, if you feel that way," said the little girl, "you're just as bad +as we are!" + +"How's that?" asked Mister Woodchuck, pausing in his walk to look at +her. + +"It's as naughty to want revenge as it is to be selfish and cruel," she +said. + +"I believe you are right about that," answered the animal, taking off +his silk hat and rubbing the fur smooth with his elbow. "But woodchucks +are not perfect, any more than men are, so you'll have to take us as you +find us. And now I'll call my family, and exhibit you to them. The +children, especially, will enjoy seeing the wild human girl I've had the +luck to capture." + +"Wild!" she cried, indignantly. + +"If you're not wild now, you will be before you wake up," he said. + + + +Chapter IV +Mrs. Woodchuck and Her Family + +BUT Mister Woodchuck had no need to call his family, for just as he +spoke a chatter of voices was heard and Mrs. Woodchuck came walking down +a path of the garden with several young woodchucks following after her. + +The lady animal was very fussily dressed, with puffs and ruffles and +laces all over her silk gown, and perched upon her head was a broad +white hat with long ostrich plumes. She was exceedingly fat, even for a +woodchuck, and her head fitted close to her body, without any neck +whatever to separate them. Although it was shady in the garden, she held +a lace parasol over her head, and her walk was so mincing and airy that +Twinkle almost laughed in her face. + +The young woodchucks were of several sizes and kinds. One little +woodchuck girl rolled before her a doll's baby-cab, in which lay a +woodchuck doll made of cloth, in quite a perfect imitation of a real +woodchuck. It was stuffed with something soft to make it round and fat, +and its eyes were two glass beads sewn upon the face. A big boy +woodchuck wore knickerbockers and a Tam o' Shanter cap and rolled a +hoop; and there were several smaller boy and girl woodchucks, dressed +quite as absurdly, who followed after their mother in a long train. + +"My dear," said Mister Woodchuck to his wife, "here is a human creature +that I captured just outside our front door." + +"Huh!" sneered the lady woodchuck, looking at Twinkle in a very haughty +way; "why will you bring such an animal into our garden, Leander? It +makes me shiver just to look at the horrid thing!" + +"Oh, mommer!" yelled one of the children, "see how skinny the beast is!" + +"Hasn't any hair on its face at all," said another, "or on its paws!" + +"And no sign of a tail!" cried the little woodchuck girl with the doll. + +"Yes, it's a very strange and remarkable creature," said the mother. +"Don't touch it, my precious darlings. It might bite." + +"You needn't worry," said Twinkle, rather provoked at these speeches. "I +wouldn't bite a dirty, greasy woodchuck on any account!" + +"Whoo! did you hear what she called us, mommer? She says we're greasy +and dirty!" shouted the children, and some of them grabbed pebbles from +the path in their paws, as if to throw them at Twinkle. + +"Tut, tut! don't be cruel," said Mister Woodchuck. "Remember the poor +creature is a prisoner, and isn't used to good society; and besides +that, she's dreaming." + +"Really?" exclaimed Mrs. Woodchuck, looking at the girl curiously. + +"To be sure," he answered. "Otherwise she wouldn't see us dressed in +such fancy clothes, nor would we be bigger than she is. The whole thing +is unnatural, my dear, as you must admit." + +"But _we_'re not dreaming; are we, Daddy?" anxiously asked the boy with +the hoop. + +"Certainly not," Mister Woodchuck answered; "so this is a fine +opportunity for you to study one of those human animals who have always +been our worst enemies. You will notice they are very curiously made. +Aside from their lack of hair in any place except the top of the head, +their paws are formed in a strange manner. Those long slits in them make +what are called fingers, and their claws are flat and dull--not at all +sharp and strong like ours." + +"I think the beast is ugly," said Mrs. Woodchuck. "It would give me the +shivers to touch its skinny flesh." + +"I'm glad of that," said Twinkle, indignantly. "You wouldn't have _all_ +the shivers, I can tell you! And you're a disagreeable, ign'rant +creature! If you had any manners at all, you'd treat strangers more +politely." + +"Just listen to the thing!" said Mrs. Woodchuck, in a horrified tone. +"Isn't it wild, though!" + + + +Chapter V +Mr. Woodchuck Argues the Question + +"REALLY," Mister Woodchuck said to his wife, "you should be more +considerate of the little human's feelings. She is quite intelligent and +tame, for one of her kind, and has a tender heart, I am sure." + +"I don't see anything intelligent about her," said the girl woodchuck. + +"I guess I've been to school as much as you have," said Twinkle. + +"School! Why, what's that?" + +"Don't you know what school is?" cried Twinkle, much amused. + +"We don't have school here," said Mister Woodchuck, as if proud of the +fact. + +"Don't you know any geography?" asked the child. + +"We haven't any use for it," said Mister Woodchuck; "for we never get +far from home, and don't care a rap what state bounds Florida on the +south. We don't travel much, and studying geography would be time +wasted." + +"But don't you study arithmetic?" she asked; "don't you know how to do +sums?" + +"Why should we?" he returned. "The thing that bothers you humans most, +and that's money, is not used by us woodchucks. So we don't need to +figure and do sums." + +"I don't see how you get along without money," said Twinkle, +wonderingly. "You must have to buy all your fine clothes." + +"You know very well that woodchucks don't wear clothes, under ordinary +circumstances," Mister Woodchuck replied. "It's only because you are +dreaming that you see us dressed in this way." + +"Perhaps that's true," said Twinkle. "But don't talk to me about not +being intelligent, or not knowing things. If you haven't any schools +it's certain I know more than your whole family put together!" + +"About some things, perhaps," acknowledged Mister Woodchuck. "But tell +me: do you know which kind of red clover is the best to eat?" + +"No," she said. + +"Or how to dig a hole in the ground to live in, with different rooms and +passages, so that it slants up hill and the rain won't come in and drown +you?" + +"No," said Twinkle. + +"And could you tell, on the second day of February (which is woodchuck +day, you know), whether it's going to be warm weather, or cold, during +the next six weeks?" + +"I don't believe I could," replied the girl. + +"Then," said Mister Woodchuck, "there are some things that we know that +you don't; and although a woodchuck might not be of much account in one +of your schoolrooms, you must forgive me for saying that I think you'd +make a mighty poor woodchuck." + +"I think so, too!" said Twinkle, laughing. + +"And now, little human," he resumed, after looking at his watch, "it's +nearly time for you to wake up; so if we intend to punish you for all +the misery your people has inflicted on the woodchucks, we won't have a +minute to spare." + +"Don't be in a hurry," said Twinkle. "I can wait." + +"She's trying to get out of it," exclaimed Mrs. Woodchuck, scornfully. +"Don't you let her, Leander." + +"Certainly not, my dear," he replied; "but I haven't decided how to +punish her." + +"Take her to Judge Stoneyheart," said Mrs. Woodchuck. "He will know what +to do with her." + + + +Chapter VI +Twinkle is Taken to the Judge + +AT this the woodchuck children all hooted with joy, crying: "Take her, +Daddy! Take her to old Stoneyheart! Oh, my! won't he give it to her, +though!" + +"Who is Judge Stoneyheart?" asked Twinkle, a little uneasily. + +"A highly respected and aged woodchuck who is cousin to my wife's +grandfather," was the reply. "We consider him the wisest and most +intelligent of our race; but, while he is very just in all things, the +judge never shows any mercy to evil-doers." + +"I haven't done anything wrong," said the girl. + +"But your father has, and much wrong is done us by the other farmers +around here. They fight my people without mercy, and kill every +woodchuck they can possibly catch." + +Twinkle was silent, for she knew this to be true. + +"For my part," continued Mister Woodchuck, "I'm very soft-hearted, and +wouldn't even step on an ant if I could help it. Also I am sure you have +a kind disposition. But you are a human, and I am a woodchuck; so I +think I will take you to old Stoneyheart and let him decide your fate." + +"Hooray!" yelled the young woodchucks, and away they ran through the +paths of the garden, followed slowly by their fat mother, who held the +lace parasol over her head as if she feared she would be sunstruck. + +Twinkle was glad to see them go. She didn't care much for the woodchuck +children, they were so wild and ill-mannered, and their mother was even +more disagreeable than they were. As for Mister Woodchuck, she did not +object to him so much; in fact, she rather liked to talk to him, for his +words were polite and his eyes pleasant and kindly. + +"Now, my dear," he said, "as we are about to leave this garden, where +you have been quite secure, I must try to prevent your running away when +we are outside the wall. I hope it won't hurt your feelings to become a +real prisoner for a few minutes." + +Then Mister Woodchuck drew from his pocket a leather collar, very much +like a dog-collar, Twinkle thought, and proceeded to buckle it around +the girl's neck. To the collar was attached a fine chain about six feet +long, and the other end of the chain Mister Woodchuck held in his hand. + +"Now, then," said he, "please come along quietly, and don't make a +fuss." + +He led her to the end of the garden and opened a wooden gate in the +wall, through which they passed. Outside the garden the ground was +nothing but hard, baked earth, without any grass or other green thing +growing upon it, or any tree or shrub to shade it from the hot sun. And +not far away stood a round mound, also of baked earth, which Twinkle at +once decided to be a house, because it had a door and some windows in +it. + +There was no living thing in sight--not even a woodchuck--and Twinkle +didn't care much for the baked-clay scenery. + +Mister Woodchuck, holding fast to the chain, led his prisoner across the +barren space to the round mound, where he paused to rap softly upon the +door. + + + +Chapter VII +Twinkle is Condemned + +"COME in!" called a voice. + +Mister Woodchuck pushed open the door and entered, drawing Tinkle after +him by the chain. + +In the middle of the room sat a woodchuck whose hair was grizzled with +old age. He wore big spectacles upon his nose, and a round knitted cap, +with a tassel dangling from the top, upon his head. His only garment was +an old and faded dressing-gown. + +When they entered, the old woodchuck was busy playing a game with a +number of baked-clay dominoes, which he shuffled and arranged upon a +baked-mud table; nor did he look up for a long time, but continued to +match the dominoes and to study their arrangement with intense interest. + +Finally, however, he finished the game, and then he raised his head and +looked sharply at his visitors. + +"Good afternoon, Judge," said Mister Woodchuck, taking off his silk hat +and bowing respectfully. + +The judge did not answer him, but continued to stare at Twinkle. + +"I have called to ask your advice," continued Mister Woodchuck. "By good +chance I have been able to capture one of those fierce humans that are +the greatest enemies of peaceful woodchucks." + +The judge nodded his gray head wisely, but still answered nothing. + +"But now that I've captured the creature, I don't know what to do with +her," went on Mister Woodchuck; "although I believe, of course, she +should be punished in some way, and made to feel as unhappy as her +people have made us feel. Yet I realize that it's a dreadful thing to +hurt any living creature, and as far as I'm concerned I'm quite willing +to forgive her." With these words he wiped his face with a red silk +handkerchief, as if really distressed. + +"She's dreaming," said the judge, in a sharp, quick voice. + +"Am I?" asked Twinkle. + +"Of course. You were probably lying on the wrong side when you went to +sleep." + +"Oh!" she said. "I wondered what made it." + +"Very disagreeable dream, isn't it?" continued the judge. + +"Not so very," she answered. "It's interesting to see and hear +woodchucks in their own homes, and Mister Woodchuck has shown me how +cruel it is for us to set traps for you." + +"Good!" said the judge. "But some dreams are easily forgotten, so I'll +teach you a lesson you'll be likely to remember. You shall be caught in +a trap yourself." + +"Me!" cried Twinkle, in dismay. + +"Yes, you. When you find how dreadfully it hurts you'll bear the traps +in mind forever afterward. People don't remember dreams unless the +dreams are unusually horrible. But I guess you'll remember this one." + +He got up and opened a mud cupboard, from which he took a big steel +trap. Twinkle could see that it was just like the trap papa had set to +catch the woodchucks, only it seemed much bigger and stronger. + +The judge got a mallet and with it pounded a stake into the mud floor. +Then he fastened the chain of the trap to the stake, and afterward +opened the iron jaws of the cruel-looking thing and set them with a +lever, so that the slightest touch would spring the trap and make the +strong jaws snap together. + +"Now, little girl," said he, "you must step in the trap and get caught." + +"Why, it would break my leg!" cried Twinkle. + +"Did your father care whether a woodchuck got its leg broken or not?" +asked the judge. + +"No," she answered, beginning to be greatly frightened. + +"Step!" cried the judge, sternly. + +"It will hurt awfully," said Mister Woodchuck; "but that can't be +helped. Traps are cruel things, at the best." + +Twinkle was now trembling with nervousness and fear. + +"Step!" called the judge, again. + +"Dear me!" said Mister Woodchuck, just then, as he looked earnestly into +Twinkle's face, "I believe she's going to wake up!" + +"That's too bad," said the judge. + +"No, I'm glad of it," replied Mister Woodchuck. + +And just then the girl gave a start and opened her eyes. + +She was lying in the clover, and before her was the opening of the +woodchuck's hole, with the trap still set before it. + + + +Chapter VIII +Twinkle Remembers + +"PAPA," said Twinkle, when supper was over and she was nestled snugly in +his lap, "I wish you wouldn't set any more traps for the woodchucks." + +"Why not, my darling?" he asked in surprise. + +"They're cruel," she answered. "It must hurt the poor animals dreadfully +to be caught in them." + +"I suppose it does," said her father, thoughtfully. "But if I don't trap +the woodchucks they eat our clover and vegetables." + +"Never mind that," said Twinkle, earnestly. "Let's divide with them. God +made the woodchucks, you know, just as He made us, and they can't plant +and grow things as we do; so they have to take what they can get, or +starve to death. And surely, papa, there's enough to eat in this big and +beautiful world, for all of God's creatures." + +Papa whistled softly, although his face was grave; and then he bent down +and kissed his little girl's forehead. + +"I won't set any more traps, dear," he said. + +And that evening, after Twinkle had been tucked snugly away in bed, her +father walked slowly through the sweet-smelling fields to the +woodchuck's hole; there lay the trap, showing plainly in the bright +moonlight. He picked it up and carried it back to the barn. It was never +used again. + + +THE END + + + +BANDIT JIM CROW + + + +BANDIT JIM CROW + + + +List of Chapters + + PAGE +I Jim Crow Becomes a Pet.....................73 +II Jim Crow Runs Away.........................81 +III Jim Crow Finds a New Home..................86 +IV Jim Crow Becomes a Robber..................97 +V Jim Crow Meets Policeman Blue Jay.........105 +VI Jim Crow Fools the Policeman..............113 +VII Jim Crow is Punished......................121 +VIII Jim Crow has Time to Repent His Sins......129 + + + +Chapter I +Jim Crow Becomes a Pet + +ONE day, when Twinkle's father was in the corn-field, he shot his gun at +a flock of crows that were busy digging up, with their long bills, the +kernels of corn he had planted. But Twinkle's father didn't aim very +straight, for the birds screamed at the bang of the gun and quickly flew +away--all except one young crow that fluttered its wings, but couldn't +rise into the air, and so began to run along the ground in an effort to +escape. + +The man chased the young crow, and caught it; and then he found that one +of the little lead bullets had broken the right wing, although the bird +seemed not to be hurt in any other way. + +It struggled hard, and tried to peck the hands that held it; but it was +too young to hurt any one, so Twinkle's father decided he would carry it +home to his little girl. + +"Here's a pet for you, Twinkle," he said, as he came into the house. "It +can't fly, because its wing is broken; but don't let it get too near +your eyes, or it may peck at them. It's very wild and fierce, you know." + +Twinkle was delighted with her pet, and at once got her mother to +bandage the broken wing, so that it would heal quickly. + +The crow had jet black feathers, but there was a pretty purplish and +violet gloss, or sheen, on its back and wings, and its eyes were bright +and had a knowing look in them. They were hazel-brown in color, and the +bird had a queer way of turning his head on one side to look at Twinkle +with his right eye, and then twisting it the other side that he might +see her with his left eye. She often wondered if she looked the same to +both eyes, or if each one made her seem different. + +She named her pet "Jim Crow" because papa said that all crows were +called Jim, although he never could find out the reason. But the name +seemed to fit her pet as well as any, so Twinkle never bothered about +the reason. + +Having no cage to keep him in, and fearing he would run away, the girl +tied a strong cord around one of Jim Crow's legs, and the other end of +the cord she fastened to the round of a chair--or to the table-leg--when +they were in the house. The crow would run all around, as far as the +string would let him go; but he couldn't get away. And when they went +out of doors Twinkle held the end of the cord in her hand, as one leads +a dog, and Jim Crow would run along in front of her, and then stop and +wait. And when she came near he'd run on again, screaming "Caw! Caw!" at +the top of his shrill little voice. + +He soon came to know he belonged to Twinkle, and would often lie in her +lap or perch upon her shoulder. And whenever she entered the room where +he was he would say, "Caw--caw!" to her, in pleading tones, until she +picked him up or took some notice of him. + +It was wonderful how quickly a bird that had always lived wild and free +seemed to become tame and gentle. Twinkle's father said that was because +he was so young, and because his broken wing kept him from flying in the +air and rejoining his fellows. But Jim Crow wasn't as tame as he seemed, +and he had a very wicked and ungrateful disposition, as you will +presently learn. + +For a few weeks, however, he was as nice a pet as any little girl could +wish for. He got into mischief occasionally, and caused mamma some +annoyance when he waded into a pan of milk or jumped upon the dinner +table and ate up papa's pumpkin pie before Twinkle could stop him. But +all pets are more or less trouble, at times, so Jim Crow escaped with a +few severe scoldings from mamma, which never seemed to worry him in the +least or make him a bit unhappy. + + + +Chapter II +Jim Crow Runs Away + +AT last Jim got so tame that Twinkle took the cord off his leg and let +him go free, wherever he pleased. So he wandered all over the house and +out into the yard, where he chased the ducks and bothered the pigs and +made himself generally disliked. He had a way of perching upon the back +of old Tom, papa's favorite horse, and chattering away in Tom's ear +until the horse plunged and pranced in his stall to get rid of his +unwelcome visitor. + +Twinkle always kept the bandage on the wounded wing, for she didn't know +whether it was well yet, or not, and she thought it was better to be on +the safe side. But the truth was, that Jim Crow's wing had healed long +ago, and was now as strong as ever; and, as the weeks passed by, and he +grew big and fat, a great longing came into his wild heart to fly again-- +far, far up into the air and away to the lands where there were forests +of trees and brooks of running water. + +He didn't ever expect to rejoin his family again. They were far enough +away by this time. And he didn't care much to associate with other +crows. All he wanted was to be free, and do exactly as he pleased, and +not have some one cuffing him a dozen times a day because he was doing +wrong. + +So one morning, before Twinkle was up, or even awake, Jim Crow pecked at +the bandage on his wing until he got the end unfastened, and then it +wasn't long before the entire strip of cloth was loosened and fell to +the ground. + +Now Jim fluttered his feathers, and pruned them with his long bill where +they had been pressed together, and presently he knew that the wing +which had been injured was exactly as strong and well as the other one. +He could fly away whenever he pleased. + +The crow had been well fed by Twinkle and her mamma, and was in splendid +health. But he was not at all grateful. With the knowledge of his +freedom a fierce, cruel joy crept into his heart, and he resumed the +wild nature that crows are born with and never lay aside as long as they +live. + +Having forgotten in an instant that he had ever been tame, and the pet +of a gentle little girl, Jim Crow had no thought of saying good-bye to +Twinkle. Instead, he decided he would do something that would make these +foolish humans remember him for a long time. So he dashed into a group +of young chickens that had only been hatched a day or two before, and +killed seven of them with his strong, curved claws and his wicked black +beak. When the mother hen flew at him he pecked at her eyes; and then, +screaming a defiance to all the world, Jim Crow flew into the air and +sailed away to a new life in another part of the world. + + + +Chapter III +Jim Crow Finds a New Home + +I'LL not try to tell you of all the awful things this bad crow did +during the next few days, on his long journey toward the South. + +Twinkle almost cried when she found her pet gone; and she really did cry +when she saw the poor murdered chickens. But mamma said she was very +glad to have Jim Crow run away, and papa scowled angrily and declared he +was sorry he had not killed the cruel bird when he shot at it in the +corn-field. + +In the mean time the runaway crow flew through the country, and when he +was hungry he would stop at a farm-house and rob a hen's nest and eat +the eggs. It was his knowledge of farm-houses that made him so bold; but +the farmers shot at the thieving bird once or twice, and this frightened +Jim Crow so badly that he decided to keep away from the farms and find a +living in some less dangerous way. + +And one day he came to a fine forest, where there were big and little +trees of all kinds, with several streams of water running through the +woods. + +"Here," said Jim Crow, "I will make my home; for surely this is the +finest place I am ever likely to find." + +There were plenty of birds in this forest, for Jim could hear them +singing and twittering everywhere among the trees; and their nests hung +suspended from branches, or nestled in a fork made by two limbs, in +almost every direction he might look. And the birds were of many kinds, +too: robins, thrushes, bullfinches, mocking-birds, wrens, yellowtails +and skylarks. Even tiny humming-birds fluttered around the wild +flowers that grew in the glades; and in the waters of the brooks waded +long-legged herons, while kingfishers sat upon overhanging branches and +waited patiently to seize any careless fish that might swim too near +them. Jim Crow decided this must be a real paradise for birds, because +it was far away from the houses of men. So he made up his mind to get +acquainted with the inhabitants of the forest as soon as possible, and +let them know who he was, and that he must be treated with proper +respect. + +In a big fir-tree, whose branches reached nearly to the ground, he saw a +large gathering of the birds, who sat chattering and gossiping +pleasantly together. So he flew down and joined them. + +"Good morning, folks," he said; and his voice sounded to them like a +harsh croak, because it had become much deeper in tone since he had +grown to his full size. + +The birds looked at him curiously, and one or two fluttered their wings +in a timid and nervous way; but none of them, little or big, thought +best to make any reply. + +"Well," said Jim Crow, gruffly, "what's the matter with you fellows? +Haven't you got tongues? You seemed to talk fast enough a minute ago." + +"Excuse me," replied a bullfinch, in a dignified voice; "we haven't the +honor of your acquaintance. You are a stranger." + +"My name's Jim Crow," he answered, "and I won't be a stranger long, +because I'm going to live here." + +They all looked grave at this speech, and a little thrush hopped from +one branch to another, and remarked: + +"We haven't any crows here at all. If you want to find your own folks +you must go to some other place." + +"What do I care about my own folks?" asked Jim, with a laugh that made +the little thrush shudder. "I prefer to live alone." + +"Haven't you a mate?" asked a robin, speaking in a very polite tone. + +"No; and I don't want any," said Jim Crow. "I'm going to live all by +myself. There's plenty of room in this forest, I guess." + +"Certainly," replied the bullfinch. "There is plenty of room for you here +if you behave yourself and obey the laws." + +"Who's going to make me?" he asked, angrily. + +"Any decent person, even if he's a crow, is bound to respect the law," +answered the bullfinch, calmly. + +Jim Crow was a little ashamed, for he didn't wish to acknowledge he +wasn't decent. So he said: + +"What are your laws?" + +"The same as those in all other forests. You must respect the nests and +the property of all other birds, and not interfere with them when +they're hunting for food. And you must warn your fellow-birds whenever +there is danger, and assist them to protect their young from prowling +beasts. If you obey these laws, and do not steal from or interfere with +your neighbors, you have a right to a nest in our forest." + +"To be quite frank with you, though," said the robin, "we prefer your +room to your company." + +"I'm going to stay," said the crow. "I guess I'm as good as the rest of +you; so you fellows just mind your own business and I'll mind mine." + +With these words he left them, and when he had mounted to a position +above the trees he saw that one tall, slim pine was higher than all the +rest, and that at its very top was a big deserted nest. + + + +Chapter IV +Jim Crow Becomes a Robber + +IT looked like a crow's nest to Jim, so he flew toward the pine tree and +lit upon a branch close by. One glance told him that at some time it +really must have been the home of birds of his kind, who for some reason +had abandoned it long ago. The nest was large and bulky, being made of +strong sticks woven together with fine roots and grasses. It was rough +outside, but smooth inside, and when Jim Crow had kicked out the dead +leaves and twigs that had fallen into it, he decided it was nearly as +good as new, and plenty good enough for a solitary crow like him to live +in. So with his bill he made a mark on the nest, that every bird might +know it belonged to him, and felt that at last he had found a home. + +During the next few days he made several attempts to get acquainted with +the other birds, but they were cold and distant, though very polite to +him; and none of them seemed to care for his society. + +No bird ever came near his nest, but he often flew down to the lower +trees and perched upon one or another of them, so gradually the birds of +the forest got used to seeing him around, and paid very little attention +to his actions. + +One day Mrs. Wren missed two brown eggs from her nest, and her little +heart was nearly broken with grief. It took the mocking bird and the +bullfinch a whole afternoon to comfort her, while Mr. Wren hopped around +in nearly as much distress as his wife. No animals had been seen in the +forest who would do this evil thing, so no one could imagine who the +thief might be. + +Such an outrage was almost unknown in this pleasant forest, and it made +all the birds nervous and fearful. A few days later a still greater +horror came upon them, for the helpless young children of Mrs. Linnet +were seized one morning from their nest, while their parents were absent +in search of food, and were carried away bodily. Mr. Linnet declared +that on his way back to his nest he had seen a big black monster leaving +it, but had been too frightened to notice just what the creature looked +like. But the lark, who had been up very early that morning, stated that +he had seen no one near that part of the forest except Jim Crow, who had +flown swiftly to his nest in the tall pine-tree. + +This was enough to make all the birds look upon Jim Crow with grave +suspicion, and Robin Redbreast called a secret meeting of all the birds +to discuss the question and decide what must be done to preserve their +nests from the robber. Jim Crow was so much bigger and fiercer than any +of the others that none dared accuse him openly or venture to quarrel +with him; but they had a good friend living not far away who was not +afraid of Jim Crow or any one else, so they finally decided to send for +him and ask his assistance. + +The starling undertook to be the messenger, and as soon as the meeting +was over he flew away upon his errand. + +"What were all you folks talking about?" asked the crow, flying down and +alighting upon a limb near to those who had not yet left the place of +meeting. + +"We were talking about you," said the thrush, boldly; "and you wouldn't +care at all to know what we said, Mister Jim Crow." + +Jim looked a trifle guilty and ashamed at hearing this, but knowing they +were all afraid of him he burst out into a rude laugh. + +"Caw! caw! caw!" he chuckled hoarsely; "what do I care what you say +about me? But don't you get saucy, my pretty thrush, or your friends +will miss you some fine morning, and never see you again." + +This awful threat made them all silent, for they remembered the fate of +poor Mrs. Linnet's children, and very few of the birds now had any doubt +but that Jim Crow knew more about the death of those helpless little +ones than he cared to tell. + +Finding they would not talk with him, the crow flew back to his tree, +where he sat sullenly perched upon a branch near his nest. And they were +very glad to get rid of him so easily. + + + +Chapter V +Jim Crow Meets Policeman Blue Jay + +NEXT morning Jim Crow woke up hungry, and as he sat lazily in his big +nest, he remembered that he had seen four pretty brown eggs, speckled +with white, in the nest of the oriole that lived at the edge of the +forest. + +"Those eggs will taste very good for breakfast," he thought. "I'll go at +once and get them; and if old Mammy Oriole makes a fuss, I'll eat her, +too." + +He hopped out of his nest and on to a branch, and the first thing his +sharp eye saw was a big and strange bird sitting upon the tree just +opposite him and looking steadily in his direction. + +Never having lived among other birds until now, the crow did not know +what kind of bird this was, but as he faced the new-comer he had a sort +of shiver in his heart that warned him to beware an enemy. Indeed, it +was none other than the Blue Jay that had appeared so suddenly, and he +had arrived that morning because the starling had told him of the thefts +that had taken place, and the Blue Jay is well known as the policeman of +the forest and a terror to all evil-doers. + +In size he was nearly as big as Jim Crow himself, and he had a large +crest of feathers on the top of his head that made him look even more +fierce--especially when he ruffled them up. His body was purplish blue +color on the back and purplish gray below, and there was a collar of +black feathers running all around his neck. But his wings and tail were +a beautiful rich blue, as delightful in color as the sky on a fine May +morning; so in personal appearance Policeman Blue Jay was much handsomer +than Jim Crow. But it was the sharp, stout beak that most alarmed the +crow, and had Jim been wiser he would have known that before him was the +most deadly foe of his race, and that the greatest pleasure a Blue Jay +finds in life is to fight with and punish a crow. + +But Jim was not very wise; and so he imagined, after his first terror +had passed away, that he could bully this bird as he had the others, and +make it fear him. + +"Well, what are you doing here?" he called out, in his crossest voice, +for he was anxious to get away and rob the oriole's nest. + +The Blue Jay gave a scornful, chattering laugh as he answered: + +"That's none of your business, Jim Crow." + +"Take care!" warned the crow; "you'll be sorry if you don't treat me +with proper respect." + +The Blue Jay winked solemnly, in a way that would have been very comical +to any observer other than the angry crow. + +"Don't hurt me--please don't!" he said, fluttering on the branch as if +greatly frightened. "My mother would feel dreadful bad if anything +happened to me." + +"Well, then, behave yourself," returned the crow, strutting proudly +along a limb and flopping his broad wings in an impressive manner. For +he was foolish enough to think he had made the other afraid. + +But no sooner had he taken flight and soared into the air than the Blue +Jay darted at him like an arrow from a bow, and before Jim Crow could +turn to defend himself the bill of his enemy struck him full in the +breast. Then, with a shriek of shrill laughter, the policeman darted +away and disappeared in the forest, leaving the crow to whirl around in +the air once or twice and then sink slowly down, with some of his own +torn feathers floating near him as witnesses to his defeat. + +The attack had dazed and astonished him beyond measure; but he found he +was not much hurt, after all. Crows are tougher than most birds. Jim +managed to reach one of the brooks, where he bathed his breast in the +cool water, and soon he felt much refreshed and more like his old self +again. + +But he decided not to go to the oriole's nest that morning, but to +search for grabs and beetles amongst the mosses beneath the oak-trees. + + + +Chapter VI +Jim Crow Fools the Policeman + +FROM that time on Policeman Blue Jay made his home in the forest, +keeping a sharp eye upon the actions of Jim Crow. And one day he flew +away to the southward and returned with Mrs. Blue Jay, who was even more +beautiful than her mate. Together they built a fine nest in a tree that +stood near to the crow's tall pine, and soon after they had settled down +to housekeeping Mrs. Blue Jay began to lay eggs of a pretty brown color +mottled with darker brown specks. + +Had Jim Crow known what was best for him he would have flown away from +this forest and found himself a new home. Within a short flight were +many bits of woodland where a crow might get a good living and not be +bothered by blue jays. But Jim was obstinate and foolish, and had made +up his mind that he never would again be happy until he had been +revenged upon his enemy. + +He dared no longer rob the nests so boldly as he had before, so he +became sly and cunning. He soon found out that the Blue Jay could not +fly as high as he could, nor as fast; so, if he kept a sharp lookout for +the approach of his foe, he had no trouble in escaping. But if he went +near to the nests of the smaller birds, there was the blue policeman +standing guard, and ready and anxious to fight at a moment's notice. It +was really no place for a robber at all, unless the robber was clever. + +One day Jim Crow discovered a chalkpit among the rocks at the north of +the forest, just beyond the edge of trees. The chalk was soft and in +some places crumbled to a fine powder, so that when he had rolled +himself for a few minutes in the dust all his feathers became as white +as snow. This fact gave to Jim Crow a bright idea. No longer black, but +white as a dove, he flew away to the forest and passed right by +Policeman Blue Jay, who only noticed that a big white bird had flown +amongst the trees, and did not suspect it was the thieving crow in a +clever disguise. + +Jim found a robin's nest that was not protected, both the robin and his +wife being away in search of food. So he ate up the eggs and kicked the +nest to pieces and then flew away again, passing the Blue Jay a second +time all unnoticed. + +When he reached a brook he washed all the chalk away from his feathers +and then returned to his nest as black as ever. + +All the birds were angry and dismayed when they found what had happened, +but none could imagine who had robbed the robins. Mrs. Robin, who was +not easily discouraged, built another nest and laid more eggs in it; but +the next day a second nest in the forest was robbed, and then another +and another, until the birds complained that Policeman Blue Jay did not +protect them at all. + +"I can't understand it in the least," said the policeman, "for I have +watched carefully, and I know Jim Crow has never dared to come near to +your trees." + +"Then some one else is the robber," declared the thrush fussily. + +"The only stranger I have noticed around here is a big white bird," +replied the Blue Jay, "and white birds never rob nests or eat eggs, as +you all know very well." + +So they were no nearer the truth than before, and the thefts continued; +for each day Jim Crow would make himself white in the chalk-pit, fly +into the forest and destroy the precious eggs of some innocent little +bird, and afterward wash himself in some far-away brook, and return to +his nest chuckling with glee to think he had fooled the Blue Jay so +nicely. + +But the Blue Jay, although stupid and unsuspecting at first, presently +began to get a little wisdom. He remembered that all this trouble had +commenced when the strange white bird first arrived in the forest; and +although it was doubtless true that white birds never eat eggs and have +honest reputations, he decided to watch this stranger and make sure that +it was innocent of the frightful crimes that had so aroused the dwellers +in the forest. + + + +Chapter VII +Jim Crow is Punished + +SO one day Policeman Blue Jay hid himself in some thick bushes until he +saw the big white bird fly by, and then he followed quietly after it, +flitting from tree to tree and keeping out of sight as much as possible, +until at last he saw the white bird alight near a bullfinch's nest and +eat up all the eggs it contained. + +Then, ruffling his crest angrily, Policeman Blue Jay flew to attack the +big white robber, and was astonished to find he could not catch it. For +the white bird flew higher into the air than he could, and also flew +much faster, so that it soon escaped and passed out of sight. + +"It must be a white crow," thought the Blue Jay; "for only a crow can +beat me at flying, and some of that race are said to be white, although +I have never seen one." + +So he called together all the birds, and told them what he had seen, and +they all agreed to hide themselves the next day and lie in wait for the +thief. + +By this time Jim Crow thought himself perfectly safe, and success had +made him as bold as he was wicked. Therefore he suspected nothing when, +after rolling himself in the chalk, he flew down the next day into the +forest to feast upon birds' eggs. He soon came to a pretty nest, and was +just about to rob it, when a chorus of shrill cries arose on every side +of him and hundreds, of birds--so many that they quite filled the air-- +flew straight at the white one, pecking him with their bills and +striking him with their wings; for anger had made even the most timid of +the little birds fierce, and there were so many of them that they gave +each other courage. + +Jim Crow tried to escape, but whichever way he might fly his foes +clustered all around him, getting in his way so that he could not use +his big wings properly. And all the time they were pecking at him and +fighting him as hard as they could. Also, the chalk was brushed from his +feathers, by degrees, and soon the birds were able to recognize their +old enemy the crow, and then, indeed, they became more furious than +ever. + +Policeman Blue Jay was especially angry at the deception practiced upon +him, and if he could have got at the crow just then he would have killed +it instantly. But the little birds were all in his way, so he was forced +to hold aloof. + +Filled with terror and smarting with pain, Jim Crow had only one +thought: to get to the shelter of his nest in the pine-tree. In some way +he managed to do this, and to sink exhausted into the hollow of his +nest. But many of his enemies followed him, and although the thick +feathers of his back and wings protected his body, Jim's head and eyes +were at the mercy of the sharp bills of the vengeful birds. + +When at last they left him, thinking he had been sufficiently punished, +Jim Crow was as nearly dead as a bird could be. But crows are tough, and +this one was unlucky enough to remain alive. For when his wounds had +healed he had become totally blind, and day after day he sat in his +nest, helpless and alone, and dared not leave it. + + + +Chapter VIII +Jim Crow Has Time to Repent His Sins + +"WHERE are you going, my dear?" asked the Blue Jay of his wife. + +"I'm going to carry some grubs to Jim Crow," she answered. "I'll be back +in a minute." + +"Jim Crow is a robber and a murderer!" said the policeman, harshly. + +"I know," she replied, in a sweet voice; "but he is blind." + +"Well, fly along," said her husband; "but hurry back again." + +And the robin-redbreast and his wife filled a cup-shaped flower with +water from the brook, and then carried it in their bills to the +pine-tree, without spilling a drop. + +"Where are you going?" asked the oriole, as they passed. + +"We're just taking some water to Jim Crow," replied Mrs. Robin. + +"He's a thief and a scoundrel!" cried the oriole, indignantly. + +"That is true." said Mrs. Robin, in a soft, pitiful voice; "but he is +blind." + +"Let me help you." exclaimed the oriole. "I'll carry this side of the +cup, so it can't tip." + +So Jim Crow, blind and helpless, sat in his nest day after day and week +after week, while the little birds he had so cruelly wronged brought him +food and water and cared for him as generously as they could. + +And I wonder what his thoughts were--don't you? + + + +PRAIRIE-DOG TOWN + + + +PRARIE-DOG TOWN + + + +List of Chapters PAGE +I The Picnic...........................137 +II Prairie-Dog Town.....................145 +III Mr. Bowko, the Mayor.................150 +IV Presto Digi, the Magician............158 +V The Home of the Puff-Pudgys..........166 +VI Teenty and Weenty....................174 +VII The Mayor Gives a Luncheon...........181 +VIII On Top of the Earth Again............189 + + + +Chapter I +The Picnic + +ON the great western prairies of Dakota is a little town called Edgeley, +because it is on the edge of civilization--a very big word which means +some folks have found a better way to live than other folks. The Edgeley +people have a good way to live, for there are almost seventeen wooden +houses there, and among them is a school-house, a church, a store and a +blacksmith-shop. If people walked out their front doors they were upon +the little street; if they walked out the back doors they were on the +broad prairies. That was why Twinkle, who was a farmer's little girl, +lived so near the town that she could easily walk to school. + +She was a pretty, rosy-cheeked little thing, with long, fluffy hair, and +big round eyes that everybody smiled into when they saw them. It was +hard to keep that fluffy hair from getting tangled; so mamma used to tie +it in the back with a big, broad ribbon. And Twinkle wore calico slips +for school days and gingham dresses when she wanted to "dress up" or +look especially nice. And to keep the sun from spotting her face with +freckles, she wore sunbonnets made of the same goods as her dresses. + +Twinkle's best chum was a little boy called Chubbins, who was the only +child of the tired-faced school-teacher. Chubbins was about as old as +Twinkle; but he wasn't so tall and slender for his age as she was, being +short and rather fat. The hair on his little round head was cut close, +and he usually wore a shirt-waist and "knickers," with a wide straw hat +on the back of his head. Chubbins's face was very solemn. He never said +many words when grown folks were around, but he could talk fast enough +when he and Twinkle were playing together alone. + +Well, one Saturday the school had a picnic, and Twinkle and Chubbins +both went. On the Dakota prairies there are no shade-trees at all, and +very little water except what they they get by boring deep holes in the +ground; so you may wonder where the people could possibly have a picnic. +But about three miles from the town a little stream of water (which they +called a "river," but we would call only a brook) ran slow and muddy +across the prairie; and where the road crossed it a flat bridge had been +built. If you climbed down the banks of the river you would find a nice +shady place under the wooden bridge; and so here it was that the picnics +were held. + +All the village went to the picnic, and they started bright and early in +the morning, with horses and farm-wagons, and baskets full of good +things to eat, and soon arrived at the bridge. + +There was room enough in its shade for all to be comfortable; so they +unhitched the horses and carried the baskets to the river bank, and +began to laugh and be as merry as they could. + +Twinkle and Chubbins, however, didn't care much for the shade of the +bridge. This was a strange place to them, so they decided to explore it +and see if it was any different from any other part of the prairie. +Without telling anybody where they were going, they took hold of hands +and trotted across the bridge and away into the plains on the other +side. + +The ground here wasn't flat, but had long rolls to it, like big waves on +the ocean, so that as soon as the little girl and boy had climbed over +the top of the first wave, or hill, those by the river lost sight of +them. + +They saw nothing but grass in the first hollow, but there was another +hill just beyond, so they kept going, and climbed over that too. And now +they found, lying in the second hollow, one of the most curious sights +that the western prairies afford. + +"What is it?" asked Chubbins, wonderingly. + +"Why, it's a Prairie-Dog Town," said Twinkle. + + + +Chapter II +Prarie-Dog Town + +LYING in every direction, and quite filling the little hollow, were +round mounds of earth, each one having a hole in the center. The mounds +were about two feet high and as big around as a wash-tub, and the edges +of the holes were pounded hard and smooth by the pattering feet of the +little creatures that lived within. + +"Isn't it funny!" said Chubbins, staring at the mounds. + +"Awful," replied Twinkle, staring too. "Do you know, Chub, there are +an'mals living in every single one of those holes?" + +"What kind?" asked Chubbins. + +"Well, they're something like squirrels, only they _aren't_ squirrels," +she explained. "They're prairie-dogs." + +"Don't like dogs," said the boy, looking a bit uneasy. + +"Oh, they're not dogs at all," said Twinkle; "they're soft and fluffy, +and gentle." + +"Do they bark?" he asked. + +"Yes; but they don't bite." + +"How d' you know, Twink?" + +"Papa has told me about them, lots of times. He says they're so shy that +they run into their holes when anybody's around; but if you keep quiet +and watch, they'll stick their heads out in a few minutes." + +"Let's watch," said Chubbins. + +"All right," she agreed. + +Very near to some of the mounds was a raised bank, covered with soft +grass; so the children stole softly up to this bank and lay down upon +it in such a way that their heads just stuck over the top of it, +while their bodies were hidden from the eyes of any of the folks of +Prairie-Dog Town. + +"Are you comferble, Chub?" asked the little girl. + +"Yes." + +"Then lie still and don't talk, and keep your eyes open, and perhaps the +an'mals will stick their heads up." + +"All right," says Chubbins. + +So they kept quiet and waited, and it seemed a long time to both the boy +and the girl before a soft, furry head popped out of a near-by hole, and +two big, gentle brown eyes looked at them curiously. + + + +Chapter III +Mr. Bowko, the Mayor + +"DEAR me!" said the prairie-dog, speaking almost in a whisper; "here are +some of those queer humans from the village." + +"Let me see! Let me see!" cried two shrill little voices, and the wee +heads of two small creatures popped out of the hole and fixed their +bright eyes upon the heads of Twinkle and Chubbins. + +"Go down at once!" said the mother prairie-dog. "Do you want to get +hurt, you naughty little things?" + +"Oh, they won't get hurt," said another deeper voice, and the children +turned their eyes toward a second mound, on top of which sat a plump +prairie-dog whose reddish fur was tipped with white on the end of each +hair. He seemed to be quite old, or at least well along in years, and he +had a wise and thoughtful look on his face. + +"They're humans," said the mother. + +"True enough; but they're only human children, and wouldn't hurt your +little ones for the world," the old one said. + +"That's so!" called Twinkle. "All we want, is to get acquainted." + +"Why, in that case," replied the old prairie-dog, "you are very welcome +in our town, and we're glad to see you." + +"Thank you," said Twinkle, gratefully. It didn't occur to her just then +that it was wonderful to be talking to the little prairie-dogs just as +if they were people. It seemed very natural they should speak with each +other and be friendly. + +As if attracted by the sound of voices, little heads began to pop out of +the other mounds--one here and one there--until the town was alive with +the pretty creatures, all squatting near the edges of their holes and +eyeing Chubbins and Twinkle with grave and curious looks. + +"Let me introduce myself," said the old one that had first proved +friendly. "My name is Bowko, and I'm the Mayor and High Chief of +Prairie-Dog Town." + +"Don't you have a king?" asked Twinkle. + +"Not in this town," he answered. "There seems to be no place for kings +in this free United States. And a Mayor and High Chief is just as good +as a king, any day." + +"I think so, too," answered the girl. + +"Better!" declared Chubbins. + +The Mayor smiled, as if pleased. + +"I see you've been properly brought up," he continued; "and now let me +introduce to you some of my fellow-citizens. This," pointing with one +little paw to the hole where the mother and her two children were +sitting, "is Mrs. Puff-Pudgy and her family--Teenty and Weenty. Mr. +Puff-Pudgy, I regret to say, was recently chased out of town for saying +his prayers backwards." + +"How could he?" asked Chubbins, much surprised. + +"He was always contrary," answered the Mayor, with a sigh, "and wouldn't +do things the same way that others did. His good wife, Mrs. Puff-Pudgy, +had to scold him all day long; so we finally made him leave the town, +and I don't know where he's gone to." + +"Won't he be sorry not to have his little children any more?" asked +Twinkle, regretfully. + +"I suppose so; but if people are contrary, and won't behave, they must +take the consequences. This is Mr. Chuckledorf," continued the Mayor, +and a very fat prairie-dog bowed to them most politely; "and here is +Mrs. Fuzcum; and Mrs. Chatterby; and Mr. Sneezeley, and Doctor Dosem." + +All these folks bowed gravely and politely, and Chubbins and Twinkle +bobbed their heads in return until their necks ached, for it seemed as +if the Mayor would never get through introducing the hundreds of +prairie-dogs that were squatting around. + +"I'll never be able to tell one from the other," whispered the girl; +"'cause they all look exactly alike." + +"Some of 'em's fatter," observed Chubbins; "but I don't know which." + + + +Chapter IV +Presto Digi, the Magician + +"AND now, if you like, we will be pleased to have you visit some of our +houses," said Mr. Bowko, the Mayor, in a friendly tone. + +"But we can't!" exclaimed Twinkle. "We're too big," and she got up and +sat down upon the bank, to show him how big she really was when compared +with the prairie-dogs. + +"Oh, that doesn't matter in the least," the Mayor replied. "I'll have +Presto Digi, our magician, reduce you to our size." + +"Can he?" asked Twinkle, doubtfully. + +"Our magician can do anything," declared the Mayor. Then he sat up and +put both his front paws to his mouth and made a curious sound that was +something like a bark and something like a whistle, but not exactly like +either one. + +Then everybody waited in silence until a queer old prairie-dog slowly +put his head out of a big mound near the center of the village. + +"Good morning, Mr. Presto Digi," said the Mayor. + +"Morning!" answered the magician, blinking his eyes as if he had just +awakened from sleep. + +Twinkle nearly laughed at this scrawny, skinny personage; but by good +fortune, for she didn't wish to offend him, she kept her face straight +and did not even smile. + +"We have two guests here, this morning," continued the Mayor, addressing +the magician, "who are a little too large to get into our houses. So, as +they are invited to stay to luncheon, it would please us all if you +would kindly reduce them to fit our underground rooms." + +"Is _that_ all you want?" asked Mr. Presto Digi, bobbing his head at the +children. + +"It seems to me a great deal," answered Twinkle. "I'm afraid you never +could do it." + +"Wow!" said the magician, in a scornful voice that was almost a bark. "I +can do that with one paw. Come here to me, and don't step on any of our +mounds while you're so big and clumsy." + +So Twinkle and Chubbins got up and walked slowly toward the magician, +taking great care where they stepped. Teenty and Weenty were frightened, +and ducked their heads with little squeals as the big children passed +their mound; but they bobbed up again the next moment, being curious to +see what would happen. + +When the boy and girl stopped before Mr. Presto Digi's mound, he began +waving one of his thin, scraggy paws and at the same time made a +gurgling noise that was deep down in his throat. And his eyes rolled and +twisted around in a very odd way. + +Neither Twinkle nor Chubbins felt any effect from the magic, nor any +different from ordinary; but they knew they were growing smaller, +because their eyes were getting closer to the magician. + +"Is that enough?" asked Mr. Presto, after a while. + +"Just a little more, please," replied the Mayor; "I don't want them to +bump their heads against the doorways." + +So the magician again waved his paw and chuckled and gurgled and +blinked, until Twinkle suddenly found she had to look up at him as he +squatted on his mound. + +"Stop!" she screamed; "if you keep on, we won't be anything at all!" + +"You're just about the right size," said the Mayor, looking them over +with much pleasure, and when the girl turned around she found Mr. Bowko +and Mrs. Puff-Pudgy standing beside her, and she could easily see that +Chubbins was no bigger than they, and she was no bigger than Chubbins. + +"Kindly follow me," said Mrs. Puff-Pudgy, "for my little darlings are +anxious to make your acquaintance, and as I was the first to discover +you, you are to be my guests first of all, and afterward go to the +Mayor's to luncheon." + + + +Chapter V +The Home of the Puff-Pudgys + +SO Twinkle and Chubbins, still holding hands, trotted along to the +Puff-Pudgy mound, and it was strange how rough the ground now seemed to +their tiny feet. They climbed up the slope of the mound rather clumsily, +and when they came to the hole it seemed to them as big as a well. Then +they saw that it wasn't a deep hole, but a sort of tunnel leading down +hill into the mound, and Twinkle knew if they were careful they were not +likely to slip or tumble down. + +Mrs. Puff-Pudgy popped into the hole like a flash, for she was used to +it, and waited just below the opening to guide them. So, Twinkle slipped +down to the floor of the tunnel and Chubbins followed close after her, +and then they began to go downward. + +"It's a little dark right here," said Mrs. Puff-Pudgy; "but I've ordered +the maid to light the candles for you, so you'll see well enough when +you're in the rooms." + +"Thank you," said Twinkle, walking along the hall and feeling her way by +keeping her hand upon the smooth sides of the passage. "I hope you won't +go to any trouble, or put on airs, just because we've come to visit +you." + +"If I do," replied Mrs. Puffy-Pudgy, "it's because I know the right way +to treat company. We've always belonged to the 'four hundred,' you know. +Some folks never know what to do, or how to do it, but that isn't the +way with the Puff-Pudgys. Hi! you, Teenty and Weenty--get out of here +and behave yourselves! You'll soon have a good look at our visitors." + +And now they came into a room so comfortable and even splendid that +Twinkle's eyes opened wide with amazement. + +It was big, and of a round shape, and on the walls were painted very +handsome portraits of different prairie-dogs of the Puff-Pudgy family. +The furniture was made of white clay, baked hard in the sun and +decorated with paints made from blue clay and red clay and yellow clay. +This gave it a gorgeous appearance. There was a round table in the +middle of the room, and several comfortable chairs and sofas. Around the +walls were little brackets with candles in them, lighting the place very +pleasantly. + +"Sit down, please," said Mrs. Puff-Pudgy. "You'll want to rest a minute +before I show you around." + +So Twinkle and Chubbins sat upon the pretty clay chairs, and Teenty and +Weenty sat opposite them and stared with their mischievous round eyes as +hard as they could. + +"What nice furniture," exclaimed the girl. + +"Yes," replied Mrs. Puff-Pudgy, looking up at the picture of a sad-faced +prairie-dog; "Mr. Puff-Pudgy made it all himself. He was very handy at +such things. It's a shame he turned out so obstinate." + +"Did he build the house too?" + +"Why, he dug it out, if that's what you mean. But I advised him how to +do it, so I deserve some credit for it myself. Next to the Mayor's, it's +the best house in town, which accounts for our high social standing. +Weenty! take your paw out of your mouth. You're biting your claws +again." + +"I'm not!" said Weenty. + +"And now," continued Mrs. Puff-Pudgy, "if you are rested, I'll show you +through the rest of our house." + +So, they got up and followed her, and she led the children through an +archway into the dining-room. Here was a cupboard full of the cunningest +little dishes Twinkle had ever seen. They were all made of clay, baked +hard in the sun, and were of graceful shapes, and nearly as smooth and +perfect as our own dishes. + + + +Chapter VI +Teenty and Weenty + +ALL around the sides of the dining-room were pockets, or bins, in the +wall; and these were full of those things the prairie-dogs are most fond +of eating. Clover-seeds filled one bin, and sweet roots another; dried +mulberry leaves--that must have come from a long distance--were in +another bin, and even kernels of yellow field corn were heaped in one +place. The Puff-Pudgys were surely in no danger of starving for some +time to come. + +"Teenty! Put back that grain of wheat," commanded the mother, in a +severe voice. + +Instead of obeying, Teenty put the wheat in his mouth and ate it as +quickly as possible. + +"The little dears are _so_ restless," Mrs. Puff-Pudgy said to Twinkle, +"that it's hard to manage them." + +"They don't behave," remarked Chubbins, staring hard at the children. + +"No, they have a share of their father's obstinate nature," replied Mrs. +Puff-Pudgy. "Excuse me a minute and I'll cuff them; It'll do them good." + +But before their mother could reach them, the children found trouble of +their own. Teenty sprang at Weenty and began to fight, because his +brother had pinched him, and Weenty fought back with all his might and +main. They scratched with their claws and bit with their teeth, and +rolled over and over upon the floor, bumping into the wall and upsetting +the chairs, and snarling and growling all the while like two puppies. + +Mrs. Puff-Pudgy sat down and watched them, but did not interfere. + +"Won't they hurt themselves?" asked Twinkle, anxiously. + +"Perhaps so," said the mother; "but if they do, it will punish them for +being so naughty. I always let them fight it out, because they are so +sore for a day or two afterward that they have to keep quiet, and then I +get a little rest." + +Weenty set up a great howling, just then, and Teenty drew away from his +defeated brother and looked at him closely. The fur on both of them was +badly mussed up, and Weenty had a long scratch on his nose, that must +have hurt him, or he wouldn't have howled so. Teenty's left eye was +closed tight, but if it hurt him he bore the pain in silence. + +Mrs. Puff-Pudgy now pushed them both into a little room and shut them +up, saying they must stay there until bedtime; and then she led Twinkle +and Chubbins into the kitchen and showed them a pool of clear water, in +a big clay basin, that had been caught during the last rain and saved +for drinking purposes. The children drank of it, and found it cool and +refreshing. + +Then they saw the bedrooms, and learned that the beds of prairie-dogs +were nothing more than round hollows made in heaps of clay. These +animals always curl themselves up when they sleep, and the round hollows +just fitted their bodies; so, no doubt, they found them very +comfortable. + +There were several bedrooms, for the Puff-Pudgy house was really very +large. It was also very cool and pleasant, being all underground and not +a bit damp. + +After they had admired everything in a way that made Mrs. Puff-Pudgy +very proud and happy, their hostess took one of the lighted candles from +a bracket and said she would now escort them to the house of the +Honorable Mr. Bowko, the Mayor. + + + +Chapter VII +The Mayor Gives a Luncheon + +"DON'T we have to go upstairs and out of doors?" asked Twinkle. + +"Oh, no," replied the prairie-dog, "we have halls connecting all the +different houses of importance. Just follow me, and you can't get lost." + +They might easily have been lost without their guide, the little girl +thought, after they had gone through several winding passages. They +turned this way and that, in quite a bewildering manner, and there were +so many underground tunnels going in every direction that it was a +wonder Mrs. Puff-Pudgy knew which way to go. + +"You ought to have sign-posts," said Chubbins, who had once been in a +city. + +"Why, as for that, every one in the town knows which way to go," +answered their guide; "and it isn't often we have visitors. Last week a +gray owl stopped with us for a couple of days, and we had a fine ball in +her honor. But you are the first humans that have ever been entertained +in our town, so it's quite an event with us." A few minutes later she +said: "Here we are, at the Mayor's house," and as they passed under a +broad archway she blew out her candle, because the Mayor's house was so +brilliantly lighted. + +"Welcome!" said Mr. Bowko, greeting the children with polite bows. "You +are just in time, for luncheon is about ready and my guests are waiting +for you." + +He led them at once into a big dining-room that was so magnificently +painted with colored clays that the walls were as bright as a June +rainbow. + +"How pretty!" cried Twinkle, clapping her hands together in delight. + +"I'm glad you like it," said the Mayor, much pleased. "Some people, who +are lacking in good taste, think it's a little overdone, but a Mayor's +house should be gorgeous, I think, so as to be a credit to the +community. My grandfather, who designed and painted this house, was a +very fine artist. But luncheon is ready, so pray be seated." + +They sat down on little clay chairs that were placed at the round table. +The Mayor sat on one side of Twinkle and Mrs. Puff-Pudgy on the other, +and Chubbins was between the skinny old magician and Mr. Sneezeley. +Also, in other chairs sat Dr. Dosem, and Mrs. Chatterby, and Mrs. +Fuzcum, and several others. It was a large company, indeed, which showed +that the Mayor considered this a very important occasion. + +They were waited upon by several sleek prairie-dog maids in white aprons +and white caps, who looked neat and respectable, and were very graceful +in their motions. + +Neither Twinkle nor Chubbins was very hungry, but they were curious to +know what kind of food the prairie-dogs ate, so they watched carefully +when the different dishes were passed around. Only grains and vegetables +were used, for prairie-dogs do not eat meat. There was a milk-weed soup +at first; and then yellow corn, boiled and sliced thin. Afterward they +had a salad of thistle leaves, and some bread made of barley. The +dessert was a dish of the sweet, dark honey made by prairie-bees, and +some cakes flavored with sweet and spicy roots that only prairie-dogs +know how to find. + +The children tasted of several dishes, just to show their politeness; +but they couldn't eat much. Chubbins spent most of his time watching Mr. +Presto Digi, who ate up everything that was near him and seemed to be as +hungry after the luncheon as he had been before. + +Mrs. Puff-Pudgy talked so much about the social standing and dignity of +the Puff-Pudgys that she couldn't find time to eat much, although she +asked for the recipe of the milk-weed soup. But most of the others +present paid strict attention to the meal and ate with very good +appetites. + + + +Chapter VIII +On Top of the Earth Again + +AFTERWARD they all went into the big drawing-room, where Mrs. Fuzcum +sang a song for them in a very shrill voice, and Mr. Sneezeley and Mrs. +Chatterby danced a graceful minuet that was much admired by all present. + +"We ought to be going home," said Twinkle, after this entertainment was +over. "I'm afraid our folks will worry about us." + +"We regret to part with you," replied the Mayor; "but, if you really +think you ought to go, we will not be so impolite as to urge you to +stay." + +"You'll find we have excellent manners," added Mrs. Puff-Pudgy. + +"I want to get big again," said Chubbins. + +"Very well; please step this way," said the Mayor. + +So they all followed him through a long passage until they began to go +upward, as if climbing a hill. And then a gleam of daylight showed just +ahead of them, and a few more steps brought them to the hole in the +middle of the mound. + +The Mayor and Mrs. Puff-Pudgy jumped up first, and then they helped +Twinkle and Chubbins to scramble out. The strong sunlight made them +blink their eyes for a time, but when they were able to look around they +found one or more heads of prairie-dogs sticking from every mound. + +"Now, Mr. Presto Digi," said the Mayor, when all the party were standing +on the ground, "please enlarge our friends to their natural sizes +again." + +"That is very easy," said the magician, with a sigh. "I really wish, Mr. +Mayor, that you would find something for me to do that is difficult." + +"I will, some time," promised the Mayor. "Just now, this is all I can +require of you." + +So the magician waved his paw and gurgled, much in the same way he had +done before, and Twinkle and Chubbins began to grow, and swell out until +they were as large as ever, and the prairie-dogs again seemed very small +beside them. + +"Good-bye," said the little girl, "and thank you all, very much, for +your kindness to us." + +"Good-bye!" answered a chorus of small voices, and then all the +prairie-dogs popped into their holes and quickly disappeared. + +Twinkle and Chubbins found they were sitting on the green bank again, at +the edge of Prairie-Dog Town. + +"Do you think we've been asleep, Chub?" asked the girl. + +"'Course not," replied Chubbins, with a big yawn. "It's easy 'nough to +know that, Twink, 'cause I'm sleepy now!" + + +THE END + + + +PRINCE MUD-TURTLE + + + +PRINCE MUD-TURTLE + + +List of Chapters PAGE +I Twinkle Captures the Turtle.....................199 +II Twinkle Discovers the Turtle can Talk...........207 +III The Turtle Tells of the Corrugated Giant........214 +IV Prince Turtle Remembers His Magic...............223 +V Twinkle Promises to be Brave....................232 +VI Twinkle Meets the Corrugated Giant..............239 +VII Prince Mud-Turtle Becomes Prince Melga..........244 +VIII Twinkle Receives a Medal........................250 + + + +Chapter I +Twinkle Captures the Turtle + +ONE hot summer day Twinkle went down into the meadow to where the brook +ran tinkling over its stones or rushed and whirled around the curves of +the banks or floated lazily through the more wide and shallow parts. It +wasn't much of a brook, to tell the facts, for there were many places +where an active child could leap across it. But it was the only brook +for miles around, and to Twinkle it was a never-ending source of +delight. Nothing amused or refreshed the little girl more than to go +wading on the pebbly bottom and let the little waves wash around her +slim ankles. + +There was one place, just below the pasture lot, where it was deeper; +and here there were real fishes swimming about, such as "horned aces" +and "chubs" and "shiners"; and once in a while you could catch a +mud-turtle under the edges of the flat stones or in hollows beneath the +banks. The deep part was not very big, being merely a pool, but Twinkle +never waded in it, because the water would come quite up to her waist, +and then she would be sure to get her skirts wet, which would mean a +good scolding from mamma. + +To-day she climbed the fence in the lane, just where the rickety wooden +bridge crossed the brook, and at once sat down upon the grassy bank and +took off her shoes and stockings. Then, wearing her sun-bonnet to shield +her face from the sun, she stepped softly into the brook and stood +watching the cool water rush by her legs. + +It was very nice and pleasant; but Twinkle never could stand still for +very long, so she began to wade slowly down the stream, keeping in the +middle of the brook, and being able to see through the clear water all +the best places to put her feet. + +Pretty soon she had to duck her head to pass under the fence that +separated the meadow from the pasture lot; but she got through all +right, and then kept on down the stream, until she came close to the +deep pool. She couldn't wade through this, as I have explained; so she +got on dry land and crept on her hands and knees up to the edge of the +bank, so as not to scare the fishes, if any were swimming in the pool. + +By good luck there were several fishes in the pool to-day, and they +didn't seem to notice that Twinkle was looking at them, so quiet had she +been. One little fellow shone like silver when the sunshine caught his +glossy sides, and the little girl watched him wiggling here and there +with much delight. There was also a big, mud-colored fish that lay a +long time upon the bottom without moving anything except his fins and +the tip of his tail, and Twinkle also discovered a group of several +small fishes not over an inch long, that always swam together in a +bunch, as if they belonged to one family. + +The girl watched these little creatures long and earnestly. The pool was +all of the world these simple fishes would ever know. They were born +here, and would die here, without ever getting away from the place, or +even knowing there was a much bigger world outside of it. + +After a time the child noticed that the water had become a little muddy +near the edge of the bank where she lay, and as it slowly grew clear +again she saw a beautiful turtle lying just under her head and against +the side of the bank. It was a little bigger around than a silver +dollar, and instead of its shell being of a dull brown color, like that +of all other mud-turtles she had seen, this one's back was streaked with +brilliant patches of yellow and red. + +"I must get that lovely turtle!" thought Twinkle; and as the water was +shallow where it lay she suddenly plunged in her hand, grabbed the +turtle, and flung it out of the water on to the bank, where it fell upon +its back, wiggling its four fat legs desperately in an attempt to turn +over. + + + +Chapter II +Twinkle Discovers the Turtle Can Talk + +AT this sudden commotion in their water, the fishes darted away and +disappeared in a flash. But Twinkle didn't mind that, for all her +interest was now centered in the struggling turtle. + +She knelt upon the grass and bent over to watch it, and just then she +thought she heard a small voice say: + +"It's no use; I can't do it!" and then the turtle drew its head and legs +between the shells and remained still. + +"Good gracious!" said Twinkle, much astonished. Then, addressing the +turtle, she asked: + +"Did you say anything, a minute ago?" + +There was no reply. The turtle lay as quiet as if it were dead. Twinkle +thought she must have been mistaken; so she picked up the turtle and +held it in the palm of her hand while she got into the water again and +waded slowly back to where she had left her shoes and stockings. + +When she got home she put the mud-turtle in a tub which her papa had +made by sawing a barrel in two. Then she put a little water into the tub +and blocked it up by putting a brick under one side, so that the turtle +could either stay in the water or crawl up the inclined bottom of the +tub to where it was dry, whichever he pleased. She did this because +mamma said that turtles sometimes liked to stay in the water and +sometimes on land, and Twinkle's turtle could now take his choice. He +couldn't climb up the steep sides of the tub and so get away, and the +little girl thoughtfully placed crumbs of bread and fine bits of meat, +where the turtle could get them whenever he felt hungry. + +After that, Twinkle often sat for hours watching the turtle, which would +crawl around the bottom of the tub, and swim in the little pool of water +and eat the food placed before him in an eager and amusing way. + +At times she took him in her hand and examined him closely, and then the +mud-turtle would put out its little head and look at her with its bright +eyes as curiously as the girl looked at him. + +She had owned her turtle just a week, when she came to the tub one +afternoon and held him in her hand, intending to feed her pet some +scraps of meat she had brought with her. But as soon as the turtle put +out its head it said to her, in a small but distinct voice: + +"Good morning, Twinkle." + +She was so surprised that the meat dropped from her hand, and she nearly +dropped the turtle, too. But she managed to control her astonishment, +and asked, in a voice that trembled a little: + +"Can you talk?" + +"To be sure," replied the turtle; "but only on every seventh day--which +of course is every Saturday. On other days I cannot talk at all." + +"Then I really must have heard you speak when I caught you; didn't I?" + +"I believe you did. I was so startled at being captured that I spoke +before I thought, which is a bad habit to get into. But afterward I +resolved not to answer when you questioned me, for I didn't know you +then, and feared it would be unwise to trust you with my secret. Even +now I must ask you not to tell any one that you have a turtle that knows +how to talk." + + + +Chapter III +The Turtle Tells of the Corrugated Giant + +"WHY, it's wonderful!" said Twinkle, who had listened eagerly to the +turtle's speech. + +"It would be wonderful, indeed, if I were but a simple turtle," was the +reply. + +"But aren't you a turtle?" + +"Of course, so far as my outward appearance goes, I'm a common little +mud-turtle," it answered; "and I think you will agree with me that it +was rather clever in the Corrugated Giant to transform me into such a +creature." + +"What's a Corrulated Giant?" asked Twinkle, with breathless interest. + +"The Corrugated Giant is a monster that is full of deep wrinkles, +because he has no bones inside him to hold his flesh up properly," said +the turtle. "I hated this giant, who is both wicked and cruel, I assure +you; and this giant hated me in return. So, when one day I tried to +destroy him, the monster transformed me into the helpless little being +you see before you." + +"But who were you before you were transformed?" asked the girl. + +"A fairy prince named Melga, the seventh son of the fairy Queen +Flutterlight, who rules all the fairies in the north part of this land." + +"And how long have you been a turtle?" + +"Fourteen years," replied the creature, with a deep sigh. "At least, I +think it is fourteen years; but of course when one is swimming around in +brooks and grubbing in the mud for food, one is apt to lose all track of +time." + +"I should think so, indeed," said Twinkle. "But, according to that, +you're older than I am." + +"Much older," declared the turtle. "I had lived about four hundred years +before the Corrugated Giant turned me into a turtle." + +"Was your head gray?" she asked; "and did you have white whiskers?" + +"No, indeed!" said the turtle. "Fairies are always young and beautiful +in appearance, no matter how many years they have lived. And, as they +never die, they're bound to get pretty old sometimes, as a matter of +course." + +"Of course!" agreed Twinkle. "Mama has told me about the fairies. But +must you always be a mud-turtle?" + +"That will depend on whether you are willing to help me or not," was the +answer. + +"Why, it sounds just like a fairy tale in a book!" cried the little +girl. + +"Yes," replied the turtle, "these things have been happening ever since +there were fairies, and you might expect some of our adventures would +get into books. But are you willing to help me? That is the important +thing just now." + +"I'll do anything I can," said Twinkle. + +"Then," said the turtle, "I may expect to get back to my own form again +in a reasonably short time. But you must be brave, and not shrink from +such a little thing as danger." + +That made Twinkle look solemn. + +"Of course I don't want to get hurt," she said. "My mama and papa would +go di_struc_ted if anything happened to me." + +"Something will happen, _sure,_" declared the turtle; "but nothing that +happens will hurt you in the least if you do exactly as I tell you." + +"I won't have to fight that Carbolated Giant, will I?" Twinkle asked +doubtfully. + +"He isn't carbolated; he's corrugated. No, you won't have to fight at +all. When the proper time comes I'll do the fighting myself. But you may +have to come with me to the Black Mountains, in order to set me free." + +"Is it far?" she asked. + +"Yes; but it won't take us long to go there," answered the turtle. "Now, +I'll tell you what to do and, if you follow my advice no one will ever +know you've been mixed up with fairies and strange adventures." + +"And Collerated Giants," she added. + +"Corrugated," he corrected. "It is too late, this Saturday, to start +upon our journey, so we must wait another week. But next Saturday +morning do you come to me bright and early, as soon as you've had +breakfast, and then I'll tell you what to do." + +"All right," said Twinkle; "I won't forget." + +"In the mean time, do give me a little clean water now and then. I'm a +mud-turtle, sure enough; but I'm also a fairy prince, and I must say I +prefer clean water." + +"I'll attend to it," promised the girl. + +"Now put me down and run away," continued the turtle. "It will take me +all the week to think over my plans, and decide exactly what we are to +do." + + + +Chapter IV +Prince Turtle Remembers His Magic + +TWINKLE was as nervous as she could be during all the week that followed +this strange conversation with Prince Turtle. Every day, as soon as +school was out, she would run to the tub to see if the turtle was still +safe--for she worried lest it should run away or disappear in some +strange manner. And during school hours it was such hard work to keep +her mind on her lessons that teacher scolded her more than once. + +The fairy imprisoned in the turtle's form had nothing to say to her +during this week, because he would not be allowed to talk again until +Saturday; so the most that Twinkle could do to show her interest in the +Prince was to give him the choicest food she could get and supply him +with plenty of fresh, clean water. + +At last the day of her adventure arrived, and as soon as she could get +away from the breakfast table Twinkle ran out to the tub. There was her +fairy turtle, safe as could be, and as she leaned over the tub he put +out his head and called "Good morning!" in his small, shrill voice. + +"Good morning," she replied. + +"Are you still willing and ready to assist me?" asked the turtle. + +"To be sure," said Twinkle. + +"Then take me in your hand," said he. + +So she picked him out of the tub and placed him upon her hand. And the +turtle said: + +"Now pay strict attention, and do exactly as I tell you, and all will be +well. In the first place, we want to get to the Black Mountains; so you +must repeat after me these words: '_Uller; aller; iller; oller!_'" + +"Uller; aller; iller; oller!" said Twinkle. + +The next minute it seemed as though a gale of wind had struck her. It +blew so strongly against her eyes that she could not see; so she covered +her face with one arm while with the other hand she held fast to the +turtle. Her skirts fluttered so wildly that it seemed as if they would +tear themselves from her body, and her sun-bonnet, not being properly +fastened, was gone in a minute. + +But it didn't last long, fortunately. After a few moments the wind +stopped, and she found she could breathe again. Then she looked around +her and drew another long breath, for instead of being in the back yard +at home she stood on the side of a beautiful mountain, and spread before +her were the loveliest green valleys she had ever beheld. + +"Well, we're here," said the turtle, in a voice that sounded as if he +were well pleased. "I thought I hadn't forgotten my fairy wisdom." + +"Where are we?" asked the child. + +"In the Black Mountains, of course," was the reply. "We've come a good +way, but it didn't take us long to arrive, did it?" + +"No, indeed," she answered, still gazing down the mountain side at the +flower-strewn grass-land of the valleys. + +"This," said the turtle, sticking his little head out of the shell as +far as it would go, "is the realm of the fairies, where I used to dwell. +Those beautiful palaces you see yonder are inhabited by Queen +Flutterlight and my people, and that grim castle at your left, standing +on the side of the mountain, is where the Corrugated Giant lives." + +"I don't see anything!" exclaimed Twinkle; "that is, nothing but the +valleys and the flowers and grass." + +"True; I had forgotten that these things are invisible to your mortal +eyes. But it is necessary that you should see all clearly, if you are +going to rescue me from this terrible form and restore me to my natural +shape. Now, put me down upon the ground, for I must search for a +particular plant whose leaf has a magic virtue." + +So Twinkle put him down, and the little turtle began running around here +and there, looking carefully at the different plants that grew amongst +the grass on the mountain side. But his legs were so short and his +shell-covered body so heavy, that he couldn't move very fast; so +presently he called for her to pick him up again, and hold him close to +the ground while she walked among the plants. She did this, and after +what seemed a long search the turtle suddenly cried out: + +"Stop! Here it is! This is the plant I want." + +"Which--this?" asked the girl, touching a broad green leaf. + +"Yes. Pluck the leaf from the stem and rub your eyelids with it." + +She obeyed, and having rubbed her lids well with the leaf, she again +opened her eyes and beheld the real Fairyland. + + + +Chapter V +Twinkle Promises to Be Brave + +IN the center of the valley was a great cluster of palaces that appeared +to be built of crystal and silver and mother-of-pearl, and golden +filigree-work. So dainty and beautiful were these fairy dwellings that +Twinkle had no doubt for an instant but that she gazed upon fairyland. +She could almost see, from the far mountain upon which she stood, the +airy, gauze-winged forms of the fairies themselves, floating gently +amidst their pretty palaces and moving gracefully along the jeweled +streets. + +But another sight now attracted her attention--a big, gray, ugly looking +castle standing frowning on the mountain side at her left. It overlooked +the lovely city of palaces like a dark cloud on the edge of a blue sky, +and the girl could not help giving a shudder as she saw it. All around +the castle was a high fence of iron spikes. + +"That fence is enchanted," said the turtle, as if he knew she was +looking at it; "and no fairy can pass it, because the power to prevent +it has been given to the giant. But a mortal has never been forbidden to +pass the fence, for no one ever supposed that a mortal would come here +or be able to see it. That is the reason I have brought you to this +place, and the reason why you alone are able to help me." + +"Gracious!" cried Twinkle; "must I meet the Carbonated Giant?" + +"He's corrugated," said the turtle. + +"I know he's something dreadful," she wailed, "because he's so hard to +pronounce." + +"You will surely have to meet him," declared the turtle; "but do not +fear, I will protect you from all harm." + +"Well, a Corralated Giant's a mighty big person," said the girl, +doubtfully, "and a mud-turtle isn't much of a fighter. I guess I'll go +home." + +"That is impossible," declared the turtle. "You are too far from home +ever to get back without my help, so you may as well be good and +obedient." + +"What must I do?" she asked. + +"We will wait until it is nearly noon, when the giant will put his pot +on the fire to boil his dinner. We can tell the right time by watching +the smoke come out of his chimney. Then you must march straight up to +the castle and into the kitchen where the giant is at work, and throw me +quickly into the boiling kettle. That is all that you will be required +to do." + +"I never could do it!" declared Twinkle. + +"Why not?" + +"You'd be scalded to death, and then I'd be a murderer!" + +"Nonsense!" said the turtle, peevishly. "I know what I'm doing, and if +you obey me I'll not be scalded but an instant; for then I'll resume my +own form. Remember that I'm a fairy, and fairies can't be killed so +easily as you seem to think." + +"Won't it hurt you?" she inquired. + +"Only for a moment; but the reward will be so great that I won't mind an +instant's pain. Will you do this favor for me?" + +"I'll try," replied Twinkle, gravely. + +"Then I will be very grateful," said Prince Turtle, "and agree to +afterward send you home safe and sound, and as quickly as you came." + + + +Chapter VI +Twinkle Meets the Corrugated Giant + +"AND now, while we are waiting," continued the fairy turtle, "I want to +find a certain flower that has wonderful powers to protect mortals from +any injury. Not that I fear I shall be unable to take care of you, but +it's just as well to be on the safe side." + +"Better," said Twinkle, earnestly. "Where's the flower?" + +"We'll hunt for it," replied the turtle. + +So holding him in her hand in such a way that he could see all the +flowers that grew, the girl began wandering over the mountain side, and +everything was so beautiful around her that she would have been quite +contented and happy had not the gray castle been before her to remind +her constantly that she must face the terrible giant who lived within +it. + +They found the flower at last--a pretty pink blossom that looked like a +double daisy, but must have been something else, because a daisy has no +magic power that I ever heard of. And when it was found, the turtle told +her to pick the flower and pin it fast to the front of her dress; which +she did. + +By that time the smoke began to roll out of the giant's chimney in big +black clouds; so the fairy turtle said the giant must be getting dinner, +and the pot would surely be boiling by the time they got to the castle. + +Twinkle couldn't help being a little afraid to approach the giant's +stronghold, but she tried to be brave, and so stepped along briskly +until she came to the fence of iron spikes. + +"You must squeeze through between two of the spikes," said the turtle. + +She didn't think it could possibly be done; but to her surprise it was +quite easy, and she managed to squeeze through the fence without even +tearing her dress. Then she walked up a great driveway, which was lined +with white skulls of many sheep which the giant had eaten, to the front +door of the castle, which stood ajar. + +"Go in," said the turtle; so she boldly entered and passed down a high +arched hall toward a room in the rear. + +"This is the kitchen," said the turtle, "Enter quickly, go straight to +the kettle, and throw me into the boiling water." + +Twinkle entered quickly enough, but then she stopped short with a cry of +amazement; for there before her stood the ugly giant, blowing the fire +with an immense pair of bellows. + + + +Chapter VII +Prince Mud-Turtle Becomes Prince Melga + +THE giant was as big around as ten men, and as tall as two; but, having +no bones, he seemed pushed together, so that his skin wrinkled up like +the sides of an accordeon, or a photograph camera, even his face being +so wrinkled that his nose stuck out between two folds of flesh and his +eyes from between two more. In one end of the kitchen was the great +fireplace, above which hung an iron kettle with a big iron spoon in it. +And at the other end was a table set for dinner. + +As the giant was standing between the kettle and Twinkle, she could not +do as the turtle had commanded, and throw him into the pot. So she +hesitated, wondering how to obey the fairy. Just then the giant happened +to turn around and see her. + +"By the whiskers of Gammarog--who was one of my ancestors that was +killed by Jack the Giant-Killer!" he cried, but in a very mild voice for +so big a person. "Whom have we here?" + +"I'm Twinkle," said the girl, drawing a long breath. + +"Then, to pay you for your folly in entering my castle, I will make you +my slave, and some day, if you're not good, I'll feed you to my +seventeen-headed dog. I never eat little girls myself. I prefer mutton." + +Twinkle's heart almost stopped beating when she heard these awful words. +All she could do was to stand still and look imploringly at the giant. +But she held the fairy mud-turtle clasped tight in her hand, so that the +monster couldn't see it. + +"Well, what are you staring at?" shouted the Corrugated Giant, angrily. +"Blow up that fire this instant, slave!" + +He stood aside for her to pass, and Twinkle ran at once to the +fireplace. The pot was now before her, and within easy reach, and it was +bubbling hot. + +In an instant she reached out her hand and tossed the turtle into the +boiling water; and then, with a cry of horror at her own action, she +drew back to see what would happen. + +The turtle was a fairy, all right; and he had known very well the best +way to break the enchantment his enemy had put upon him. For no sooner +had Twinkle tossed him into the boiling pot than a great hissing was +heard, and a cloud of steam hid for an instant the fireplace. Then, as +it cleared away, a handsome young prince stepped forward, fully armed; +for the turtle was again a fairy, and the kettle had changed into a +strong shield which he bore upon his left arm, and the iron spoon was +now a long and glittering sword. + + + +Chapter VIII +Twinkle Receives a Medal + +THE giant gave a roar like that of a baby bull when he saw Prince Melga +standing before him, and in a twinkling he had caught up a big club that +stood near and began whirling it over his head. But before it could +descend, the prince ran at him and stuck his sword as far as it would go +into the corrugated body of the giant. Again the monster roared and +tried to fight; but the sword had hurt him badly, and the prince pushed +it into the evil creature again and again, until the end came, and his +corrugated enemy rolled over upon the floor quite dead. + +Then the fairy turned to Twinkle, and kneeling before her he kissed her +hand. + +"Thank you very much," he said, in a sweet voice, "for setting me free. +You are a very brave little girl!" + +"I'm not so sure about that," she answered. "I was dreadfully scared!" + +Now he took her hand and led her from the castle; and she didn't have to +squeeze through the fence again, because the fairy had only to utter a +magic word and the gate flew open. And when they turned to look back, +the castle of the Corrugated Giant, with all that it had contained, had +vanished from sight, never to be seen again by either mortal or fairy +eyes. For that was sure to happen whenever the giant was dead. + +The prince led Twinkle into the valley where the fairy palaces stood, +and told all his people, when they crowded around to welcome him, how +kind the little girl had been to him, and how her courage had enabled +him to defeat the giant and to regain his proper form. And all the +fairies praised Twinkle with kind words, and the lovely Queen +Flutterlight, who seemed altogether too young to be the mother of the +handsome prince, gave to the child a golden medal with a tiny mud-turtle +engraved upon one side of it. + +Then, after a fine feast had been prepared, and the little girl had +eaten all she could of the fairy sweetmeats, she told Prince Melga she +would like to go home again. + +"Very well," said he. "Don't forget me, Twinkle, although we probably +shall never meet again. I'll send you home quite as safely as you came; +but as your eyes have been rubbed with the magic maita-leaf, you will +doubtless always see many strange sights that are hidden from other +mortals." + +"I don't mind," said Twinkle. + +Then she bade good-bye to the fairies, and the prince spoke a magic +word. There was another rush of wind, and when it had passed Twinkle +found herself once more in the back yard at home. + +As she sat upon the grass rubbing her eyes and wondering at the strange +adventure that had befallen her, mamma came out upon the back porch and +said: + +"Your turtle has crawled out of the tub and run away." + +"Yes," said Twinkle, "I know; and I'm glad of it!" + +But she kept her secret to herself. + + +THE END + + + +TWINKLE'S ENCHANTMENT + + + +TWINKLE'S ENCHANTMENT + + + +List of Chapters PAGE +I Twinkle Enters the Big Gulch............261 +II The Rolling Stone.......................269 +III Some Queer Acquaintances................277 +IV The Dancing Bear........................288 +V The Cave of the Waterfall...............298 +VI Prince Nimble...........................306 +VII The Grasshoppers' Hop...................312 + + + +Chapter I +Twinkle Enters the Big Gulch + +ONE afternoon Twinkle decided to go into the big gulch and pick some +blueberries for papa's supper. She had on her blue gingham dress and her +blue sun-bonnet, and there were stout shoes upon her feet. So she took +her tin pail and started out. + +"Be back in time for supper," called mamma from the kitchen porch. + +"'Course," said Twinkle, as she trotted away. "I'm not hungry now, but +I'll be hungry 'nough when supper-time comes. 'Course I'll be back!" + +The side of the gulch was but a little way from the house. It was like a +big ditch, only the sides were not too steep to crawl down; and in the +middle of the gulch were rolling hills and deep gullies, all covered +with wild bushes and vines and a few flowering plants--very rare in this +part of the country. + +Twinkle hadn't lived very long in this section of Dakota, for her father +had just bought the new farm that lay beside the gulch. So the big ditch +was a great delight to her, and she loved to wander through it and pick +the berries and flowers that never grew on the plains above. + +To-day she crept carefully down the path back of the house and soon +reached the bottom of the gulch. Then she began to search for the +berries; but all were gone in the places where she had picked them +before; so she found she must go further along. + +She sat down to rest for a time, and by and by she happened to look up +at the other side and saw a big cluster of bushes hanging full of ripe +blueberries--just about half way up the opposite bank. + +She had never gone so far before, but if she wanted the berries for +papa's supper she knew she must climb up the slope and get them; so she +rose to her feet and began to walk in that direction. It was all new to +the little girl, and seemed to her like a beautiful fairyland; but she +had no idea that the gulch was enchanted. Soon a beetle crawled across +her path, and as she stopped to let it go by, she heard it say: + +"Look out for the line of enchantment! You'll soon cross it, if you +don't watch out." + +"What line of enchantment?" asked Twinkle. + +"It's almost under your nose," replied the little creature. + +"I don't see anything at all," she said, after looking closely. + +"Of course you don't," said the beetle. "It isn't a mark, you know, that +any one can see with their eyes; but it's a line of enchantment, just +the same, and whoever steps over it is sure to see strange things and +have strange adventures." + +"I don't mind that," said Twinkle. + +"Well, I don't mind if you don't," returned the beetle, and by that time +he had crept across the path and disappeared underneath a big rock. + +Twinkle went on, without being at all afraid. If the beetle spoke truly, +and there really was an invisible line that divided the common, real +world from an enchanted country, she was very eager to cross it, as any +little girl might well be. And then it occurred to her that she must +have crossed the enchanted line before she met the beetle, for otherwise +she wouldn't have understood his language, or known what he was talking +about. Children don't talk with beetles in the real world, as Twinkle +knew very well, and she was walking along soberly, thinking this over, +when suddenly a voice cried out to her: + +"Be careful!" + + + +Chapter II +The Rolling Stone + +OF course Twinkle stopped then, and looked around to see who had spoken. +But no one was anywhere in sight. So she started on again. + +"Look out, or you'll step on me!" cried the voice a second time. + +She looked at her feet very carefully. There was nothing near them but a +big round stone that was about the size of her head, and a prickly +thistle that she never would step on if she could possibly help it. + +"Who's talking?" she asked. + +"Why, _I'm_ talking," answered the voice. "Who do you suppose it is?" + +"I don't know," said Twinkle. "I just can't see anybody at all." + +"Then you must be blind," said the voice. "I'm the Rolling Stone, and +I'm about two inches from your left toes." + +"The Rolling Stone!" + +"That's it. That's me. I'm the Rolling Stone that gathers no moss." + +"You can't be," said Twinkle, sitting down in the path and looking +carefully at the stone. + +"Why not?" + +"Because you don't roll," she said. "You're a stone, of course; I can +see that, all right. But you're not rolling." + +"How silly!" replied the Stone. "I don't have to roll every minute to be +a Rolling Stone, do I?" + +"Of course you do," answered Twinkle. "If you don't roll you're just a +common, _still_ stone." + +"Well, I declare!" exclaimed the Stone; "you don't seem to understand +anything. You're a Talking Girl, are you not?" + +"To be sure I am," said Twinkle. + +"But you don't talk every minute, do you?" + +"Mama says I do," she answered. + +"But you don't. You're sometimes quiet, aren't you?" + +"'Course I am." + +"That's the way with me. Sometimes I roll, and so I'm called the Rolling +Stone. Sometimes you talk, and so you're the Talking Girl." + +"No; I'm Twinkle," she said. + +"That doesn't sound like a name," remarked the Stone. + +"It's what papa calls me, anyway," explained the girl. Then, thinking +she had lingered long enough, she added: + +"I'm going up the hill to pick those berries. Since you can roll, +suppose you go with me." + +"What! Up hill?" exclaimed the Stone. + +"Why not?" asked Twinkle. + +"Who ever heard of a stone rolling up hill? It's unnatural!" + +"Any stone can roll down hill," said the child. "If you can't roll up +hill, you're no better than a common cobble-stone." + +"Oh, I can roll up hill if I have to," declared the Stone, peevishly. +"But it's hard work, and nearly breaks my back." + +"I can't see that you have any back," said Twinkle. + +"Why, I'm all back," replied the Stone. "When _your_ back aches, it's +only a part of you. But when _my_ back aches, it's all of me except the +middle." + +"The middle ache is the worst of all," said Twinkle, solemnly. "Well, if +you don't want to go," she added, jumping up, "I'll say good-bye." + +"Anything to be sociable," said the Stone, sighing deeply. "I'll go +along and keep you company. But it's lots easier to roll down than it is +to roll up, I assure you!" + +"Why, you're a reg'lar grumbler!" exclaimed Twinkle. + +"That's because I lead a hard life," returned the Stone, dismally. "But +don't let us quarrel; it is so seldom I get a chance to talk with one of +my own standing in society." + +"You can't have any standing, without feet," declared Twinkle, shaking +her head at the Stone. + +"One can have _under_standing, at least," was the answer; "and +understanding is the best standing any person can have." + +"Perhaps that is true," said the child, thoughtfully; "but I'm glad I +have legs, just the same." + + + +Chapter III +Some Queer Acquaintances + +"WAIT a minute!" implored a small voice, and the girl noticed a yellow +butterfly that had just settled down upon the stone. "Aren't you the +child from the farm?" + +"To be sure," she answered, much amused to hear the butterfly speak. + +"Then can you tell me if your mother expects to churn to-day," said the +pretty creature, slowly folding and unfolding its dainty wings. + +"Why do you want to know?" + +"If she churns to-day, I'll fly over to the house and try to steal some +butter. But if your mother isn't going to churn, I'll fly down into the +gulch and rob a bees' nest I know of." + +"Why do you rob and steal?" inquired Twinkle. + +"It's the only way I can get my living," said the butterfly. "Nobody +ever gives me anything, and so I have to take what I want." + +"Do you like butter?" + +"Of course I do! That's why we are called butterflies, you know. I +prefer butter to anything else, and I have heard that in some countries +the children always leave a little dish of butter on the window-sill, so +that we may help ourselves whenever we are hungry. I wish I had been +born in such a country." + +"Mother won't churn until Saturday," said Twinkle. "I know, 'cause I've +got to help her, and I just hate butter-making!" + +"Then I won't go to the farm to-day," replied the butterfly. "Good-bye, +little girl. If you think of it, leave a dish of butter around where I +can get at it." + +"All right," said Twinkle, and the butterfly waved its wings and +fluttered through the air into the gulch below. + +Then the girl started up the hill and the Stone rolled slowly beside +her, groaning and grumbling because the ground was so rough. + +Presently she noticed running across the path a tiny Book, not much +bigger than a postage-stamp. It had two slender legs, like those of a +bumble-bee, and upon these it ran so fast that all the leaves fluttered +wildly, the covers being half open. + +"What's that?" asked Twinkle, looking after the book in surprise. + +"That is a little Learning," answered the Stone. "Look out for it, for +they say it's a dangerous thing." + +"It's gone already," said Twinkle. + +"Let it go. Nobody wants it, that I know of. Just help me over this +bump, will you?" + +So she rolled the Stone over the little hillock, and just as she did so +her attention was attracted by a curious noise that sounded like "Pop! +pop! pop!" + +"What's that?" she inquired, hesitating to advance. + +"Only a weasel," answered the Stone. "Stand still a minute, and you'll +see him. Whenever he thinks he's alone, and there's no one to hear, +'pop' goes the weasel." + +Sure enough, a little animal soon crossed their path, making the funny +noise at every step. But as soon as he saw that Twinkle was staring at +him he stopped popping and rushed into a bunch of tall grass and hid +himself. + +And now they were almost at the berry-bushes, and Twinkle trotted so +fast that the Rolling Stone had hard work to keep up with her. But when +she got to the bushes she found a flock of strange birds sitting upon +them and eating up the berries as fast as they could. The birds were not +much bigger than robins, and were covered with a soft, velvety skin +instead of with feathers, and they had merry black eyes and long, +slender beaks curving downward from their noses, which gave to their +faces a saucy expression. The lack of usual feathers might not have +surprised Twinkle so much had she not noticed upon the tail of each bird +one single, solitary feather of great length, which was certainly a +remarkable thing. + +"I know what they are," she said, nodding her head wisely; "they're +birds of a feather." + +At this the birds burst into a chorus of laughter, and one of them said: + +"Perhaps you think that's why we flock together." + +"Well, isn't that the reason?" she asked. + +"Not a bit of it," declared the bird. "The reason we flock together is +because we're too proud to mix with common birds, who have feathers all +over them." + +"I should think you'd be ashamed, 'cause you're so naked," she returned. + +"The fact is, Twinkle," said another bird, as he pecked at a blueberry +and swallowed it, "the common things in this world don't amount to much. +There are millions of birds on earth, but only a few of us that have but +one feather. In my opinion, if you had but one hair upon your head you'd +be much prettier." + +"I'd be more 'strord'nary, I'm sure," said Twinkle, using the biggest +word she could think of. + +"There's no accounting for tastes," remarked the Rolling Stone, which +had just arrived at Twinkle's side after a hard roll up the path. "For +my part, I haven't either hair or feathers, and I'm glad of it." + +The birds laughed again, at this, and as they had eaten all the berries +they cared for, they now flew into the air and disappeared. + + + +Chapter IV +The Dancing Bear + +"REALLY," said Twinkle, as she began picking the berries and putting them +into her pail, "I didn't know so many things could talk." + +"It's because you are in the part of the gulch that's enchanted," +answered the Rolling Stone. "When you get home again, you'll think this +is all a dream." + +"I wonder if it isn't!" she suddenly cried, stopping to look around, and +then feeling of herself carefully. "It's usually the way in all the +fairy stories that papa reads to me. I don't remember going to sleep any +time; but perhaps I did, after all." + +"Don't let it worry you," said the Stone, making a queer noise that +Twinkle thought was meant for a laugh. "If you wake up, you'll be sorry +you didn't dream longer; and if you find you haven't been asleep, this +will be a wonderful adventure." + +"That's true enough," the girl answered, and again began filling her +pail with the berries. "When I tell mama all this, she won't believe a +word of it. And papa will laugh and pinch my cheek, and say I'm like +Alice in Wonderland, or Dorothy in the Land of Oz." + +Just then she noticed something big and black coming around the bushes +from the other side, and her heart beat a good deal faster when she saw +before her a great bear standing upon his rear legs beside her. + +He had a little red cap on his head that was kept in place by a band of +rubber elastic. His eyes were small, but round and sparkling, and there +seemed to be a smile upon his face, for his white teeth showed in two +long rows. + +"Don't be afraid," called out the Rolling Stone; "it's only the Dancing +Bear." + +"Why should the child be afraid?" asked the bear, speaking in a low, +soft tone that reminded her of the purring of a kitten. "No one ever +heard of a Dancing Bear hurting anybody. We're about the most harmless +things in the world." + +"Are you really a Dancing Bear?" asked Twinkle, curiously. + +"I am, my dear," he replied, bowing low and then folding his arms +proudly as he leaned against a big rock that was near. "I wish there was +some one here who could tell you what a fine dancer I am. It wouldn't be +modest for me to praise myself, you know." + +"I s'pose not," said Twinkle. "But if you're a Dancing Bear, why don't +you dance?" + +"There it is again!" cried the Rolling Stone. "This girl Twinkle wants +to keep everybody moving. She wouldn't believe, at first, that I was a +Rolling Stone, because I was lying quiet just then. And now she won't +believe you're a Dancing Bear, because you don't eternally keep +dancing." + +"Well, there's some sense in that, after all," declared the Bear. "I'm +only a Dancing Bear while I'm dancing, to speak the exact truth; and +you're only a Rolling Stone while you're rolling." + +"I beg to disagree with you," returned the Stone, in a cold voice. + +"Well, don't let us quarrel, on any account," said the Bear. "I invite +you both to come to my cave and see me dance. Then Twinkle will be sure +I'm a Dancing Bear." + +"I haven't filled my pail yet," said the little girl, "and I've got to +get enough berries for papa's supper." + +"I'll help you," replied the Bear, politely; and at once he began to +pick berries and to put them into Twinkle's pail. His big paws looked +very clumsy and awkward, but it was astonishing how many blueberries the +bear could pick with them. Twinkle had hard work to keep up with him, +and almost before she realized how fast they had worked, the little pail +was full and overflowing with fine, plump berries. + +"And now," said the Bear, "I will show you the way to my cave." + +He took her hand in his soft paw and began leading her along the side of +the steep hill, while the Stone rolled busily along just behind them. +But they had not gone far before Twinkle's foot slipped, and in trying +to save herself from falling she pushed hard against the Stone and +tumbled it from the pathway. + +"Now you've done it!" growled the Stone, excitedly, as it whirled +around. "Here I go, for I've lost my balance and I can't help myself!" + +Even as he spoke the big round stone was flying down the side of the +gulch, bumping against the hillocks and bits of rock--sometimes leaping +into the air and then clinging close to the ground, but going faster and +faster every minute. + +"Dear me," said Twinkle, looking after it; "I'm afraid the Rolling Stone +will get hurt." + +"No danger of that," replied the Bear. "It's as hard as a rock, and not +a thing in the gulch could hurt it a bit. But our friend would have to +roll a long time to get back here again, so we won't wait. Come along, +my dear." + +He held out his paw again, and Twinkle took it with one of her hands +while she carried the pail with the other, and so managed to get over +the rough ground very easily. + + + +Chapter V +The Cave of the Waterfall + +BEFORE long they came to the entrance to the cave, and as it looked dark +and gloomy from without Twinkle drew back and said she guessed she +wouldn't go in. + +"But it's quite light inside," said the bear, "and there's a pretty +waterfall there, too. Don't be afraid, Twinkle; I'll take good care of +you." + +So the girl plucked up courage and permitted him to lead her into the +cave; and then she was glad she had come, instead of being a 'fraid-cat. +For the place was big and roomy, and there were many cracks in the roof, +that admitted plenty of light and air. Around the side walls were +several pairs of big ears, which seemed to have been carved out of the +rock. These astonished the little girl. + +"What are the ears for?" she asked. + +"Don't walls have ears where you live?" returned the Bear, as if +surprised. + +"I've heard they do," she answered, "but I've never seen any before." + +At the back of the cave was a little, tinkling waterfall, that splashed +into a pool beneath with a sound that was very like music. Near this was +a square slab of rock, a little raised above the level of the floor. + +"Kindly take a seat, my dear," said the bear, "and I'll try to amuse +you, and at the same time prove that I can dance." + +So to the music of the waterfall the bear began dancing. He climbed upon +the flat stone, made a graceful bow to Twinkle, and then balanced +himself first upon one foot and then upon the other, and swung slowly +around in a circle, and then back again. + +"How do you like it?" he asked. + +"I don't care much for it," said Twinkle. "I believe I could do better +myself." + +"But you are not a bear," he answered. "Girls ought to dance better than +bears, you know. But not every bear can dance. If I had a hand-organ to +make the music, instead of this waterfall, I might do better." + +"Then I wish you had one," said the girl. + +The Bear began dancing again, and this time he moved more rapidly and +shuffled his feet in quite a funny manner. He almost fell off the slab +once or twice, so anxious was he to prove he could dance. And once he +tripped over his own foot, which made Twinkle laugh. + +Just as he was finishing his dance a strange voice cried out: + +"For bear!" and a green monkey sprang into the cave and threw a big rock +at the performer. It knocked the bear off the slab, and he fell into the +pool of water at the foot of the waterfall, and was dripping wet when he +scrambled out again. + +The Dancing Bear gave a big growl and ran as fast as he could after the +monkey, finally chasing him out of the cave. Twinkle picked up her pail +of berries and followed, and when she got into the sunshine again on the +side of the hill she saw the monkey and the bear hugging each other +tight, and growling and chattering in a way that showed they were angry +with each other and not on pleasant terms. + +"You _will_ throw rocks at me, will you?" shouted the Bear. + +"I will if I get the chance," replied the monkey. "Wasn't that a fine, +straight shot? and didn't you go plump into the water, though?" and he +shrieked with laughter. + +Just then they fell over in a heap, and began rolling down the hill. + +"Let go!" yelled the Bear. + +"Let go, yourself!" screamed the monkey. + +But neither of them did let go, so they rolled faster and faster down +the hill, and the last that Twinkle saw of them they were bounding among +the bushes at the very bottom of the big gulch. + + + +Chapter VI +Prince Nimble + +"GOOD gracious!" said the little girl, looking around her; "I'm as good +as lost in this strange place, and I don't know in what direction to go +to get home again." + +So she sat down on the grass and tried to think which way she had come, +and which way she ought to return in order to get across the gulch to +the farm-house. + +"If the Rolling Stone was here, he might tell me," she said aloud. "But +I'm all alone." + +"Oh, no, you're not," piped a small, sweet voice. "I'm here, and I know +much more than the Rolling Stone does." + +Twinkle looked this way and then that, very carefully, in order to see +who had spoken, and at last she discovered a pretty grasshopper perched +upon a long blade of grass nearby. + +"Did I hear you speak?" she inquired. + +"Yes," replied the grasshopper. "I'm Prince Nimble, the hoppiest hopper +in Hoptown." + +"Where is that?" asked the child. + +"Why, Hoptown is near the bottom of the gulch, in that thick patch of +grass you see yonder. It's on your way home, so I'd be pleased to have +you visit it." + +"Won't I step on some of you?" she asked. + +"Not if you are careful," replied Prince Nimble. "Grasshoppers don't +often get stepped on. We're pretty active, you know." + +"All right," said Twinkle. "I'd like to see a grasshopper village." + +"Then follow me, and I'll guide you," said Nimble, and at once he leaped +from the blade of grass and landed at least six feet away. + +Twinkle got up and followed, keeping her eye on the pretty Prince, who +leaped so fast that she had to trot to keep up with him. Nimble would +wait on some clump of grass or bit of rock until the girl came up, and +then away he'd go again. + +"How far is it?" Twinkle once asked him. + +"About a mile and a half," was the answer; "we'll soon be there, for you +are as good as a mile, and I'm good for the half-mile." + +"How do you figure that out?" asked Twinkle. + +"Why, I've always heard that a miss is as good as a mile, and you're a +miss, are you not?" + +"Not yet," she answered; "I'm only a little girl. But papa will be sure +to miss me if I don't get home to supper." + + + +Chapter VII +The Grasshoppers' Hop + +TWINKLE now began to fear she wouldn't get home to supper, for the sun +started to sink into the big prairie, and in the golden glow it left +behind, the girl beheld most beautiful palaces and castles suspended in +the air just above the hollow in which she stood. Splendid banners +floated from the peaks and spires of these magnificent buildings, and +all the windows seemed of silver and all the roofs of gold. + +"What city is that?" she asked, standing still, in amazement. + +"That isn't any city," replied the grasshopper. "They are only Castles +in the Air--very pretty to look at, but out of everybody's reach. Come +along, my little friend; we're almost at Hoptown." + +So Twinkle walked on, and before long Prince Nimble paused on the stem +of a hollyhock and said: + +"Now, sit down carefully, right where you are, and you will be able to +watch my people. It is the night of our regular hop--if you listen you +can hear the orchestra tuning up." + +She sat down, as he bade her, and tried to listen, but only heard a low +whirr and rattle like the noise of a beetle's wings. + +"That's the drummer," said Prince Nimble. "He is very clever, indeed." + +"Good gracious! It's night," said Twinkle, with a start. "I ought to be +at home and in bed this very minute!" + +"Never mind," said the grasshopper; "you can sleep any time, but this is +our annual ball, and it's a great privilege to witness it." + +Suddenly the grass all around them became brilliantly lighted, as if +from a thousand tiny electric lamps. Twinkle looked closely, and saw +that a vast number of fireflies had formed a circle around them, and +were illuminating the scene of the ball. + +In the center of the circle were assembled hundreds of grasshoppers, of +all sizes. The small ones were of a delicate green color, and the +middle-sized ones of a deeper green, while the biggest ones were a +yellowish brown. + +But the members of the orchestra interested Twinkle more than anything +else. They were seated upon the broad top of a big toadstool at +one side, and the musicians were all beetles and big-bugs. A fat +water-beetle played a bass fiddle as big and fat as himself, and two +pretty ladybugs played the violins. A scarab, brightly colored with +scarlet and black, tooted upon a long horn, and a sand-beetle made the +sound of a drum with its wings. Then there was a coleopto, making +shrill sounds like a flute--only of course Twinkle didn't know the +names of these beetles, and thought they were all just "bugs." + +When the orchestra began to play, the music was more pleasing than you +might suppose; anyway, the grasshoppers liked it, for they commenced at +once to dance. + +The antics of the grasshoppers made Twinkle laugh more than once, for +the way they danced was to hop around in a circle, and jump over each +other, and then a lady grasshopper and a gentleman grasshopper would +take hold of hands and stand on their long rear legs and swing partners +until it made the girl dizzy just to watch them. + +Sometimes two of them would leap at once, and knock against each other +in the air, and then go tumbling to the ground, where the other dancers +tripped over them. She saw Prince Nimble dancing away with the others, +and his partner was a lovely green grasshopper with sparkling black eyes +and wings that were like velvet. They didn't bump into as many of the +others as some did, and Twinkle thought they danced very gracefully +indeed. + +And now, while the merriment was at its height, and waiter-grasshoppers +were passing around refreshments that looked like grass seeds covered +with thick molasses, a big cat suddenly jumped into the circle. + +At once all the lights went out, for the fire-flies fled in every +direction; but in the darkness Twinkle thought she could still hear the +drone of the big bass fiddle and the flute-like trill of the ladybugs. + +The next thing Twinkle knew, some one was shaking her shoulder. + +* * * + +"Wake up, dear," said her mother's voice. "It's nearly supper-time, and +papa's waiting for you. And I see you haven't picked a single +blueberry." + +"Why, I picked 'em, all right," replied Twinkle, sitting up and first +rubbing her eyes and then looking gravely at her empty tin pail. "They +were all in the pail a few minutes ago. I wonder whatever became of +them!" + + +THE END + + + +SUGAR-LOAF MOUNTAIN + + +SUGAR-LOAF MOUNTAIN + + +List of Chapters +I The Golden Key........................325 +II Through the Tunnel....................333 +III Sugar-Loaf City.......................340 +IV To the King's Palace..................348 +V Princess Sakareen.....................357 +VI The Royal Chariot.....................365 +VII Twinkle Gets Thirsty..................372 +VIII After the Runaway.....................381 + + + +Chapter I +The Golden Key + +TWINKLE had come to visit her old friend Chubbins, whose mother was now +teaching school in a little town at the foot of the Ozark Mountains, in +Arkansas. Twinkle's own home was in Dakota, so the mountains that now +towered around her made her open her eyes in wonder. + +Near by--so near, in fact, that she thought she might almost reach out +her arm and touch it--was Sugar-Loaf Mountain, round and high and big. +And a little to the south was Backbone Mountain, and still farther along +a peak called Crystal Mountain. + +The very next day after her arrival Twinkle asked Chubbins to take her +to see the mountain; and so the boy, who was about her own age, got his +mother to fill for them a basket of good things to eat, and away they +started, hand in hand, to explore the mountain-side. + +It was farther to Sugar-Loaf Mountain than Twinkle had thought, and by +the time they reached the foot of the great mound, the rocky sides of +which were covered with bushes and small trees, they were both rather +tired by the walk. + +"Let's eat something," suggested Chubbins. + +"I'm willing," said Twinkle. + +So they climbed up a little way, to where some big rocks lay flat upon +the mountain, and sat themselves down upon a slab of rock while they +rested and ate some of the sandwiches and cake. + +"Why do they call it 'Sugar-Loaf'?" asked the girl, looking far up to +the top of the mountain. + +"I don't know," replied Chubbins. + +"It's a queer name," said Twinkle, thoughtfully. + +"That's so," agreed the boy. "They might as well have called it +'gingerbread' or 'rock-salt,' or 'tea-biscuit.' They call mountains +funny names, don't they?" + +"Seems as if they do," said Twinkle. + +They had been sitting upon the edge of one big flat rock, with their +feet resting against another that was almost as large. These rocks +appeared to have been there for ages,--as if some big giants in olden +days had tossed them carelessly down and then gone away and left them. +Yet as the children pushed their feet against this one, the heavy mass +suddenly began to tremble and then slide downward. + +"Look out!" cried the girl, frightened to see the slab of rock move. +"We'll fall and get hurt!" + +But they clung to the rock upon which they sat and met with no harm +whatever. Nor did the big slab of stone below them move very far from +its original position. + +It merely slid downward a few feet, and when they looked at the place +where it had been they discovered what seemed to be a small iron door, +built into the solid stone underneath, and now shown to their view by +the moving of the upper rock. + +"Why, it's a door!" exclaimed Twinkle. + +Chubbins got down upon his knees and examined the door carefully. There +was a ring in it that seemed to be a handle, and he caught hold of it +and pulled as hard as he could. But it wouldn't move. + +"It's locked, Twink," he said. + +"What do you'spose is under it?" she asked. + +"Maybe it's a treasure!" answered Chubbins, his eyes big with interest. + +"Well, Chub, we can't get it, anyway," said the practical Twinkle; "so +let's climb the mountain." + +She got down from her seat and approached the door, and as she did so +she struck a small bit of rock with her foot and sent it tumbling down +the hill. Then she stopped short with a cry of wonder, for under the +stone she had kicked away was a little hole in the rock, and within this +they saw a small golden key. + +"Perhaps," she said, eagerly, as she stooped to pick up the key, "this +will unlock the iron door." + +"Let's try it!" cried the boy. + + + +Chapter II +Through the Tunnel + +THEY examined the door carefully, and at last found near the center of +it a small hole. Twinkle put the golden key into this and found that it +fitted exactly. But it took all of Chubbins's strength to turn the key +in the rusty lock. Yet finally it did turn, and they heard the noise of +bolts shooting back, so they both took hold of the ring, and pulling +hard together, managed to raise the iron door on its hinges. + +All they saw was a dark tunnel, with stone steps leading down into the +mountain. + +"No treasure here," said the little girl. + +"P'raps it's farther in," replied Chubbins. "Shall we go down?" + +"Won't it be dangerous?" she asked. + +"Don't know," said Chubbins, honestly. "It's been years and years since +this door was opened. You can see for yourself. That rock must have +covered it up a long time." + +"There must be _something_ inside," she declared, "or there wouldn't be +any door, or any steps." + +"That's so," answered Chubbins. "I'll go down and see. You wait." + +"No; I'll go too," said Twinkle. "I'd be just as scared waiting outside +as I would be in. And I 'in bigger than you are, Chub." + +"You're taller, but you're only a month older, Twink; so don't you put +on airs. And I'm the strongest." + +"We'll both go," she decided; "and then if we find the treasure we'll +divide." + +"All right; come on!" + +Forgetting their basket, which they left upon the rocks, they crept +through the little doorway and down the steps. There were only seven +steps in all, and then came a narrow but level tunnel that led straight +into the mountain-side. It was dark a few feet from the door, but the +children resolved to go on. Taking hold of hands, so as not to get +separated, and feeling the sides of the passage to guide them, they +walked a long way into the black tunnel. + +Twinkle was just about to say they'd better go back, when the passage +suddenly turned, and far ahead of them shone a faint light. This +encouraged them, and they went on faster, hoping they would soon come to +the treasure. + +"Keep it up, Twink," said the boy. "It's no use going home yet." + +"We must be almost in the middle of Sugar-Loaf Mountain," she answered. + +"Oh, no; it's an awful big mountain," said he. "But we've come quite a +way, haven't we?" + +"I guess mama'd scold, if she knew where we are." + +"Mamas," said Chubbins, "shouldn't know everything, 'cause they'd only +worry. And if we don't get hurt I can't see as there's any harm done." + +"But we mustn't be naughty, Chub." + +"The only thing that's naughty," he replied, "is doing what you're told +not to do. And no one told us not to go into the middle of Sugar-Loaf +Mountain." + +Just then they came to another curve in their path, and saw a bright +light ahead. It looked to the children just like daylight; so they ran +along and soon passed through a low arch and came out into-- + +Well! the scene before them was so strange that it nearly took away +their breath, and they stood perfectly still and stared as hard as their +big eyes could possibly stare. + + + +Chapter III +Sugaf-Loaf City + +SUGAR-LOAF Mountain was hollow inside, for the children stood facing a +great dome that rose so far above their heads that it seemed almost as +high as the sky. And underneath this dome lay spread out the loveliest +city imaginable. There were streets of houses, and buildings with round +domes, and slender, delicate spires reaching far up into the air, and +turrets beautifully ornamented with carvings. And all these were white +as the driven snow and sparkling in every part like millions of +diamonds--for all were built of pure loaf-sugar! The pavements of the +streets were also loaf-sugar, and the trees and bushes and flowers were +likewise sugar; but these last were not all white, because all sugar is +not white, and they showed many bright colors of red sugar and blue +sugar and yellow, purple and green sugar, all contrasting most prettily +with the sparkling white buildings and the great white dome overhead. + +This alone might well astonish the eyes of children from the outside +world, but it was by no means all that Twinkle and Chubbins beheld in +that first curious look at Sugar-Loaf City. For the city was inhabited +by many people--men, women and children--who walked along the streets +just as briskly as we do; only all were made of sugar. There were +several different kinds of these sugar people. Some, who strutted +proudly along, were evidently of pure loaf-sugar, and these were of a +most respectable appearance. Others seemed to be made of a light brown +sugar, and were more humble in their manners and seemed to hurry along +as if they had business to attend to. Then there were some of sugar so +dark in color that Twinkle suspected it was maple-sugar, and these folks +seemed of less account than any of the others, being servants, drivers +of carriages, and beggars and idlers. + +Carts and carriages moved along the streets, and were mostly made of +brown sugar. The horses that drew them were either pressed sugar or +maple-sugar. In fact, everything that existed in this wonderful city was +made of some kind of sugar. + +Where the light, which made all this place so bright and beautiful, came +from, Twinkle could not imagine. There was no sun, nor were there any +electric lights that could be seen; but it was fully as bright as day +and everything showed with great plainness. + +While the children, who stood just inside the archway through which they +had entered, were looking at the wonders of Sugar-Loaf City, a file of +sugar soldiers suddenly came around a corner at a swift trot. + +"Halt!" cried the Captain. He wore a red sugar jacket and a red sugar +cap, and the soldiers were dressed in the same manner as their Captain, +but without the officer's yellow sugar shoulder-straps. At the command, +the sugar soldiers came to a stop, and all pointed their sugar muskets +at Twinkle and Chubbins. + +"Surrender!" said the Captain to them. "Surrender, or I'll--I'll--" + +He hesitated. + +"What will you do?" said Twinkle. + +"I don't know what, but something very dreadful," replied the Captain. +"But of course you'll surrender." + +"I suppose we'll have to," answered the girl. + +"That's right. I'll just take you to the king, and let him decide what +to do," he added pleasantly. + +So the soldiers surrounded the two children, shouldered arms, and +marched away down the street, Twinkle and Chubbins walking slowly, so +the candy folks would not have to run; for the tallest soldiers were +only as high as their shoulders. + +"This is a great event," remarked the Captain, as he walked beside them +with as much dignity as he could muster. "It was really good of you to +come and be arrested, for I haven't had any excitement in a long time. +The people here are such good sugar that they seldom do anything wrong." + + + +Chapter IV +To the King's Palace + +"WHAT, allow me to ask, is your grade of sugar?" inquired the Captain, +with much politeness. "You do not seem to be the best loaf, but I +suppose that of course you are solid." + +"Solid what?" asked Chubbins. + +"Solid sugar," replied the Captain. + +"We're not sugar at all," explained Twinkle. "We're just meat." + +"Meat! And what is that?" + +"Haven't you any meat in your city?" + +"No," he replied, shaking his head. "Well, I can't explain exactly what +meat is," she said; "but it isn't sugar, anyway." + +At this the Captain looked solemn. + +"It isn't any of my business, after all," he told them. "The king must +decide about you, for that's _his_ business. But since you are not made +of sugar you must excuse me if I decline to converse with you any +longer. It is beneath my dignity." + +"Oh, that's all right," said Twinkle. + +"Where we came from," said Chubbins, "meat costs more a pound than sugar +does; so I guess we're just as good as you are." + +But the Captain made no reply to this statement, and before long they +stopped in front of a big sugar building, while a crowd of sugar people +quickly gathered. + +"Stand back!" cried the Captain, and the sugar soldiers formed a row +between the children and the sugar citizens, and kept the crowd from +getting too near. Then the Captain led Twinkle and Chubbins through a +high sugar gateway and up a broad sugar walk to the entrance of the +building. + +"Must be the king's castle," said Chubbins. + +"The king's palace," corrected the Captain, stiffly. + +"What's the difference?" asked Twinkle. + +But the sugar officer did not care to explain. + +Brown sugar servants in plum-colored sugar coats stood at the entrance +to the palace, and their eyes stuck out like lozenges from their sugar +faces when they saw the strangers the Captain was escorting. + +But every one bowed low, and stood aside for them to pass, and they +walked through beautiful halls and reception rooms where the sugar was +cut into panels and scrolls and carved to represent all kinds of fruit +and flowers. + +"Isn't it sweet!" said Twinkle. + +"Sure it is," answered Chubbins. + +And now they were ushered into a magnificent room, where a stout little +sugar man was sitting near the window playing upon a fiddle, while a +group of sugar men and women stood before him in respectful attitudes +and listened to the music. + +Twinkle knew at once that the fiddler was the king, because he had a +sugar crown upon his head. His Majesty was made of very white and +sparkling cut loaf-sugar, and his clothing was formed of the same pure +material. The only color about him was the pink sugar in his cheeks and +the brown sugar in his eyes. His fiddle was also of white sugar, and the +strings were of spun sugar and had an excellent tone. + +When the king saw the strange children enter the room he jumped up and +exclaimed: + +"Bless my beets! What have we here?" + +"Mortals, Most Granular and Solidified Majesty," answered the Captain, +bowing so low that his forehead touched the floor. "They came in by the +ancient tunnel." + +"Well, I declare," said the king. "I thought that tunnel had been +stopped up for good and all." + +"The stone above the door slipped," said Twinkle, "so we came down to +see what we could find." + +"You must never do it again," said his Majesty, sternly. "This is our +own kingdom, a peaceful and retired nation of extra refined and +substantial citizens, and we don't wish to mix with mortals, or any +other folks." + +"We'll go back, pretty soon," said Twinkle. + +"Now, that's very nice of you," declared the king, "and I appreciate +your kindness. Are you extra refined, my dear?" + +"I hope so," said the girl, a little doubtfully. + +"Then there's no harm in our being friendly while you're here. And as +you've promised to go back to your own world soon, I have no objection +to showing you around the town. You'd like to see how we live, wouldn't +you?" + +"Very much," said Twinkle. + +"Order my chariot, Captain Brittle," said his Majesty; and the Captain +again made one of his lowly bows and strutted from the room to execute +the command. + +The king now introduced Chubbins and Twinkle to the sugar ladies and +gentlemen who were present, and all of them treated the children very +respectfully. + + + +Chapter V +Princess Sakareen + +"SAY, play us a tune," said Chubbins to the king. His Majesty didn't seem +to like being addressed so bluntly, but he was very fond of playing the +fiddle, so he graciously obeyed the request and played a pretty and +pathetic ballad upon the spun sugar strings. Then, begging to be excused +for a few minutes while the chariot was being made ready, the king left +them and went into another room. + +This gave the children a chance to talk freely with the sugar people, +and Chubbins said to one man, who looked very smooth on the outside: + +"I s'pose you're one of the big men of this place, aren't you?" + +The man looked frightened for a moment, and then took the boy's arm and +led him into a corner of the room. + +"You ask me an embarrassing question," he whispered, looking around to +make sure that no one overheard. "Although I pose as one of the +nobility, I am, as a matter of fact, a great fraud!" + +"How's that?" asked Chubbins. + +"Have you noticed how smooth I am?" inquired the sugar man. + +"Yes," replied the boy. "Why is it?" + +"Why, I'm frosted, that's the reason. No one here suspects it, and I'm +considered very respectable; but the truth is, I'm just coated over with +frosting, and not solid sugar at all." + +"What's inside you?" asked Chubbins. + +"That," answered the man, "I do not know. I've never dared to find out. +For if I broke my frosting to see what I'm stuffed with, every one else +would see too, and I would be disgraced and ruined." + +"Perhaps you're cake," suggested the boy. + +"Perhaps so," answered the man, sadly. "Please keep my secret, for only +those who are solid loaf-sugar are of any account in this country, and +at present I am received in the best society, as you see." + +"Oh, I won't tell," said Chubbins. + +During this time Twinkle had been talking with a sugar lady, in another +part of the room. This lady seemed to be of the purest loaf-sugar, for +she sparkled most beautifully, and Twinkle thought she was quite the +prettiest person to look at that she had yet seen. + +"Are you related to the king?" she asked. + +"No, indeed," answered the sugar lady, "although I'm considered one of +the very highest quality. But I'll tell you a secret, my dear." She took +Twinkle's hand and led her across to a sugar sofa, where they both sat +down. + +"No one," resumed the sugar lady, "has ever suspected the truth; but I'm +only a sham, and it worries me dreadfully." + +"I don't understand what you mean," said Twinkle. "Your sugar seems as +pure and sparkling as that of the king." + +"Things are not always what they seem," sighed the sugar lady. "What you +see of me, on the outside, is all right; but the fact is, _I'm hollow!_" + +"Dear me!" exclaimed Twinkle, in surprise. "How do you know it?" + +"I can feel it," answered the lady, impressively. "If you weighed me +you'd find I'm not as heavy as the solid ones, and Tor a long time I Ve +realized the bitter truth that I'm hollow. It makes me very unhappy, but +I don't dare confide my secret to anyone here, because it would disgrace +me forever." + +"I wouldn't worry," said the child. "They'll never know the difference." + +"Not unless I should break," replied the sugar lady. "But if that +happened, all the world could see that I'm hollow, and instead of being +welcomed in good society I'd become an outcast. It's even more +respectable to be made of brown sugar, than to be hollow; don't you +think so?" + +"I'm a stranger here," said Twinkle; "so I can't judge. But if I were +you, I wouldn't worry unless I got broke; and you may be wrong, after +all, and as sound as a brick!" + + + +Chapter VI +The Royal Chariot + +JUST then the king came back to the room and said: + +"The chariot is at the door; and, as there are three seats, I'll take +Lord Cloy and Princess Sakareen with us." + +So the children followed the king to the door of the palace, where stood +a beautiful white and yellow sugar chariot, drawn by six handsome sugar +horses with spun sugar tails and manes, and driven by a brown sugar +coachman in a blue sugar livery. + +The king got in first, and the others followed. Then the children +discovered that Lord Cloy was the frosted man and Princess Sakareen was +the sugar lady who had told Twinkle that she was hollow. + +There was quite a crowd of sugar people at the gates to watch the +departure of the royal party, and a few soldiers and policemen were also +present to keep order. Twinkle sat beside the king, and Chubbins sat on +the same seat with the Princess Sakareen, while Lord Cloy was obliged to +sit with the coachman. When all were ready the driver cracked a sugar +whip (but didn't break it), and away the chariot dashed over a road +paved with blocks of cut loaf-sugar. + +The air was cool and pleasant, but there was a sweet smell to the breeze +that was peculiar to this strange country. Sugar birds flew here and +there, singing sweet songs, and a few sugar dogs ran out to bark at the +king's chariot as it whirled along. + +"Haven't you any automobiles in your country?" asked the girl. + +"No," answered the king. "Anything that requires heat to make it go is +avoided here, because heat would melt us and ruin our bodies in a few +minutes. Automobiles would be dangerous in Sugar-Loaf City." + +"They're dangerous enough anywhere," she said. "What do you feed to your +horses?" + +"They eat a fine quality of barley-sugar that grows in our fields," +answered the king. "You'll see it presently, for we will drive out to my +country villa, which is near the edge of the dome, opposite to where you +came in." + +First, however, they rode all about the city, and the king pointed out +the public buildings, and the theaters, and the churches, and a number +of small but pretty public parks. And there was a high tower near the +center that rose half-way to the dome, it was so tall. + +"Aren't you afraid the roof will cave in some time, and ruin your city?" +Twinkle asked the king. + +"Oh, no," he answered. "We never think of such a thing. Isn't there a +dome over the place where you live?" + +"Yes," said Twinkle; "but it's the sky." + +"Do you ever fear it will cave in?" inquired the king. + +"No, indeed!" she replied, with a laugh at the idea. + +"Well, it's the same way with us," returned his Majesty. "Domes are the +strongest things in all the world." + + + +Chapter VII +Twinkle Gets Thirsty + +AFTER they had seen the sights of the city the carriage turned into a +broad highway that led into the country, and soon they began to pass +fields of sugar corn and gardens of sugar cabbages and sugar beets and +sugar potatoes. There were also orchards of sugar plums and sugar apples +and vineyards of sugar grapes. All the trees were sugar, and even the +grass was sugar, while sugar grasshoppers hopped about in it. Indeed, +Chubbins decided that not a speck of anything beneath the dome of +Sugar-Loaf Mountain was anything but pure sugar--unless the inside of +the frosted man proved to be of a different material. + +By and by they reached a pretty villa, where they all left the carriage +and followed the sugar king into the sugar house. Refreshments had been +ordered in advance, over the sugar telephone, so that the dining table +was already laid and all they had to do was to sit in the pretty sugar +chairs and be waited upon by maple-sugar attendants. + +There were sandwiches and salads and fruits and many other sugar things +to eat, served on sugar plates; and the children found that some were +flavored with winter-green and raspberry and lemon, so that they were +almost as good as candies. At each plate was a glass made of crystal +sugar and filled with thick sugar syrup, and this seemed to be the only +thing to drink. After eating so much sugar the children naturally became +thirsty, and when the king asked Twinkle if she would like anything else +she answered promptly: + +"Yes, I'd like a drink of water." + +At once a murmur of horror arose from the sugar people present, and the +king pushed back his chair as if greatly disturbed. + +"Water!" he exclaimed, in amazement. + +"Sure," replied Chubbins. "I want some, too. We're thirsty." + +The king shuddered. + +"Nothing in the world," said he gravely, "is so dangerous as water. It +melts sugar in no time, and to drink it would destroy you instantly." + +"We're not made of sugar," said Twinkle. "In our country we drink all +the water we want." + +"It may be true," returned the king; "but I am thankful to say there is +no drop of water in all this favored country. But we have syrup, which +is much better for your health. It fills up the spaces inside you, and +hardens and makes you solid." + +"It makes me thirstier than ever," said the girl. "But if you have no +water we must try to get along until we get home again." + +When the luncheon was over, they entered the carriage again and were +driven back towards the city. On the way the six sugar horses became +restless, and pranced around in so lively a manner that the sugar +coachman could scarcely hold them in. And when they had nearly reached +the palace a part of the harness broke, and without warning all six +horses dashed madly away. The chariot smashed against a high wall of +sugar and broke into many pieces, the sugar people, as well as Twinkle +and Chubbins, being thrown out and scattered in all directions. + +The little girl was not at all hurt, nor was Chubbins, who landed on top +the wall and had to climb down again. But the king had broken one of the +points off his crown, and sat upon the ground gazing sorrowfully at his +wrecked chariot. And Lord Cloy, the frosted man, had smashed one of his +feet, and everybody could now see that underneath the frosting was a +material very like marshmallow--a discovery that was sure to condemn him +as unfit for the society of the solid sugar-loaf aristocracy of the +country. + +But perhaps the most serious accident of all had befallen Princess +Sakareen, whose left leg had broken short off at the knee. Twinkle ran +up to her as soon as she could, and found the Princess smiling happily +and gazing at the part of the broken leg which she had picked up. + +"See here, Twinkle," she cried; "it's as solid as the king himself! I'm +not hollow at all. It was only my imagination." + +"I'm glad of that," answered Twinkle; "but what will you do with a +broken leg?" + +"Oh, that's easily mended," said the Princess, "All I must do is to put +a little syrup on the broken parts, and stick them together, and then +sit in the breeze until it hardens. I'll be all right in an hour from +now." + +It pleased Twinkle to hear this, for she liked the pretty sugar +princess. + + + +Chapter VIII +After the Runaway + +NOW the king came up to them, saying: "I hope you are not injured." + +"We are all right," said Twinkle; "but I'm getting dreadful thirsty, so +if your Majesty has no objection I guess we'll go home." + +"No objection at all," answered the king. + +Chubbins had been calmly filling his pockets with broken spokes and +other bits of the wrecked chariot; but feeling nearly as thirsty as +Twinkle, he was glad to learn they were about to start for home. + +They exchanged good-byes with all their sugar friends, and thanked the +sugar king for his royal entertainment. Then Captain Brittle and his +soldiers escorted the children to the archway through which they had +entered Sugar-Loaf City. + +They had little trouble in going back, although the tunnel was so dark +in places that they had to feel their way. But finally daylight could be +seen ahead, and a few minutes later they scrambled up the stone steps +and squeezed through the little doorway. + +There was their basket, just as they had left it, and the afternoon sun +was shining softly over the familiar worldly landscape, which they were +both rejoiced to see again. + +Chubbins closed the iron door, and as soon as he did so the bolts shot +into place, locking it securely. + +"Where's the key?" asked Twinkle. + +"I put it into my pocket," said Chubbins, "but it must have dropped out +when I tumbled from the king's chariot." + +"That's too bad," said Twinkle; "for now no one can ever get to the +sugar city again. The door is locked, and the key is on the other side." + +"Never mind," said the boy. "We've seen the inside of Sugar-Loaf +Mountain once, and that'll do us all our lives. Come on, Twink. Let's go +home and get a drink!" + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TWINKLE AND CHUBBINS*** + + +******* This file should be named 28552.txt or 28552.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/8/5/5/28552 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +https://www.gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at https://www.gutenberg.org/fundraising/pglaf. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at https://www.gutenberg.org/about/contact + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit https://www.gutenberg.org/fundraising/donate + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: +https://www.gutenberg.org/fundraising/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + diff --git a/28552.zip b/28552.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..9322bbf --- /dev/null +++ b/28552.zip diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..73c79e1 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #28552 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/28552) |
