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diff --git a/old/52047-0.txt b/old/52047-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index a3a42da..0000000 --- a/old/52047-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,3895 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook, A Little Maid in Toyland, by Adah Louise -Sutton, Illustrated by A. Russell - - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world 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. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - - - - -Title: A Little Maid in Toyland - - -Author: Adah Louise Sutton - - - -Release Date: May 11, 2016 [eBook #52047] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - - -***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A LITTLE MAID IN TOYLAND*** - - -E-text prepared by Juliet Sutherland, Emmy, and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) - - - -Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this - file which includes the original illustrations. - See 52047-h.htm or 52047-h.zip: - (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/52047/52047-h/52047-h.htm) - or - (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/52047/52047-h.zip) - - - - - -A LITTLE MAID IN TOYLAND - - -[Illustration: THE SLEIGH DREW UP BESIDE A LARGE SHEET OF CLEAR GLASS, -LIGHTLY SPRINKLED WITH SNOW POWDER SO THAT IT WAS NOT TOO SLIPPERY FOR -ROLLER SKATING] - - -A LITTLE MAID IN TOYLAND - -by - -ADAH LOUISE SUTTON - -Author of -“Mr. Bunny, His Book,” “The Teddy Bears,” etc. - - -[Illustration] - - -Pictured by A. Russell - - - - - - - -The Saalfield Publishing Company -Chicago Akron, Ohio New York -Made in U. S. A. - -Copyright, 1908 -By -The Saalfield Publishing Company - - - - -CHAPTER I - -THE WALKING HOUSE - - -THE doll’s house stood in the most convenient corner of the nursery, -having, like Noah’s dove, found rest only after a somewhat varied and -tempestuous experience. Sally had not been at all able to make up her -mind just what location suited her best, and the house had patiently -traveled, or, in other words, had been propelled by the united efforts -of Bob and Sally—“The corporal pushed and the sergeant pulled”—the one -dragging, the other pushing, from corner to corner and from side to -side of the spacious room. Not a piece of furniture but had been moved -out of the way that the doll’s house might stand in its place, and was -as methodically moved back again when the building resumed its travels. -Never did it remain in one place for longer than twenty-four hours, -much to the disgust and terror of its inmates, who were frequently -joggled from their chairs and tilted out of bed as their domicile -renewed its pilgrimage. They concluded by naming it the Walking House, -which certainly seemed appropriate enough under existing circumstances. - -Finally, when the Walking House had traveled around the nursery, -Sally decided that the very best position was the one it had at first -occupied, a sunny spot between two windows, and at night lighted from -above by a bracket from which depended four electric bulbs. To be sure, -the dresser, to which this post of vantage had originally belonged, -became very sulky at being deprived of her rights, and purposely -twisted off one of her castors while in transit to the other side of -the room. But as nothing in the world was easier than for John, the man -of all work, to screw another castor in its place, nobody really minded -it the least little bit. - -A great man by the name of Ruskin once said that “Architecture is -frozen music.” Now the architecture of the Walking House was no -description of music at all, and I have no doubt that the gentleman who -admired Grecian architecture would have held up both hands in dismay at -mentioning architecture and the Walking House in the same breath. Truth -to tell, the building had been designed by Sally herself, and had been -elaborated by John’s handy fingers from a number of good-sized boxes -procured from the grocery man. The boxes diminished in size as the -house soared upward, the whole terminating in a peaked roof under whose -roomy gable Sally had planned and consummated an attic for her beloved -dollies that would have put to shame the garret of many a grown-up -housekeeper. - -All the rest of the rooms had been papered by the children’s deft -fingers in neat little designs procured from Mr. Brouse, the gentleman -with a wooden leg who lived three blocks away and then around the -corner and up one flight, as he himself was wont to describe it. And -although he really did live up one flight as far as eating and drinking -and sleeping were concerned, the shop was in reality only up one -step—that most fascinating shop, from whose mysterious recesses might -be procured rolls of the most delightful wall paper, which was surely -invented and designed simply and solely for the decoration of doll -houses. - -Mr. Brouse was an old soldier, according to his own account, and indeed -was familiarly addressed as “Captain” by his intimate cronies. He had -lost a limb in a mysterious battle, the name of which, as spoken by -himself, Sally had never been able to discover in any one of several -histories of the United States through which the little girl had -patiently toiled in search of it. However, Sally had unbounded faith -in her hero, for such she considered him to be; and her admiration -was returned with interest by the retired “Captain” who, with his own -hands—that, as Bob seriously remarked, had once wielded a sword—carried -to the nursery a large pail of paste and assisted in hanging the wall -paper, and many a difficult corner he had arranged with neatness and -despatch. He had even tacked up tiny mouldings made from the slender -strips of which wee gilt frames are fashioned. In fact, his work was -a masterpiece of art, and Sally appreciated it hugely, making a shy -return in the way of fat pin-cushions and sprawling penwipers, and even -a gorgeous silk needlebook, mysterious of design and most difficult of -access as regarding certain wabbly strings and buttons, which, when -once fastened, could never be persuaded to open themselves again, and -behind whose secret fastnesses the needles comfortably and aimlessly -rusted. - -So much for the papering of the rooms. When it came to finishing the -attic, why, that was quite another thing. Sally calmly but firmly -declared that it _must be plastered_, and plastered it was, but -altogether without the assistance of Mr. Brouse, who declared that -matters were growing altogether too complicated for him. And he -politely retired, forgetting his pail of paste, however, into which -nurse presently fell, much to the detriment of her best gloves which -she had put on in order to appear unusually fine on her afternoon out. -Nothing daunted, Sally flew to the cellar and routed out John, who was -taking a bit of a nap in a cosy little den he had fixed for himself -in the furnace room. John was surely an exception to most people, who -are usually cranky at being wakened. He bobbed up smiling, and readily -agreed to attend to plastering the attic of the Walking House. And in -a much shorter time than Sally had really expected, the whole job was -finished and the little room with its peaked ceiling looked exactly -like a really truly attic. - -[Illustration: The “Captain” assisted in hanging the wall paper.] - -The house, as before described, was built of good-sized boxes, neatly -put together with narrow cleats to hide the joinings, and the whole was -painted a delicate gray, only the sloping roof being moss green. John -had covered this roof with tiny shingles, and the effect of the whole -was extremely attractive. It was divided in the middle by a broad hall, -at the back of which was a wide stairway. John had rather demurred at -the stairway, foreseeing that the making of it would be a troublesome -piece of business. But Sally had stoutly insisted thereon, for how on -earth could a doll descend from upper stories to lower without stairs? -She would be forced to hurl herself out of the front windows,—called -so by compliment since the whole front of the house stood open in one -generous space—a proceeding extremely detrimental to china limbs. Sally -was a matter-of-fact little soul, albeit she possessed a brilliant -imagination. But she certainly builded better than she knew when she -insisted on that staircase. John, as usual, gave in and the stairs -became an accomplished fact. - -The lower floor of the Walking House consisted of a spacious -dining-room on one side of the hall and a kitchen and laundry on the -other. On the next floor were the drawing-room, library and music-room. -On the third floor were three bed-rooms and a bath-room, and above all, -the attic. - -On one side of the house and running across the front on the lower -floor, John had built a veranda, on which a doll might enjoy coolness -and comfort on the hottest of days, while all the way up the other side -ran a tiny fire-escape, which finally disappeared in a scuttle in the -sloping roof. - -Bob, just then much interested in electricity, wired the whole house -and connected it with the electric light chandelier which hung above -it, so that every room was brilliantly lighted with electricity, and an -electric bell at the front door gave notice whenever a friendly doll -dropped in for afternoon tea. - -Sally’s one regret was that there was no cellar. The child had dreamed -of a wee furnace and a fruit closet filled with jars of jam and jelly -put up over a tiny electric stove. But the stove had been utterly -impracticable, John had declared that it would be impossible to dig -down through the floor of the room for the cellar, and practical nurse -had pointed out the fact that nowhere could one find preserve jars tiny -enough for the purpose. So Sally had given up the project, not without -a sigh however. She had very, very realistic ideas, had Sally. - -One of her pet projects, confided to her governess, Miss Palmer, not -without misgivings, had been to build a revolving house, one that -could be “swung around” as the child, knowing nothing of pivots, had -expressed it. This idea she had conceived to be applied not only to -doll houses, but to real dwellings. - -“You could always have the sunshine wherever you wanted it,” she had -explained. “And wouldn’t it be fine to have it always right here in the -nursery?” - -Miss Palmer had hesitated a little before replying. Indeed Sally’s -theories often caused her to hesitate. However, she finally explained -that the idea would be quite impossible, as all buildings of any size -require a firm foundation. And she thereupon proceeded to explain the -nature of the pivot, considering the opportunity a very fitting one. - -“Besides,” she concluded, “wouldn’t it be very selfish for us to keep -all the sunshine on our side of the house all the time? What would -become of Grandma and Bob?” - -Sally was quiet for a moment, thinking. - -“I didn’t mean to be selfish,” she whispered, snuggling her peachy -cheek against her teacher’s shoulder. - -“I’m sure you didn’t, my dear,” returned Miss Palmer. - -And so it fell out that no architect, not even John, was ever requested -to draw plans for a house that might revolve on a pivot. - - - - -CHAPTER II - -THE HOUSE IS FURNISHED - - -THE furnishing of the doll’s house proved a keen delight to Sally, and -the infection spread from the little girl to the other members of the -household, even Papa Doctor often emerging from his carriage with his -arms full of mysterious, knobby parcels. - -Mamma Wee, as Sally lovingly nicknamed Mrs. North, renounced pink teas -and bridge parties and spent hours every day sitting bow-legged like a -Turk or a tailor, while she arranged the fascinating little rooms, laid -small carpets and tacked up tiny, ruffled curtains. For all the windows -were real ones, with panes of glass let into the small sashes and with -the cunningest little white blinds that opened in the middle and could -be securely fastened with bolts at night. Sally, who, as Bob said, was -“always thinking up something else,” was already revolving in her own -mind the propriety of demanding screens to head off imaginary flies and -mosquitoes. - -“Just fancy how perfectly _huge_ a _real_ fly would look to one of -the dollies!” she said to herself as she thoughtfully pondered on the -momentous question. - -She scarcely liked to ask John if he would undertake such a particular -job, he had done so much already. “Pernickety” he was sure to call it. -So, after much mature deliberation, she concluded to drop the matter -for the present, at least. - -“What is the use of screening up the back and sides when the front is -all open anyway?” Bob had exclaimed when Sally finally broached the -subject to him. - -“Oh, but we are imagining the front is just like that in any other -house!” retorted Sally with some spirit. - -“Well, then imagine that the flies can’t come in,” responded Bob. And -that settled it. - -Odd as it may seem, the attic was the very first room that Sally -started to put in order. And a most delicious little place it was, with -its raftered ceiling and neatly plastered walls. With the vision of -their own immaculate attic in her mind’s eye, the child proceeded to -neatly range around the walls several doll’s trunks, a tiny spinning -wheel and two or three odd wooden chairs; also one of the many cradles -that had been presented as offerings at the shrine of the doll’s house. -A spinning wheel and a cradle comprised, for the most part, what Sally -denominated a “proper” attic. - -From the rafters the child hung tiny bunches of good-smelling herbs, -for which cook had been levied upon. To be sure, no such thing existed -in city attics as a rule, but they did down at the farm. Sally suddenly -recollected that they also had spiders and cobwebs in the attic at the -farm. The very thought of a spider made her shiver, but she wondered if -it would not be well to affect a few cobwebs, and privately concluded -to request Miss Palmer, her beloved governess, to paint in a few with -water-colors,—a scheme into which Miss Palmer heartily entered, adding -on her own responsibility a fat, yellow spider, whose appearance was -so realistic that Sally shrieked when she first discovered it. Bob -promptly suggested that a few rats should be added. But rats, Miss -Palmer declared, were beyond her powers of creation. They would require -to be real, solid little beasts, and not simply painted flat on the -wall. To this Bob readily assented, gravely adding that if they were -only painted on the wall, of course they never could come down at night -to bite the dolls. Bob concluded his remarks by making a grimace so -fearfully suggestive of a prowling rat that Sally fled in anguish, and -Miss Palmer, while she could not refrain from smiling, felt forced to -request that he would cease from tormenting his sister. - -From the attic to the kitchen is quite a long jump, at least it would -have been without the staircase. But the kitchen was the next on the -program, and thither were the forces of the furnishing party now -directed. Never had a new kitchen been so liberally supplied with -stoves, kettles, pans and pots, especially _stoves_. It really seemed -as if everyone who had not sent a cradle had sent a stove. Every kind -except an electric one, as Sally sadly reflected. But Miss Palmer -consoled her by saying that she doubted very much if electric stoves -came in so small a size. So Sally was presently very well content to -see a most fascinating little cast-iron affair set up, on top of which -was ranged an array of pots and kettles sufficient to prepare a dinner -for the most particular of dolls, albeit of diminutive size. - -Opposite the stove stood a neat dresser, filled with a most wonderful -array of china and glass. To be sure, Sally had reserved the very best -for the china closet in the dining-room, but the display in the kitchen -was a goodly one. So also was the wooden and tinware that hung upon -hooks and displayed itself on shelves all around the walls. But the -article dearest to Sally’s heart, and over which the child lingered -longest in a perfect passion of delight was a miniature refrigerator, -an almost exact reproduction of the big one downstairs. Lined with -opal glass, its well-filled shelves were weighted down with all sorts -of delectable edibles that dolls are presumed to delight in. Its upper -compartment was filled with chunks of ground glass to represent ice. -Sally lingered long in rapture over this delightful bit of furniture, -and having at last located it entirely to her satisfaction, placed over -against it a cute little three-cornered closet containing a collection -of brooms and mops, and a wee carpet sweeper, whose tiny, revolving -brushes really picked up any small bits of fluff and lint that happened -to be about. - -Surely never was a kitchen so perfectly and generously supplied with -all things needful, from the shining yellow oil-cloth on the floor to -the beautiful blue table and chairs, the gift of nurse, who declared -them to be exactly like those used in the “auld counthry.” The whole -shining region was presided over by a stiff, colored cook in turban and -apron, who, alas! could never sit down on the beautiful blue chairs, as -she belonged to the variety of dolls that does not bend in the middle. - -Out of the kitchen opened the laundry, which was furnished quite as -perfectly in its way, with a ravishing little laundry set which Mamma -Wee had discovered in one of the big department stores. Everything -was most complete and the whole family lingered in admiration over -the shiny copper boiler that adorned the neat stove, the glittering -flatirons and very tiny clothes-pins. The arrangement for heating -the irons, a black, pointed kind of stove against the sides of which -the irons stood up flatly, filled everybody with ecstasy. Sarah, the -laundress, begged for a loan of it, declaring that she had never seen -anything that could compare with it for heating real irons. - -[Illustration] - -This joking pleased Sally immensely, and she invited Sarah to use the -laundry for the family washing whenever she felt so inclined. Whereupon -Sarah departed laughing and declaring that she had “never seen anything -to come up to it, before nor since.” “Before nor since” was a favorite -expression of Sarah’s, the meaning of which neither Sally nor indeed -anybody else had ever been able to fathom. “Forevermore” was another -expression over which the little girl pondered deeply. She was afraid -to ask for information, lest she should give offense, for Mamma Wee -had carefully trained her little daughter to be especially considerate -of the feelings of all who were dependents in the household. Therefore -Sally wondered in secret, and the mystery was never solved, as far as I -know, to the end of the chapter. - -The dining-room came next in the natural sequence of things, and an -extremely imposing and spacious room it was, with floor and paneling -polished to represent hard wood, while above the panels was displayed -a gorgeous paper of a lively red pattern. The ceiling was raftered and -studded with tiny electric light bulbs. A fine bow window occupied one -whole end. In truth, ’twas a love of a room and no mistake. - -A lofty china closet contained all the fine glass and china, while a -sideboard of newest pattern groaned under its weight of rich German -silver. Everything was of the most novel and up-to-date pattern. The -round table, the finely carved chairs, and the beautiful Persian rug -that Grandma had knitted from ravelings of carpet, worked in with heavy -crochet cotton, all went to make up a picture not easily to be rivaled -in the annals of doll’s houses. - -The bow window was a delight in itself. All around it ran a wide -seat which Sally piled high with tiny silk cushions, while crisp -muslin curtains finished with wee ruffles shaded the panes. A couple -of canaries hung aloft in their gilded cages. The whole effect was -stunning, and the assembled family silently gloated over it and -unitedly envied the dolls who were to enjoy such an ideal dining-room. - - - - -CHAPTER III - -THE TEDDY BEARS TAKE A HAND - - -THE Teddy Bears, as one may well suppose, were no less interested in -the furnishing and arrangement of the doll’s house than the members of -the family themselves. They had scarcely been able to sleep a wink for -thinking and talking over the subject in hand, and Peter Pan himself -had proudly brought gifts, not exactly gold, frankincense and myrrh, -but something much more acceptable in the shape of a wee mail-box, the -very counterpart of those that hang upon the telephone posts. It had -been captured during one of his predatory night raids, during which -he and Bedelia had ransacked a neighboring toy store, carrying off -the mail-box as Peter Pan’s share of the loot, while Bedelia joyfully -abstracted a most delightful little workstand that could be shut up -like a camp chair and stood against the wall if so desired, with a -gorgeous yellow silk lining. - -In justice to the bears, it must be said of them that they did not, in -this case, break through and steal, for Peter Pan left upon the counter -a piece of money, shaken down from his own little bank—a most beautiful -bank in the shape of a mottled, earthenware pig, which Sally had -presented to him without the smallest idea in the world that he would -ever use it for legitimate purposes. But the very fact of ownership -turned the Teddy Bear at once into an inveterate miser, and he hoarded -like a magpie, levying on every pocketbook that his mischievous paws -fell upon. He was, however, too cute to appropriate any but small -coins, so that thus far nothing had been missed. Teddy Bears can -scarcely be supposed to have any adequate idea of values, so when Peter -Pan proudly deposited a nickel on the counter, he considered that he -was paying very well for the articles chosen by himself and his wife. -The piece of money was afterwards found by the shopkeeper, and as he -never missed the small articles that had taken the fancy of the Teddy -Bears, he considered himself a nickel in, and “As a man thinketh, so is -he.” - -To extract the bit of money from the bowels of the pig had been a -fearful piece of work, and had it not been for the end in view, the -Teddy Bear would have given up in despair. To drop a nickel into the -little slot in the creature’s back, and then to listen to the delicious -rattling it made in the cavernous interior was one thing, but to fish -it out through that narrow aperture was quite another. Anyone who -has ever tried the experiment will appreciate the dreadful quarter -of an hour that ensued as the Teddy Bears, perspiring in every pore, -struggled with that most niggardly of china pigs. - -[Illustration] - -First they essayed to fish out the coin, using successively a hair-pin -bent out straight and one end fashioned into a hook, a buttonhook, a -pair of manicure scissors, ruining the curved points, a crochet needle, -and nurse’s best hat-pin. Nothing, however, availed. The pig, like his -predecessor in the story that would not jump over the stile, would not -give up the coveted coin. Finally Bedelia seized it by its head and -shook it frantically, literally as the oft quoted terrier shakes the -rat. But no nickel! To be sure, they could have smashed the pig, but -in spite of his obstinacy he was the Teddy Bear’s chief treasure, and -Peter Pan loved his mottled exterior and gloried in his impossible -snout and extremely unpiglike ears. He could not bring himself to -sacrifice a thing so cherished, even on the altar of his love for Sally. - -After a while the bears desisted from their efforts and held a council -of war. Peter Pan had about come to the end of his tether when suddenly -his eyes, roaming miserably about in search of some new weapon of -offense, fell upon something that caused him to utter a little shriek -of delight. And the article was nothing more nor less than a stick of -chewing gum. Now the Teddy Bear knew all about gum. He had tried to -chew some once and had been obliged to beg help from Sally, so closely -were his jaws welded together. She had laughingly pried them open, and -had advised him not to bite off more than he could chew in the future. - -Peter Pan did not intend to bite off anything in this case. He put one -end of the gum in his mouth and chewed on it till his jaws ached, and -then passed it on to Bedelia, who repeated the performance. And in -two shakes of a lamb’s tail the end of the stick of gum was reduced -to a mass of stickiness that rivaled fly-paper. Peter Pan now turned -the bank, that is, the pig on its back so that the coins within it -came rattling down over the opening. He next carefully inserted the -chewed end of the gum, using the unchewed portion as a handle by which -to propel it into the aperture, and presently drew it triumphantly -forth with two dimes and a nickel sticking to the mass. Great were the -rejoicings at the success of the trick, and Peter Pan, supposing that -the nickel was much the more valuable as it was greater in size than -the dimes, laid it aside while he returned the other coins to the bank. -Afterward he explained the whole performance to Sally, who was very -glad indeed to hear it, for at first she had been somewhat doubtful as -to the origin of her delightful mail-box. - -Meanwhile the furnishing and arranging went merrily on, and Sally -sighed in delighted rapture as she contemplated the work of her hands -and found that it was very good. - -Her drawing-room she thought was her especial delight, all done in red -velvet, with a splendid red carpet and lace curtains at the windows, -over which hung draperies of red silk. A tall pier glass stood between -the windows, and on the mantel-shelf were a gilt clock under a glass -case, and two gilt candlesticks holding real wax candles. Underneath, -in the grate, a glowing flame of crimson tinfoil shone comfortably, -tinfoil being the fuel universally accepted for grates in doll houses. - -A fine center table, marble-topped, occupied the middle of the room. -The chairs were luxurious, and Sally only wished that her size were -compatible with nestling down on one of them. - -Across the hall from the drawing-room was the music-room, all furnished -in blue upholstered satin, and containing two pianos, a grand and an -upright. Potted plants of the paper variety bloomed in the windows and -a wee violin in a polished case lay atop of the music cabinet. - -Sally had destined this apartment to be a living-room and music-room in -one, and finally added a porch swing that hung in a frame and teetered -delightfully when a doll sat in it; a couple of parrots in a gilt -cage; and Bedelia’s workstand. The effect was somewhat incongruous, -especially in connection with blue satin chairs and sofas, while Bob -remarked, quite gratuitously, that when once the parrots got started -nobody could ever hear either the violin or pianos. However, as Sally -was the only one to be pleased, no one took any notice of this remark. - -With regret Sally turned from the bright little music-room, but was -presently just as deeply engrossed with the library. Here was a -peach of a room, to use her own expression—a room all furnished and -upholstered in green, with sleepy hollow chairs and a roll-top desk in -one corner. Around the walls ran shelves filled with tiny books, and a -wee telephone hung in one angle of the wall, near the desk. At one end -of the room was a big fireplace, over which rose a high mantel-shelf, -and a grandfather’s clock ticked, metaphorically speaking, in the -corner. - -Sally had desired that her library should be “restful” and to that -end had worked out the scheme of furnishings on a somewhat subdued -scale. However, she succeeded admirably in carrying out her design, an -end which few grown-ups ever attain. Never was there a more charming -haven of rest to which a doll might fly for refuge from the turmoil -without than this dim, shadowy room, with its deep lounging chairs and -bewitching tea-table drawn up at one side of the fire. - -There was a tiny smoker’s set, too, ranged on an oriental looking -tabouret, a collection of tiny brass articles that would have delighted -the soul of any lover of the weed. Want of space had compelled Sally -to unite library and den, but the union of the two made a much more -charming room than either one could ever have hoped to attain to by -itself. - -[Illustration] - -Bob had contributed to the library a distracting pipe rack, fashioned -from the bits of a cigarbox and cunningly cut out with his jig-saw, an -article whose usefulness promised to be unlimited as far as a doll’s -house was concerned. The rack was hung with tiny pipes picked up at one -of the ten-cent stores at ten cents per dozen. Bob was proud of his -handiwork and Sally considered it one of her chief treasures because -Bob had made it. - -On the third floor were the bed-rooms and bath-room. The bed-rooms, -fascinatingly furnished with dainty patterns of cretonne, with fine -brass beds, and ruffled curtains at the windows, were places of rest -and delight. One of them was arranged for a nursery and contained two -cunning little white enameled cribs. There was also, in this room, a -most intricate folding bed for the nurse. - -The bath-room was most elaborately appointed with shower and needle -baths, as well as a fine, white enameled tub and a complicated system -of plumbing. By means of this real water ran from a tank over the tub -and furnished forth a liberal supply for the ablutions of all the -dollies. To be sure, one was obliged to be very careful not to allow -the tub to run over, for an overflow meant ruin and rout to ceilings -below stairs. - -Teddy Bears have no sense of ratio and no amount of explanation could -ever convince Bedelia that she was of a size entirely out of proportion -for the Walking House. Finally she made one valiant effort to -establish herself therein, but was driven to retire, growling, as she -could not force more than her big head and shoulders into any of the -ordinary-sized rooms. There would not have been room even for Little -Breeches, let alone for Bedelia’s generous proportions. - - - - -CHAPTER IV - -BEDELIA GROWS A TAIL - - -BEDELIA was an extremely handsome bear, as Teddy Bears go, but for some -time she had been plunged in inexpressible gloom because she possessed -no tail. In vain her family expostulated with her, pointing out the -fact that a bear with a tail would indeed be a freak and a monstrosity. -Bedelia persisted in her notion, unreasonable as it was, and very -nearly succeeded in driving Peter Pan to the verge of insanity. For -although she led him a merry dance as a rule, he was extremely fond of -her, and being of a chivalrous nature, made all sorts of excuses for -her queer notions. Therefore he had very nearly arrived at his wits’ -end when Bedelia suddenly ceased her lamentations and became quite -cheerful—a change which, had Peter Pan only read her aright, would have -appeared ominous. However, the poor fellow was so delighted at seeing -his wife once more like her former self that he suspected nothing, not -even when Bedelia began to absent herself at intervals from the family -circle. - -[Illustration] - -Truth to tell, Bedelia had a great deal more sense than most humans and -realized after a little that scolding and fretting would never attain -the end in view. She wanted a tail, and a tail she meant to have, and -immediately began to cast around in her fertile mind as to the means -that she should use to accomplish her end. She was far too cute to ask -advice from those who had so discouraged her, but waited with trembling -anxiety for the inevitable something which is sure to turn up sooner or -later. It is a long lane, indeed, that has no turning, but the further -one progresses, the nearer it is to the end; and Bedelia helped along -the somewhat tedious waiting by a series of experiments that would have -filled the breast of the gloomiest with hysterical mirth. - -The beautiful, feathery appendage of Rough House had at first attracted -her attention as he held it aloft and waved it plume-like in the -air. But somehow Rough House had been very rude and had nipped her -smartly when she laid hold and began a series of heroic tugs. And she -had retreated in disorder with a rip in her coat, made by the dog’s -gleaming teeth. Afterward she reflected that the tail was far too large -and would not have matched her own fur anyway. This thought brought -consolation and she proceeded to turn her attention and her energies in -other directions. But try as she might, she could find nothing in the -line of a tail that became her. She tried them all from every animal -in the nursery, and nurse, finding them one by one lying on the floor, -had shaken her head as she attached them successively to their original -owners. She had her own ideas on the subject and they chiefly included -rats, or perhaps little Rags who was getting his second teeth and -might incline toward chewing things up. Sally alone suspected Bedelia, -but was unable to catch her at her evil-doing, as she carried on her -marauding chiefly in the silent night. - -Having weighed in the balance and found wanting all the ready-made -tails she could find, she looked about for something out of which to -manufacture the right thing. Nothing, however, presented itself, and -Bedelia realized that she could scarcely have formed so important an -article with her own clumsy paws, even if it had. So for the time -her occupation seemed gone, and she began to mope again, filled with -chagrin that all her efforts should thus be foiled. - -Meantime the summer waned and crisp nights began to suggest fall -weather. One bright afternoon Bedelia had been sitting curled up on -the broad window-seat on which she and her family kept house, pouting -as usual and longing for something in the shape of mischief with which -to occupy her rapacious paws. Sally and nurse were busy making doll -clothes, as several occupants of the Walking House were still without -suitable outfits. Suddenly nurse exclaimed, - -“I believe it is soon going to be time for furs. Do you mind, darlin’, -the nice set your aunt, Miss Edith, gave me Christmas, with all thim -little tails on the muff?” - -Tails! Bedelia’s ears were pricked up in a moment. Tails, and fur -tails, too! Well she remembered the day in early spring when all the -furs of the household had been aired and beaten and hung out in the sun -before being laid away in boxes, liberally sprinkled with camphor and -finally the covers all pasted up with strips of paper. They had been -put away in the big store-room at the top of the house, and Bedelia -knew exactly where they were. But she knew, also, that the store-room -was always kept locked and she did not feel very sure where the key was -kept. - -She determined, however, to lose no time in looking for the bunch, and -although it took nearly a week of investigation, they were found at -last, and Bedelia lugged them off and hid them in a place whereof she -knew, and which already contained a motley array of articles which at -one time or other her fancy had prompted her to filch. - -Several more days elapsed before a suitable opportunity to visit the -store-room occurred. But at last Bedelia found herself standing in -front of it with the bunch of keys in her eager paws. Behind the locked -door lay the darling wish of her heart, a tail, and in a moment she -had, as if by magic, selected the right key and swung open the heavy -door. - -Now a new difficulty confronted her, one of which she had not even -dreamed. There were at least a dozen boxes standing on the shelves, all -neatly labelled, of course. But Bedelia could not read, and no good -fairy appeared to tell her which box contained nurse’s furs and the -particular tail. So she stood gloomily gazing into the closet and at -last concluded that much as she hated to take the trouble, there was -but one thing to do and that was to open every box until she discovered -the right one. This she at once set at work to do, tearing and ripping -with a pair of scissors that she had brought along, emptying out furs -and camphor in a promiscuous heap, dumping the contents of one box on -top of another until the erstwhile orderly store-room presented the -appearance of a rummage sale. - -[Illustration] - -Now, had Sally been conducting the investigation, she would have known -that the sets of furs were kept in the smaller boxes, while fur robes -and so on were pinned in big bundles. But Bedelia, of course, never -stopped to think of that so it fell out that nearly everything else -in the closet was ripped open and flung out on the floor before she -came across the box in which the coveted furs reposed. They were very -respectable furs of a shade of brown that seemed to Bedelia just the -proper one to harmonize with her own skin. And there were tails in -plenty, more tails than Bedelia’s wildest dreams had ever conjured. She -felt that she could wallow in tails now if she chose, and it did not -take her long to get possession of what she wanted. She nipped off half -a dozen, taking them from the neckpiece to which they were attached -by little, pointed heads, each one with its ferocious mouth wide open -displaying a number of tiny, white teeth. - -Gathering up her treasures, she hurried downstairs, having taken care -to lock the door and replace the key where it had originally hung. Then -holding fast to the bunch of stolen fur, she hurriedly sought a quiet -corner in the attic, whither she often fled when for any reason she -wanted to be by herself. - -A big, old mirror in a tarnished frame stood on the floor and after -something of a struggle, for the thing was heavy, Bedelia arranged it -so that she could see herself to full advantage. - -[Illustration] - -Everybody knows that Teddy Bears have great facilities for looking over -their shoulders. In fact, when built as a Teddy Bear should be, they -can turn their heads all the way around. Consequently Bedelia found no -difficulty in getting a full view of herself in the rear as she stood -with her back to the glass, the tail in one paw and a couple of pins -in the other. She had decided to leave the little head as it made an -admirable finish for the tail, and really gave a very jaunty appearance -to the whole. So she concluded after having clapped the whole into -place and fastened it firmly with two large shawl pins. So delighted -was she with the result that she stood before the mirror for a long -time, craning her neck and twisting her head around while she admired -her new ornament. To be sure, the head was in a place where no head -ought to be, but it grinned jubilantly while the tail flopped joyfully -as its owner walked. Finally, like Narcissus, satiated with the view of -her own loveliness, she concluded to descend to the lower regions and -show off the latest addition to her charms. - -Down the stairs she trotted, trying to get used to the rather queer -sensation of the tail flapping against her hind legs. Luckily she met -nobody till she reached the nursery. Here her courage suddenly deserted -her and she made a wild break for the window-seat, in the corner of -which she at once threw herself and was making believe to be fast -asleep when a most unforeseen event occurred. The head, which we have -already recorded as being in a place where no head should be, objected -to the full weight of Bedelia’s plump body upon it, and proceeded to -nip her so vigorously that she sprang up, shrieking. - -Peter Pan, who had at first thought that to let her alone was perhaps -the better policy, now flew to the rescue, but when he discovered -the cause of the trouble, he rolled on the floor in convulsions of -laughter. The head kept on nipping for pure viciousness, and poor -Bedelia, half crazed with pain and mortification, raised a dreadful -wail that brought all the members of her family to the rescue. Quite -willing to be relieved of the source of her discomfort, she melted -completely under her husband’s affectionate caresses, and finally -acknowledged that Teddy Bears really had no pressing need of caudal -appendages. - - - - -CHAPTER V - -MARY AND HER LITTLE LAMB AND SOME OTHERS - - -AMONG her most treasured dollies was one that Sally’s Auntie Edith had -dressed as Mary to be accompanied by her little lamb, the latter to be -purchased from some toy store when Mary’s wardrobe was completed. - -Now, the Walking House had been built on generous lines so that the -rooms were more airy and the dolls, in consequence, larger than those -that inhabit most doll’s houses. Mary, then, was a blond beauty, with -the fluffiest of yellow locks, crowned by the most bewitching of -shepherdess’ hats, and the most delightful costume of pale pink and -white, perfect in every detail from the fluffy paniers of the overdress -to the long, slim crook which Bob had carved with his jig-saw and which -Mary, unfortunately, could not carry owing to the fact that her china -fingers, like those of most dollies, were straight and inflexible. -A bit of very fine wire, neatly manipulated, however, produced the -desired effect, and indeed Mary felt very little doubt in her own mind -as to the fact that all the rest of the dolls were cunningly deceived -by it. - -So much for Mary. When it came to the lamb, that was quite another -thing, for it seemed impossible to find anywhere a lamb of the correct -proportions to fit in with those of the charming little Mary. Store -after store was ransacked in vain, when suddenly Sally recollected that -somewhere in the attic reposed the remains of a Noah’s Ark which she -had grown tired of and had put away some time before. To the attic, -then, they flew and presently unearthed the Noah’s Ark carefully tied -up in brown paper and still in a very fair state of preservation. Out -upon the floor pell-mell they emptied the animals, but no bleating or -baahing lambkin rewarded their quest. It seemed as if there had been a -general demand for mutton and that everything of the sheep variety had -been swept from off the face of the earth. Thoroughly disappointed, -Auntie Edith sat dropping the animals back into the Ark when suddenly -she stopped with a little scream of delight and snapped up a small -object that had fallen on the floor and been hidden under her skirt. - -Not a lamb, however, as Sally at first supposed, but a goat that might -have passed anywhere for a sheep except for its horns. It is very odd -what a striking resemblance often exists between the animals of a -Noah’s Ark when really there is no relationship between them at all. -So it was with this goat. The little curls of wool with which he was -covered, his legs and hoofs, his long, meek face, everything except the -sharp, curved horns resembled most intimately Mary’s little lamb. And -it took about five minutes to transform him into that very animal. Off -came his horns, as quick as a wink their little stumps were covered -with bits of cotton wool neatly glued in place. A blue ribbon was tied -around his neck and finished with a graceful bow, and, lo and behold, -the Lamb! - -To say that Mary was hugely delighted at this outcome is to put it very -mildly indeed. For she had been greatly troubled in mind, fearing that -after all she would not be Mary but somebody else that did not require -the continued attendance of a lamb. Somebody else, or perhaps nobody -in particular! At this mournful conclusion a tear rolled silently down -Mary’s china cheek. But now it was all right, and she stood up right -bravely on her little, high-heeled shoes, grasping her crook with one -hand, while the other rested proudly on the Lamb’s woolly back. A very -delightful picture she made, and a very welcome addition to the family -of the Walking House she proved to be. But of Mary and her Little Lamb -we are destined to hear more hereafter. - -Sally was very fond of arranging and re-arranging her doll’s house, -and on one particular morning was busily at work, this time at the -kitchen that already shone with cleanliness. Sally was squatting on her -heels, cleaning out the ice-box, which contained many plates holding -delicious looking foods of all descriptions. To be sure, they were only -make-believe, but they certainly looked good to Sally, who had not -eaten much breakfast and consequently felt hungry. One in particular -appealed to her fancy, a delicious looking cake, frosted and ornamented -as if for a birthday. Really all it needed was an array of glittering -candles to make it perfectly realistic. - -Sally mechanically broke off a bit of the frosting and put it between -her lips. To her astonishment, it tasted crisp and sweet, with rather -a flavor of pineapple, and altogether like the real thing. She broke -off another scrap and swallowed it. Another bit and another followed -the first and then suddenly Sally began to experience a very queer -sensation. She felt as if she were being screwed down and shrinking -together like a pair of opera glasses. So quickly did the whole thing -happen that before she knew it, she was standing in the kitchen of the -Walking House with the black, wooden Dinah gravely regarding her. - -“Oh dear! Oh dear! What would have happened if I had eaten the whole -cake? And it’s a wonder I didn’t, it was such a little one!” exclaimed -Sally. - -Just then she happened to look up, and beheld Peter Pan and Bedelia -regarding her with terrified glances. A great wave of loneliness swept -over the child and she burst into tears. In a moment Peter Pan and -Bedelia had each seized a fragment of cake and in less time than it -takes me to tell it were rapidly following Sally’s example. In about -two minutes they were enjoying the distinction of being the smallest -Teddy Bears on record. - -Into the kitchen they scrambled after Sally, much to the bewilderment -of black Dinah, who had never anywhere seen such creatures as Teddy -Bears of that size, and was not at all sure that she liked them, -especially when they walked into the house and took possession of her -kitchen. - -The first few days of Sally’s sojourn in the doll’s house were full of -events and also full of interest, and the little girl experienced all -the new sensations that always come with a change of scene and place. -Sally’s intimate and somewhat unique experience of nursery life had -really taught her nothing relating to existence in the doll’s house, -and the mode of living employed by the little people to whose number -she now apparently belonged. - -She was, indeed, very much surprised to discover that in all respects -they resembled very closely the human species, with all their little -fads and fancies, jealousies and ambitions; and it was both amusing and -astonishing to encounter among the dolls that she herself had bought -for a few cents and dressed with her own hands in scraps obtained -from the rag-bag, personalities as striking and characteristic, as -distinguishing as those belonging to some of the famous people whose -lives she had studied with Miss Palmer during her history lessons. At -least so one would think from their own opinions of themselves. - -The little girl was amazed to learn that all the dolls could read -and write and that those who were imported spoke French and German -fluently. In fact, one small Japanese doll who was rigged out in a -paper kimono and wide obi of the same material, jabbered away in -Japanese, with the result that none of the others could understand a -word she said. She always presided at afternoon tea, however, which -function they understood very well, as also the tiny cups of the -fragrant drink which she brewed for their benefit. Sally secretly -resolved to teach her English, which she later accomplished, much to -the gratitude of the lonely little foreigner. - -The dolls’ handwriting was not at all like her own, as it did not -take Sally long to discover. It consisted of a number of queer little -hieroglyphics of infinitesimal size, which, as Sally afterward learned, -were known only to dolls and were so small, to wit, that nobody would -ever imagine that they were anything but foolish scrawling. - - - - -CHAPTER VI - -THE LITTLE BACK DOOR - - -SALLY was busily bustling around the kitchen, clad in one of Dinah’s -clean gingham aprons and with a stiff and clean bandanna ’kerchief -perched on her shining hair. For Dinah was ill, the result of an -unfortunate accident, for which the little girl felt herself more or -less responsible. - -For some time the Little Lamb had been growing “grimy, grimier and -grimier,” as Sally said to herself, and the child had finally resolved, -although not without some misgivings, that a bath would be the next -best thing in the order of events. Having several old scores to -settle, Mary joyfully offered to assist, and with such a backing Sally -proceeded with her preparations in a resolute and hopeful frame of mind. - -As the Little Lamb was indeed very dirty, Sally prepared a kind of -shampoo, such as she had often seen nurse concoct for her own use. This -was composed of tar soap, melted over the fire to a kind of jelly, -and then beaten up with a couple of eggs and a dash of borax. When it -was finished, it made a yellow, frothy compound, altogether nice and -delectable looking. Sally had made a liberal quantity, owing to the -area that had to be covered in the personality of the Little Lamb. -She left it on the kitchen table, and hurried off to find that worthy -who, scenting an impending conflict, had betaken himself to the attic. -Entrenched behind Bedelia’s screen, he firmly awaited the onslaught of -the enemy. - -Dinah had all this time been busy in the upper part of the house and -now returning below stairs beheld the foamy, creamy mixture frothing -over the pan on the kitchen table. It never entered into her wooden -head to suppose that it was anything except some nice omelet or -something of the kind that one of the dolls or perhaps Sally had -knocked together for luncheon. Stirring it up with a spoon, she found -it rather thin, and proceeded to thicken it with flour and finally -decided that it would serve best as batter for griddle cakes. As she -herself was extremely fond of lemon flavoring, she added a large dose -of that, and then proceeded to bake the mess on the well-greased and -sputtering griddle. - -[Illustration] - -Now it must be confessed that Dinah was greedy, and the brown cakes -certainly looked tempting. Besides, had she not planned something quite -different for the dolls’ luncheon? Just one nibble she took, and then, -like other people who have hesitated, she proceeded to get lost. Her -wooden palate certainly failed to detect the flavor of tar soap, and -one brown and smoking cake speedily disappeared after another. Goodness -knows when she would have stopped had not Bedelia, attracted by the -odor of the baking cakes, suddenly appeared in the kitchen. - -That worthy had been decidedly out of favor with Sally for several -days, and consequently was in no enviable frame of mind. Without so -much as a “by your leave,” she now advanced on the greedy Dinah, -snatched the plate of cakes from under her very nose, and proceeded -to dispose of them with neatness and despatch. Her taste for eatables -had been well cultivated, however, and she now discovered something -decidedly peculiar in the flavor of the cakes. But she swallowed them -all to the last crumb, more in order to spite Dinah than because she -wanted them, pausing now and then between bites to utter a threatening -little growl that served very effectually to keep Dinah at a distance, -for the cook was dreadfully afraid of the Teddy Bears. It did not take -very long for the soap and borax to get in some very fine work, and -soon Dinah and Bedelia found themselves companions in misery. - -[Illustration] - -When Sally had hunted all over the house without being able to find the -Little Lamb—and no wonder, for he was safely entrenched under Bedelia’s -bed in the attic—and came hurrying into the kitchen to look after her -shampoo, she found two unutterably wretched individuals tied up in -knots and rolling around on the kitchen floor. Had it been Bedelia -alone, Sally would have suspected a trick, but Dinah’s sufferings were -too genuine to admit of suspicion. - -Sally flew for help without waiting for explanations, and in a short -time the sufferers were tucked up in their beds, feeling decidedly more -comfortable and listening to a lecture on gluttony which they did not -soon forget. Not but that this same lecture had to be administered in -two sections, one to Dinah in her room and one to Bedelia in the attic, -for Dinah would have died sooner than lie down in the same room with -the Teddy Bear that she now regarded with more fear and dislike than -ever. - -Thus it happened that Sally was flying around the shining little -kitchen, putting things to rights and making ready to get together -something for the dolls’ luncheon. She smiled as she scoured and dried -the tin pan in which the shampoo, whose ending had been so unusual, had -been mixed. She wondered what had become of the Little Lamb, and could -not help wishing that he, instead of Dinah and Bedelia, had been the -one to gobble up the sickening cakes, for the stuff certainly had been -intended for him in the beginning. - -Sally was a born housekeeper, and as she had formerly played with her -doll house, perpetually cleaning and straightening it, so she now -worked in the bright little rooms until at last all was in order, -the table laid for luncheon and a savory meal made ready. She was -too much delighted with her work to ask for assistance from any of -the dolls, and puttered around briskly, singing little snatches of a -song half under her breath. “Puttering around” was one of Dinah’s pet -expressions, and while Sally had never been sure what it really meant, -she felt quite certain that she could not be doing anything else while -working in Dinah’s kitchen. Vigorously, then, did she flutter Dinah’s -duster, seeking for dust where none existed, and merrily polishing -the already shining window sills, on which stood stiff little pots of -glowing scarlet paper geraniums. And then she suddenly became aware -that she was standing in front of a little door, whose existence she -had heretofore failed to observe. - -The door was directly in the center of the back wall, and Sally could -not but wonder that John should have built it in such a place, for the -doll’s house stood flat against the nursery wall, as any orderly doll’s -house always stands. Hence there was absolutely no use for a door in -such a location. Sally meditated for a moment or two and then suddenly -concluded that the best thing to do would be to open the door and do a -little investigating. She seized the knob and pulled vigorously, but -to no purpose. The door was locked sure enough, and her best efforts -resulted in nothing. It seemed very odd that the door should be locked -and no key anywhere about. Suddenly she remembered that hanging up in -her room was a tiny golden key belonging to a chain bracelet that Papa -Doctor had once locked upon Mamma Wee’s pretty white wrist. For some -inexplicable reason Mamma Wee had never unlocked the bracelet, but -Papa Doctor always wore the key on one end of his watch chain until -one day the slender golden ring from which it hung broke, and Sally -had found the key lying on the floor. Papa Doctor had been called -out of town for an important consultation just then, and had not yet -returned. Therefore the key was hanging up in Sally’s room, and thither -the little girl hastened. Having possessed herself of the article -in question, she hurried back to the kitchen, all on tip-toe with -curiosity. - -[Illustration] - -She did not hear the padding of velvet paws behind her, nor see the -furry brown figure that came trotting stealthily in her wake. Having -taken a good nap, Bedelia awoke feeling as good as new. After a few -preliminary yawns, she bounced out of bed, much to the detriment of -the Little Lamb who, too much scared by all the rumpus to run away, -had finally fallen asleep under the bed with his head sticking out -at the inner side where he had considered it quite safe, as the bed -stood comparatively close to the wall. But with her usual perversity, -Bedelia jumped out of that side of the bed, landing plump in the Little -Lamb’s face. Bedelia was no light weight, and the unhappy Little Lamb -uttered a piercing shriek, at the same time hastily wriggling back into -his place of concealment. Bedelia had been considerably shaken by her -sickness and now, scared out of all her impudence by the queer thing -that she felt moving under her feet, she uttered a shrill squawk and -fled precipitately from the attic. She paused at the top of the stairs -and peered down between the railings just in time to see Sally emerge -from her room with the key in her hand. - -In a moment the Teddy Bear was on the alert, trotting silently down the -stairs, dreadfully tempted to take a slide down the polished rail of -the banister, but equally afraid of being sent back if discovered. In -the meantime, Sally hastened to the kitchen, clutching the golden key -which was, of course, very much larger in proportion than in the time -when she had found it lying on the nursery floor. - -“How I do hope it will open the door!” the little girl said to herself -as she thrust it into the lock and pressed against it very gently, -for she was rather afraid of breaking off the golden handle. To her -surprise and delight, however, it yielded at once, and with a turn of -the door knob Sally flung open the door and stepped outside, closely -followed by the still unseen Bedelia. - - - - -CHAPTER VII - -D. TABLET, ESQ. - - -IT was surprising enough to find that there was any outside, for Sally -had fully expected to step down between the doll’s house and the wall. -But to find herself on a beautiful country road, flanked on either side -by fields of emerald green that stretched away as far as the eye could -reach, was far more astonishing still. - -On either side of this road stood a row of tall, very stiff, very green -trees. They literally _stood_, for they did not grow out of the ground, -but rose out of flat, wooden stands that did not appear more wooden, -however, than their shiny, brown trunks. Green and stiff also were the -leaves that looked more like curled and painted shavings than anything -else. Sally examined them curiously, remembering she had once possessed -a toy farm that had contained just such trees as these. She laid her -hand against the smooth, glistening trunk, wondering if a brisk breeze -would not upset the whole business, and remembering how easily her -own farmyard trees had been overturned. These, however, seemed steady -enough, and Sally started off at a good pace, determined to investigate -the queer country into which she had made so unceremonious an entrance. - -As far as she could see, the road stretched ahead of her, glaring white -in the noon sunlight, which seemed almost blinding after the subdued -light of the doll’s house. Only a moment did she pause to hang the -precious golden key upon the string of gold beads that she wore around -her neck. Somehow she felt that that dear talisman, the pledge of love -between her parents, would be to her a safeguard in time of danger. A -sudden fear of losing it assailed her, and she quickly tucked beads and -all inside her dress. - -Turning for a farewell look at the Walking House, she beheld Bedelia -sitting demurely on the doorstep. The door she had closed behind her as -she stepped out. Now she jumped up and ran to Sally, who was very much -relieved to find the little bear was quite herself again, and slipped -her hand affectionately inside Bedelia’s arm. And the two proceeded -joyously along the gleaming road. - -It was quite warm, for the stiff up-and-down foliage cast little or -no shadow, and there was no breeze stirring. Sally was grateful for -this as she still felt rather doubtful concerning the stability of the -trees. Bedelia, however, expressed it as her opinion that even if one -of them did blow over, she and Sally would be well able to stand it up -again. But then Bedelia had always been very self-confident. - -The two companions trotted along together, stopping occasionally to -examine some queer flower or a tree that looked a little different from -the common run. Sally noticed that the flowers were all like those that -ornamented the windows of Dinah’s kitchen—of crimped and fluted paper, -while the little blades of grass appeared to be fashioned from the same -material. The whole thing seemed as if it might prove very monotonous, -at least if it were going to exist for good and all. - -[Illustration] - -Presently they came to a fine, large field that was fenced in all -around, and Sally could not but notice that the fences were all -wonderfully like those that had belonged to her own farmyard. In the -field were grazing a number of beautiful, placid looking cows and also -a good many sheep and goats. They were all wonderfully familiar in -appearance. Sally could not understand, although she did later on, why -everything she had seen so far suggested either the Noah’s Ark or the -farmyard. Both of them had long since been relegated to the dust-bin, -defaced and broken beyond any kind of usefulness. - -And then Sally spied not very far ahead of them a sign post, which, -when they came up to it, exclaimed in a most affable manner, “Five -miles to the Palace!” and gently waved one of its arms toward the cross -road, on the edge of which it stood. - -Sally was so much amazed at hearing a sign post speak that for the -moment she failed to notice the absence of any painted directions -upon its arms. However, Bedelia, who was as usual ready for anything, -retorted somewhat pertly, “And where might the road that we are -traveling on lead to?” - -To which the Sign Post responded with the same cordial, although -somewhat wooden tone and a most reassuring smile, “Five miles to the -Palace,” whereupon it subsided and stood quite stiff and straight, as -if, perchance, waiting for another question, to which Sally felt quite -certain it would have responded, “Five miles to the Palace!” - -As there was nothing to be gained by asking questions that would -obviously receive only the one answer, with a word of thanks the -children proceeded on their journey, wishing it were not quite so far -to the Palace, for they were both beginning to feel tired and as she -had taken no luncheon, Sally was decidedly hungry. Once she looked -back and saw that the Sign Post was gazing after them, still wearing -its affable smile. And the child fancied that she could hear a faint -murmur, “Five miles to the Palace,” while she was quite certain that -the Sign Post waved its arms in a friendly adieu. - -[Illustration] - -Sally now noticed for the first time that Bedelia was carrying a large -paper bag which bulged out to such an extent that it seemed every -moment as if it would burst. That it was weighty was vouched for by -the fact that Bedelia frequently shifted it from one paw to the other. -Truth to tell, the Teddy Bear, ever mindful of the inner man, had made -a swift raid on the kitchen as she passed out of the house, and had -swept into the paper bag every eatable that she could quickly lay her -paws on. Sally was just on the eve of asking what the bag contained -when suddenly its bottom gave way and there issued forth a perfect rain -of fruit, sandwiches and cakes, besides a bottle of milk and a jar of -pickles. Since the mystery had seen fit to unravel itself, Sally was -only too glad to commend Bedelia’s forethought. Having gathered up the -scattered feast, the two sat gratefully down under the shadiest tree -they could find and proceeded to feed in a most luxurious manner. - -Unfortunately for Bedelia, her hunger overcame any remote idea she -might have possessed concerning good manners, and she proceeded to -gobble in so outrageous a fashion that Sally was about to remonstrate -when suddenly the culprit was arrested by the sound of a small, -querulous voice that seemed to come from her innermost being, and which -exclaimed in jerky tones, - -“Don’t shovel things down so fast, for goodness’ sake! How do you -expect me to get any work done properly when you work me so fast? Oh, -dear! Oh, dear! I shall never have anything in order!” - -Bedelia distinctly felt a queer sensation as if something were hopping -up and down at the very center of her little, round stomach. To say -that she was terrified is putting it very mildly, while Sally was too -astonished to move, even though she had by this time become used to -queer happenings. - -“Don’t drink any more milk,” continued the voice in a kind of -exasperated squeak. “Everything down here is in a flood. I can hear -your food splash as it drops in. There isn’t a dry place for the sole -of my foot.” - -Although she was scared, Bedelia resolved to preserve a bold front, and -now replied with assumed calmness, “Whoever you are, come out here and -let us see what you are like.” And then she added saucily, “You needn’t -think you can prevent me from eating what I want!” - -“What’s that you say? What’s that you say?” squeaked the voice, as if -its owner were in a terrible rage. And the very next moment Bedelia -felt a dreadfully choking sensation, and out of her mouth popped the -queerest little figure that Sally had ever laid eyes upon. - -He was not more than half an inch tall and he was pink all over, even -his eyes and his hair and his long, flowing beard—bright pink like -Bedelia’s tongue. And there he stood, glaring at Bedelia as well as he -could, for the bright sunshine made him blink dreadfully, and at the -same time he bowed politely to Sally, whom he evidently regarded with -approval. And Sally bowed gravely in return, although she could hardly -keep from laughing outright at the queer little creature with his -round, flat body, his thin, crooked arms and spindling legs, and above -all his extremely pompous manner. - -“In me you behold Tablet—D. Tablet,” he remarked without further -preliminaries. - -[Illustration] - -He paused a moment, and Sally exclaimed impetuously, “I have heard -of dyspep—” Here she stopped abruptly, afraid she had already given -offense. “Dyspepsia tablet” she had been going to say. - -But much to her relief, the little creature nodded affably and -quickly continued, “Children like you, who eat in moderation and show -some breeding while they eat, have no need of my good offices. Only -creatures who stuff like pigs have to be reproved by me.” - -There was a slight pause and D. Tablet presently continued, evidently -flattered by the attention of his audience, although he still glared -at Bedelia out of his pink eyes which had now become accustomed to the -sunlight. - -“Know, then,” he went on, “that your stomach and everybody’s stomach -is simply a storehouse in which the food is put away on shelves in -pantries and cupboards as fast as it is swallowed. Everybody who comes -into this country has a D. Tablet in his stomach to attend to this -business. He may not know it, but we are there all the same. Therefore -when you pile in fifty different things at once and drown it all with -oceans of liquid, how can we possibly get things in any kind of order? -We don’t, and then you are ill, as _you_ were yesterday.” - -Bedelia jumped, so suddenly did D. Tablet wheel around upon her. - -“And then when you don’t chew your food, what do you think happens? A -few moments ago you were gobbling exactly like a p-i-g. Do you know -what that spells?” - -“Perfectly, independent gentleman! And I don’t care a snap what -happens,” impudently retorted Bedelia. - -By this time she had decided that D. Tablet was a great bore, and being -still hungry, was itching to get at her neglected luncheon. - -At this D. Tablet turned pinker than ever with rage. His flat little -body seemed to swell up until it was nearly as round as a marble. For -a moment he stood shaking with anger, and then without another word -suddenly vanished, but whither they were not able to see. Whether or no -he had plunged down Bedelia’s throat and once more assumed the endless -task of setting her internal economy to rights, neither Sally nor the -Teddy Bear had time to observe. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII - -THE TALKING SIGN POST - - -“DON’T you think it was telling awful whoppers?” asked Bedelia, as she -settled down comfortably upon her haunches and proceeded to dispose of -a plump red banana with a rapidity that would certainly have called -forth a rebuke from the personage to whom she referred. - -Sally hesitated, not quite certain which side it devolved upon her to -defend. She certainly had been somewhat impressed by D. Tablet. Had -she not seen him come tumbling, frog-like, out of Bedelia’s throat? -For aught that she could prove to the contrary, he had, perhaps, gone -tumbling back again. Being thus cruelly torn between her fondness for -Bedelia and her sense of justice, she wisely held her peace, while -Bedelia, by this time well on the way with the second banana, mentally -hurled defiance at her pink advisor. - -“He was damp all over. He looked as if somebody had _licked_ him!” -she finally ejaculated, throwing away her banana skin and standing up -preparatory to suggesting that they resume their journey. - -At the same moment her face stiffened, while her eyes fairly bulged -out of her head with amazement. Hurrying straight down the road toward -them, and advancing by leaps and bounds was a long, lithe figure that -they both recognized as it came nearer as the Talking Sign Post. It now -came up at a brisk gallop, and exclaimed breathlessly as soon as within -hailing distance, - -“I was _so_ afraid you would get lost without me!” - -Thereupon it threw itself comfortably down on the greensward and -beamed amiably at Sally. She felt very much like replying that if he -had been a little more communicative in the beginning, the danger of -going astray would have been smaller. However, she refrained, being -dreadfully afraid of offending the Sign Post, who after all appeared -to be very good-hearted. Not so Bedelia, who cocked her sharp, little, -black eyes in a most inquisitive manner and hastily retorted, - -“No thanks to _you_ if we _did_ get lost, with your ‘Five miles to the -Palace’ and nothing else. How should we know which turning to take -next?” And then she added hurriedly, “Why don’t you have things painted -on you as they do in civilized countries?” - -“If by _things_ you mean directions,” replied the Sign Post gravely, -“it would be altogether superfluous in a land where everything can -talk. And as for turnings,” he added severely, “there aren’t any. All -the roads in Toyland lead to the Palace, so you are sure to get there -some time or other. To be sure, some roads are longer than others. In -the event of your taking the longest one, you might consider yourselves -lost.” - -[Illustration] - -All out of patience with what she considered an extremely round-about -explanation, Bedelia did not trouble herself to reply, but Sally -hastened to smooth things over by offering the Sign Post some luncheon -out of the paper bag, which they had managed to repair with some pins, -and which now contained the remnants of their repast. This, however, -he politely refused, having already lunched copiously on his usual -diet of shavings which curious regimen agreed best with his wooden -constitution. Sally was rather disappointed at this. She recollected -once having been taken to the Zoo and having seen the ostriches fed -with oranges. And she remembered how very queer it had appeared to -her to watch the fruit as each piece traveled down the birds’ long, -red throats, one chasing another until they finally vanished in the -feathery region below. She could not help thinking that the Sign Post -was very like the throat of an ostrich, only the resemblance continued -all the way down. She could not but wonder where the luncheon would -finally have located itself, as there were apparently no facilities for -expansion in the general make-up of the Sign Post. - -There was a short silence, during which Bedelia made ostentatious -preparations for moving on. - -Fond as she was of the little bear, at that moment it seemed to Sally -that it could not exist in any sort of comfort without making somebody -else miserable. So she said very gently, - -“Would you kindly tell me what land we are in?” - -She felt quite sure that the Sign Post was waiting for her to open the -conversation. - -An expression of surprise flitted over the mobile countenance of -the Sign Post, but he replied without further comment, “This is the -wonderful country of Toyland,” and then murmured in a reminiscent -manner, “Five miles to the Palace. Five miles to the Palace.” After a -moment he added, “Perhaps it will be just as well for us to be moving -without more delay. It is quite a long way for you to walk.” - -So all three got upon their feet and cheerfully resumed their travels. - -The country, although very fresh and green, seemed to the little girl -rather monotonous. The same cows, pigs and sheep, the same stiff little -wooden houses, fenced in by the same stiff wooden railings. People -seemed few, but as it was not far from noon, Sally concluded that they -must all be eating their dinners. And a very sensible conclusion it -was. The few folk that were encountered were of the wooden doll type, -and they all appeared to be so very busy at their work in the fields -that Sally forbore to hail them, although she would dearly have liked -to stop long enough to pass the time of day with them. - -So the three proceeded, chatting merrily, the Sign Post accommodating -his long, swinging stride to the shorter steps of his small companions. -An exchange of confidences was, of course, the natural thing, and Sally -was soon giving a complete account of herself and Bedelia and of how -they had happened to stumble into Toyland. The Sign Post listened with -attention, and in return gave much valuable information concerning -both himself and the country. He explained that there were many other -Sign Posts like himself, that they were stationed at intervals of five -miles, and that it was their duty to conduct as well as to direct -strangers, should they so desire. He also explained that there was no -night in Toyland, as it was a very difficult and expensive business to -start up the sun, which in consequence was allowed to go on shining _ad -libitum_. - -“Whenever anyone feels in need of rest or _repairs_, he takes a trip -to Sleepy Town. It lies just over there and adjoining our own country. -There it is always night, the moon shines perpetually, and everything -invites slumber.” - -Here the Sign Post yawned in so fearful a manner that Sally, gazing on -his open countenance, decided that he might very well be a candidate -for Sleepy Town. - -Following the direction in which he had pointed as he described the -location of Sleepy Town, Sally’s glance discerned what appeared to be a -faint, purplish haze hanging upon the horizon. - -“You will find a great many Sign Posts there,” said her companion so -abruptly that Sally jumped, for she had fancied that he was still -yawning, “on account of the darkness. For example, how would a stranger -find Nid-Nod Street or Blanket Avenue, were there not someone present -to inform him?” - -And Sally, comprehending the weight of his argument, nodded gravely. - -The trio had now accomplished half their journey, and about two -miles and a half lay between them and the Palace. Sally did not feel -particularly tired, as the road was very smooth and not at all dusty. -Once an automobile passed them and Sally noted the fact that it was of -exactly the same pattern as one that she owned and which now reposed in -the nursery at home in a garage constructed by Bob of building blocks. -It was of the wrought-iron variety, and was wound up with a key. - -[Illustration] - -The auto which had spun merrily by suddenly stopped a few yards -ahead of them and refused to budge an inch. Sally and her companions -hastened their steps and, coming up with the auto, found that it had -run down. As the chauffeur had forgotten to bring along the key, the -party of lady dolls that occupied the car were plunged in the deepest -despair and chagrin. Sally suddenly remembered her little golden key -and hastily produced it. It was found to fit to perfection. With many -thanks the party proceeded on its way, first having invited Sally and -Bedelia to take seats in the car. The Sign Post was, of course, quite -out of the question. However, Sally politely declined, as she really -preferred very much to continue her walk with her lanky companion, to -say nothing of Bedelia. This the Sign Post greatly appreciated, and -presently stooped down and, gently lifting the little girl, he poised -her aloft on his shoulders, and in this gallant fashion she rode for a -mile or more, while Bedelia trotted behind, grumbling and growling at -the discourtesy shown her. Although she had been very uncivil indeed to -the Sign Post, Bedelia could see no good reason why she should not ride -on his other shoulder. - -Being completely rested—indeed, she had not been a bit tired in the -beginning—Sally slid laughingly to the ground, quite in opposition to -the wishes of the Sign Post, who would gladly have carried her till the -end of the chapter. They had ascended a slight hill, and the city now -lay in plain sight in the charming valley beneath them. Sally could not -but observe that there was nothing at all imposing in its appearance. -All the houses seemed planned after about the same pattern. Even the -Palace itself seemed to be only a doll’s house on a larger scale than -the others. Sally’s mental comparison of it with her own beloved -Walking House was anything but favorable. The little girl presently -paused, however, to reflect that being now in the country of dolls and -toys, she could scarcely expect to find sky-scrapers. Bedelia turned -up her nose frankly enough, and, as was her custom, at once proceeded -to express her opinions without let or hindrance. And what might have -been the result had she been permitted to conclude as she began nobody -knows, for the Sign Post was beginning to look very much put out. - -[Illustration] - -But just at that moment their attention was attracted by a loud -noise behind them, a fearful pounding and bumping. Looking around, -they beheld advancing along the road at a high rate of speed a huge -_something_—what they were at first unable to decide. But as it came -nearer and nearer and finally swung into full view, they discovered -that it was nothing more nor less than the Walking House, hurrying -along at an astonishing pace, while from the interior issued a doleful -voice which loudly repeated at intervals the entreaty, “Wait for me! -Wait for me!” - -All its windows glistened in the sun like blinking eyes, while the -castors on which it originally stood had somehow turned into prancing -feet that now hopped and skipped along with the greatest alacrity. On -it came, bumping and bouncing, and all its terrified inhabitants bumped -and bounced too, while they hung on for dear life to any available -piece of furniture that they had happened to grasp. And nearly scared -out of their wits was every mother’s son of them, for only a colony of -rubber dolls could have been in a comfortable frame of mind under such -trying circumstances. Greatly relieved were all when the frisky house -suddenly ceased its gyrations and came to a dead stop directly in front -of Sally. - - - - -CHAPTER IX - -JOYTOWN - - -IT was clearly a case of a runaway house, and before Sally had time to -finish wondering how on earth it could have walked out of its own back -door in order to step into Toyland, as she and Bedelia had been obliged -to do, she was surrounded by all the inmates of the Walking House, who -came scrambling down the stairs and out of the doors, thoroughly glad -that their rough-and-tumble ride had come to an end. - -Everybody crowded around Sally, and all sorts of experiences were -exchanged. Finally the Sign Post reminded the little girl that it was -growing late and if they wished to enter the city under his escort, it -would be well to make a move, as he had already been a long time away -from his post of duty. Accordingly the whole party set out, and soon -descended the slight hill from which Sally had taken her first look at -the city. After they were all safely at the bottom, the doll’s house -proceeded down very cautiously and _backwards_. For it was dreadfully -afraid of spilling all its contents if it went down in its normal -position. At length it was safely landed at the bottom, but Sally -immediately discovered that it never would be able to get into the city -as the gates were not particularly wide, and certainly had never been -set up with a view to admitting strange houses that came galloping -along, unceremoniously clamoring for entrance. Therefore after a brief -consultation, it was decided that the house should remain outside the -gates, which were never closed, as there was no night there; and that -the family should make it their headquarters and return for rest and -refreshment whenever they became tired out with exploring the new -country. This matter having been arranged, Sally and the faithful Sign -Post proceeded to lead the way into the city. - -Over the gates was inscribed the legend: - - THE CITY OF JOY - -neatly painted in plain characters distinct enough for all to read. -And with this most propitious name to greet them, the inhabitants of -the Walking House advanced bravely up the principal street. Everything -appeared to be extremely peaceful. People—who, of course, were all -dolls and very much like their visitors in size and appearance—were -going about the streets and in and out of the shops and offices. - -Sally rather wondered at the absence of policemen, but upon remarking -on this to the Sign Post, quickly found herself obliged to explain -what she meant. The word was unknown in Toyland, and such a word as -crime had never entered its vocabulary. The Sign Posts were the nearest -approach to anything in the nature of “the force,” and they were only -for general guidance and information. The little girl marveled greatly -at such a state of affairs, and hoped most devoutly that Bedelia would -behave herself while sojourning among such peaceful folk. That worthy, -trotting along with her paw clasped in Sally’s hand, looked the very -picture of innocence. Sally had seen her look like this before, and at -such seasons usually prepared for the worst. - -[Illustration] - -The main street upon which they now were walking led straight to -the Palace, which towered aloft above the other houses in the very -center of the city. Upon closer acquaintance, Sally quite altered her -previous opinion and found the building a very fine one indeed, even -in comparison with the Walking House. She could not help wondering if -it also possessed feet in embryo that might develop and run away with -it at any unexpected moment. She was rather afraid that the dwellings -in Joytown, having noted the example of the Walking House, might -perchance take a notion to follow the same. There was, however, nothing -whatever to cause apprehension in the dignified attitude of the staid -and stationary dwellings of the chief city of Toyland. Sally felt that -all quite depended upon their powers of observation, and whether or not -they had noticed the antics of the Walking House. For is not example -more effective than precept? Sally feared that it might be so. However, -she had no time for reflection, as all the party were anxious to make -a tour of the city, and the dinner hour was rapidly approaching. It -was too late to visit the Palace, so after a walk, during which they -covered a good deal of territory, they retired to their own dwelling. - -The soft, golden twilight which took the place of night, now commenced -to fall, and Sally observed many parties of the residents leaving the -city and starting in the direction of Sleepy Town. The Sign Post, -who, at Sally’s earnest solicitation, had obtained permission from -headquarters to remain with the child and her party during their stay -in Toyland, now informed Sally that the twilight was brought about by -draping the sun with many veils of delicately tinted gauze. - -“You see there really is no necessity for it at all, except that having -the day all the time becomes rather monotonous,” he went on. “And -besides that, there would be no sense in having such a long day. One -could not continue at work for more than six hours, the time laid down -by the trade unions.” - -This seemed a remarkably short day to Sally, and she now inquired what -the Sign Post meant by veiling the sun. But that worthy immediately -assumed an air of mystery and replied, - -“It was entirely the idea of the Polly-nosed Saphead. You must ask of -him, for he alone understands the nature of the occult rite.” - -“And who, pray, may be the Polly-nosed Saphead?” demanded Bedelia, who -was hopping along on the other side of the Sign Post, very demure and -highly interested in all that was taking place. - -At this the Sign Post shook his head solemnly. - -“He is the high priest of all Toyland,” he replied. “Few are permitted -to enter his august presence.” - -He shook his head again, and was silent. And Sally and Bedelia both -solemnly shook their heads, and were silent also for the space of at -least a full minute. - -However, there did not appear to be any use in standing still and -shaking their little craniums over the Polly-nosed Saphead. Accordingly -Sally and Bedelia cordially thanked the Sign Post, who promised to join -them early the next morning, and made their way toward the Walking -House. They would gladly have invited their companion to enter, had he -not been entirely too tall for any of the rooms, or even to get in at -the door. As the Sign Post was very well used to standing out-of-doors, -he patiently took up his stand close to the house, there to await the -coming of the morning. To be sure, it seemed very queer to him not to -be saying “Five miles to the Palace,” he had been saying it for such a -very long time. In fact, he had never before in all his existence been -called upon to quit his post, as he was a comparatively new Sign Post. -But a very pleasant business he found it, especially when acting as -escort to such a delightful little girl as Sally. - -Meantime Sally and Bedelia had entered the house, where they found the -rest of the family awaiting them. After a short consultation, it was -decided to observe the general rules that had governed them before -they had arrived in Toyland. Because other people never went to bed -was really no reason why they should not if they found it necessary. -Therefore the shades were drawn down, the lights extinguished, and the -whole household soon wrapped in refreshing slumber. - -Once Sally wakened and, peeping out between the curtains—for the window -was close to her bedside—beheld the long and lanky form of the Sign -Post standing patiently at his place. His countenance still bore its -affable smile and the child fancied she could hear him murmuring, “Five -miles to the Palace. Five miles to the Palace.” - -[Illustration: Sally felt a great longing to tip over the gorgeous -little Colonel.] - -“Only it couldn’t be five miles, because it isn’t any miles at all,” -murmured the child, as she slipped away into dreamland. “He’s right at -the very door of the Palace.” - -Sally slept late, and as soon as she awoke sprang out of bed and rushed -eagerly to the window. There was the Sign Post, nodding and smiling at -her, and waving good-morning, to which she responded in like manner, -and then made haste to dress and ran down to the kitchen, where she -found Dinah busily preparing breakfast. All the dolls had been up all -night, putting the house to rights, as it had suffered a terrible -shaking up during its journey, and there was not a piece of furniture -in the whole place that had not bumped and bounced and slidden, so that -it all presented a very much tumbled-up appearance when at last the -house came to a standstill. However, the dolls had worked busily, and -by the time Sally descended everything was in fine shape. - -After a toothsome breakfast, a short council was held as to the best -methods of procedure. It was decided to go forth in several small -parties, as their number would make one single group rather too large. -The Sign Post had managed to take part in the conference by stooping -down and poking his head in at the window, and now hastened off to -summon others of his kind. Presently returning with them, they all set -off on their explorations. - -Sally and Bedelia, with their faithful guide, formed a party by -themselves and very gaily they set forth, though it must be confessed -that Bedelia looked a bit solemn. Having eaten a huge breakfast, she -was beginning to experience certain sensations which caused her to -apprehend that D. Tablet, Esq., might once again be on the rampage. -These disagreeable feelings, however, gradually wore away, and the -little bear was presently padding along as merrily as any of the others. - -Beautiful indeed was the Imperial City, with its bustling business -section and its lovely residence portion, its symmetrical parks and -gleaming lakes. And high above all, as if keeping guard over the -peaceful city, the lofty Palace, which stood on a slight eminence and -was therefore rendered extremely prominent by its position as well as -its size and distinctive style of architecture. - -Sally did not know very much about architecture. Most of her knowledge -on the subject was included in the somewhat mixed-up style of the -Walking House. Neither she nor Miss Palmer had ever been able to decide -whether it was Grecian or Roman, ancient or modern. To be sure, Miss -Palmer had been anxious to spare John’s feelings on the subject, and -therefore had been slow in offering an opinion. And Sally was now -plunged in quite the same perplexity with regard to the Palace. She -could not help wondering if it had been designed by the Polly-nosed -Saphead, who, since he appeared to be such a great personage, might -well be a great architect also. - -The Palace stood in the midst of a beautiful park, filled with the -usual types of trees that Sally had noticed as peculiar to Toyland, and -was approached by a lofty flight of steps, guarded on either side by a -whole regiment of lead soldiers, “The Royal Guards,” as the Sign Post -explained in a rather awe-struck manner. Sally felt a great longing to -tip over the gorgeous little Colonel, as she had often done with her -lead soldiers at home, and send the whole rank and file toppling over, -one upon another. But she suddenly recollected that she was now not -the least bit bigger than the soldiers themselves. And so she meekly -followed the private who was detailed to conduct them to the presence -of Royalty. - - - - -CHAPTER X - -SALLY AND BEDELIA ARE PRESENTED AT COURT - - -PRECEDED by their guide, Sally and Bedelia passed between the great -doors of the Palace and into a mighty circular hall that was lighted -from above by a huge dome of golden colored glass, which cast a soft -and sunshiny radiance over everything. In the center of the hall rose -a wide and winding spiral staircase, heavily carpeted with deep yellow -velvet, whose bordering melted away into soft browns and russets. Sally -thought she had never seen anything more lovely than the color scheme -of this imperial hall, with its rich woodwork of carved golden oak, and -the golden light flooding everything. - -Twelve great doors opened out of the hall and they were now ushered -with great ceremony through the one directly facing the wide entrance -and were received by a splendidly dressed court page, while the private -promptly saluted and went about his business. - -When Sally, with heart thumping in a most uncomfortable manner, -ventured to lift her eyes from the pavement of tessellated marble, -she beheld a most magnificently appointed apartment of regal size, -thronged with courtiers and ladies-in-waiting, all in splendid court -dress; while at the further end rose a gorgeous throne upon which were -seated two of the handsomest dolls she had ever seen. She suddenly felt -herself very plain and insignificant in the midst of all this splendor. - -But there was no time for personal criticism, for she was being rapidly -conducted up the hall by the gorgeous page, who was at the same time -loudly announcing her name and that of her companion. The child felt -herself blushing to the roots of her hair as she dropped her prettiest -curtsy, and dreadfully aware in the midst of her embarrassment that -Bedelia was attracting attention from all directions. In fact, that -personage possessed most strikingly original ideas of court etiquette -and, having made a most extraordinary bow, proceeded to lick the hand -of royalty which had been most graciously extended to be kissed. This -performance gave birth to a ripple of laughter, which at once broke the -ice. The courtiers crowded around Sally and Bedelia, while the King and -Queen descended from their throne and proceeded to make themselves most -agreeable to the strangers. - -The Queen was a most beautiful blond, with large, blue eyes—Sally -noticed that they had real, black lashes—and a bewildering wealth of -golden curls, which she wore floating over her shoulders and whose -luster put to shame her golden crown. She wore a splendid gown of -white satin, embroidered with threads of gold, over which opened a -robe of purple velvet lined with ermine. A splendid court train swept -far behind her, and she was, furthermore, adorned with all the family -rhinestones, which made a prodigious sparkling and glittering and -appeared very magnificent indeed. - -The King was a very tall and finely-built doll, with very dark hair and -eyes. His dress was of royal purple velvet, slashed with white satin. -He, also, wore a crown of fine gold and a splendid signet ring set -with a large ruby, upon which Bedelia gazed with suspicious interest. -Noticing her interested expression and following the direction of -her glances, Sally began inwardly to quake, and resolved that the -mischievous little bear should be separated as far from the King as -possible. An unkind fate, however, willed it otherwise, for the Queen, -who felt rather afraid of Bedelia, promptly linked her arm in Sally’s -and the two walked slowly down the long hall, leaving the King to -follow with the little bear. Truth to tell, Her Majesty was extremely -curious with regard to this new kind of doll, which was neither made of -china nor stuffed with sawdust, and she pressed Sally’s hand and patted -her arm, consumed with curiosity, although disliking to ask of what -material she could possibly be made. - -Sally was destined to have her ideas concerning royalty turned -topsy-turvy. Indeed, all her previous notions, obtained from well -authenticated books, pictured kings and queens as quite the reverse of -what she was really finding them. The idea of a king promenading arm in -arm with a Teddy Bear, or with any kind of a bear, as far as that went! -She could not help smiling to herself to think how angry Bedelia would -be could she know of what she herself was thinking. For Bedelia had -always considered herself a most important little personage, and quite -good enough society for kings and queens, too. - -While these thoughts were chasing each other through Sally’s brain, the -Queen was interestedly, if furtively examining the little girl’s dress -and her beautiful, lustrous braids which reached below her waist. Much -was her secret astonishment to discover that the latter were not glued -on, as were her own golden tresses. This she could not fail to consider -a serious detriment, for she was the proud possessor of numerous wigs, -and simply exchanged one for another as soon as it became mussed up, a -proceeding which she considered vastly superior to having the tiresome -combing and curling done with one’s own head for a foundation, which -must be the case with Sally, of course. - -In fact, the Queen was rapidly coming to the conclusion that Sally was -a most delightful problem and one very worth while solving. To this end -she informed the pages that no one else would be given audience, and -insisted that Sally and Bedelia should spend the rest of the day at the -Palace. - -In the meantime Bedelia had been amusing the King, who found himself -highly entertained by this entirely new species of toy animal. He had -never before beheld anything like her, although very well acquainted -with every specimen in his kingdom. Toyland was destitute of Teddy -Bears, a fact that greatly astonished Bedelia, who did not know whether -to be mad or glad on account of it, and concerning which she later on -demanded an explanation of the Sign Post. However, he declared with a -solemn shake of his head that a question of such momentous import must -needs be referred to the Polly-nosed Saphead, a personage concerning -whom Bedelia was already burning with curiosity. - -However, the King declared Bedelia to be very good company for the -time being. And, though Sally was shaking in her shoes for fear of -what she might next consider it proper to do, she behaved herself in -such a bright and comical manner that His Majesty declared he would -immediately find out why none of her species had ever before penetrated -into Toyland. - -Bedelia privately decided that she would herself find out before he -did, or know the reason why. However, she intimated nothing of the -kind, and as the Queen just then suggested that they make a tour of the -Palace and grounds, the subject was dismissed for the time at least. - -The Queen now threw her long train over her arm and settling her golden -crown a little more firmly on her golden curls, she caught Sally’s hand -and the two moved towards the door, followed by the King and Bedelia. -The latter had, as a matter of course, taken the King’s arm, and now -marched along with her nose in the air, greatly to the astonishment -of the scandalized court ladies, very few of whom had enjoyed a like -honor. His Royal Highness was too much amused and diverted to feel any -embarrassment. Truth to tell, life in Toyland had been dull of late, -the same thing happening every day without change or variation, and the -King was beginning to be horribly bored. Bedelia had dropped from the -sky, as it seemed, in the very nick of time. - -The quartet proceeded through the crowd of respectfully bowing -courtiers to the big doors at the lower end of the room and passed -through them into the outer hall. The royal automobile was in waiting, -and after a general tour of the Palace the party stepped into it and -started for a ride through the charming country. - -As they reached the edge of the town, they beheld the Walking House -patiently awaiting developments and, both King and Queen desiring to -look it over, the party descended at once and proceeded to examine it. -The position of guide was, of course, snapped up by Bedelia, whose -fluency of speech fitted her very well for such work. - -The King inspected everything with the greatest interest, noting many -improvements unknown in Toyland, Both King and Queen insisted on being -introduced to all the dolls, and made themselves most delightfully -agreeable. - -The little bear now noticed for the first time the absence of Peter -Pan, a fact which she had hitherto passed by, owing no doubt to the -very good time she was enjoying. Squatting on her haunches in the -kitchen while she devoured a big, red apple—for she considered that the -claims of the inner man preceded even those of royalty—she revolved the -matter in her mind, finally coming to the conclusion that there could -be but one reason for Peter’s absence: that after their disappearance -from the doll’s house, he had discovered some means of returning to -his original size, and had availed himself of it, probably finding -the society of the doll’s house uncongenial minus Sally and Bedelia, -and preferring that of his cubs. Bedelia devoutly hoped that he had -preserved a portion of the “restorer,” as she mentally styled it, for -herself and Sally. Greatly as she was enjoying herself, she certainly -had no intention of remaining as she was for the term of her natural -life. Playing at being dolls was all very well for a season, but was -scarcely satisfying enough for a perpetual diet. Besides, there was her -family. She wondered how Tom and Jerry and Little Breeches were getting -along without her. It was something of a consolation to feel that Peter -Pan was with them in her absence. - -Bedelia’s brain worked quickly, if it was made of silk ravelings! And -she had firmly settled the whole matter in her own mind long before she -had finished the red apple. - -When she had taken the last bite and had carefully extracted the -seeds, of which, squirrel-like, she was extremely fond, she dropped -the core into the coal scuttle, wiped her paws and muzzle on Dinah’s -best apron which happened to be freshly done up and airing before the -fire, and betook herself upstairs to find out what had been going on -in her absence. As she passed the basement door, she saw the Little -Lamb scurrying out of it, but thought nothing of the incident and sped -upstairs to the drawing-room from which issued the sounds of lively -conversation. - -The King and Queen had explored every nook and corner of the Walking -House, and now expressed a most lively desire to see it walk, a request -with which the House stubbornly refused to comply. Firmly planted upon -its pedal extremities, which had to all intents and purposes turned -themselves back into castors again, it stoutly resisted all coaxing -and persuasion; and the project was finally abandoned, much to the -disappointment of their Royal Highnesses and the chagrin of Sally. - -The Queen declared it high time to be on the move, as they had brought -along an elaborate luncheon which was to be served wherever they felt -like stopping, and it was already along toward noon. Therefore they all -climbed into the auto and presently rolled away, waving good-bye to the -dolls, who were assembled in front of the house to see them go. - -[Illustration] - -A second auto with the servants and luncheon followed at a convenient -distance. There was no dust to take for the roads were all neatly -covered with velvet carpet whenever the King and Queen went abroad. The -automobile having been wound up just before it left the garage, there -was no fear of its running down, and even if it had, Sally felt quite -sure that her golden key would have been quite sufficient to start it -up again. - -The child could not but think that the King and Queen looked -exceedingly comical automobiling in their royal robes and jeweled -crowns. The long train of the Queen was dreadfully in the way, and was -always overflowing the sides of the auto and having to be re-arranged, -while her golden crown wabbled to such an alarming extent that she was -obliged to hold on to it with both hands, a proceeding which was not at -all comfortable. Nor was the King any better off, but rather worse, for -the Queen’s long and carefully dressed hair admitted of hat-pins and -formed a much better receptacle for a crown than did his own short and -curly locks. - -However, the little party was a very merry one in spite of wabbly -crowns and inconvenient court-trains. And great was the fun and -laughter as they sped gaily along through the charming country. -Presently they crossed a rustic bridge and turned into a beautiful -strip of woods, and here the Queen declared that their luncheon should -be served. It was, indeed, a lovely location. A silvery stream rippled -by and formed a charming cascade, the water having been turned on from -headquarters for the benefit of the royal party. A number of birds -of brilliant plumage hopped about among the green branches, most of -them warbling sweetly. That they had all been wound up for the special -occasion Sally did not for a moment doubt, but she was already so well -accustomed to this sort of thing that she did not in the least mind -it or consider it queer. As for Bedelia, she had never noticed the -difference. - -Just then the servants who had been approaching, bearing the big hamper -in which the lunch had been packed, suddenly dropped it and retreated -with every semblance of terror. Sally’s heart sank into her boots, and -she glanced nervously over her shoulders to ascertain if Bedelia were -missing. But the little bear was close behind and with the rest of the -party rushed forward to see what on earth ailed the royal servants. -The hamper lay upon the ground, while in one side yawned a great hole. -And within appeared a long, solemn face, terminated by a considerable -growth of beard. For Mary did not always find it quite convenient to -shave her Little Lamb as often as was really necessary. The goat’s -beard had sprouted, although the horns had not, and was proving a great -nuisance to everybody concerned. - -In a moment the solution of the whole thing burst upon Bedelia. She -remembered having seen the Little Lamb skipping out of the basement -door and surmised that he must have hidden himself in the automobile -until they were all under way and had then chewed a hole in the side of -the hamper, as he could not unfasten the lid, and finally managed to -squeeze himself in by dint of throwing out a number of articles utterly -valueless to goats but considered quite indispensable to royalty. Of -course all this had taken place behind the backs of the servants, who -evidently had never once looked around. - -Poor Sally, who recognized at the first glance the countenance of the -Little Lamb, felt that it would have been a huge relief had the ground -opened and made one mouthful of her. She was too much scandalized, as -well as too honest, to join in the terrified exclamations of the royal -couple, who, however, had but short space in which to express their -emotions. Not seeing any good reason why he should remain in his rather -cramped quarters, which he would have deserted much sooner had he not -feared to jump from the rapidly moving auto, the Little Lamb suddenly -wriggled out through the hole in the hamper’s side and taking nimbly to -his heels, scampered away and disappeared among the trees, leaving the -royal party to mourn over its departed feast. - - - - -CHAPTER XI - -THE POLLY-NOSED SAPHEAD - - -NOBODY ever was awakened in Sleepy Town, but everyone slept just as -long as they chose. Consequently the morning was well advanced before -the King and Queen awoke, and sat up yawning and stretching in a very -unregal manner. In fact, it was just like the awakening of ordinary -folks. And when they had gotten through with this performance, they -stood up and arranged their robes and put on their crowns which they -had carefully hung up on a nearby poppy bush. Sally was also awake. She -and the Sign Post had already taken a walk down to the lake where the -little girl had looked eagerly for the Leap-Frog. But the queer little -animal was nowhere to be seen, so the two had retraced their steps, -after Sally had bathed her face and hands in the cool water. They were -very glad to find the King and Queen and Bedelia waiting for them and -eager to take the homeward way. - -As they walked towards the gates, Sally noticed quite a number of -Flussies perched on the bushes, their heads under their wings, fast -asleep. The Sign Post remarked that they were the carrier-doves of -Toyland. Here and there a furry bat, hooked on some convenient branch -by his little claws, slept peacefully. Sally remarked how pretty and -downy they were, just like little winged mice. She had always wondered -why people feared them, knowing how senseless and cruel are the -superstitions regarding the timid little creatures. - - “He prayeth best who loveth best - All things both great and small, - For the dear God who loveth us - He made and loveth all.” - -She repeated the lines half dreamily to herself, wondering if they -included the Little Lamb and others of his ilk, as they walked along -towards the entrance, where they could already see the motor car, which -had just been freshly wound up, waiting for them. - -The King and Queen climbed into the back seat, Sally and Bedelia sprang -up with the chauffeur, and with the Sign Post racing ahead on his long, -lath-like legs, they set out at a merry pace for Joytown. - -It was nearly noon when they reached the palace, and after luncheon, -the Queen proposed that they should pay a visit to the Polly-nosed -Saphead, the Wizard who really controlled more or less all the affairs -of state. As Sally was only too eager to go, they hurried away without -ceremony as soon as might be, in order to have a good long afternoon. -This rather offended all the other members of the court, who were -decidedly inclined to feel aggrieved and neglected since Sally and -Bedelia had come a-visiting to the palace. - -The Polly-nosed Saphead lived in a great, round tower about half a -mile from the palace. He had been advised of the advent of royalty by -means of the wireless telegraph, which has always existed in Toyland. -In fact, he claimed to be the inventor of it. But be that as it may, -he received the message from the King all right, and was on hand to -receive the royal party in his big audience room on the first floor. - -When they entered the hall he was discovered sitting in his big -chair of state, his shrunken little body wrapped in a loose robe of -crimson covered with queer black figures and lined with white fur, -while his two pet gargoyles sported about at his feet. Sally saw with -astonishment that he was not a doll, but a real little man, or, more -properly speaking, a little dwarf, with a great head as bald as a -billiard ball. This defect was partially concealed by one little tuft -of hair or scalp lock, which had a dreadful habit of lifting itself -straight up in the air whenever it did not agree with the sentiments -expressed by its wearer. As for the back of his head, it was as smooth -as the palm of your hand, a fact which had long ago firmly convinced -its owner that it was extremely impolite ever to turn his back on -anyone. He had, in consequence, acquired a reputation for great -courtesy, and was pointed out as a kind of Chesterfield to the rising -generation of Toyland. - -Great, flapping ears stuck out on either side of the Wizard’s little -weazened face, while his big, bulging eyes were shaded by brows and -lashes that, naturally white, were always carefully dyed to match the -scalp lock, which, if the truth must be told, was dyed too. After a -time the dye gradually wore off and grew lighter in color, so that when -the great man neglected to visit his barber at proper intervals, his -hair, not to mention his lashes, became gradually of a delicate green -hue, having worked successively through every known shade of brown -before it reached this undesirable tint. When in good condition, it -was of a rich and glossy brown, shading upon black. “Streaky,” Bedelia -cruelly declared it, the moment she laid eyes upon it. - -But the most astonishing feature belonging to the Polly-nosed Saphead -was his large, beak-like nose that, shining and fleshless, rose -determinedly from the surrounding level of his countenance like the -bill of a poll-parrot, and imparted to his general appearance an air of -forever wishing to peer into mysteries. Never did question mark more -continuously uprear a perpetual interrogation than did the great man’s -inquiring nasal organ. Hence his name “The Polly-Nosed” which, far -from being a term of ridicule, was on the contrary, a title of great -respect. For were not parrots the wisest birds in all Toyland? Whatever -the rest of the name meant in the general language of Toyland, we will -not now pause to explain. - -A real parrot of most brilliant plumage hung upside down on the back -of the wise man’s chair, suspended by its claws and evidently fast -asleep. While the gargoyles that Sally had at once perceived with great -astonishment upon entering the hall, frisked about their master’s chair. - -The little girl had never considered these queer creatures in any other -position than close up under the eaves of a church. And she had always -supposed that their chief occupation was to spout a great deal of water -out of their huge mouths. These specimens, however, judging from their -disorderly conduct, had never heard of such a place as a church. In -fact, they were just then engaged in trying to swarm up the sides of -their master’s chair, in order to pull down the parrot. That wise old -fellow, knowing that in spite of their clumsy wings, they would never -be able to reach him in his fastness without first wallowing all over -their master, slept peacefully on, upside down as he was, and never -paid any attention to them at all. - -They certainly were remarkably hideous looking creatures, having -apparently been left off when not more than half finished, for they -possessed only a head and shoulders, with great front paws and strong, -cruel looking claws. In addition to these, they each sported a pair of -dragon-like wings. They had great mouths that very nearly met around at -the back of their necks, and huge, bulging eyes, and altogether were -anything but pretty pets. - -However, they crouched on the floor at a gesture from the Wizard, who -now hurriedly got himself up out of his big chair, and came forward, -bowing and scraping with the most effusive courtesy. He had big eyes -that stuck out dreadfully and gave them a ridiculous resemblance to the -gargoyles, and so fearfully did they wiggle and roll about that Sally -began to fear they would hop out of their sockets altogether before he -had finished his profuse greetings. - -He seemed especially glad to see Sally, whom he at once perceived to be -of his own kind, and quite different from the inhabitants of Toyland. - -Everybody having greeted everybody else with much politeness and -warmth, the King announced that he would be greatly pleased if the -Wizard would show Sally the wonders of his tower, especially the -Department of the Sun, in which they were all greatly interested. - -At this the Wizard appeared greatly flattered and begged them to -excuse him for a moment. He hastened to the far end of the room where -the gargoyles had briskly renewed their efforts to get at the parrot, -seized that still soundly sleeping bird, and proceeded to hang him up -by his claws on a high bracket that had originally served to support -his own cage. Polly slept serenely and the Wizard, having tethered -the gargoyles to the legs of his great chair, returned to the waiting -party. This greatly displeased the gargoyles for by this time they had -discovered Bedelia, and were quite willing to lose the parrot if they -might get at her. It must be confessed, Bedelia did not like their -looks at all and hung to Sally’s protecting arm, although she had held -up her head and looked back over her shoulders with a provoking grin -as the whole company left the hall and began to ascend a narrow and -winding flight of stairs that led to the top of the tower. - -Up and up they went, finally stepping out upon a wide platform or -veranda that ran all around the tower, and Sally saw that the great -round sun—which she perceived at a glance to be nothing more nor less -than a big electric light within a dazzling globe of cut-glass—hung -directly over the tower. The child understood at once that the Wizard’s -great power lay in his knowledge of electricity. However, she made no -comment, nor even hinted at the fact that she had ever heard of such a -thing. - -She was not at all surprised that the Wizard offered very few -explanations. In fact, he was very jealous of his methods of working, -and feared continually that somebody else might discover them. As there -was no patent office in Toyland, the best thing he could do was to keep -his secrets to himself, which he accordingly did to perfection. - -[Illustration] - -The Sign Post, still in faithful attendance, whispered to Sally that -the great surface of the sun was kept clean by hundreds of tiny elves -who were known as the Sunshine Fairies and who spent all their lives -rubbing and polishing the glittering cut-glass surface. - -“Once in the beginning,” he said solemnly, “they grew weary and fell -asleep, and the face of the sun became dark and dusty for want of -rubbing, so that we had an eclipse.” - -Sally smiled, thinking it a great deal more likely that something in -connection with the electric plan had gotten out of order. However, she -offered no comment but nodded and smiled. - -“Since then,” continued the Sign Post, “the elves have been divided -into two companies, and at stated times they are sent off to Sleepy -Town for rest. Then when they return the others go. It is a plan that -works very well.” - -“Much better than having eclipses all the time,” broke in Bedelia -sharply. She was not very sure what an eclipse was, but had come to the -conclusion that it must be something unpleasant and disagreeable. - -Sally now perceived myriads of the little Sunshine Fairies slipping -down the cold and glittering sunbeams, and right jolly creatures they -seemed to be. Each one had two pair of hands and arms so that when one -pair grew tired of rubbing and polishing, the other might come into -play. - -Sally was not surprised to find the sunbeams cold, as the moonbeams in -Sleepy Town had been warm and quite springlike in their temperature. -However, she did feel curious concerning the manner in which they were -regulated, as the sunlight at noon was ever so much brighter than it -was at morning or evening. Accordingly she inquired of the ever ready -Sign Post, as she had a vague idea that the Wizard rather disliked -being questioned. - -It was immediately explained to her that the light was regulated by -means of many folds of soft gauze, which were operated by means of -ropes and pulleys and in as many thicknesses as were required. They -were also in various shades of yellow, pink and violet and soft gray, -so that a most beautiful twilight could at any time be had for the -asking by simply arranging the gauze in appropriate color and thickness. - -It all seemed so simple that Sally was beginning to think the Wizard -had won his fame very easily. That personage, who had of course felt -obliged to give the most of his attention to the King and Queen, now -led the way down the narrow and winding stairs, a journey which the -Sign Post made in about half as many steps with his long legs. - -Very shortly they were back again in the big audience hall. Everything -was just as they had left it, the parrot still asleep and hanging up -like a bat by his claws, and the gargoyles both dozing, one under the -Wizard’s great chair and the other upon it, each with one eye open. - -Sally, who had noticed Bedelia’s somewhat hostile attitude, was -relieved to find all the creatures asleep. But they were not long to -remain so, for the noise made by the party in returning speedily woke -them. The parrot, with a shrill cry, flew straight to her favorite -perch on the back of her master’s chair. Being still half asleep, she -did not perceive the dear little pet that occupied it until a lusty tug -at her tail and the dreadful consciousness that she had parted company -with several of her best tail feathers caused her to fly to the floor, -squawking and chattering. - -Immediately both the gargoyles gave chase, but Polly, far from -retreating, turned boldly to face her tormentors. In a moment Bedelia -had thrown herself into the thick of the fray and there ensued a very -bad quarter of an hour for everybody all around. Fur and feathers flew -and Polly, reinforced by Bedelia, would have scored a signal victory -owing to the fact that the gargoyles were tied up, while the parrot, -after delivering a series of blows with beak and claws, could always -get out of the range of their jaws. Finally the Wizard, whom none of -them seemed to mind the least bit, succeeded in restoring order. The -gargoyles were driven off to a far corner where they were tied up in -disgrace, and Polly, minus her tail feathers, was shut up in her cage, -squawking and protesting every step of the way. - -[Illustration] - -Meantime, Bedelia quickly secured the bone of contention, namely the -brilliant tail feathers, and stuck them into her fur behind her ears, -where they stood up impudently, giving her rather the aspect of an -Indian squaw. - -Peace having been restored, afternoon tea was brought in and served by -a number of jumping-jacks, who were in fine livery and powdered wigs. -The jumping-jacks were exclusively in the service of the Wizard and -very fine servants they proved to be. To be sure, one of them would -occasionally collapse and fall in a limp heap on the floor, scattering -tea and cakes all over the place. But as jumping-jacks usually do -collapse and sprawl on the ground unless properly held up by the string -that always grows out of the tops of their heads, nobody seemed to -think anything of it, or to mind it in the least. - -It seemed rather a shame to Sally that they should be compelled to wear -powdered wigs, thus covering up forever that most important string. -The poor creatures could never be quite sure when they were going to -collapse. Besides, what a quantity of tea and cakes was always being -wasted! She could not exactly figure it all out and confided her -dilemma to the Sign Post. He remarked that even were the powdered wigs -dispensed with, there would be nobody to hold up the strings. - -While this was very true, it did not help Sally in the least, and she -was rather glad when the Queen declared that it was time to leave, and -the whole party, having bade good-bye to the Wizard, with thanks for -the pleasant if somewhat strenuous visit, returned to the palace. - - - - -CHAPTER XII - -THE WEATHER PROPHET - - -ALTHOUGH there was no night in Toyland, a species of twilight prevailed -after a certain hour, not dark enough to require lights, but it still -proved deliciously restful after a day of perfect and brilliant -sunshine. - -These twilights were, of course, engineered by the Wizard from his -tower, and by means of the gauze arrangements that the Sign Post -had explained to Sally, were blue, pink, yellow, green, and so on, -according to the fancy of the magician. - -It was quite the fad to give afternoon teas that matched the twilight -in color, and as a bulletin was posted each morning at the Wizard’s -front door announcing the shade of the twilight to come, the rest was -an easy matter. As soon as the diminishing sunlight proclaimed the -approach of evening, myriads of fireflies were let loose in all the -rooms of the palace, furnishing all the light that was necessary. -Indeed, Toyland knew nothing of lamps or candles, gas or electric -light. The cooking was all done with fuel, the secret of whose -preparation was known to the Wizard alone. It was non-explosive and -burned without consuming away, so that one good-sized chunk would -last forever. In fact, when a person went to invest in fuel, he first -had his cook stove measured and then ordered to be sent home a block -of exactly the right dimensions. When he wanted it lit all he had to -do was to use the bellows that hung by the side of every stove. This -started the fire at once, and an occasional application kept it going. -When the bellows was hung up for good, the fuel went out. In every -kitchen was employed a boy who did nothing but blow the fire with the -bellows. With such a state of affairs, conflagrations were unknown -and, in fact, unheard of. To be sure, there were plenty of iron fire -companies who appeared at intervals with other toys from the world of -human beings, but their occupation was gone forever, and they were -obliged to seek other pursuits, usually being given a place in the -standing army, a position for which their brilliant uniforms easily -fitted them. - -On this particular evening after returning from the Wizard’s palace,—it -was a pink evening, by the way—it was announced much to Sally’s delight -that the Weather Prophet had declared snow for the following morning. -If Sally was pleased, she was just as much astonished, for the weather -was warm and the month she was quite sure was June. However, as the -Wizard managed the Weather Prophet, who was only his mouth-piece, -nobody ever knew, it appeared, what sort of weather might be expected -within the next few hours. The Queen suspected that snow had been -ordered for Sally’s benefit, and said so with a smile; while the King -suggested that they should all go over to visit the Weather Prophet, -as there was nothing especially amusing laid out for the evening. This -was readily agreed to by everyone, and as soon as dinner was over they -all started forth to walk to the house of the personage who ruled the -weather. - -The evening was beautiful. A rosy flush rested upon everything, while -every wayside tree was filled with fireflies. To be sure, Bedelia -declared that the pinkish glow made them all look as if they had -scarletina. But as nobody in Toyland had ever heard of such a thing as -scarletina, her joke fell very flat indeed. - -A short walk brought them to the house of the Weather Prophet. At one -period of her life Sally would have called it a glass box, set up -on end. And that was certainly what it did look like. They caught a -glimpse of a mass of fluffy drapery within and then Bedelia exclaimed -in a tone of disappointment and chagrin, “Why, it’s nothing but a paper -doll!” - -Sure enough, a paper doll it was, and a lady doll at that. Sally had -seen just such dolls hung upon her Christmas trees year after year. In -fact, she had often helped to make the fluffy skirts of plaited crépe -paper. - -The Sign Post here whispered that the skirts were really the most -wonderful thing about the Weather Prophet, as they changed color with -the changes of the weather. - -Sally now observed hanging over the door a glass sign on which was -printed in large, golden letters - - WHEN I WEAR PINK, A STORM IS DUE, - WHEN SKIES ARE CLEAR, MY SKIRTS ARE BLUE. - -[Illustration] - -In fact, the glass sign began to repeat the stanza in a very loud voice -as soon as the party was within hailing distance, and kept repeating it -over and over until the Weather Prophet angrily ordered it to be quiet, -whereupon it became so sulky that it clouded itself all over and became -quite dim. - -As soon as the Weather Prophet could make herself heard, she greeted -her guests with the greatest affability, and when questioned concerning -the impending storm replied by pointing with a smile to her draperies, -which certainly were as pink as could be. - -“As there never is any rain here,” she explained, “a storm usually—in -fact, as a rule—means a snow storm.” Then with a friendly nod at Sally, -she added, “In your country, where I once lived, you have many kinds of -storms.” - -To this Bedelia promptly responded before Sally had time to answer, -“Snow storms, hail storms, rain storms, thunder storms and brain -storms!” - -“We have thunder storms here, too, but never any rain,” replied the -Weather Prophet. - -She was very pretty, and confided to Sally that she was the Wizard’s -wife, but that as she had to remain where her draperies could be -influenced by the weather, she seldom went to the tower. - -“Besides which, I cannot abide his horrid gargoyles,” she added, with a -contemptuous sniff. - -Sally remembered how stuffy the big hall in the tower had been and did -not at all blame the pretty doll for preferring her own bright and airy -glass house with its many ventilators and the gay, striped awnings that -could be spread out when the sun was too glaring. - -As the neat, gold paper watch that the Weather Prophet wore at her belt -now pointed to the hour of nine and Sally was beginning to look tired, -they all took leave of their charming hostess and wended their way back -to the palace, where the Queen with an affectionate kiss dismissed -Sally that she might seek the rest that she so greatly needed. - -“What on earth would nurse think if she could see us going to bed at -ten o’clock?” exclaimed the child, as she cuddled close up to Bedelia, -already half asleep on the dainty linen pillow. - -“What would she think if she could see any of it, especially the -gargoyles?” returned the little bear sleepily. - -Sally burst out laughing, remembering nurse’s dismay at sight of one -small mouse. But before her merry laugh had ceased to echo through the -room, her eyelids fell drowsily. She was fast asleep. - -They slept long and soundly, and were at last awakened by the scraping -of shovels and the sound of carts and horses in the street below. -Quickly Sally sprang out of bed, followed by Bedelia, who fell all over -herself and very nearly upset Sally in her anxiety to get to the window. - -A strange sight met their eyes. In the street below were moving back -and forth a myriad of little carts, each drawn by one horse, and -presided over by a jumping-jack. But wonderful to relate, instead of -shoveling up the snow and carrying it away, the drivers were unloading -it as fast as they could and spreading it over everything. Down the -road and as far as she could see, the child beheld a company of -Sign Posts that were mounted on huge ladders and busily engaged in -sprinkling the snow over the tops and branches of the stiff little -trees. They also hung numbers of glittering icicles on the boughs and -twigs. - -Without waiting to see any more, Sally dressed with the greatest -possible haste and flew to find her own especial Sign Post. Him she -found waiting patiently in the hall below, and in response to her eager -queries, he explained that, as Sally already knew, the temperature in -Toyland never varied. Therefore there was neither rain nor real snow. -The snow that now lay thickly spread over everything was manufactured -by the Wizard, who alone knew how to make it. - -“So you see,” concluded the Sign Post, “we can have winter whenever -Their Majesties wish for a sleigh ride.” - -They were walking along the garden path by this time, the crisp snow -crunching under their feet. Sally thought that Toyland had never looked -so beautiful as now, with every tree and roof sparkling with the -glittering snow crystals. The child picked up a few icicles and put -them carefully into her pocketbook for future reference. She felt very -much puzzled to see such a topsy-turvy state of affairs as existed in -Toyland. The idea of snow being shoveled out of carts instead of being -shoveled into them! She could but reflect, however, that a snow storm -in the nursery must have been planned and executed under very nearly -the same circumstances. - -“To be sure, they are only a lot of dolls,” she said to herself. “No -wonder that the Wizard is able to deceive them in so many ways.” - -“What becomes of all this stuff?” just then demanded Bedelia. She -had been digging down into the snow with much vigor and had promptly -discovered that it was neither cold nor wet. - -“The snow,” replied the Sign Post with dignity, “is the property of the -Wizard. When it has lain here for what he considers a proper length of -time, his servants gather it up and cart it away and it is stored up -for future use.” - -Just then a great jingling of bells was heard and a huge sleigh came -swinging up the driveway. In it was seated no less a personage than the -Polly-nosed Saphead himself, wrapped in furs and evidently in a great -state of pleasurable excitement. - -The poll parrot was perched on the back of the seat, while much to -Sally’s dismay the ugly heads of the two gargoyles appeared poking up -from among the fur robes. - -“Come for a sleigh ride,” cried the parrot before the Wizard had time -to move or speak. “Come for a sleigh ride, a sleigh ride, a sleigh -ride!” and she would no doubt have kept on repeating the invitation -indefinitely had not one of the gargoyles suddenly reared up on the -back seat and made a grab for her brilliant tail. Whereupon the Wizard -felt obliged to interfere and it was some time before peace was -restored and the great man descended with as much pomp and ceremony as -the circumstances permitted. - -He was such a bundle of furs that had it not been for his big head, -which was crowned with a large fur cap, it would have been almost -impossible to find his little shrunken body at all. He greeted Sally -with great warmth and announced that he had come to take her and the -royal party for a sleigh ride. Here Bedelia remarked in a stage whisper -that had the “royal party” been present, he would not have put Sally -first in his invitation. Nobody heeding her, however, she proceeded -to devote her attention to the parrot, the gargoyles having been left -outside in the sleigh. - -While feeling rather doubtful about riding in the same vehicle with -the ugly beasts as well as Polly and Bedelia—for she knew very well -that they would all have to go along—Sally felt obliged to accept -so pressing an invitation, especially when offered by such a mighty -personage. And word was accordingly sent upstairs to the King and Queen -who presently came hurrying down, all ready for the ride. - -In the excitement everyone had forgotten about breakfast, that is, -everyone but Bedelia. She now dived below stairs and made a swift raid -on the dining-room, whence she shortly returned with every evidence -of having restored exhausted nature with a great number of cookies, -judging from the crumbs that adorned her fur. - -As there was no further reason for delay, the whole party climbed -into the big sleigh. The Queen and Sally were on the back seat with -Bedelia between them, the King and the Wizard on the front seat with -Polly perched on the back of it directly behind her master. The -gargoyles were perched up in front with the driver, much to the dismay -of that dignified personage, who disliked them heartily. Besides, he -considered, and with some reason, that their presence detracted in no -small degree from his own liveried dignity. However, he was too much -afraid of them to vent his displeasure as he might have done had they -not been such ugly looking customers. The footman, too, felt very much -aggrieved at having his quarters curtailed by the admission of such -passengers. However, there was no help for it, and each one being -finally settled in his place, the sleigh started off with a great -jingling of bells and waving of plumes that stood up stiffly on the -heads of the mettlesome steeds and also reared themselves aloft on the -pillars of the high dashboard. - -The Wizard remarked that he had invited his wife to come along but -that as she objected to so much live stock, she had preferred to -remain where she was. Sally wondered where the Weather Prophet would -have roosted had she accepted the Wizard’s invitation, as there did -not appear to be a square inch of unoccupied room. However, she said -nothing and the sleigh sped merrily along, finally leaving the city and -swinging out into the open country. - -Here also winter fair and sparkling prevailed in all its dazzling -splendor. The King remarked that there would be fine skating to which -the Wizard replied that he had caused several pair of skates to be -brought along and that they would try the skating pond when the ladies -had had enough of the sleigh. - -This proposition was hailed with delight by all concerned. Sally could -not help wondering where they were going to find any ice. Her curiosity -was presently satisfied when the sleigh drew up beside a large sheet -of clear glass, which had been lightly sprinkled with the snow powder, -so that it was not too slippery for roller skating. Roller skating it -was to which the Wizard now invited his guests. And in a few moments -they were all speeding merrily along, each one trying to outstrip the -others. Even the gargoyles each buckled a pair of skates on his front -and only paws, and joined the merry company. And by dint of balancing -themselves with their wings, they managed very well indeed. - -The Queen was highly delighted as the skating pond was something -entirely new, and the whole party remained circling round and round -until the Wizard, looking at his watch, suddenly declared that it was -high time for twilight and that although it greatly grieved him to stop -so delightful a diversion, he really must hasten back to his tower in -order to attend to the same. He added that his wife desired the party -to take tea with her and that it would be a lavender tea. - -Everybody now took off the roller skates and piled into the sleigh, the -homeward way being taken by a different route in order that they might -lose none of the beauties of the scenery. - -As they approached the spot on which the pretty little glass house of -the Weather Prophet had stood, a cry of dismay broke from the lips of -all,—at least all but those of the Wizard. The house was gone, and -not the smallest trace of either house or Prophet remained to tell -the tale. Neither did the most systematic search reveal anything. -The baffled Wizard retired to his tower to consult the stars, as he -declared, while the rest of the party hurried to the palace to get -their own lavender tea. - - - - -CHAPTER XIII - -A MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE - - -GREAT was the hue and cry raised over the disappearance of the Weather -Prophet, and dire the dismay of the general public, that had daily -flocked to the pretty little glass house to learn the very latest -advice from the weather bureau. They greatly feared there could now -be no further predictions concerning sun and storm, for there never -had been but one Weather Prophet within the memory of anyone, even the -oldest of all. Even the Wizard knew nothing concerning the material -of which his wife’s magic skirts were made. A weather prophet she had -been, although badly in need of repair, upon her arrival in Toyland, -and her like had never been seen, would never be seen again. - -Queerer even than her disappearance seemed to Sally the vanishing of -her glass house. Perhaps, like the Walking House, it had found feet -and eloped, carrying off its owner, whether willing or not. Even the -loquacious glass sign was gone, which proved conclusively to the -logical mind of the Wizard, or at least he so expressed himself, that -the house had run away with the lady, and that at that very moment she -was no doubt placidly following her profession of prophesying in some -far distant region. - -Bedelia, as usual, had her own opinion concerning the matter, and went -about looking mysterious. Sally, who greatly feared that the little -bear was planning mischief, was much relieved when she finally spoke -her mind. - -“I believe that bald-headed old terror knows where his wife is,” she -declared one morning while the two were wandering through the palace -greenhouses. “She had two pet Flussies and they are gone, too. Now, -even if she was carried off by her glass house against her will, she -could have sent them back with a message. Anyway, it isn’t likely that -she went of her own accord, for she is so well known all over Toyland -that wherever she went, the Wizard would be sure to find it out and -bring her back. Besides that, she had no reason for running off. -Everybody liked her and made a fuss over her.” - -“Well, then, whatever do you suppose has become of her?” inquired Sally -breathlessly. The child had had her own misgivings, remembering the -pretty doll’s dislike for her husband’s pets. “You don’t suppose the -gargoyles could have _eaten_ her?” she added hurriedly. - -“No, and I don’t believe the Polly flew away with her,” retorted -Bedelia scornfully. “I believe she is hidden somewhere within a very -short distance from here. The Wizard has some motive for getting her -out of the way. You know he said she had refused to go sleighing with -the rest of us. He probably said that just for effect.” - -“But what could he have done with the house?” demanded Sally. - -“Oh, that could easily have been taken to pieces and moved away. He had -those imps of gargoyles to help him,” replied the little bear. Then -after a moment’s thought, she added reflectively, “As you know, the -King and Queen have gone away on business for a couple of days. Suppose -we try to unravel this mystery all by ourselves. I am sure the Sign -Post will help us. He can run very fast, besides being so tall he can -get at almost anything. Of course we won’t mention what we are doing to -anyone. It may be that I am on quite the wrong scent. But there’s no -harm in trying.” - -And Sally having given her delighted consent, Bedelia trotted off to -find the Sign Post, singing at the top of her voice - - “The owl, and the eel, and the warming pan - They went to call on the soap-fat man; - The soap-fat man he was not within - For he’d gone for a ride on his rolling-pin; - So they all came back by way of the town, - And turned the meeting-house upside down.” - -This ancient classic somehow, it seemed to Sally, applied to the -situation in hand, only it was Sally and the Sign Post and Bedelia -instead of the owl and the eel and the warming-pan. - -A bright idea suddenly struck the little girl, and she could scarcely -wait until Bedelia returned with the Sign Post to announce it to them. - -“Bedelia, dear,” she exclaimed, “if we are going to be real detectives, -we shouldn’t use our own names, because real detectives never do. Let -us call ourselves the Owl and the Eel and the Warming-Pan. It will be -so lovely and mysterious!” - -Bedelia clapped her paws with delight at this proposition, while the -Sign Post beamed approval from his lofty height. - -“With capitals, of course,” continued Sally. “And now which of us shall -be which?” - -After some discussion, it was decided that Sally should be the Owl -(with a capital), Bedelia the Eel, while the long and lean Sign Post -should be the Warming-Pan. - -This mighty problem having been settled, they proceeded to hold a -council of war and finally decided to set forth at once upon their -mission. They concluded to go on foot and, if it were not possible to -return each night to the palace, to remain wherever they could find -lodging. The Sign Post, while he had no opinion of his own at all -concerning the disappearance of the Weather Prophet, was glad to fall -in with the plans of anyone who had, and Sally perceived with delight -that he was going to be a most valuable addition to their detective -force. - -By noon their simple preparations were completed and they set forth -merrily enough, having concluded to go over the nearby ground first, -then if they discovered nothing to proceed to regions more remote. -Bedelia’s idea that the subject of their search was hidden close by -seemed sensible enough. She might be in the Wizard’s tower for that -matter. The disappearance of the house was what bothered all of them. -What use could anyone have for a vanishing glass house? It was really -most mysterious. - -They walked on, discussing the subject that was so troubling them -when suddenly the sound of heavy paws padding along behind them made -them turn quickly. And they beheld hurrying along after them a big, -white figure that Sally recognized at once as the large Polar Bear -rug that lay at the side of the Queen’s bed. He had come to life most -beautifully and only flopped in a very small degree, considering his -boneless condition. He came up panting a little and wagging his huge -head amiably as is the fashion with Polar Bears. - -“I was _so_ afraid you would get away!” he said in a panting voice, as -he linked arms with Sally and quickly fell into step with her. Then -he added, “Aren’t you surprised to see me? I never did such a thing -before. Ever since I can remember, I have lain beside the Queen’s bed. -But this morning I felt that I had reached the limit. Do let me go -along with you! I am thirsting for adventure.” - -“Do you think you could walk so far?” said Sally, eyeing his somewhat -wabbly legs rather doubtfully. “Besides, what will the Queen say when -she returns?” - -“I shall not be there to hear,” replied the Polar Bear solemnly. “And -as for walking, I can go along with the best of you. Besides, you will -find me very useful, for when you are tired, I will spread myself out -and you can rest comfortably on my long, soft hair.” He smiled so -amiably as he said this that the others at once consented to take him -along, and also informed him of the object of their journey. - -This confidence ended, they proceeded more briskly than before, and -soon the palace was left behind and they found themselves in the open -country. At the edge of the town Sally saw a most peculiar looking tree -whose queer leaves, some square, some oblong, no two of them alike, -were white instead of green, and rustled with a sound like sweetest -music as the wind whispered softly through them. - -“Oh, what a queer tree!” she exclaimed, hurrying toward it. - -“That, my dear, is a letter tree,” said the Sign Post. - -“A letter tree?” replied the child blankly. “Then you have no -post-office in Toyland?” - -“I do not know what a post-office may be,” replied the other. “But here -all our letters grow on trees. The loving thoughts of our friends to -us, why should they not bloom and bear fruit, the fruit of the heart -and brain?” - -Much impressed by the eloquence of her companion, Sally was silent, -but Bedelia remarked that she had heard of a brain-storm, but that -brain-fruit was one too many for her. - -The Sign Post, without condescending to notice the little bear’s -impertinence, lifted Sally in his long arms so that she might more -closely examine the wonderful tree, which she did with the greatest -curiosity. But although she sought all over it, there was no fruit -bearing her name. She had not expected anything, yet she somehow felt -disappointed. However, Bedelia was in the highest spirits, having been -lifted up by the Polar Bear, with whom she had struck up the greatest -friendship, and she could scarcely be restrained from appropriating a -number of letters, albeit they were all addressed to other people. - -Just as the Polar Bear was resolutely setting her down on her feet, she -made a sudden grab and descended to the ground with a letter tightly -clasped in her mischievous paw. - -“Oh, Bedelia, how could you!” cried Sally in distress. - -“Well, it’s for you, stupid!” retorted Bedelia saucily, as she thrust -the envelope under Sally’s nose. Sure enough it was, and Sally had -somehow overlooked it. It was addressed in a manner not to be mistaken: - - To Sally, - - Care of Her Royal Highness, - - The Palace, - - Toyland. - - -“How curious!” cried Sally as she eagerly tore it open. - -It read thus: - - Dear Sally:— - - Here I am shut up in the tower by that horrid old - Polly-nosed Saphead. He sent for me yesterday on the - pretense that he wanted me to go sleigh-riding, and - when he got me up here in the very top of the tower, he - locked me in and went away. He has left the gargoyles - outside the door and I can hear them scratching and - fussing around. I don’t know what he is doing this for, - but anyway he has gone off on business with the King - and Queen and I want you to bring help at once and let - me out. I know how to get even with him. Do hurry, dear - Sally. - - Yours in prison, - The Weather Prophet. - -“Didn’t I tell you so?” exclaimed Bedelia after a moment of stupefied -silence. And then she added briskly, “There’s no use standing here -staring like a lot of gawks. The thing to do is to hurry back home and -get the Weather Prophet out of prison.” - -To this all eagerly assented, and Sally fancied that she heard the -Sign Post murmur faintly, “Five miles to the palace.” Whether or not -this was true, they had come a goodly distance and were all more -or less tired, so that rest and refreshment were really necessary -before starting back on their homeward journey. Therefore they seated -themselves under the beautiful letter tree and ate the dainty food that -had been put up for them by the obliging cook before they left the -palace. There were chicken sandwiches, deviled eggs, thin slices of -cold ham and tongue, and a beautiful salad of lettuce and celery in a -bowl. And for dessert was a fine strawberry tart covered with whipped -cream and a number of most tempting little cakes. There was also a jug -of lemonade. - -The Sign Post, who had obligingly carried all these dainties dangling -from one of his long arms, helped to spread the feast and then sat down -contentedly to his own meal of shavings, which, as he now explained, -constituted his regular fare. The only variety consisted in the fact -that they were obtained from different woods, each of which possessed -its own peculiar flavor. - -The meal at last being ended, Sally and Bedelia cleared the remains of -it away, and as all felt thoroughly rested, they concluded to start -back at once to the palace. As all roads in Toyland lead to the palace, -they simply proceeded on their way instead of retracing their steps. -Sally and the Sign Post led the way, while Bedelia trotted contentedly -along with the Polar Bear. - -Presently through a break in the trees they caught a gleam of something -that glistened like ice in the cold sunshine. - -“The lake!” cried Sally. “If we only had our skates and plenty of time, -what fun we might have.” - -To which the Polar Bear responded rather severely, “Whoever heard of a -rescue party stopping to go skating?” - -And as this was very true, Sally remained silent, although feeling -rather hurt that the Polar Bear should have taken her up so suddenly. - -[Illustration] - -They were now directly on the edge of the lake, and as she gazed -down upon its glistening glass surface that gleamed with a hundred -rainbow tints, Sally suddenly uttered a loud exclamation, “The Weather -Prophet’s glass house!” she cried excitedly. “The Wizard used it to -make this lake. He carried her off and shut her up because he knew she -would object to having it pulled to pieces and made into a lake!” - -And indeed the truth of her assertion proved itself at once to the -minds of all present, for the lake had been laid in sections and one -could discern plainly enough where the top and sides of the house were -joined so as to make one flat surface. Even the pretty striped awnings -of red and white had been utilized in the construction of a tent, under -which the skaters had rested when weary with their exertions. - -Indignation at the meanness of the crafty old Wizard and sympathy for -his pretty little wife was expressed by all, and they at once hastened -forward, more resolved than ever to rescue her from the clutches of the -Wizard, or to perish in the attempt. - -They made very good time, the Sign Post carrying Sally and Bedelia turn -and turn about when either felt tired. But it was near the hour for -twilight before the towers and gables of the royal palace came into -view. Sally suddenly remembered that in the absence of the Wizard there -would probably be no twilight, a fact that she had not before thought -of. They would have to do their work in broad daylight. However, they -hurried along and were soon in the grounds of the Wizards palace. - -High up in the tip-top window of the lofty tower they saw fluttering -a tiny white object that was evidently the handkerchief of the poor -little prisoner, for having seen them she was waving it frantically. - -All was silent and deserted. The Wizard had locked up everything -securely and had given a holiday to his servants, fearing that they -might notice the effort of his prisoner to make herself heard, which -effort she was pretty certain to make. Consequently the little party -had nothing to fear in the way of encountering guards. How to effect an -entrance was, however, quite another matter, for everything was bolted, -barred and padlocked. The problem was finally solved by the Sign Post, -who stood on his very tiptoes and triumphantly boosted Bedelia in at -the third story window, which had been left open as being too high up -to offer a means of egress for the prisoner. - - - - -CHAPTER XIV - -THE ECLIPSE - - -ONCE inside, Bedelia quickly gave a hand to Sally and in a moment -the little girl, lifted up by the Sign Post, stood beside the small -bear. The Sign Post now swiftly swung himself up to the balcony, -being assisted in no small degree by the Polar Bear, who for various -reasons remained below. He was to keep watch and give notice if anyone -approached. - -It was now arranged that as the Sign Post was far too tall to navigate -around inside of the house, he should climb from one balcony to another -until he reached the top and if possible effect the rescue of the -Wizardess from the outside. This seemed very satisfactory to Sally and -Bedelia, neither of whom exactly liked the idea of encountering the -gargoyles which they knew were wandering about, unfettered, in the dark -halls. - -[Illustration] - -Anxiously they waited, watching the long legs of the Sign Post as they -trailed over the edge of the upper railing. Then they disappeared and -all was painful suspense for what seemed at least a century. Then at -a shout from the Polar Bear they both rushed out on the balcony. They -beheld the Sign Post swinging himself swiftly down from balcony to -balcony, which he appeared to do with the utmost ease and looking more -like a big spider than anything else—all legs and arms. Clinging to -his neck was the Weather Prophet, her fluffy skirts flying every which -way in the fine breeze. Presently he had reached the ground and having -gently set his fair burden down, he quickly scrambled back again and -hastened to bring down Sally and Bedelia, who were beginning to feel a -wee bit nervous as they had tried the door of the room in which they -were and had found it locked on the outside. And right thankful they -were to find themselves on the green grass below, comforting the little -Weather Prophet, who was overjoyed to find herself at liberty. - -Where she should go was the next question. The Wizard might return -at any moment, and her own house was a house no longer. Suddenly an -expression of delight flashed over Sally’s face. - -“Let us go to the Walking House!” she exclaimed. “You will be quite -safe there and if anyone comes in pursuit, the house can easily escape -with you.” - -To this the Weather Prophet gave a joyful assent. - -“Let us go quickly, quickly!” she cried. “I feel it in my bones, in my -skirts, I mean, that we are going to have something very unusual. In -fact, according to the calculations, we are going to have an eclipse of -the sun in about a quarter of an hour.” - -Here she winked at Bedelia with a gesture so comical that the little -bear rolled over laughing. - -“Come, don’t let us delay,” exclaimed the rescued one, and hand in hand -they hurried away from the Wizard’s tower, which was soon completely -obscured from view by the thick trees that surrounded it. - -At the edge of the park they paused and as the distance to the Walking -House was several miles, The Sign Post suggested that he should procure -a conveyance and also some wraps for the Weather Prophet in order that -none might recognize her. Accordingly he disappeared swiftly and soon -returned with one of the autos from the royal garage. As for Sally, -Bedelia and the Weather Prophet, you could never have told one from the -other in their coats and goggles, while the Polar Bear cuddled around -their feet, thus keeping them nice and warm. - -Away they flew, the Sign Post for once in his life perched next the -chauffeur with his long legs doubled up as much as possible and the -rest of them hanging over the dashboard. The chauffeur was an old -oyster, who had been chosen for this capacity because he was _dumb_, -and could not voice his suspicions provided he felt any. - -As the Walking House stood on the very edge of the town, it took at -least fifteen minutes to reach it, and although the chauffeur made good -speed, just as they were drawing up in front of it, darkness, sudden, -swift and ominous, fell upon Toyland. - -It was altogether a hopeless darkness, for which the inhabitants of -Toyland were totally unprepared. Lamps and candles were unknown and the -people crouched in their gay little houses panic-stricken. - -Only in the Walking House did lights appear, for in accordance with -custom, candles and candelabra adorned mantels and tables, and it was -the work of only a moment to light them all. Gaily Sally and her party -hurried into the house, Sally racing downstairs to find Dinah, for they -were all as hungry as wolves, while Bedelia escorted the guest of honor -upstairs to remove her wraps. - -The Polar Bear stretched himself before the front door, making a very -effectual guard in case of danger. - -[Illustration: The dolls had come down into the parlor to be introduced -to the new arrivals.] - -At Sally’s suggestion, all the shades were drawn down so that no -ray of light might pierce the outer darkness—darkness that covered -everything like a muffling cloak, in which the inhabitants of Toyland -were helplessly floundering about, and which was sure to last until the -Wizard came back to set things straight. - -“And a fine time he’ll have doing it,” remarked the Weather Prophet -with a toss of her pretty little head. “He won’t be able to see his -hand before his face, and I took care to leave his old electric -machines in such a muddle that he’ll have his hands full—fuller than -they’ve ever been with all the cares of state included.” - -Sally, who had suspected as much, tried to reprove her, but ended by -laughing outright. The Weather Prophet was so very like Bedelia when in -her impish moods. - -As for Bedelia herself, the idea tickled her so that she laughed until -she rolled off the sofa on which she had been sitting and proceeded to -bounce up and down on the floor like a fat rubber ball. Then as soon -as she was able to get her breath, she sat up, panting and rubbing the -tears out of her eyes with both paws. - -“My face is leaking! I must be turning into a gargoyle,” she exclaimed, -which of course started everybody laughing all over again. - -By this time all the dolls had come crowding down into the parlor to -be introduced to the new arrival. Sally did not consider it wise to -introduce the Weather Prophet by her real name, feeling that if a -strict investigation should be made, it would be safer if none of the -dolls were aware of her identity. So it was that she was known to the -inhabitants as Nellie, a name that had suggested itself to Bedelia. - -Sally feared that her own disappearance and that of Bedelia would be -connected with that of the Wizard’s wife, and therefore resolved to -take every precaution. The eclipse of course would retard any search -that the Wizard might see fit to make. But what to do with the fugitive -lady for the rest of her life was a question. She flatly declared -she would never return to the Wizard and was wild with rage when she -learned the use to which her pretty little glass house had been put. - -While all the pleasant acquaintance-making was going on in the Walking -House, an automobile containing a badly rattled Wizard was slowly -picking its way along through the inky blackness. The old gentleman -was shrewd enough to guess the cause of the eclipse, although he had -been quite sure in the beginning that his wife was locked up too -securely to be able to get at anything. He had started forth at once, -greatly against the wishes of the King and Queen who, of course, -could not understand the cause of his anxiety, and who much preferred -to stay behind until the sun shone again. But the Wizard had taken -immediate flight, and was now hurrying back to his tower as rapidly as -circumstances and the eclipse would permit. On the principle that all -roads led to the palace, the chauffeur kept straight on through the -pitch darkness, tooting his horn occasionally to prevent a collision -with any other eclipse-belated wayfarer who might be floundering about -on the same road. - -The snow made it somewhat difficult and altogether the trip was -anything but a pleasant one, and the Polly-nosed Saphead was glad -indeed when he at last found himself in front of his gloomy tower. -Instead of stopping there, however, he ordered the chauffeur to go on -to the palace, much to the dismay of that personage, who considered -that he had already traveled far enough. Nevertheless he put on speed -and soon arrived at the royal residence. - -Here the Wizard quickly alighted and hastened into the palace. He was -gone some time and the chauffeur was growing very impatient when he -at last reappeared, triumphantly bearing in his hands a large wicker -cage in which were gleaming and glowing all the fireflies that were -accustomed always to be liberated at twilight. He chuckled to himself -as he was whirled back to his tower, and in a few moments was inside -and hastening toward the room that contained his electric plant. - -The gargoyles came hurrying down to meet him, and it was a very good -thing that he carried a light, for had they caught him alone in the -darkness, they would no doubt have made a meal of him. As it was, they -recognized him at once and came flapping joyously along with hoarse -growls of welcome. But the Wizard now had no time to waste on his pets. -Pushing them roughly aside, he dove into his laboratory and after one -look around, sank upon a chair with a groan that the gargoyles heard as -they crouched against the door in the darkness outside, and to which -they replied with sharp growls. - -Everywhere reigned confusion worse confounded. Wires were cut, -batteries disconnected, wreck and ruin faced him on every side. The -Wizard smote his breast and fairly wept with rage. - -“Call me the Wizard of Was,” he ejaculated, “for nobody but a -good-for-nothing old back number would have gone off and left that minx -to get in her fine work here.” - -“The Wizard of Was! The Wizard of Was!” a mocking voice cried out of -the darkness. And the terrified Wizard jumped to his feet, while a peal -of unearthly laughter rang through the room. The next moment he sat -down again, much relieved. The parrot had fluttered in after him quite -unobserved, and, perched on the high mantel-shelf, was imitating her -master at pleasure. Hearing the familiar voice, the gargoyles began to -scratch and snarl at the door. They considered it very unfair that the -parrot should be allowed inside while _they_ were banished to outer -darkness. - -“Shut up!” he commanded, fiercely throwing his words at the parrot -like shots from a gun. And then, “Lie down there, will you?” this -accompanied with a vigorous slap applied to the top of his head, for -his scalp-lock had suddenly lifted itself erect and was standing -straight up in the air. - -[Illustration] - -“You don’t like the looks of things, hey? Well, I don’t either. But -just mind your own affairs. I’ll attend to the rest.” Then pulling -himself vigorously together, he set to work to repair the damage as -best he could, although he foresaw plenty of hard work ahead of him -before the sun could shine out again. Right well he knew that his -reputation as a wizard would be gone forever did the present state -of affairs continue for any length of time, and while he worked, he -concocted a story which he intended to give out to the public on the -morrow. - -As far as his wife was concerned, he had no doubt that she was -wandering about in the upper darkness at the very top of the tower, -for it never occurred to him that she could have escaped. He supposed -that she had merely climbed out of one window and into another, and -so effected an entrance to his rooms where was kept all the electric -machinery with which he manipulated the sun. - -While he was fussing and fuming, raging at the parrot and scolding the -gargoyles, his pretty little wife was in close confab with Sally and -Bedelia. - -“I don’t exactly understand about that letter tree,” Sally remarked, as -she softly scratched the little bear’s fuzzy ears and at the same time -gently patted Nellie’s little hand that lay upon her knee. - -The three were stretched cosily on the Polar Bear rug in front of the -glowing grate, having put on kimonos and let down their back hair—at -least, all but Bedelia who wore her usual fur costume. - -“Well, my dear,” replied the Weather Prophet, “you see we have no -postal system such as yours, and indeed it is quite unnecessary. -Whenever we want to communicate with anyone, we simply think our -message just as hard as we can, and very shortly our thoughts burst -forth into buds and blossoms on one of our letter trees. There are -quite a good many of them in Toyland.” - -“And how does your friend know?” inquired Sally. - -“Oh, one’s friend always has an impression that a letter is waiting. -You had one, although you didn’t know it, or you would not have taken -the road to the letter tree,” replied the Weather Prophet. - -“How very wonderful!” exclaimed the child, while Bedelia, who had been -rubbing her head gently against Sally, remarked that it certainly made -a wonderful saving in stamps and stationery. - -“And there is one thing I have to confess,” went on the Weather -Prophet, suddenly holding up a small, glittering object which Sally at -once recognized as her little golden key. “Had it not been for this, I -never could have gained access to all the private rooms and closets of -the Wizard’s tower, although I climbed out of my own window and in at -his. The gargoyles, whom you know I fear and despise, were loose in the -hall outside my door so I had to choose the other way.” - -“But how did you get the key?” demanded the little girl, as she -smilingly hung it on her gold chain and replaced the two around her -neck. “I never missed it,” she added. - -“You dropped it the day you were in my house, and I fancied, as soon as -I saw it, that it was a magic key. Of course, I meant to return it the -very next time I saw you, but no opportunity offered. Take good care of -it, my dear. It is a wonderful little talisman.” - -Sally nodded assent to this and presently all three, being tired out -with the day’s adventures, tumbled into bed, Sally feeling delighted to -be back once more in her own cosy little room. - - - - -CHAPTER XV - -SALLY FINDS THE ENCHANTED WOOD - - -IT took nearly two days for the Wizard to get things in the tower -once more into proper shape and during all that time the eclipse hung -heavily over Toyland. The Wizard had worked feverishly with no light -save that obtained from the fireflies that he had stolen from the -palace. He was shaking in his shoes for fear the King and Queen should -return and find that the only source of illumination had been cut off. -As not even the wireless telegraph was working, he had been unable to -communicate with Their Majesties, but feared that they must be very -impatient by this time and that they might make their appearance at any -moment. - -It was difficult to get on with only the light afforded by the -fireflies, and he chuckled grimly as he pictured the Weather Prophet, -who had so reveled in the sunshine of her glass house, pining in the -darkness in which he supposed she was locked up. - -The room in which he had left her was on the opposite side of the -tower, and he had only to cross the hall to reach it, but he savagely -vowed to himself that he would not go near her, and that he didn’t care -if she starved to death. After a while, however, the extreme quiet got -on his nerves, and he began to wonder how it was that no sound at all -came to him from the room across the hall. Presently he tiptoed very -softly to the door and listened. But all was still as could be—nothing -moved or breathed. - -He went back to his work, but a feeling of uneasiness possessed him. -The Queen was very fond of his pretty wife, and he knew that he would -be called to strict account should he be the cause of any ill befalling -her. After a little while he went back again and listened, but still he -could hear nothing. After a moment of hesitation, he opened the door -and went in. - -By the radiance afforded by the fireflies, he saw at once that the -room was empty. Even the food that he had left there was untouched. A -hurried visit to all the other rooms on the floor failed to discover -the object of his search. Really terrified, he sat down to consider. -Suppose she had thrown herself down from the balcony, and was at that -moment laying on the ground below, dashed to pieces! He had not the -courage to go and investigate. For like most people who brag a great -deal about themselves, the Wizard was an arrant coward. He fled back -to his work, stopping not for food or rest, with the result that on -the morning of the third day the sun shone brilliantly once more over -Toyland. - -A great notice was posted at the gate of the tower, announcing that the -sun had been swallowed up by an enormous dragon known to science as the -Ictotherium; that the Wizard had engaged him, single-handed, and by his -magic arts had compelled him to disgorge his brilliant meal and flee -the country. - -The bulletin went on to state that the Weather Prophet had been carried -away by the dragon. Prompted by curiosity, she had exposed herself on -the high balcony at the top of the tower, contrary to the advice of her -husband. The notice concluded with the announcement that there would be -a purple twilight that afternoon, beginning promptly at five-thirty and -advising that violets would be a suitable adornment for the afternoon -tea tables. - -Great was the grief expressed by everyone when the fate of the Wizard’s -pretty little wife became generally known, for she had been a general -favorite. Indeed, public sorrow almost outweighed public joy, delighted -as everyone was that the sun shone once more. The Wizard shut himself -up in his tower and refused to see anyone, and the general supposition -was that he was prostrated with grief. To tell the truth, his -jumping-jacks were scouring the country to see if they could discover -any trace whatsoever of his wife, while he himself was nearly wild with -anxiety lest she should suddenly pop up at some unlucky moment and give -the whole thing away. - -Early that morning Sally had started for the tower, as she knew that -a bulletin of some sort would be posted. The little girl was glad to -see daylight once more and also to be able to take a good long walk, -and she skipped along in the bright sunshine, occasionally giving a -little jump for sheer joy. The period of the eclipse had been a tedious -one for her, as she despised being shut in the house. So now she made -very good time along the highway, and so thoroughly did she manage to -interest herself in everything and everybody that before very long she -found that she had lost her way. - -Now, of course in Toyland it is not such a very serious thing to lose -one’s way, for as everybody knows, all roads lead to the palace. -However, Sally was greatly surprised to suddenly find herself in a -little strip of woods, with no road at all visible in any direction, -and without even a path to show the way that others had taken. She -recollected having left the highway to run after a queer looking figure -that had attracted her attention and which had kept just beyond her, -dodging along behind trees and bushes. And then, just as she had come -up to it, had vanished as completely as though the ground had swallowed -it. And then she had awakened to the fact that she was lost. - -“How provoking!” she said crossly to herself. “If I ever get hold of -the animal that coaxed me in here, I’ll show him what’s what.” - -She had spoken out loud, and at the same time shook her little fist in -a decidedly threatening manner. - -“I’m no animal, I’ll have you know,” exclaimed a shrill, squeaky voice -so close to her that she jumped at least a foot in the air. - -And whirling around, she beheld just at her elbow the queerest little -man that she had ever laid eyes on. He was white all over, with floppy -arms and legs, and a squatty, flabby body and a head that wabbled. And -he had a general appearance of being all tied up in knots. It was the -creature that she had been following to her own undoing, and for a -moment she glared at it as if she would fall upon it tooth and nail. -The very next she fell to laughing as if she would burst. - -[Illustration: “Oh, I know you! You are just tied out of a -handkerchief.”] - -“Oh, I know you!” she exclaimed breathlessly. “You are just tied out of -a handkerchief. I have often made a lot of you at home to hang over the -chandelier with long strings. And when I pulled the strings you danced.” - -“I do not know where home may be,” returned the Handkerchief Man -crossly, “but I do know that you never pulled any strings as far as -I am concerned.” Then he added, peering anxiously about, “Have you -happened to see my brother, the Doughnut Man? He came here yesterday to -pick buttons which he sells to the people in town who are too lazy to -come out and pick them for themselves.” - -“To pick buttons?” ejaculated Sally, and then she added severely, “I -don’t believe he ever found this place while the eclipse was going on. -Nobody could have found anything, not even himself.” - -“That’s just it; he lost himself. Nobody ever finds this place unless -he loses himself. That makes it even, you know. You’re lost, I’m lost, -my brother is lost, and the Peppermint Stick is lost. Everybody is -lost.” - -Sally felt unable to contradict him, although she wanted to badly -enough. Therefore she demanded with some asperity: - -“What is the Peppermint Stick? It sounds good to me.” - -“You mean _who_ is the Peppermint Stick. Well, he was a candy cane in -his youth and hung on a Christmas tree. Oh, you’ll be sure to like him, -he’s so sweet.” - -“If I happen to see a doughnut and a candy cane anywhere between here -and next Christmas, I shall eat them,” declared Sally firmly. - -She drew up her pink lips in a hungry grin, showing all her sharp -little white teeth. - -The effect of her words on the Handkerchief Man was entirely -unexpected, for after gazing at her for a moment as if fascinated, he -exclaimed feebly, “Alas, my brother!” then threw up his wabbly arms and -fell over in a dead faint. - -“Now, what would anybody do with a thing like that?” exclaimed Sally. - -Picking up the Handkerchief Man, she shook him vigorously, but as he -refused to revive, while every bit of him flopped unpleasantly, she -presently propped him up against a tree and started off by herself, -resolved to investigate the queer bit of woods which nobody ever found -without first losing himself. - -“The very idea of a handkerchief behaving like that!” she said to -herself as she trotted along, keeping an eye open for the button bush -concerning which she had already heard. But no sign of it appeared, -neither did she find herself any nearer to the road. On the contrary, -she seemed to be getting deeper and deeper into the woods. The trees -grew closer and closer together, while the bushes seemed thicker and -thicker. At last it seemed that there was no longer even a little path -between the dense growths and that if she wished to proceed further, -she must push her way through. As she paused for a moment to consider, -something small and very hard struck her smartly on the nose. This blow -was followed up by another and another. Thoroughly astonished, she -stopped and picked up one of the missiles that lay shining directly at -her feet. Then she uttered a little exclamation of joy: - -“The Button Bush!” she cried excitedly. - -“Yes, the Button Bush,” retorted a voice above her head, and the Bush -shook itself again indignantly, sending a shower of the buttons of all -sizes and descriptions pelting over the little girl. - -“If you please,” began Sally rather timidly, “if you please, have you -seen the Doughnut Man anywhere about?” - -Just as she spoke a queer looking figure came swiftly around from the -other side of the bush. Sally saw that its body was composed of large, -puffy doughnuts, while his head and limbs were formed of the same -edibles in smaller sizes. It was almost staggering under the weight of -a great basket of buttons that it was lugging along, while its round -eyes, which consisted of two plump raisins, seemed popping out of its -head with the exertion. - -“He looks good to me. I wonder how he tastes,” said Sally to herself, -involuntarily taking a step forward. But the Doughnut Man, holding his -basket of buttons firmly in front of himself as if it were a shield, -advanced smiling and not at all as if he had any idea of being devoured. - -“I beg your pardon, but did you happen to see the Peppermint Stick -anywhere hereabouts?” he inquired politely. - -“No, but I found the Handkerchief Man. He fainted,” returned Sally -promptly. “I couldn’t bring him to and I was afraid to shake him any -more for fear he would come untied, and then he would have been nothing -but a plain handkerchief. So I propped him up against a tree and left -him. No doubt he is all right by this time. Would you like to go back -and see?” - -“Oh, no,” returned the other quickly. “You see, we are both lost, you -and I, or we shouldn’t be here at all. So what is the use of looking -for that peevish chap? He has very little backbone anyway. Very little -backbone,” he repeated sadly, while a tear rolled down his crisp, fried -cheek. - -“I don’t see what that has to do with it,” began Sally. But her -companion interrupted her with a great want of manners. - -“Oh, nothing has anything to do with anything else here, because -everything is lost, more or less. As soon as anything finds itself, it -gets away. So will you and so will I and so will the Peppermint Stick.” - -“Bless my soul, how very curious! Are you quite sure that you are not -all crazy instead of being all lost?” exclaimed Sally saucily. - -“Maybe _you_ are crazy, although I don’t know what that means,” replied -the other sadly. - -“Well, I can’t stop to explain now. It would take too long,” returned -the child smartly, “but if you ever come across it, you’ll know. -Anyway, if you had your brother here now, you could mop up your tears -with him,” and as she spoke, she dexterously flipped away a large, -round one that hung trembling on the very end of the Doughnut Man’s -stubby nose. - -“There you go again! Really, it’s very upsetting when one doesn’t -understand a thing you mean. Then there’s the Button Bush. She’s mad -again because I came for more buttons. What good are buttons on a bush, -anyway? They’ve got to be picked while they’re ripe or else they all go -to seed. Really, it’s very unreasonable.” - -“I suppose you have a good trade in buttons,” suggested the little girl -politely. “But who, pray, is the Peppermint Stick? Is he good to e—” -She caught herself hastily, somehow feeling that the Doughnut Man would -be displeased by what she had been on the verge of saying. Something -under her apron warned her that it must be near lunch time, for her -breakfast had been but a light one, and then she was _very_ fond of -peppermint. - -“Yes, indeed, I have a very good trade,” replied the Doughnut Man. -“Only it would be more congenial if the Button Bush would quit giving -herself such ridiculous airs. As for the Peppermint Stick, he isn’t -good for anything in particular as far as I know. Long ago he was a -cane and was hooked on the bough of a Christmas tree. Nobody ate him -and he had a bad fracture, the result of being dropped. So in the -course of time, he drifted here and the Gloo-Gloos fixed him up. The -only thing I don’t like about him is that he is striped. Now I simply -abominate stripes, although I adore polka dots. But tastes differ. -Perhaps you like stripes?” - -“I don’t mind them at all in peppermint,” replied Sally. “And I would -show him that I didn’t if I only could get my teeth into him,” she -added to herself. - -“Well, I suppose we had better try to find our way out of this,” said -the other after a short silence. He was evidently anxious to get back -to town with his stock in trade and Sally was growing extremely hungry. -Accordingly, the two started forth and after wandering along for -some time at length discovered a little beaten track which gradually -broadened until it finally became a footpath. - -This, they felt quite sure, would conduct them to their desired -destination. As they were hurrying along, they suddenly came upon -a little cottage so completely hidden among the trees that it was -scarcely discernible. - -“Ah, now I know where we are! This cottage belongs to an old Codfish. -He makes his living by weighing people at so much apiece.” - -“By weighing people?” cried Sally in amazement. “Does anybody ever come -here?” - -“Nobody,” replied the other promptly. “But then he has the _scales_, -and of course feels as if he should use them.” - -“Very scrupulous, I’m sure,” said Sally gravely. She strained her eyes, -hoping to catch a glimpse of the conscientious Codfish. But everything -about the tiny cottage was tightly closed, and an air of desertion hung -about the place. Over the door hung a small sign on which was inscribed -in tall letters: - - PEOPLE WEIGHED HERE. - C. FISH. - -and below this was the picture of a Codfish standing by a pair of -scales, while a crowd of people were advancing in the foreground, all -apparently anxious to avail themselves of the opportunity. - -[Illustraion: Sally and Doughnut man looking at Codfish] - -As Sally and the Doughnut Man came abreast of the sign, the child was -almost paralyzed with amazement to see the Codfish nimbly hop off, -followed by the scales and all the people, and come running briskly -towards them. - -“I’ve stood up there vegetating long enough,” cried the Codfish. “And -I’m actually perishing for want of a swim. No one wants to be weighed -anyhow. Why should they?” - -He shot out the question with so impressive, not to say ferocious a -manner that nobody cared to answer. Only one member of the crowd that -had hopped off the sign protested feebly that he had been waiting for -a long time. However, as nobody paid any attention to him, he soon -relapsed into silence. - -“If you know the way out of these woods, for goodness’ sake show us,” -exclaimed the Doughnut Man. - -To which the Codfish responded by beginning to sing in a very loud -voice: - - “The elephant sat on the railroad track, - By the light, by the light, by the light of the moon, - Picking his teeth with a baseball bat, - By the light, by the light of the moon.” - -“I don’t see what that has to do with it,” exclaimed Sally impatiently. -Then turning to the Doughnut Man, she added severely, “You said just -now that you knew where we were, and you don’t at all.” - -“Oh, to be sure I do, and so do you. We are right opposite the -Codfish’s house,” retorted the other. Then he added thoughtfully, “What -seems so very queer to me is that we haven’t come across the Peppermint -Stick.” - -As nobody cared a snap about the Peppermint Stick and as Sally felt -that there was no use in arguing with any of them, she suggested that -they should make a move, and herself taking the lead, they started -forth in Indian file. - -“Idiots!” muttered the little girl to herself. “To think that they’ve -lived here all their lives and don’t know anything about the place!” - -She hurried along at such a brisk pace that the others found some -difficulty to keep up, especially the Doughnut Man, burdened as he was -by his huge basket of buttons. After they had gone a mile or so, the -little girl suddenly uttered a cry of joy, for she beheld an opening -in the trees and saw that a few steps would bring them to the edge -of the wood. Upon emerging from the dense shadows of the trees, they -found that it was already twilight and Sally no longer wondered at her -ravenous appetite. - -Once on the highroad, it was easy enough to find the way home, and -hither she hastened, feeling glad enough when she beheld the lights of -the Walking House through the shadows. - -The Weather Prophet ran to meet her, her face sparkling with excitement. - -“The King and Queen have been here,” she cried, “and they were so -delighted to find that I was not devoured by a horrid dragon that they -are going to take me to live with them at the palace, and build a -beautiful crystal tower for my use exclusively.” - -She then told Sally of the Wizard’s bulletin and added that, as he -had humbly begged her pardon and promised never to interfere with her -again, she had not betrayed him to the King and Queen. - -“I guess that was the best thing to do,” said Sally, as she sat down -to a substantial supper. “Nobody else understood about the sun and a -perpetual eclipse would have been perfectly awful.” - -“Quite so,” returned the Weather Prophet, and after a little, Sally -having related the day’s adventures, they all went to bed. - - - - - * * * * * * - - - - -Transcriber’s note: - -Obvious punctuation errors were corrected. - -Page 139, “principal” changed to “principle” (principle that all roads) - -Page 149, “hankerchief” changed to “handkerchief” (out of a -handkerchief) - -Page 159, “arguin” changed to “arguing” (in arguing with any of) - - - -***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A LITTLE MAID IN TOYLAND*** - - -******* This file should be named 52047-0.txt or 52047-0.zip ******* - - -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: -http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/5/2/0/4/52047 - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law 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. 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