~~ The Lady Executioner::John Dough and the Cherub
Presently Chick returned, looking and happy as ever; but when the child the of John's in the rain he a for being so careless.
"You mustn't pay any attention to the inventors," said the Cherub. "This Isle is full of 'em, and most of their won't work."
"I've that," said John.
"But they're good fun, if you don't take 'em in earnest," the Baby; "and as it's going to rain all the I'll take you around the to make some calls on some of the that are harmless."
John to this proposal; so Chick took his hand and him through some of the wide halls, stopping to call upon the different and scientific who the rooms. They were all to see the child and John Dough almost as cordially.
One presented the man with a cigar that he had invented. Another wanted him to to a noiseless music-box, and was when John he nothing at all. A third wanted him to try a dish of ice-cream in a freezer, and was the man was in such a way that it was for him to eat.
"Really," said John, "I don't see the use of these things."
"Oh, they're not useful at all," Chick, laughing; "but these are all trying to do something queer, and most of them are doing it. Now we'll climb this tower, and I'll you what I call a invention."
So up they to the top of one of the turrets, and a narrow until they came upon a platform. And on this rested a machine that a bird, for it had two great and a big that as as if it were of silver.
While they looking at this odd a door in the of the bird opened and a man out and them.
"THIS IS IMAR," SAID CHICK
John him the most person, in looks and manner, that he had yet met in the Isle of Phreex; excepting, of course, his friend Chick. The man had a sad face, but his were and and his thoughtful. In a and well-chosen he his guests.
"This is Imar," said Chick, John; "and he has a flying-machine."
"One that will fly?" asked John, curiously.
"Of course," said the Baby. "I've had many a in it—haven't I, Imar?"
"To be sure," the man. "I have often taken Chick to as as yards from the tower. If it did not rain, just now, nothing would give me more than to prove to you that my will work perfectly."
"I see you have it a bird," John, who was in the machine.
"Yes," said the Imar, "and the I have succeeded in my is I have close to Nature's own design. Every of a bird's is in this machine. But of being by life, I have it necessary to electric and motors. Perhaps the bird isn't as good as a bird, but it will all right, as you shall see when I take you for a in it."
He then allowed John to enter the room in the of the bird, which was just big to allow two to close together. And in of the seat were push-buttons and a lever, by means of which the of the machine was controlled.
"It is very simple," said Imar, proudly. "Even Chick the machine, if properly instructed. The only fault of the is that the are too light to be strong, and that is why I do not take very long in it."
"I understand," answered John. "It's a to the ground, if anything to break."
"True," Imar, sadly; "and I do not wish to my I am able to make a and machine."
"That is not to be at," said John. Then he thanked the and Chick the stairs and through the until they again their own room, where they sat and talked until came and the Incubator Baby to its couch. As for the man, he sleep or rest; so he sat in a chair and of many until a new day dawned.
By the rain had and the sun in a sky and the Isle with its warm and rays. The Incubator Baby was so happy this day that it away to its regular of milk and oatmeal.
But John Dough's little friend was at his long, and together they hand in hand through the of the to the throne-room of the kinglet.
They his Majesty already seated in the throne, with the Nebbie asleep at one of him and the girl her on the other side.
"This is my day," said the kinglet, to Chick and the man. "There are too many people in my kingdom, and I'm going to kill off some of them. Sit and watch the of the executioner's sword."
Then he to his and commanded:
"Bring in the General."
The old seemed
to come to pieces very easily.
Immediately they the a man in a uniform. His was and his and set. The and listless, and he walked stiffly, as if his were rheumatic.
"Sire, I you!" the General exclaimed, in a voice. "Why am I you as a prisoner—I, the hero of a hundred battles?"
"You are of being foolish," said the kinglet, with a upon his face.
"Sire, at the of Waterloo—"
"Never mind the of Waterloo," his Majesty. "I am told you are all over the world, as the result of your foolishness."
"To an extent, Sire, I am scattered. But it is the result of bravery, not foolishness." He his left arm and it on the the throne. "I that at Bull Run," he said. Then he his right leg and it down. "That, Sire, was off at Sedan." Then he his right arm, his firmly, and the from his shoulders. "It is true I my at Santiago," he said, "but I not help it."
John was astonished. The old to come to pieces very easily. He had the under his right elbow, and now the on one foot, a appearance.
His Majesty interested.
"What is your of?" he asked.
"Wax, your Majesty."
"And what are your of?" the kinglet.
"One is cork, Sire, and the other—the one I am now on—is basswood."
"And your arms?"
"Rubber, my kinglet."
"You may go, General. There is no you were very to so up; but there is nothing left for the Royal Executioner to do."
The girl and the of her blade; and the old replaced his head, had his leg and arm again to his by the guards, and away after making a low the throne.
a Indian
sprang into the hall
Just then a great noise of and was near the doorway, and while all were toward the sound, a Indian into the hall, a over his head, and terrible war-whoops.
Following him came a number of the Brotherhood of Failings, trying to the Indian. The Awkward up and on his face; the Unlucky got in the way of the and a on the that him low; the Blunderer was on the so that he and away to a safe distance. But just the the Disagreeable, the Bad-Tempered, and the Ugly managed to a rope about the Indian's arms and them fast to his body, so that he to struggle.
"What's the trouble?" asked the kinglet.
"Sir," said the Indian, proudly; "once I had the to be a in of a cigar store, and now these Failings to me."
"He his name is Wart-on-the-Nose," answered the Disagreeable, "and any one can see there is no at all on his nose."
"So we to him," added the Ugly.
"And he to resist," said the Bad-Tempered.
"I am a great chief," the Indian declared, fiercely. "I am of oak, and my paint is the best ready-mixed that can be purchased!"
"But why do you your name is Wart-on-the-Nose?" asked the kinglet.
"I have a right to call myself what I please," answered the Indian, sulkily. "Are not white girls called Rose and Violet when they have not that color? John Brown was white and Mary Green was white. If the white people us about their names, I also have a right to deceive."
"Now, by my—my—my—" The the man with his sceptre.
"Halidom!" Nebbie, with a jump.
"By my halidom!" said the kinglet, "I will allow no one in my to tell an untruth. There being no on your nose, you must die the death! Executioner, do your duty!"
The Failings up the Indian so that he upon his face, and then the girl with her sword.
Three times she the around her head, and then she at the and said:
"Well!"
"Well, what?" asked his Majesty.
"Isn't it time to your mind?"
"I'm not going to my mind in this case," said the kinglet. "Chop off his head!"
At this the girl and back.
"Do you it?"
"Of course."
"Oh, your Majesty, I couldn't the thing!" the Executioner. "It would be awful! Please your mind, as you always have done."
"I won't," said the kinglet, sternly. "You do as I tell you, Maria Simpson, or I'll have you next!"
The girl hesitated. Then she took the in her hands, her eyes, and with all her might. The upon the Indian's and into pieces.
"He's wood, your Majesty," said the Executioner. "I can't cut his off."
I can't cut his off.
"Get a meat cleaver!" the kinglet. "Do you I'll allow Wart-on-the-Nose to live when he hasn't any on his nose? Get the instantly!"
So the girl a big meat cleaver, and it high in the air, the Indian's as hard as she could.
The fast in the wood; but it didn't cut to do much to the victim. Indeed, Wart-on-the-Nose laughed, and then he said:
"There's a in that neck—a good knot. You couldn't my off in a thousand years!"
The was annoyed.
"Pull out that cleaver," he commanded.
The girl to obey, but the fast. Then the Failings tried, one after another; but it wouldn't budge.
"Never mind, it there," said the Indian, over and then upon his feet. "It won't me in the least. In fact, it will make a ornament."
"Look here, Sir John Dough," said the kinglet, to the man; "what am I going to do? I've said the Indian must die, he has no on his nose. And I I can't kill him. Now, you must either tell me how to out of this or I'll cut your off! And it won't be as hard to cut as it is wood, I promise you."
This speech John, for he he was in great danger. But after a moment he replied:
"Why, it to me very easy to out of the difficulty, your Majesty. The Indian's only is that he has no on his nose."
"But that is a great offense!" the kinglet.
"Well, let us a on his nose," said John, "and then all will be well."
The looked at him in astonishment.
"Can that be done?" he asked.
"Certainly, your Majesty. It is only necessary to away some of the of his nose, and a wart."
"I'll do it!" the kinglet, in great delight. And he at once sent for the Royal Carpenter and had the man the Indian's nose until a on the very end.
the man the Indian's nose
"Good!" said the King.
"Good!" the Indian, proudly. "Now none of those Failings say my name is not suitable!"
"I'm very sorry about that cleaver," the kinglet. "You'll have to it around you go."
"That's all right. I'll add to my name and call myself Wart-on-the-Nose-and-Cleaver-in-the-Neck. That will be a Indian name, and no one can prove it is not correct."
Saying this, the Indian to the kinglet, gave a war-whoop, and from the room.
"Bring on the next prisoner!" the kinglet, and Chick and John gave a of as Imar was into the room. The of the flying-machine, however, did not the least frightened, and the throne.
"What's the against this man?" the kinglet.
"He's of being a successful inventor," said one of the guards. "The other no one who succeeds has a right to live in the Isle of Phreex."
"Quite correct," his Majesty. "Cut off his head, Maria."
"Alas, Sire! my is broken!" she exclaimed.
"Then another."
"But I have no other that is sharpened," she protested.
"Then one!" the kinglet, frowning.
"Certainly, your Majesty. But a cannot be properly in a minute. It will take until to-morrow, at least, to it ready."
"Then," said the kinglet, "I'll the until to-morrow at nine o'clock. If you're not by that time I'll a new Royal Executioner and you'll your job."
"I shall be ready," said the girl, and walked away arm in arm with the sad man, on she sweetly.
"It's all right," Chick to John. "Imar won't hurt, for the will all about him by to-morrow."
"And now, my guards," said his Majesty, his arms and yawning, "bring my two-legged horse, that I may take a around my kingdom."
"NOW, YOU SIT STILL AND BEHAVE YOURSELF"
So presently the in a big, raw-boned that had two of four, and these two set in the middle of its body. It and around in a manner, so that the had great in the horse's back, was a of and cloth of gold.
"Hold still, can't you?" the kinglet.
"I can; but I won't," said the horse, in a tone, for it appeared the animal was able to talk.
"I'll you soundly, if you don't behave!" the kinglet.
"I'll you in the ribs, if you to me!" returned the horse, its ears. "Why, you little freckle-faced kinglet, I away with you and your neck, if I wanted to!"
"That's true," said his Majesty, meekly. "I your for my words. Let us be friends, by all means!"
The snorted, as if with contempt, and the managed to the little to his seat upon the animal's back.
"Throw away that mace!" the horse.
His Majesty obeyed, at once.
"Now," said the animal, "you still and yourself, or I'll you over my head. Understand?"
"I understand," said the kinglet.
"Very good!" the horse. "When you're on your you're a tyrant; but when you're on you're a coward, you're at my mercy, and you know it. Now, we are off."
The the and out of the entrance, the upon his back; and when they were gone John and Chick started to take a walk along the beach of the seashore.
But no sooner had they into the than an their ears, and them the of the terrible Arab!
before
them the of the terrible Arab