~~Pittypat and the Mifkets::John Dough and the Cherub
"This than I it would, after that bump," John remarked, as they over the of waves.
"It's a wobbly, though," said Chick. "Don't you notice it a little sideways?"
"Yes," answered John, "and it to me the bird not move so as it did at first."
"Guess the 'lectricity's out," returned Chick, calmly. "If it does, what'll happen?"
"We'll be drowned, I suppose," said John. "I don't electricity, for the I from the magic Elixir the of electric fluid."
"Your wisdom's bald-headed, I'm afraid," the child, at the of the man. "But, say! Isn't that another over there?" Chick continued, after a look through one of the little windows.
"It to be an island," John, also through the window.
Even as he spoke the bird gave a and toward the sea, at such an that Chick and the man were off their seats. John's had a look of in them, but Chick laughed as as if there was no at all, and pushing the electric with great vigor, one after another.
The result was that the flying-machine paused, itself, higher into the air, around a times, and then toward the west. Chick to the seat and over the wheel in order to make the machine directly toward the they had seen.
"If we can keep her going till we to that island, I don't what afterward," said the child. "But if we're in the sea I'm we can't swim far."
"I can't swim at all," John returned; "for in three my would through and to pieces. And the water would the Elixir that I am mixed with and all its magic powers. By the way, what's the thing doing now?"
"It's more wobbly. But mind. It's of fun, isn't it, John Dough?"
The result was that the flying-machine paused
"Not fun," said John, seriously; "but I will admit this is exciting."
Just then something snapped, and they a of the bird, a that like a of despair, and then a crash. The big machine trembled, its wings, and in the air like an kite.
"It's all up," said Chick. "The thing's busted."
"What's going to happen?" asked John, anxiously.
"Wait and see," returned Chick, with a laugh.
"It's to laugh when we are in such danger!" said John, reproachfully.
"Shucks!" the child. "It might be my last laugh, and I'd be to miss it."
The bird was still floating, for its were spread out to their extent; but every moment the machine nearer to the sea, and although it was surely the island, neither John Chick decide it would succeed in the or into the water.
Even the careless Cherub paused with to watch the final catastrophe, and John, to might him, passed the most moments of his lifetime.
The bird down, rested upon the water a from the shore, and upon the surface.
Chick and John not open the door for of in the and so being drowned. Neither they now see where they were, for the green water pressed close against the little windows. So they sat the machine until there came a and the bird rolled over upon one and still.
"We're saved!" the Cherub. For now one of the was above the water and them to see that the bird had to the of the and was fast upon the beach.
Chick the door and out; and then the child John to from the machine to the without his feet. And it was they so promptly, as no sooner were they safely upon the than a big up, the flying-machine in its grasp, and rolled it out to sea again, where it to the and from their view forever.
"That's all right," said the child. "I wouldn't to in the thing again, anyhow. Would you, John Dough?"
"No," answered the man. "But what a it was to Imar of being a successful inventor! If the Kinglet of Phreex have our he would know that Imar hasn't solved the flying-machine problem yet."
CHICK ASSISTS JOHN TO LAND
"Still, it us away from two places," said Chick, "and that's all we wanted of it. Come on, John Dough; let's go and our island."
It did not take our long to they were in a place. Near the was a of land that at with grass; but when Chick it closely it was to be a of trees set close together, and each tree was full of small and green leaves. And, as the trees were only an or two high, they looked like from a and proved to be soft and to walk upon.
But this green a so and that Chick and John Dough their in as they upon it. For they a group of the most plants imaginable, most of them having as big as the of a ship and of colorings. There were and by with and pinks, and ambers, and among them great of pure white that in those of a lily. Some of the plants were low and broad—no than an ordinary house—but many of them up into the sky like and church steeples. And another thing was the that they were all with of flowers of many and designs. And the flowers were of of greens—running from a pea-green through all the different to emerald, and then to bottle-greens. Yet the flowers were the only green colors in all the of plants—which so under the of the sun that the of our friends were as they gazed.
"My!" Chick. "Isn't it splendiferous, John Dough?"
"It is, very and beautiful," answered the man. "But has it to you, little friend, that there may be nothing for you to eat in all this of color."
"Eat?" Chick. "Why, John Dough, I'm this very minute! I haven't had a bite to eat since I left the Palace of Romance, and now you mention it, I'm starved. But there isn't a of or on all this island!"
"Couldn't you eat anything else?" asked John.
"Oh, I could, I suppose. But other food might make me ill, you know. Incubator Babies have to be very of their diet."
"But if you don't eat you will die," said John; "so it will be best for you to upon you may find."
"There may be fruits in the forest," said Chick, thoughtfully; "but it's such a that likely the fruits are poisonous."
"Still, you'd try them," the man. "If you don't you'll die; and if you are you'll die. But there is a of your fruits of ones. I that in all my store of wisdom, from the Arabian Elixir, there is no knowledge of such a or the fruits these plants may bear."
"Well, you wait here till I come back," said Chick, more cheerfully. "I'll and see what I can find. There's no need to worry until the time comes, anyhow."
With that the little one a hand toward John Dough, and then ran into the and the great and orange leaves.
And now it to the man to make an of himself and see what an of he had since he had come, and fresh, from Monsieur Jules' bakery.
make an of himself
His shirt-front was in places and with black where the of the had it. His left was also with powder, and he had one of the from his red vest. Also, one of his was crumbled, and there were three marks in his where the diamonds had been pressed into him, the lance-thrust of the Blunderer.
These were not at all serious, however, and he was to himself upon his escape, when he a in his nose. Raising his hand, he that the end of his nose had been off in some way his from the Palace of Romance, and this his personal appearance. The him regretfully; and when he looked around, in the newly sunlight, it that his had in some way and unnatural. He not this at first, and rose to his and unhappy. Then an idea to him, and he of his and that one—the left eye—had in its and inward, making him cross-eyed. He this by it with his until it looked ahead again, and matched the other eye; but often that left would and him until he it again.
While he Chick's return, John to the of the and sat upon a big yellow that was to his weight. It to be a peaceful island, and the man was well pleased with his surroundings, having at that time no idea of all the that were to him he saw the last of those shores.
From his the beach to meet the of the ocean, and on the were many of and colors. The of the wind was full of the of the flowers, and in the plants many sang sweet songs.
As he the waves, the birds, and the flowers, John a sound, and his saw at his a small animal which sat upon its and him with big and eyes.
"Who are you?" asked the man; "and what is your name?"
"My name is Pittypat, and I'm a rabbit," answered the animal. "But tell me, please, who you are, and what may be your name; for I have your like before."
"I am a man, and my name is John Dough," he replied, readily. And then, more anxiously, he asked: "Do you eat gingerbread, friend Pittypat?"
"No, indeed," was the reply. "I and sweet roots. But answer another question. How is that you my language, and can talk to me?"
Who are you?
"I cannot tell you that, I'm sure," said John, "unless it's the of the Elixir. That to be for almost everything, you know."
The did not know, of course, and looked at its new in a puzzled of way.
"Are there any more like you on this island?" John Dough.
"Oh, yes; there are of us!" the rabbit. "But not so many of us as there are Mifkets."
"And what is a Mifket?" asked John.
"A of that is neither an animal a man," answered Pittypat. "And the Mifkets this they are and than we are. Also I know many and and mice, and the Fairy King of the beavers—for I am well here. But I do not like the Mifkets, and away when they come near. There is a bear, also, who on a hill yonder, and once he to be king of all the animals. But the Mifkets out that our is not nearly so as he seems; so they to him, and now have a king of their own. For my part, however, I like the best of all our inhabitants, for he has a nature and any one."
"But are there no men—no people like me upon this island?" asked John.
"No one like you, most surely," answered Pittypat, at the man with its big eyes. "But as for creatures, there are three who with the Mifkets, near the other of the forest."
"Dear me!" John; "I'm sorry to that. Who are the humans?"
"Well, one is the Princess, and the Princess is very and lovely," answered Pittypat. "She isn't much than the child I saw here with you a minutes ago; but our little Princess is by every on the island—except, perhaps, the Mifkets, who love only themselves."
"Does the Princess live in a palace?" asked John.
"Oh, yes; a by the big of the roi-tree and the ends to the ground. One of the is left loose, for a doorway, and in the room thus the Princess in great and loneliness, and upon a of mosses."
"Does she like gingerbread?" John, after a pause.
"I don't she what is," the replied. "But you may be sure the Princess will not you, she might be of gingerbread."
THE HOME OF THE PRINCESS
"I'm to that," said John. "But your Princess is the only one of the three you mentioned. Who are the others?"
"Her father and mother," said the rabbit. "The three here in a small some years ago. They were shipwrecked, I suppose, and the is still upon the north shore. But the terrible Mifkets the father and mother of the Princess and them slaves, to wait upon them and their wishes; and as the little girl was and not very strong, they let her live by herself in the of the roi-tree, and her by calling her a Princess. If she up to be I think they will make her a slave, too; but she is so and weak that none of us she will live very long."
"This is all very interesting," said John. "I'd like to meet these humans."
"Then come with me and I will your steps to where they are," promised the rabbit.
"I must wait until Chick comes back," said the man, looking toward the plant forest.
"Is Chick the child I saw going into the forest?" asked the rabbit.
"Yes," John. "It's an Incubator Baby and very and kind. Chick ought to be in a minutes."
"I'm when children are around," the rabbit, hesitating. "Are you sure Chick is kind?"
"Very," said John, with conviction; "so don't you worry, friend Rabbit."
At that moment the Cherub came up with hands full of fruits, which were odd in shape, but in odor and in appearance.
"I won't starve, John Dough!" was the greeting. "The is full of fruit plants, and I've some already, and haven't been poisoned. But where did you this rabbit? And how it to be!"
"It's a friend of mine named Pittypat, and I've I can speak its language," John. "Also there's a Princess near by, and Pittypat has promised to us to her palace."
"All right!" Chick, of the fruit. "Let's go now."
John to the little animal him and said, in the language: "We are to start, my friend."
"You'll have to meet the Mifkets, you know," said Pittypat, fearfully.
"Never mind; we're not afraid," answered John, boldly; and Chick, who as yet had nothing of the Mifkets, to the fruit with perfect composure.
So the around, its big ears a moment, the air, and then away with long and along a path that through the forest.
Chick
