~~The Island Princess::John Dough and the Cherub
John settled the baker's (which was of having been crumpled) upon his head, up the of his cane, and the of the white rabbit. Chick came after, along the path. Before they had gone very the bright-hued, Pittypat gave a and from sight, having into a hole. John Dough, of course, stopped and around with his to see what had of his new friend, and at the same moment a from an overhead and in the path of the man. Another followed, and still another, and the three beings looked at John curiously, as if as much at the meeting as he be. Chick pressed close to the of the man and with big at the new arrivals.
Perhaps else in all the world be such as these Mifkets. Their had the of coconuts, and were with close, and until it ended in a at the very top. Their were like putty, with small, that brightly, noses, and wide, mouths. The Mifkets were like pears, and their were and their arms long. For they of the plants, and together in a way; and taken all together, they were as any that our part of the world as can well be imagined.
John settled the baker's hat
"Ah, these must be the beings called Mifkets," John Dough, speaking in a language he had used before, but that well to such creatures.
"That's easy to guess," one of the group, nearer to the man and its putty-like face, which it and in a manner. "It's easy to tell we're Mifkets; but what in the name of Jucklethub are you? And what child of the human's is this with you?"
"I'm a man," answered John, with dignity; "and this is my friend Chick."
What are
you doing here?
"We know what a man is; and we know what a child is; but what's gingerbread?" another of the Mifkets.
"I'm gingerbread," said John.
"We'll take your word for it," the third creature. And then it added: "What are you doing here?"
"Standing still, just now," said John, gravely.
To his all three laughing at this reply, and they so that one another a upon the ear, which he in turn passed on to the third. But the third—the one—turned upon John Dough and gave him such a upon the of his that the him for a moment. At this Chick two and ran at the Mifkets so that they were at the angry they received, and a steps from the path. Immediately John Dough his and a with the at the wild people of the forest. Much to his it sent all three of them to the ground—one the others. For so great was the energy and to his arm by the magic Elixir that the Mifkets not it.
aimed a strong
blow with the at the wild people of
the forest
Chick laughed at the of their enemies, who to their and into the of the plants, where they were from sight. But the of their be until it died away in the distance.
Then the its nose from the in which it had and said:
"Bravely done, little one. Bravely done, John Dough. Yet I you to these Mifkets, who will now you their enemies."
"I don't care," said Chick; "and I'm not afraid," added John, who was pleased to himself so powerful.
"Well, let us continue our journey," Pittypat; "for I want you to meet our sweet Princess. But I you, you meet with more of those Mifkets, to try to be with them. There are hundreds of them, you know, and only two of you."
"That like good advice," John.
Again they started along the path, and presently it them out of the to another part of the of the island, where a into the sea in the shape of a new moon, a bay, on which a small at anchor. On the of this and the a tall plant, were to a dome-shaped room, one being up to make an opening that as a door.
"You must at the door, and the Princess will appear," said Pittypat. "I cannot talk with her as I do with you, Mr. Dough; so I'll you now, and home to tell my of the new friends I have found." With these away the rabbit, and John and Chick approached the of the Princess.
"Can you whistle, Chick?" asked the man; and the Baby, in reply, so a through the pink that John gave a start of surprise.
You must at the door, and the Princess
will appear
Almost a girl appeared in the of the plant-palace, and John and Chick low and then to at the that them. For this Princess of the Mifkets was the and that any one has looked upon; and so and were her clear and so and her smile, that to see her but once was to love her dearly. John did not that the wild of the had set this girl as too to either their or companion; and he this as a Princess, and from that moment at her shrine.
Chick, with spread wide apart, the last of the fruits, and around the laughing face, was a to the little lady who from the door with steps to welcome the strangers. The Princess a of from the plants, but so and was her that any of dress would be sure to fit and if the it.
"Hello!" said Chick. "We've come to see you."
"I'm of that," answered the girl, in a soft voice, as she came close and the Cherub's mouth. "It has been in this place without any one to play with or to keep me company. But may I who you are?"
"This is John Dough," answered the Cherub, briefly; "and I'm Chick."
"I'm pleased to make your acquaintance," said the girl. "They call me the Princess; but that is in mockery, I am sure."
"But are you not as a Princess?" asked John.
"Yes; and that is why I am so lonely," the girl replied, sadly. "The Mifkets have my father and mother their slaves, and me by me in this tree-house and calling it a and me a Princess. But I am as much a as either of my dear parents."
"Can't you go out if you want to?" asked Chick.
"Oh, yes; but the is small, and there is no one to play with Pittypat, who is a white rabbit, and Para Bruin, who is a bear."
"What companions!" said John. "I've met Pittypat, and like the white very much; but a must be a creature."
"Not at all, I you," returned the girl, earnestly. "Just wait until you meet him, and you'll see that he couldn't any one if he would, and wouldn't if he could."
"That's all right," said Chick.
"But do the Mifkets ill-treat you in any way?" asked John.
"Oh, no; until now they have done me no whatever," the Princess answered, "but their are so that I am in of them. You must meet the Mifkets, of course, since you cannot this island; and you must them as we all do. But Mr. Dough, being of gingerbread, will be with more respect than beings are."
"Or with less," said John, with a shudder. "Nevertheless, we will meet the Mifkets boldly, and I am not going to make myself by being of them."
"Nor I," said Chick. "They're only beasts."
"Then, if you will me, I will lead you to the king's village," said the girl; "and there you may see my father and mother."
"Very well," John. "But I must tell you that we have already three of these creatures, and them easily."
"I 'em like sixty," added the Cherub, with a and a laugh.
THE KING OF THE MIFKETS
The Princess them by a path into the forest, the of the plants, which were so thick that they almost out the and the way and fearsome. But long a big was reached, in the center of which was a with a broad, at the very top. All around were houses by the of the plants and them to the ground with pegs, thus rooms. None of these houses so as the of the Princess; but they were big and of many colors, and when our friends into the a of the Mifket people out of the to the and upon them curiously.
Upon the in the center of the an Mifket, who was himself, and who to pay no attention to the of his fellows. Yet it was toward this that the Princess, after a half-frightened look at its occupant, her new friends; and all the Mifkets, big and little, them and a circle around them and the one.
"This is the King," the girl. "Be not to anger him."
Then she the that as a throne, and John Dough her. But Chick and laughed at the of the lazy Mifket King them.
The short, that the of the King was white, him to be very old; and his was of pure white leaves, him from all the others of his band. But he was not in appearance.
The little man and nervous
Hearing the around him the King slowly rolled his over and sat up, his to clear them of the of sleep. Then he looked upon John and Chick and gave a grunt. Immediately a little man out of a just of the and to the King with a with water. This the Mifket greedily, and while he was thus the Princess the hand of the little man and pressed it affectionately.
"This is my father," she to John Dough and Chick.
The little man and nervous, but this was by the in which he lived. There was little upon his head, but he that were red in color and in growth, and with his light eyes. He a and of clothes, to which he had since the days when he had been and upon this island.
John Dough was about to in his in meeting the father of the Princess, when the King, having drinking, the at the little man's head. He to it and the the of a big Mifket just and a like the of a whip. At once the big Mifket—who was for having black upon his of the that was common to all the Mifkets—uttered a of and a at the of the slave. But the little man this also, and then away to the as fast as his thin him.
"Let him go," said the King, speaking in the Mifket language. Then he to the black one and asked: "Who are these creatures, Ooboo? and how came they here?"
"I don't know," answered Black Ooboo, sulkily; "the girl them."
THE MIFKETS HOWLED WITH DELIGHT
"Perhaps I can explain," said John Dough, speaking in their language. "My friend Chick and I here but a time ago in a flying-machine, which and us from away again."
The Mifkets looked at the man in astonishment. Not they had any idea what a flying-machine might be, but to their own language spoken by so a personage, them with amazement.
"Are you one of those called humans?" asked the King, his at the man.
"I cannot, in truth, to be human," John, "but it is that I a of wisdom. It comes from the Elixir, you know."
"What are you of?" the King, who was puzzled by John's words.
Now, the man that if he told the Mifkets he was good to eat he would soon be destroyed; so he answered:
"I am of a of material only to men. In fact, I am very different from all the of the world."
The King didn't understand, and when he didn't it him very tired.
"Oh, well," said he, in the sun, "just make at home here, and see that you don't me by in my way."
That might have ended the had not Black Ooboo, and angry, and said:
lifted him high in the air
"If the is to live with us he must for the right to live in peace. It is our custom, your Majesty."
"So it is," returned the King, up again. "The must fight."
At this all the Mifkets with delight, and Chick and the Princess to be about their friend. But John said, calmly:
"I have with any one, your Majesty; but I'll do the best I can. With must I fight?"
"Why, with Black Ooboo, I suppose," said the King; "and if you can manage to give him a I'll be your friend for life."
Ooboo at the King and then at John, and all the other Mifkets with him, for the black one was a great among them.
"Whatever material you may be of, stranger," he said, "I promise to you into and you into the dust."
Then the having pressed backward, the black Mifket upon the man, with long, arms as if to him. But John was than his foe. He Ooboo about the waist, him high in the air—big and though he was—and him over the the King squatted. The black one into the of a plant and then to the ground, where he still for a moment to from his and the of defeat.
she had been cooking a
vegetable stew
The of Mifkets didn't the of their champion, but they looked upon the man with wonder. And the King was so pleased that he laughed aloud.
"Well done, stranger," said he. "Ooboo needed to be taken a peg, and you did it very neatly. Now away, all of you, and me to sleep." He to himself up once more upon the stone, and the Mifkets his and away to their dwellings. John to where Chick and the Princess stood, and the Cherub him on the hand and said:
"I'd no idea you do it, John. Wasn't it lovely, Princess, to see him that black like a foot-ball?"
"I'm your friend the fight," answered the girl; "but Black Ooboo is a enemy, and the King is of him. Now come with me, please. I want you to meet my dear mother, who is to the position of the King's cook."
They entered with the Princess into the dwelling, where a woman the girl in a warm and her tenderly. When Chick managed to a full view of the woman she was to be nearly as as an apple in form, with an apple's cheeks, and with of an iron-gray color from her ears to her neck. When her entered she had been cooking a vegetable for the King's dinner, she pause long in her work for of the King's anger.
Chick was sorry for these people, thus to be to the Mifkets, and they might some way to escape. The little man with the red presently in and joined them, and they had a long talk together and to think of a plan to the island, but without success. Yet John them to a way would soon be found, and they all had great in his ability to save the entire party; for he had proved himself wise and powerful.
While they were still talking the King rolled his into the and his dinner, at the same time ordering the Princess to to her own and to there. But he John Dough by sending of the Mifkets to a for the man and the Incubator Baby just that of the little Princess, which pleased them all very much.
Mifkets
