~~Para Bruin, the Rubber Bear::John Dough and the Cherub
Next the little Princess came to the door of the new for Chick and John Dough, and said to them:
"Let us take a walk, and I will you how our is in those parts where there are no Mifkets to worry us."
So together the three walked along the until they near to a high point of rock, the of which was by a path. When they had up the the Princess had to stop to rest, for she was not and to easily. And now, while they sat upon some rocks, a big came out of a and them.
the Princess
had to stop to rest
"Don't be afraid," the Princess. "He won't us. It's Para Bruin."
The was and of size, and its color was a rich brown. It had no at all upon its body, as most have, but was and shiny. He gave a as he looked at the new-comers, and John at the of long, white teeth that so plainly. Also he noticed the upon the bear's toes, and that in of the rabbit's and the Princess' he was in company. Indeed, although Chick laughed at the bear, the man as the big and at him curiously—almost as if it John was of and that is good to eat. Then it out a paw, as if to shake hands; and, not to appear rude, John his own hand in the bear's paw, which more soft and than his own. The next moment the animal its great arms around the man and him close to its body.
John gave a of fear, although it was hard to tell which was more soft and yielding—the bear's or the of the man.
"Stop that!" he shouted, speaking in the language. "Let me go, instantly! What do you by such actions?"
The bear, this speech, at once John, who to of himself to see if he had been by the hug.
"Why didn't you say you were a friend, and speak my language?" asked the bear, in a of reproach.
"You well I was a friend, since I came with the Princess," John, angrily. "I you would like to eat me, just I am gingerbread!"
"I you like gingerbread," the bear. "But don't worry about my you. I don't eat."
"No?" said John, surprised. "Why not?"
"Well, the is that I'm of rubber," said the bear.
"Rubber!" John.
"STOP THAT!" JOHN SHOUTED
"Yes, rubber. Not gutta-percha, you understand, any composition; but pure Para of the best quality. I'm indestructible."
"Well, I declare!" said John, who was astonished. "Are your teeth rubber, also?"
"To be sure," the bear, to be of the fact; "but they appear very terrible to look at, do they not? No one would they would if I to bite with them."
"To me they were terrible in appearance," said John, at which the much gratified.
"I don't mind to you, who are a friend and speak my language," he resumed, "that I am as as I am indestructible. But I myself upon my appearance, which should terror into the of all beholders. At one time every in this me, and me their king; but those Mifkets I was rubber, and have me since."
"How came you to be alive?" asked John. "Was it the Great Elixir?"
"I've of the Great Elixir," the bear, "and I've no idea how I came to be alive. My is that I was in much the same way that I am now. Do you when you were not living?"
"No" said John.
This conversation, which she not at all understand, the Princess very much. But she was to see that the and the man had friends, and so she took Chick's hand and the Cherub up to where they stood.
"This is my new friend, name is Chick," she said to the bear, for the girl was to talking to Para Bruin just as she would to a person; "and you must be as good and to Chick as you have been to me, my dear Para, or I shall not love you any more."
The gave the Princess a hug, and then he Chick; but the the girl had spoken to puzzle him, for he to John and said:
"Why do you so many different were invented? The Mifkets speak one language, and you and I speak another, and the Princess and Chick speak still another! And it is all very absurd, for the only language I can is my own."
"I can speak with and the Princess and the Mifkets as well as I can speak with you," John.
The looked at him admiringly.
"If that is so, then tell me what the Princess said to me just now," he requested.
Curling himself into a ball
So John the girl's into the language, and when Para Bruin them he laughed with delight.
"Tell the Princess that I'll be as good to her friend Chick as possible," said he, and John at once it so that the Princess understood.
"That's nice," said she. "I Para would be friends with Chick. And now ask the to for us. He it often, and it is a very sight."
So John the to bounce, which he at once to do, to in the accomplishment.
From the point upon which they stood, the hill in a toward the forest, and at the of the hill was a big rock. Curling himself into a ball, the great rolled his the hill, every moment, until he the at the bottom. Then he high into the air (in the same way that a when upon a hard pavement), and a until he the top of the hill again, where he up and a times, and then and the man and the Cherub—who was by the performance.
"Great act, isn't it?" asked Para Bruin, with pride. "No ordinary do that, I you. And it proves the purity and high of my rubber."
"It does, indeed!" John. "I am pleased to have met so and a bear."
"You must visit me often," said the bear, making a bow. "It is a great to my own language spoken, for I am the only upon the island. I haven't any visiting cards, but my name is Para Bruin, and you are always welcome at my cave."
"I am called John Dough," said the man. "I cannot to be indestructible, but while I last I shall be proud of your friendship, and will the children to visit you often."
"Try to teach them my language," Para Bruin; "for I love children and have often I might talk with them. As for the little Princess, all the people love her dearly—except, of course, the Mifkets—and we all worry, more or less, over her health. She's weak and delicate, you know; and her life here is so by the from her that I'm she won't be with us very long."
He a tear from his with a and at the girl.
"What's the with her?" asked John, anxiously.
"No and vitality," answered the bear. "She's every day, and there isn't a drug-store or a doctor on the island. But don't tell her, you do. Perhaps she doesn't it, and the knowledge would only make her more unhappy."
Then the bear, who tender-hearted, with into his cave, so that the little Princess for he might not see the that in his eyes.
I have again you.
After that John and Chick and the Princess started to return to their by means of a cut through the forest, to the girl. John was very in the of the two children, and that in of the Mifkets his life on this to be and agreeable. But his was by the Cherub, who gave a loud and pointed into the forest.
The man had but one look when he to violently. For there him—only a away—stood his and enemy, Ali Dubh the Arab!
"At last," said Ali Dubh, most unpleasantly, "I have again you."
John was too to reply; but Chick asked, boldly:
"How on earth did you to this island?"
"By means of the witch," the Arab replied. "I purchased from her two transport powders. One me to the Isle of Phreex, and when you then me the other me here. But I cannot allow the man to me again, I have no more powders, any way to the who makes them. So, my dear John Dough, accept your fate, and permit me to eat you at once."
"That I cannot do," said John, firmly; "for if I am eaten, that is the end of me."
"How selfish!" the Arab. "Who are you, to be Ali Dubh, son of a Shiek, and of an Tribe of the Desert? Remember, sir, that when I have you I shall for myself the powers of that Great Elixir in your gingerbread, and will thus the most powerful and most man in the world, forever! Dare you, sir, allow your selfish to with so a result?"
ALI DUBH ATTACKS JOHN
"I dare," John.
"But you have nothing to say about it," the Arab. "You are not your own master. You to me, for I purchased you from Jules Grogrande, the baker, who you, and I am therefore to eat you I please."
"Nevertheless," answered John, "I will not be if I can help it."
Para Bruin
"Ah! but that is unjust!" the Arab.
"If to be is to be eaten," said John, "you need not look to me for justice. I may be in this decision, but it is to be than to be nothing."
"Then," Ali Dubh, sadly, "you me to eat you without your consent, which it will me to do."
With this he his terrible knife and upon John Dough with great ferocity. But in the with Black Ooboo the man had learned how powerful the Elixir him; so he did not this time from the Arab, but the of the knife and the of Ali Dubh in a clasp. Next moment he had him up and him high into the air, as easily as he had the Mifket. The Arab in the top of a tall plant and to them in great he should to the ground and be killed. Indeed, so was he that he of terror with every breath, and all about John Dough in the more of how he might safety.
"Let's run!" Chick, John's hand. "Don't mind the Arab. If he it's good for him!"
"The Mifkets will him, I'm sure," added the Princess. "See! there come some of the now, with Black Ooboo at their head."
Hearing this, John no longer, but another with the children, and soon left the of Ali Dubh's him.
