~~Black Ooboo::John Dough and the Cherub
That evening, when John came out of his tree house to watch the sunset, he Pittypat, the white rabbit, his door.
"I've news for you, my friend," the rabbit, in a voice. "Black Ooboo and the Arab who wanted to eat you have fast friends, and together they are to you."
"How did you know that the Arab wants to eat me?" asked John.
"I was among the plants when you met, and your talk," the rabbit. "You must look out for Ooboo and the Arab, or they will surely do you a mischief, for the Mifkets now know that you are good to eat."
"It's of you to me," said John; "but can you tell me of any way to from this island, good Pittypat?"
"Not just at present," returned the rabbit; "but our Prince is very wise indeed, and I will ask him what is best to be done. In the meantime you must keep away from your as much as possible."
With these the into a low and disappeared, John Dough to sad upon his position in this island.
Soon after next morning, while Chick and the Princess were out for their breakfast, John for a walk along the shore, and so did he in his that he did not notice when a of Mifkets upon him from and a of rope around his shoulders. Before he his he was fast with many of the rope. Then he that he had into the hands of his old enemy, Black Ooboo; but the Arab, to his great relief, was not with the party that had him.
Shouting with at the of the man, the Mifkets him away through the paths until they at the the King upon his rock.
Ooboo at once the ruler, who sat up and said in a tone:
"Have you taken the prisoner, as I commanded?"
"We have," answered the black one.
John Dough was very at the he had received, so he the King angrily, saying:
"By what right do you me to be in this manner? Did you not give me permission to live among you in peace?"
"I am a king, and the promises of kings should be upon," said the old Mifket, at his prisoner. "Since I saw you the Arab has arrived, and he tells us that the material you are of is very good to eat."
"Can the Arab your language?" asked John, in surprise.
"It so," answered the King. "In some parts of Arabia the people speak as we do; so the Arabs are from our race. Anyhow, Ali Dubh us and we him, and we've to have a bite of you he can eat you himself."
THE MIFKETS RECAPTURE JOHN
This was news to the man, and he the King how he might from this when the black Mifket, who was him, opened his mouth and off the thumb from John's left hand, which was to his side.
"How is taste, Ooboo?" the King, while the black one was the thumb.
"I can't the flavor," said Ooboo, off the of the hand.
The Mifkets John
John was at this treatment, and his had a in them. It didn't pain him especially, for he had no nerves; but to be up by a common Mifket was a that any man might well resent.
"Seems to me there's in him," said Ooboo, with a at the King, and he off another and ate it. "Also a of ginger," he continued, calmly, the next finger. "And spices." Another was gone. "It isn't cake, and it isn't bread," the black one proceeded, his lips; "but it's good, it is"; and with that he ate the last on John's left hand.
The King was no longer sleepy. He had interested, and the circle of Mifkets that of John were looking at their with eyes.
"Bring him here to me," said the King. "I'll eat the other hand and see what it's like."
Ooboo pushed the toward the rock; but John was now frightened, and had up his mind not to allow the of his to be without a to save himself. So he all the the Great Elixir had him, and his rope as easily as if they had been threads. At the same the Arab into the group that the and himself the King and John Dough.
"Stop!" he screamed, his voice with anger. "How you eat the I have and paid for?"
"There's for all," said the King. "We'll him up, and have a feast."
"Not so!" the Arab. "He's mine, and mine alone!"
But while they were thus the man, free of his bonds, and into the forest, and the Mifkets or Ali Dubh he had gone their was away.
Chick was very when John Dough entered the tree house and his hand.
"You ought to near me every minute," said the Cherub, "so I can take of you and keep you from into trouble. If this thing on, John Dough, you won't be able to present a appearance."
"I know it," said John, sadly. "I'd in that little on the beach; only, if a rain-storm came up, there'd be no and I'd and to pieces."
"HE'S MINE, AND MINE ALONE!"
"It isn't our boat, either," said Chick. "It to the father and mother of the little Princess, and they may want to use it themselves, some day, to in."
"That's true," said John. "How is the Princess to-day?"
"She's worse," answered Chick. "Seems to me she and more every day."
"That's what the says," John remarked, thoughtfully.
"See here," said the child, "that of yours is full of and power, isn't it?"
"That's what Ali Dubh says," John responded. "The Elixir that I am mixed with is to be very powerful."
"And it's true," Chick, "for I've you do no man do without some magic Elixir being mixed up with him. Well, then, why don't you let the Princess eat the of your left hand, and well? The hand isn't any use to you since Black Ooboo ate off the fingers."
John looked at his left hand nervously.
"What you say, Chick, to be true," said he; "but you've no idea how I to be eaten. I'm not very at the best, and my lifetime I've been and and to such an that I to a of my person more than is necessary. Of I'd like to help the Princess, and her to health and strength; but we can some way to do that than to her on my gingerbread."
"Very well, John Dough," said the Cherub, up to go to the Princess, "I you can do as you about to your friends; but if I was you can just I wouldn't be so with myself!"
Left alone, John and if it was his to his left hand to save the little girl and her to and health. He wanted to be and generous, yet the very of being him with horror.
Presently he left the tree house and along the coast. Chick's him not a little, and he wanted time to think it over. So by and by, when he he was alone, he sat upon a and to decide what to do. Suddenly a low him, and he looked up to see the him.
"Where's the Princess?" asked Para Bruin.
"Aren't you a good way from your mountain?" John, of the question.
"Yes, I don't often so far," was the reply, "but I had an idea of calling on the Princess. Where is she?"
"She's to-day," said the man.
"That's bad," the bear, his sadly. "She to be every day. Poor little Princess!"
John moved uneasily, for every word was a to him.
"How are you on with the Mifkets?" asked Para Bruin.
"They me a this morning, and me shamefully," said the man. "See here!" and he up the of his left hand.
"What has of your fingers?"
"A black Mifket named Ooboo them off and ate them," was the answer.
"That's curious," said the bear, his nose with one paw. "Do you know, the Mifkets had an time an hour ago? I them from my mountain, and saw everything. Black Ooboo had a with the King and him off his rock. That's surprising, for Ooboo has always been a coward, and of the King. But now he has he'll be king himself, and offers to any one who him. Isn't that funny? I don't know where Black Ooboo got so much and all of a sudden, I'm sure."
"I know," said John. "He got it from my fingers, which he ate. My is mixed with the Great Elixir, you know, which is nothing less than energy and and and knowledge. The have Ooboo the most powerful Mifket in the island, so it is no wonder he has king."
Para Bruin to this carefully, and after a moment's he said:
"If that is the case, John Dough, you must some of to the Princess to make her again."
"That's what Chick says; but I don't like to do it," said John.
"You will do it, though," said the bear; "for if you don't you are no friend of mine, or of any other person. I'm going to my mountain, and if you don't save the little Princess I'll speak to you again."
He came to
the bank of the brook
Away Para Bruin, and John Dough with a and walked into the forest, trying to make up his mind what to do. He came to the bank of the presently, and seating himself upon a the into the water in thought. From the came the of water over the big which the had built, and once or twice a Mifket that way and looked at the of the man. But they had orders from the Arab and Ooboo not to him, so they away again and joined their among the plants.
A long time John Dough sat there by the stream, until he was from his by a of him.
"Ho, ho, ho! What an thing! Who'd have it?"
He around and saw a on a of him. The bird was all with and green feathers, and its black mischievously, while of came from its throat.
"Keep still, can't you?" said John, in an tone. "What are you laughing at, anyway?"
John his and looked at the bird
earnestly.
The bird pushed its a and with mirth.
"Oh dear! It's too for anything! What a lark—hoo, hoo, hoo! What a it is!"
Its voice was by the feathers, but John every word, and it him angry.
"You're a rampsy, that's what you are!" he cried.
"There are two of us—two of us—two of us!" the macaw, around and its plumage. "Honestly, my dear breakfast, I had so much fun in my life!"
John his and looked at the bird earnestly.
"Why do you call me your 'dear breakfast'?" he asked, with suspicion.
"Because that's what you are, my innocent! Ha, ha, ha! Breakfast is ready!"
The bird a quick with its beak, and the next moment around in of John with its mouth full of gingerbread.
Our hero up and put his right hand him. The had two little at the of his waist, and as John for them he that the had of these off, while he had sat upon the thinking.
"How I am!" he exclaimed, with grief. "I might have those to the Princess, and now this bird has them up!"
"I said you were a chump!" the macaw, winking, and then laughing again. "The idea of your there and me eat you! I had so much fun in all my life."
Just then a great his ears, and looking around, he that a of the Mifkets had upon him, and were now with which they had from the plants, and which were as solid and as the of trees.
I ate part of you for my breakfast,
and refreshed.
"Surrender!" the leader, that the man their language; "King Ooboo wants you for his luncheon, and Ali Dubh is also hungry."
For a moment John Dough was most frightened. It was not likely that his would him to from so many of his enemies, and he almost gave himself up for lost. For him was the of water—almost as to him as the close ranks of the Mifkets him. The was up and him, and at his look of the bird said:
"You're surely in a way, my friend; but I I can save you. When I up, my feet, and I'll you away to your dwelling."
"You!" he exclaimed, at the bird in surprise; "you are by no means big to away with me."
"Size doesn't count for much," the macaw; "and since I off your I myself to be as as an ox. Just my legs, as I tell you to."
John that it was attempting, being the only thing to do. The Mifkets were pressing closer, and soon he would be of their clubs. So, as the into the air John its with his right hand (which was the only hand that had fingers), and, sure enough, the of the little bird was so great that it easily him up into the air, high above the of his and foes.
"Fooled again," the macaw; but of the Mifkets did not the words. Away over the of the plants the bird, with John Dough to its legs, and it was not long it again and the man safely the door of his own dwelling.
"Don't thank me," said the macaw, toward him one black eye, in a saucy manner, and comically. "I ate part of you for my breakfast, and refreshed. Were it not for the Arab I'd to another off you, but the Arab and the Mifkets you're not likely to last long. Good bye."
And then it away into the forest.
