~~Under Land and Water::John Dough and the Cherub

Chick met him at the door.

"There's less of you than ever," said the child, looking him over carefully. "Your are gone now."

"Yes," said the man, "a ate them a minutes ago. But there will be less of me in another minute. Have you a knife, Chick?"

"What are you going to do?" asked the Cherub, with interest.

"I'm going to save the Princess I'm gone entirely," said John, with decision. "Not that I have overcome my to being eaten, you understand, but if a black Mifket and a bird it so easy to upon my person, Ali Dubh is sure to me in time, and that I want to do one good deed, and help the little girl to her and health."

"Good!" Chick, approvingly. "You're all right, John Dough, if it did take you a long time to make up your mind. But we haven't any knife."

"What shall we do?" John asked, anxiously.

"Can't we off a of you?" the Cherub inquired.

"No!" the man, with a shudder.

"Wait a minute!" Chick, "I've an idea."

Away the legs, and presently the child returned with a long, leaf, from one of the plants.

"This'll saw all right, I'm sure. Hold out your hand, John Dough!"

John away his and out his left hand—the one from which Black Ooboo had the finger.

"There! It's all over. Did it hurt?" asked Chick.

"No." John looked at the arm where his hand had been.

"It isn't much than it was before," said the child. "You'll miss it in the world. Now wait here while I go to the Princess."

After Chick had into the girl's the man gave a of relief.

"It wasn't as as I feared," he said to himself; "but I'm the is over. If I take good of myself hereafter, and manage to from Ali Dubh, I can along very well without the I have lost."

Wait a minute!

The Princess slept that night, after her supper of gingerbread, and the next was so fresh and bright, and had so a color to her cheeks, that Chick her delightedly, and John Dough was proud and to think his small had such good results. Together they into the forest, along the banks of the stream, and presently met Pittypat.

"Be where you go," said the rabbit, in a tone. "The Arab is after John Dough, and I that Black Ooboo has to the little man with the red and the woman with the curls, who are the father and mother of our Princess."

"Are you sure?" asked the girl, her hands in terror.

"There's no of it," Pittypat replied. "And I'm not sure but the Princess will their fate. These are times, since the Arab and Black Ooboo king."

"There's the boat," said Chick, to the girl; "can't your in that?"

"They have always said they would use the to the island, if there was any danger," answered the Princess. "But the is so big and the so very little that they did not like to make such a unless it necessary."

"Well, it to be necessary now," said John. "But what will of the of us? The will only two."

"It might me as well as my parents, if the water was calm," said the girl; "but I will not and you and Chick to your fate. Unless we can some way to save us all I will let my alone in the boat."

"That's foolish," said Chick. "You go in the boat. John Dough and I will along all right."

But this the Princess to do, and after a long the to go and a which was for its wisdom. The others walked up to Para Bruin's cave, and the thing the said was:

"Look out for yourselves. Black Ooboo has ordered all the on this to be killed, and the Mifkets are themselves with long sticks, to which they have from a tree in the forest. The man is to be eaten, I understand; so there's likely to be an end of all of you, very soon."

"Is there no way to escape?" asked John.

"None that I can think of," said the bear. "But you can upon my assistance, if there is anything I can do. How well the Princess looks to-day!"

"Yes," answered John, proudly; "she's been some of my gingerbread."

Hearing this, Para Bruin gave John a hug; and then he the Princess and Chick, so happy did the at the girl's recovery.

Then he for them times, himself hill against the and then high into the air. But the little Princess was and about her parents, so the party soon good to Para Bruin and started to return to their dwellings.

The very and peaceful as they walked along, and they had almost their fears, when, just as they the banks of the brook, a of upon their ears, with the of voices.

"Oh, dear!" the little Princess, her hands in great fear; "the Mifkets have my dear parents, I am sure, and they will be killed!"

John to her, but he that the Princess had truly, and that her were in great danger. They not return to the seashore, for that would their own destruction; so they in the forest, while the Princess as if her was broken, and John away her with her handkerchief. He had one of his own; but it was gingerbread, and would not the dampness.

the

white at their feet

Suddenly they footfalls, and the white at their feet. He was from a hard run, and his were big and bright.

"They are gone!" said he, as soon as he speak.

"Who are gone?" asked John, anxiously.

"The red-whiskered man and the woman with the curls," Pittypat. "The Mifkets them to the shore, but they jumped into the and away in time to escape. The Mifkets at them and Black Ooboo with rage; but the father and mother of our Princess got away without being in the least."

This good news pleased the girl, and her was much relieved. But the man had thoughtful, and asked Pittypat:

"What are the Mifkets doing now."

"They are to search the for you and Chick and the Princess," was the reply. "The Arab is with them."

"This is news," the man. "Did the tell you how we may escape?"

"The sent me to the King of the Fairy Beavers," the rabbit, "and he has to you in his palace. It is a favor, I you; but the Mifkets cannot you there."

"A Fairy Beaver!" Chick, gleefully; and the Princess asked, wonderingly: "Can a be a fairy?"

"Why not?" Pittypat. "All the animals have their fairies, just as you do; and it is lucky for us that the Fairy Beaver on this very island. There is only one danger—that the Mifkets you I can lead you to the Beaver King. So me at once, I you, it is too late!"

He turned, with these words, and them along the river bank at such a that the Princess keep up with him.

"How is it?" asked John.

"The of the is under the big in the river, which is not away. The King promised to meet us at the waterfall; but he will not allow me to enter, I am a rabbit, so you must go in alone. But have no fear. The King will allow nothing to you."

As Pittypat spoke they the of the at the beavers' dam. But another also upon their ears—a that their terror—for it was the of the Mifkets. Presently the appeared, through the forest.

"Hurry!" called Pittypat. "Hurry, or it will be too late!"

PARA BRUIN TO THE RESCUE

John up a great that near their path, and while Chick and the Princess after the he stopped and it toward the Mifkets. It among them with such that were over and many others with pain. It did not prevent them from on, but they at a more from the man, they would be able to him in time.

"This way!" the rabbit, the bank to the of the river, where they travel more swiftly.

rolling

himself hill against the rock

The others followed, and now them appeared a wide and high of water that over the great that the had many years before. They had almost it, and Pittypat had called out that he saw the Beaver King waiting the waterfall, when the stopped with of despair. For just them appeared another of Mifkets, with the sticks, and now they saw that they would be unable to their place of refuge.

John looked around in desperation. There were Mifkets them and Mifkets them; and on one was the river, and on the other a bank too high for the children to climb. It to the man that they were lost, when a was heard, and looking he saw Para Bruin upon his high and them. The saw the of his friends, for he called to them:

"Look out—I'm to the rescue!" Then he his great into a and rolled the of the that them.

The Mifkets who were near the to watch the bear. They had often him roll against the and to his place again, and he would do the same thing now. But old Para Bruin was more than they suspected. He missed the and came along at a speed. Before the group of Mifkets, who close together near the waterfall, what the meant to do, old Para's upon them and them in every direction. Some upon the ground; but most of them were into the river, where they to the shore.