Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations. See 48505-h.htm or 48505-h.zip: (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/48505/48505-h/48505-h.htm) or (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/48505/48505-h.zip) Images of the original pages are available through Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries. See https://archive.org/details/davidblaizeblued00bensuoft DAVID BLAIZE AND THE BLUE DOOR * * * * * * BOOKS BY E. F. BENSON REX DAVID OF KING’S DAVID BLAIZE DAVID BLAIZE AND THE BLUE DOOR DODO THE SECOND MRS. AMES THE OAKLEYITES HODDER & STOUGHTON, LTD. PUBLISHERS LONDON, E.C.4 * * * * * * [Illustration: The flame-cats and the black man coming down the chimney] DAVID BLAIZE AND THE BLUE DOOR by E. F. BENSON [Illustration] Illustrated by H. J. Ford Hodder and Stoughton Limited London Made and Printed in Great Britain by C. Tinling & Co., Ltd., Liverpool, London and Prescot. ILLUSTRATIONS The flame-cats and the black man coming down the chimney David finds the Blue Door David shakes the bottle at the cats The game-cupboard comes to life David calls on Miss Muffet The spider chases Miss Muffet David finds the Mint-man in the bank The recovering of Uncle Popacatapetl The telegram rescues Uncle P. from the Mint-man David dances with the giraffe David and the Rhyme family Miss Bones sitting on David’s thumb David and the cow porter on the pile of luggage David uses the telephone in the cow porter’s tail The bald-headed men in the hairdresser’s get up to catch the train How Canon and Mrs. Rook quarrelled over a stick David does the lark-flight The birds carry up David to get his flying certificate David rescues the Brigadier-General Field-Marshal David inspects his guard of honour David and the trout Noah pursues David David in the registry office David runs for home David reaches home CHAPTER I