“Old Jingles, the Magician, took our Flying Boat!” said Gran’pa. “And we are trying to escape from him now, or get our Flying Boat back, or do something, so that we can return to the Earth.” “Listen!” the Beautiful Girl cried suddenly. “What was that?” “It sounded like thunder,” Janey said. “There comes the storm cloud!” “Let us hasten!” the Beautiful Girl cried. “Perhaps we may find shelter somewhere!” So, catching hold of hands, they all ran as hard as they could until they came to a village. “Here’s a good place!” the girl cried, as she ran in at an open door. They reached shelter none too soon, for the storm was upon them. [Illustration] [Illustration] CHAPTER VI NOW WE COME TO THE LITTLE OLD LADY AND JINGLE’S MAGIC WHISTLE The wind howled, and the lightning popped and cracked, and everything grew as black as ink. The rain came down in torrents and the house in which they had taken shelter rocked and shook. “I wonder if anyone lives here!” Gran’ma said, as she felt around the walls and turned on a light. The room was flooded with brightness, and the Beautiful Girl saw a paper lying on a table and picked it up. “Oh dear me!” she cried, as she sat down on a chair and buried her face in her hands. Gran’ma ran to her and put her arms around her. “What is the matter, my dear?” she asked. “Look at the date on this paper!” wept the Beautiful Girl. Gran’ma read, “July 24, 339,780.” “I don’t understand!” said Gran’ma as the others came and stood around the Beautiful Girl. “It was in the year 339,700 that I talked to the Queer Horse and the Strange Man put me in the jar! Oh dear! I have been in that jar for eighty years!” “There’s one consolation,” said Gran’pa, gallantly, “you do not look it!” “I know it!” the Beautiful Girl replied, “We never change much here. I did not tell you before, you see, that I am Princess Nidia of Nite, and that there has been no one to rule the City of Nite in all this time!” “Oh, yes, there has!” Gran’ma cried. “For the Faun Boys told us there was an old Witch who ruled things in the City of Nite!” “Then I am lost!” the Beautiful Girl cried. “For she will never let me have my throne back again!” “We will take it away from her!” said Johnny. “It belongs to you and we will help you get it back! And we shall call you The Princess from now on!” “I hope you can get my throne back,” the Princess said, as Gran’ma wiped the tears from her eyes. “I cannot imagine who this Witch can be!” [Illustration: “It was in the year 339,700 that I talked to the Queer Horse and the Strange Man put me in the jar!” (page 72)] “The Faun Boys told us that the Witch was an enemy of old Jingles, the wicked Magician,” said Janey, “so perhaps the Witch has just been holding your throne for you until you return!” While they had been talking the storm had increased in fury so that the windows rattled as if they would fall out.