“I can scarcely believe there is a Cow there!” said the voice of Ella. “Would the Cow mind if I touched her to see if I can feel her?” The Soft-Voiced Cow laughed heartily at this and stood still while Ella patted her. After a lot of reaching around in the air, Gran’pa and the rest succeeded in shaking hands with their invisible friends. “Funny how pleasant people keep out of sight,” Gran’ma said as her party started down the walk. “Thank you so much!” they all cried. “We hope to see you again some time!” At this the Invisible Man and Woman laughed and replied, “And we hope to see you again some time, too!” [Illustration] CHAPTER VIII TIPTOE, THE DANCING MASTER, USES HIS MAGIC UMBRELLA After traveling for a long time the travelers finally came to the mountains and as they walked up a path amongst the rocks they heard someone talking. It proved to be a queer little man, no larger than Johnny. He was seated near a large stone in the shade of a small umbrella, and he was talking to himself. When he heard the footsteps of the party, he arose to his feet and made a low bow, sweeping the dust from the ground with the top of his high hat. “Good afternoon!” he called cheerily. Then seeing the Princess, who had been walking behind Gran’pa, he rushed towards her and threw himself at her feet. “It’s my old Dancing Master, Tiptoe!” cried the Princess as she pulled the little man to his feet and gave him a hug before introducing him to Gran’pa and the others. “What are you doing way out here in the mountains?” the Princess asked when they had all taken seats around the Dancing Master. The Dancing Master took out a red handkerchief and wiped his nose-glasses carefully. “It’s really a long story,” he replied. “Won’t you tell me where you have been for eighty years first?” he inquired of the Princess. The Princess told him of her strange adventure with the Queer Horse and all that had happened up to the time she was rescued from the Green Jar by Gran’ma. When she had finished her story the Dancing Master took Gran’ma’s hand and kissed it. “Everyone in the City of Nite owes you a debt of gratitude, Gran’ma,” he said, “and in some manner or other I, for one, hope to repay you!” “Oh it wasn’t anything!” Gran’ma cried. “I just saw the Green Jar and opened it because I was inquisitive. Of course we are very glad that we rescued the Princess from the Green Jar but we do not deserve any credit for it!” Janey, who was anxious to hear the Dancing Master’s story, again asked Tiptoe how he happened to be in the mountains. “The day you disappeared,” the Dancing Master said, turning to the Princess, “I was to have given you a lesson, don’t you remember? And I was on my way to the Castle when I saw people running in all directions about the City of Nite. I inquired of one why they were so excited. ‘Don’t you know?’ he answered. ‘The Beautiful Princess has disappeared! Completely vanished!’”