“It has mustard on it!” the Soft-Voiced Cow said, as the tears streamed
out of her eyes and she sneezed two or three times.
“Mustard!” the man at the counter exclaimed, looking at the cow with a
queer expression. “Of course it has mustard on it! I put it on to keep
the popcorn hot!”
Gran’pa winked at Johnny.
“Have you any ice cream cones?” Janey asked.
“Plenty!” the man replied. “What flavor?”
“Strawberry!” Janey said. “Chocolate!” cried Johnny. “Maple!” Gran’ma
said. “Peach!” said Gran’pa.
“Dear me! I haven’t any of those flavors! I never heard of them!” And
the man leaned upon the counter and scratched his head.
“Never heard of chocolate!” exclaimed Johnny.
“What flavors have you?” asked Janey.
“I have Plumpdoodle, Wiggledoos, Kneebud and Lopjiggle!”
“Let me try a Lopjiggle!” said Janey.
“Plumpdoodle!” Gran’ma decided.
“Wiggledoos!” cried Johnny. “They must be fine!”
“I believe I will have a Kneebud!” said Gran’pa.
The man handed out the different ice cream cones, and although the
flavor of each was different from anything they had ever tasted the
travelers thought them fine.
Just then the little bell up on the side of the cliff began tinkling.
“Hello!” said the man. “Someone else gets a cigar!”
They all ran to where they could look down into the little valley and
there they saw old Jingles, the wicked Magician, holding on to the
electric wire and turning flip-flops in his efforts to get free.
The Soft-Voiced Cow began switching her tail nervously.
“It’s Old Jingles, the Magician!” cried all in one voice.
“I have been in hopes I should land him on the wire!” said the man. “Do
you know,” he explained in a confidential tone, “that is the reason I
started this place in the mountains! Here, Gran’pa,” he continued, “you
may have his cigar. All of you help yourselves to anything you wish. I
am through with the business now that old Jingles is on the wire!”
“What do you intend doing?” asked Gran’pa.
“Nothing,” answered the man. “I’m through now, and I’m going back to the
City of Nite!”
The bell kept on tinkling and the indicator on the dial kept whirling
around in a circle.
“Take all the cigars you wish!” the man called to Johnny and Janey, who
were behind the counter. “He’s ringing up quite a lot!”
“I am glad your wire stopped the wicked creature,” said Gran’ma, “for he
was after us and would soon have overtaken us. He took the children’s
Flying Machine and he took Gran’pa’s Flying Boat, and he is the one who
put the Princess of Nite into the Green Jar!”
“Put the lovely Princess in the Green Jar!” the man exclaimed.
“Yes!” Gran’pa answered, as they stood and watched the antics of the
Magician. “And Gran’ma rescued her! The Princess is on her way to the
City of Nite now, in the Dancing Master’s Umbrella!”
[Illustration]
“Not Tiptoe’s Magic Umbrella?” the man asked, in surprise.
“Yes,” answered Gran’pa. “His name is Tiptoe and he was the Princess’
Dancing Master.”
“And my brother!” said the Little Man.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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