“Sh!” he added in a whisper, as he glanced hastily about as if to see that no others were listening. “It’s a secret! I was the Chief of Detectives in the City of Nite when the Princess disappeared, and I had to leave when I found out that the wicked creature who claimed to be the Princess really was a Witch! She made it so unpleasant for me that I decided to go in search of Old Jingles the Magician, to see if he would help me find the real Princess. Excuse me a moment,” and he went back of the counter where the children were eating the strange ice creams with large spoons. Opening a box with a key which he wore on his watch chain, he studied the figures on a number of dials; then when he had written the figures upon a piece of paper, he handed it to Johnny. “Can you add?” he asked. Johnny ran his eyes over the figures. “Nine hundred and fifty-eight!” he said, as he returned the paper to the Chief of Detectives. “Not half enough!” said the Chief of Detectives, as he pulled six little levers. There was a steady buzz-buzz that grew louder and louder every minute. Johnny watched the hands on the dials climb and climb. “Fifteen hundred and ninety-eight!” he cried out, presently. “That’s better!” said the Chief of Detectives. “Give the Soft-Voiced Cow some of that popcorn in the green box; it has no mustard on it!” “He’s hopping to beat the band!” Gran’ma cried delightedly, as the Chief of Detectives came up to where they were watching the Magician. “I should think he would!” said the man. “I turned on the current twice as hard!” Just then they saw the Dancing Master coming over the hill into the valley. “Here he comes now!” cried Gran’pa. “It’s your brother, Tiptoe!” “All stay here!” cried the Chief of Detectives. “Don’t move from this spot!” And with this he set off at a good speed across the valley to meet his brother. [Illustration] CHAPTER X THE TIPTOE BROTHERS AND THE SLIDE RAFT Gran’ma and Gran’pa saw the Tiptoe Brothers throw their arms around each other’s necks in their joy at meeting, but they walked in a wide circle around the spot where Jingles the Magician was dancing in his efforts to free himself from the wire. “I should have been sooner,” said the Dancing Master to Gran’pa and Gran’ma, “but just as I started to leave the Cottage-Cave I saw a Flying Boat coming across the country, and I knew from your story that the wicked Jingles must be in it.” “What did he do?” asked the children. “He left his Flying Boat out in front of the Cottage-Cave and came inside, and while he was snooping around I slipped out the back way, went round the Cottage-Cave, and touched a match to his Flying Boat! He will have to walk from now on!” And the Dancing Master did a graceful little dance step and snapped his fingers. “Oh dear!” Gran’ma cried as she sat down hard upon the grass. “Whatever is the matter?” the Tiptoe Brothers cried, as Gran’pa helped Gran’ma to her feet.