"The children watched the bent form of the Sand Man busily engaged at his toil in the distance; while the entire army of dolls were lying about on the ground, fast asleep at his feet. "Both Arthur and Maud wanted to walk over and shake hands with him, but the Queen, knowing how dreadfully sleepy it would make them, turned with a sweet smile as she said: "'Do both my darlings want to fall asleep right here in Drowsy Town when we have so many things to see?' "Without a word of protest they started back toward the landing, upon a different street, as the Queen informed them, than the one on which the home of the Sand Man was located. "'Let us walk slowly and talk,' she said, as she slackened her pace to an easy, ambling gait, 'for we want to see the dolls get safely aboard their boat and start for home.' "And now while the Queen and the children are walking slowly through the Village of Drowsy Town, in no great hurry to reach the landing, we will be in no great hurry to continue with the story, but will wait while we refresh ourselves with some more water from the well, and at the same time, hear what some of you think of the magical Island of Dreams." With that the story-teller breathed a deep sigh and sank into total silence. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CHAPTER IX THE SODA WATER FOUNTAIN "That was a beautiful song the angels sang!" exclaimed one of the little girls as four small boys struggled with three larger ones for possession of the old oaken bucket, and the mossy accumulation on its sides suffered somewhat from the effects of the scramble. "I like the song of Mr. Sleepy Head best!" exclaimed several at once; and while they were giving their various opinions about different parts of the story, the boys hastened back from the well and joined in the merry chatter. As they hastily passed the water from one to another, one little fellow exclaimed: "Mercy! I can't get over the Valley of Ice Cream and that Mountain of Cake. I just wish we had some of it here!" "How about the Rock Candy Falls?" asked another. "They were just grand! just grand!" exclaimed several, almost in one voice. The children now gathered closer than ever about the Vagabond. The little girl on his knee sat holding his hat as thus the "Knight of the Highway" continued: "As the Queen and the children were walking along on a back street of the village, they met Mr. Sleepy Head again. His harp was hanging far over to one side, and his head was resting heavily upon his breast; while the sound of his loud snoring told them he was fast asleep. Once in a while he would snore so loudly that he wakened himself, when he would again lunge on.