At this dreadful threat Kokomo began to whimper while the minions started to laugh at her distress. The more she grieved the louder they laughed; and Aurora looked so funny and so odd, that despite their anxiety for Kokomo, and their fear about their own plight, all Maida’s friends, and Maida, too, began to laugh at the Queen. Kokomo, meanwhile, grew very angry. “I wish you would all laugh and laugh and never stop,” she said. Then they couldn’t stop laughing--any of them--because it was a wish. They just _laughed_ and _laughed_ and _laughed_. “I’ll have you _all_ fed to the Walrus,” threatened Aurora between her gasps for breath. “I shall never see my home again,” laughed Kankakee. “I think she’ll have us all killed,” giggled Billy, while the White Lady tittered, “Good-bye forever,” to the Disconsolate Lover. No matter what they said or how they felt--whether angry or sorry or afraid--they just had to laugh. * * * * * Suddenly a great bell tolled on the top of a tower nearby, and an old man appeared who shouted in a sing-song voice: “_It is now the New Year. Every one is entitled to one wish._” Maida started. The New Year! She could have one wish. Everybody was rushing toward the Wishing Post, but she was nearest, and she reached it first. “I wish everything was just as it used to be and I was at home,” she cried. * * * * * And she was! Appendix Some exceedingly cynical and incredulous people have cast doubt on the truth of Maida’s story. One of them actually said she slept and dreamed it all. The idea! That very day the Man with the Growly Voice came to see Aunt Mary, and when Maida met him she asked him how he got back. He didn’t just recollect for a moment, but when she reminded him, he remembered everything that happened while they were away together. So _there_ now! Besides, Aunt Mary took Maida--not so long after that--to a great big house, like one of the Illusian palaces, where there were wonderful lights and a band which played beautiful music; then a big picture rolled up and there was the Toy Shop, and Santa Claus, and Billy; yes, and Jack-in-the-Box and the Candy Kid, too--even the Bear--all of them. So she knows it was all true. So do you. _Don’t_ you? [Illustration] Transcriber’s Note: Capitalisation in several instances of “man with the growly voice” was changed to “Man with the Growley Voice”, see pages 10, 27, 31, and 35. The following changes were also made: Page 22 “Yes,” So that was settled _changed to_ “Yes.” So that was settled Page 24 or turn over over and over _changed to_ or turn over and over Page 31 “just here.” If we weren’t here _changed to_ “just here. If we weren’t here Page 51 replied Jack-in-the-Box, that’s my _changed to_ replied Jack-in-the-Box, “that’s my Page 96 a tree----(Now do you know it _is_ rather _changed to_ a tree----”(Now do you know it _is_ rather