George Mitchell

“ Now, when Sweetclover heard the villainous puppet speak, she moved away from him but Kernel Cob, who always welcomed a new adventure and saw in this fellow a possible enemy, spoke up:
"Who and what are you?"
"A friend," answered the Villain.
"You don't look it," said Sweetclover, "you look more like a villain."
"And so I am," said he. "At least that's what I'm painted to be, but I have a kind heart just the same."
"What are you doing out here in this boat?" asked Kernel Cob.
"The man who is rowing and who picked you up is a puppet showman," he explained. ”

“ But the Villain was a modest sort of fellow and would say nothing but that he was very unhappy, leading a wicked life. What annoyed him most, he said, was that nearly everybody thought he was bad.
"It only goes to show," he said, "that you can never go by anybody's looks."
"You're right," said Kernel Cob, and gave a sharp glance at the Hero. "Many a kind heart beats beneath an ugly face."
And then the row-boat landed at the dock, and the showman, taking the Villain and the Hero under one arm and Kernel Cob and Sweetclover under the other, got out and walked away. ”

“ You see pigeons are like people, for, lots of times, people want to do things but they wait and wait and wait till some one starts it.
"Four are all we need," said Jackie Tar, "one for each of us." So the pigeons crowded about and begged and begged to be taken, and Kernel Cob and Sweetclover and the Villain and Jackie Tar chose the biggest and strongest, and the ones that they liked the color of the best. ”

“ And turning to Silverfloss he asked her if she had seen two earth-people on the Moon.
"Ting-a-ling," answered Silverfloss and you would have thought it was two bells tinkling.
"She says there never was a human being on the Moon," said Edelweiss.
"Well if they are not here," said Kernel Cob, "we had better go before we freeze to death," and his teeth chattered.
"How'll we get off?" asked Sweetclover.
"I'll tell Silverfloss to weave you a strand of silver," and he turned to Silverfloss and said some tinkling words to her. ”

“ I never leave these grounds, for I love my master."
"You have been very kind," said Sweetclover, "and I'm sure we are grateful to you."
"I'll tell you what I can do," said Napoleon, whose forehead wrinkled as he thought, "I can introduce you to a great bird that lives in a field back of me. She is the South American condor and I'm sure she will be able to carry you somewhere."
"All of us?" asked Kernel Cob.
"Why, yes, indeed," replied Napoleon, "she is about ten times as big as you and very strong."
"Oh, goodie," said Sweetclover, "where is she?"
"Over there," answered Napoleon. ”

“ But the vessel began to rock and, waking, they saw that a storm had risen.
"Quick," said the Villain, "we must get down out of danger, for if we sit here we shall be swept overboard."
But Kernel Cob who loved all sorts of adventures didn't want to go.
"I love to be in danger," said he.
"That's not sensible," said Sweetclover. "There is enough danger in the world without looking for more of it. Come, let us go." ”

“ Where are the motheranfather of these little children?"
"I don't know," said Kernel Cob. "They're lost."
"I don't know anything about motheranfathers," replied the bird, "but I know when I lose anything it is because it falls out of my nest."
"People don't live in nests," replied Kernel Cob. "For if they did, and fell out, they would get broken."
"I say!" said the Villain who had been thinking very deeply. "Let's look for them near where they were lost."
"That's a good way," said Sweetclover. "Let's go to the United States. How far is it?"
"Thousands of miles," answered the Condor. ”

“ CHAPTER XIV
"Well," said Jackie Tar, "Here we are in China." "I don't see any cups and saucers," said Kernel Cob, looking about the streets. "All I can see is a lot of women with hair hanging down their backs."
"Those are men—Chinamen," explained Jackie Tar, for sailors travel all about and know pretty nearly everything about the people of the world.
"Well, if they are men," said Kernel Cob, "they ought to have their hair cut, and look like men. ”

“ They are called Hindus. A Hindu is an Indian."
"Oh, I know," said Kernel Cob, "he's got red skin and wears feathers in his hair."
"No!" said Jackie Tar. "That's an American Indian; but these Hindus are born in India where we are now."
"Tell us about the tricks," said Sweetclover.
"Well," said Jackie Tar, "there isn't a trick which they can't do. Once I saw them make a little boy run up a long pole and when he came to the top he disappeared."
"You mean to say they can do that?" asked the Villain.
"They sure can," answered Jackie Tar. ”

“ But one of the pigeons didn't want to go to the South Pole, for, said she, "You don't hear as much of the South Pole as you do of the North Pole, and unless you go to the North Pole, I won't go."
So it was decided to go to the North Pole, "For," said Kernel Cob, "I don't think it makes any difference after all. The Magician didn't say which pole it was, so maybe it's just as well."
"I say let's go to the North Pole," said Jackie Tar, "and, if we don't find them there, we can very easily try the South Pole next." ”

“ Sometimes, if you are a child, and sit in the garden when the wind is blowing, and listen, you may hear a kind of whispering among the flowers. And if you look very closely, you will see them sway toward each other and smile and nod their heads. ”

“ Faster and faster they ran, but the savages gained on them at every step and were soon close upon their heels.
"Jump on my back!" shouted Tommy, "for I can run faster than all of them put together."
And they did so and flew over the ground as fast as the wind.
And they reached the shore and jumped into the shoeboat and Tommy shoved them off with a great push that put them out of sight of land, and the savages' spears fell in the water behind them.
"That was a narrow escape," said Sweetclover, as she settled down in the boat. "I hope Tommy Hare wasn't caught by the savages." ”

“ People travel from all parts of the world to climb these mountains and to see the wonderful scenery.
"Maybe it's here we are to find Jackie and Peggs' motheranfather," said the Villain, "and not at the North Pole at all."
"Oh, I hope so," said Sweetclover.
It was getting very cold now, for you know that the higher you go up in the air, the colder it gets. That's why there's snow on the mountain tops. And it began to storm; at first tiny flakes of snow fell, and then faster and thicker till it was snowing very hard, and the pigeons could scarcely see where they were flying. ”

“ The next instant the Condor stopped flying, and slowly sank to the ground.
"I am done for," she said in a feeble voice. "It is just the way of all birds. I am sorry that I cannot help you more. Good-bye."
By this time she had reached the ground, and Kernel Cob was in a very great rage. He wanted to stay and fight the hunter who would soon come to take the bird, but Sweetclover and the Villain begged him to be prudent and run away, lest they all be captured. ”

“ And the turtle, for it was a turtle and not a whale at all, came towards them and it was very large, nearly as big around as an acre. And when it got very near to the boat, its head came up out of its shell and the little shoe boat shook with the waves it made.
And the turtle was just about to snap the boat in its mouth when Kernel Cob swung his sword and with one mighty stroke cut off its head.
"Ha, ha!" cried Kernel Cob, but, receiving no reply from Sweetclover, he looked about and found she had fainted. ”

“ May I have her too?"
"Why, I suppose so," said her father. "If she doesn't cost too much."
"Him allee same cost like soldier doll," explained the Toy-maker.
"Very well," said Dorothy's father, "we'll take him too," and he gave the Toy-maker the money.
Sweetclover's heart was beating high with happiness; but suddenly there came into her mind the thought of leaving the Villain; her good, thoughtful friend, who had so often consoled her in her troubles, and her heart fell again. Oh, if she could only talk to little Dorothy and beg her to take the Villain and Jackie Tar ”

“ For a long time nobody spoke and pretty soon a little breeze swayed Kernel Cob over toward Sweetclover and he said:
"Let's try to find Jackie and Peggs' motheranfather. Let us pray to the fairies that something will come along to help us." ”

“ You must know that in the Alps mountains, where they were, there are dogs, and very wonderful dogs they are, who live in the snowy mountains and are trained to go about to find lost travellers and to help them. ”

“ They lived in a little white house nearly all covered with honeysuckle, and a little white fence with a little white gate in it ran all about and at the back of the little white house was a little garden with beautiful flowers growing in it. ”

“ It would be so wonderful."
"We will rest to-night," said the bird, "and try to find the motheranfather of Jackie and Peggs to-morrow."
"You will be too tired," said Sweetclover.
"Oh, no," said the Condor. "You can have no fear. I will be all right. When I say I do something I do that. I never...."
She did not finish what she was going to say, and maybe it was a punishment for boasting. People are often punished for talking too much about what they can do ... ”