Carl Henry Grabo

“ So it was agreed that that night Hortense should bring only Highboy and Malay Kris with her.
"You won't be afraid to climb the ladder all alone in the dark?" Hortense asked.
"Well," said Andy, "I'll come anyhow."
Hortense clapped her hands.
"That's just what Grandfather says to do," said she. "I wish I were brave."
"You are," exclaimed Andy.
"No, I'm not, because I have a charm. See, this little ivory monkey."
She pulled out the charm from the neck of her dress.
"While I wear this, nothing can happen to me. It's lucky."
"I don't believe in charms," said Andy. ”

“ Hortense must have taken a brief nap after that, for suddenly she became aware of Jeremiah standing in the doorway. He had come so quietly that she hadn't heard him at all.
He stood there a moment, his back arched and his tail waving—his great green eyes roving about the barn. Then, with a tiny sound, appeared Grater. Tom and Jerry, in their stalls, began to tremble. Grater laughed unpleasantly and chanted in a rough voice:
Ride, ride, ride
For the world is fair and wide. ”

“ However, you'll have a fair trial; I'll be the judge myself. What have you to say for yourselves?"
"We were seeking your assistance against Grater," said Hortense. "That is why we came to you."
The King shuddered, and all the Little People standing near by turned pale.
"He is never to be mentioned in my presence," said the King. "The penalty is ten years' imprisonment. Besides, how can you know so much about—him—unless you are his servants? It stands to reason that you are not telling the truth."
"Oh dear!" said Hortense. "How unfair you are!" ”

“ And though the King tried soft words and made promises, the Owl refused to budge, looking down upon them all with great round eyes.
Coal and Ember growled and showed their teeth, and Alligator opened wide his great jaws and lashed about with his tail; but the little soldiers threw themselves valiantly upon them and bore them away as the King ordered.
"You two," said the King to Andy and Hortense, "have proved yourselves brave and are deserving of reward. We attach you to our person. You may stand guard in the palace." ”

“ Antique furniture, literally stuffed with personality, hurries about in the dim moonlight in order to help Hortense through a thrillingly strange campaign against a sinister Cat and a villainous Grater. The book offers rare humor, irresistible alike to grown-ups and children.
It is a book that will stimulate the imagination of the most prosaic child—or at least give it exercise! Wonder, the most fertile awakener of intelligence, and vision are closely akin to imagination, and both are greatly needed in this work-a-day world. ”

“ Everybody became as still as a mouse. Coal and Ember crouched, ready to spring, and Highboy and Lowboy, rather frightened, took hold of hands and pressed against the wall. They could hear the soft pat-pat of padded feet in the hall.
Two yellow eyes shone in the doorway, and the Cat entered. He stood in the middle of the room with his tail waving to and fro and looked suspiciously from side to side.
Both Firedogs growled; the Cat spit; White Owl cried, "Who-oo-o," and flew down from his perch. ”

“ Accordingly, up he mounted behind the Queen of Elfland and away flew her horse, the silver bells chiming in the wind.
For three days and nights they flew, and Shamus saw the moon turn red and heard the roaring of the sea. At last they came to the Court of Elfland, where, on a golden throne, sat the King of the Little People, most brave and fierce, tugging at his beard.
"What have we here?" he roared in a big voice. "Then let him play," commanded he when the Queen of Elfland had spoken her word. ”

“ They had almost fallen asleep when something big and white sailed down and alighted on the branch—a great owl like the one on Grandmother's mantel, with fierce, bright eyes.
"Who, who are you?" said the Owl. "And what are you doing at my door?"
"Please, sir," said Hortense, "we want to get down to the ground and cannot."
"Fly down," said the Owl.
"We can't fly," said Hortense.
"How absurd," said the Owl. "You shouldn't climb trees then."
"We had to, to get away from the Little People," helped Andy. ”

“ Grandpa questioned, and Hortense told him of the noise and the candle going out.
"A rat probably," said Grandpa. "Weren't you frightened?"
"A little," Hortense replied truthfully, "but I think it was because Aunt Esmerelda was so afraid."
Grandpa looked at her, smiling under his bushy eyebrows.
"Would you go down to the storeroom and get me an apple if I gave you something nice for your own?" he asked.
"Don't, Keith," said Grandma sharply. "You'll frighten the child."
"I don't want her to be afraid in the dark," said Grandpa. "This is a big house and much of it is dark." ”

“ Hortense replied, "not if you'll try to look and talk a bit cheerful."
"That's easy to say," said Highboy, "but you don't have to stay in this room day and night with nobody to talk to. It gets on my nerves."
"I'll talk to you," said Hortense, "but you should cultivate a cheerful disposition. I like bright people."
"Then you'd better talk with my brother, Lowboy," said Highboy tartly. "He's always cheery. Nothing depresses me so much as people who are always cheerful. ”

“ But they were not in time, for barely had they reached the gate when they were seen by Jeremiah and Grater. Thereupon ensued a fierce battle. Jeremiah seemed as big as a lion. He lashed his bushy tail, arched his back, and spat; his great eyes glowed, and his claws were long and sharp as knives. Andy and Hortense were glad for their breastplates, for these the Cat's sharp claws could not pierce.
Highboy and Lowboy, however, had no armor.
"Oh, my nice coat of varnish!" Highboy moaned as Jeremiah's claws reached him.
"I shall no longer be a polished person," said Lowboy. ”

“ There was a cheerful fire on the hearth, and Grandfather's study lamp cast a bright light upon his desk—but the bronze Buddha remained in a shadow, and the rows of books along the walls were scarcely visible.
"When I was a young lad in Scotland," said Grandfather when Hortense was seated on his knee with her head upon his shoulder, "I had a close friend of my own age whose name was Dugald—Dugald Stewart. We grew up together, and when we became young men, we set off together to see the world and to make our fortunes. ”

“ Shamus, therefore, like many others, set out to win the gold cup from the King of the Little People. He slung his harp on his shoulder and put a bit of bread and meat in a bag to stay him on his journey, which promised to be long.
Now, Shamus, having been reared in the country, knew that the Little People liked best to live in the hills and mountains. So to the mountains he went, making songs to lighten the long way. He made a song of running water, and of the wind in the trees, and of moonlight upon a grassy slope, and these he liked better than any songs he had yet composed. ”

“ Lowboy obeyed at once. He was short and fat—not half so tall as his brother, but twice as big around—and he was dressed exactly like Highboy except that his necktie was red whereas Highboy's tie was green.
"I knew she'd bring you," said Lowboy, pointing to Hortense. "I could see she was friendly."
"She may only be a meddlesome child," said White Owl. "It never does to judge from first impressions."
"I could see that the cat didn't like her," said one of the firedogs, shaking himself and coming out upon the hearthrug, "and anybody that the cat dislikes is a friend of mine." ”

“ Hortense, holding her Grandfather's hand, went with him to his library. Grandfather took her on his knee and for a while said nothing—just sat with wrinkled brows, thinking. Then he raised his eyes to the bronze Buddha and spoke, half to himself.
"I believe if we could make the image talk we'd learn what's at the bottom of all these mysterious happenings. He looks as if he could talk, doesn't he? Perhaps if we burned incense before him he might speak."
"What is incense?" Hortense asked.
"This," said Grandfather, opening a drawer and showing her a sweet-smelling powder. ”

“ Hortense stamped her foot.
"Oh do hush, all of you," she said. "The trouble with you all is that you talk and talk and do nothing. Only Malay Kris says little and acts."
"And look what happens to him," said Owl.
Malay Kris did, indeed, look uncomfortable, half buried in the wall, but he endeavored to be cheerful.
"Some one will rescue me in the morning," he said. "I shouldn't mind at all if I'd tasted blood."
"Instead you only struck the air," said Lowboy. "You must be an Airedale like Coal and Ember." ”

“ Hortense reflected. "It likes to sit in a warm place and purr. And it likes any one who will give it what it wants. Its love is cupboard love."
"Dinner isn't until seven," said Grandmother, "so perhaps you'd like to go to the kitchen and see Esmerelda, the cook, Uncle Jonah's wife. If you are nice to her, it will mean cookies and all sorts of good things."
Hortense thought, "If I'm nice to Esmerelda just to get cookies, I'll be no better than the cat and the teakettle; so I hope I can like her for herself." Nevertheless, it would be nice to have cookies, too. ”

“ Shamus, however, had other ideas. Being a shrewd lad, he saw early that men seldom made a fortune and won the good things of the world through toil and the sweat of their brows. Not at all! And Shamus loved an easy life only less than he loved to play upon the harp and sing songs of the old days, the wars of kings, and the love of beautiful women. He was always playing upon the harp when he should have been working in the fields and watching the sheep, and his father soon realized that the lad was fit for no honest work but was designed by nature only to be a harper and a maker of ballads. ”

“ Malay Kris glared at Alligator, but as it was of no use to attack his thick hide, which was as tough as iron, he did nothing more and Hortense dragged him away.
"Save your wrath," she said.
"I have so much I don't need to save it," said Malay Kris. "The more I spend, the more I have."
Nevertheless he came obediently enough, and Hortense and Highboy and Malay Kris climbed to the attic, went through the trapdoor, and hid in the little room. They left the door open a bit so that they could see out, and all crouched on the upper stair waiting for whatever was to come. ”

“ It's very easy! But if you'll look close, you'll see that my tail curls a little tighter than his, and I'm generally thought to be handsomer."
"You're not," said Ember. "Say that again and I'll fight you."
"Oh, please don't fight!" cried Hortense. "However can you chase the cat if you do?"
"That's the first sensible remark any one has made," said White Owl.
"I apologize," said Coal to Ember. "Let's not fight unless there's nothing else to do."
"Fighting is an occupation for those who don't think," said White Owl.
Lowboy nudged his brother. ”

“ Coal and Ember growled a bit when they entered Grandmother's room but stopped when they saw who it was.
"What do we do to-night?" Owl asked. "I feel wakeful."
"Andy's coming over," said Hortense, "and then we're going to ask Malay Kris and Alligator Sofa to play with us."
"Andy sounds like a boy," said Owl. "I hate boys. One robbed my nest of eggs once, and I swore I'd pull his hair if I ever met him again."
"That was another boy, I'm sure," Hortense replied.
"All boys are bad," Owl grumbled. "Who are Malay Kris and Alligator Sofa?" ”

“ The white owl glared fiercely with his yellow eyes, and the firedogs fairly snapped their teeth.
But the cat did not mind. He lay on the hearthrug and grinned at them all. Then he rolled over on his back, waved his paws in the air, and whipped his long tail.
"He's laughing at them!" said Hortense to herself. "And he knows all about the 'ha'nt,' whatever that is!"
Mary came to remove the tea wagon, which Hortense decided was really good at heart but surly and tart of temper because of his deformity. The brass teakettle looked to be good-tempered but unreliable. ”

“ He smiled benevolently at them as they passed but did not pause in his walk or speak to them.
"A dull life," said Highboy. "Duller than mine. You see, he has nothing to be afraid of. To be afraid of something gives you a thrill, you know. But everybody's afraid of time, and Grandfather's Clock has all the time there is."
When Hortense and Highboy entered, only the embers of the fire were left on the hearth in Grandmother's room. White Owl was wide-awake with staring eyes, but the Firedogs were evidently napping and Lowboy was sound asleep. ”

“ Hortense felt like crying, but managed not to. After a time she became hungry and put her hand in her pocket. There was a large piece of cooky which she had put there when she began to grow small and had completely forgotten.
"I have a piece of cooky," said she, breaking it in two and giving Andy half.
"If we eat any more, we may grow still smaller," said Andy.
"I don't care, I'm hungry," said Hortense. "Besides, if we grow very small perhaps the Cat won't see us when he looks into the jar—or we'll be too small to eat, at any rate." ”

“ But I sure would like to get this household back to normal again."
"Let me make a suggestion," offered Grandfather. "Why not tell her that I think somebody is bothering the horses at night and I want you to stay in the barn and guard them. If she is frightened to stay at your house alone all night I'm sure Grandmother would come stay with her for one night."
"That is so," said Fergus. "It is true that someone has been bothering the horses. Now I want to know what Hortense's plan is before I finally decide whether to risk my neck for those firedogs and that sofa." ”

“ The King walked nervously up and down. "Our magic power is of no avail," said he, "against such evil."
Andy and Hortense, in obedience to the Queen's wish, took their place at the door of her apartment, and soon she called them to her.
"I see," said she to Hortense, "that you are the little girl who was here before, and this, I suppose, is the little boy. Now tell me all about it."
Hortense was much surprised but did as she was told, for she felt the Queen to be her friend.
"Alas," said the Queen, "Grater has already made prisoners of Highboy and Lowboy. ”

“ Then a sudden thought came to her. "Can you help us?" she asked.
"I'm afraid not," said the clock. "You see, time can't be on anybody's side, but must be on all sides."
"If you are on all sides, then you must be on our side," reasoned Hortense. "Anyway, do you know any way we can get out of your inside?"
While Hortense and the clock were thus talking, Malay Kris was rubbing his ropes against one of the weights, and finally succeeded in freeing himself. Then he quickly jumped up and untied Hortense and Andy, and then tried his point in the keyhole. ”

“ She and Andy had decided that the tunnel way was best, for they could not easily climb the mountain and to ride on Tom and Jerry was to invite capture by the Little People, whom they must avoid.
They hurried as fast as they could and met no one. Their only difficulty was in getting Alligator through the cave under the brook, for he liked the feel of the water dripping on his hide. However, now that he was small he was easier to manage than before, and Coal and Ember dragged him away despite his protests. ”

“ At the first words Tom turned reproachful eyes upon her.
"I didn't think it of you, Hortense," said he. "Jerry and I are worn out with riding, and here you abuse us, too."
"We'll be easy on you," said Hortense. "You have only to take us to the rock on the mountain side where the Little People dance. There you may rest until we return home. Besides, if we left you here Grater and Jeremiah might come and ride again." ”

“ Also, they wished very much to see the Little People again, dancing on the rock in the moonlight.
"If we hide in the barn, perhaps we can see Grater and Jeremiah ride away on Tom and Jerry," said Hortense.
"But what good will that do?" Andy asked.
"Let's take every one along—Alligator, and Malay Kris, and Highboy, and Lowboy, and Coal and Ember, and Owl. Perhaps we'll think of something. Or maybe Alligator will swallow Grater!"
"It doesn't do any good for Alligator to swallow anything," said Andy. "It's always found in the sofa in the morning anyhow." ”

“ Fergus shook Andy and Hortense, and when they were awake he explained that they needed to get home by breakfast and it was a long climb down the mountain. So they tied the sofa on Tom's back, and Fergus helped Hortense and Andy on Jerry's broad back. He stuck Malay Kris in a loop of his belt, and picked up the firedogs. Slowly, this strange procession wound its way down the steep mountain, across the brook, and up through the apple orchard toward the big house. By the time they arrived at the barn, Grandfather was there to greet them.
"We're all back home, alive and well," he said. ”