L. Frank Baum

“ I claim him for my own." "There's no harm in that," replied the Fresh-Air Fiend. "But one of the laws of this Isle is that no person shall be injured by any one except the kinglet. And every one here must obey the laws. So, unless you promise not to carve or to eat this man of gingerbread, who is now a subject of our kinglet, we must lock you up in prison." "I'll eat him as soon as I have the chance. I have a right to do so," cried the Arab. "You're a bad man!" said Chick, stamping one small foot indignantly. "I'm not," answered Ali Dubh, "I'm a good man. ”

“ Chick's laughter rang out at the foolish question, but the man replied seriously: "There is danger everywhere, to those who are unusual, and especially in the Isle of Phreex, where we are at the mercy of a horrid kinglet. But come; we must go and report your arrival to that same graceless ruler, or we shall all be punished." "Very well," said John, meekly. But as he took Chick's hand and turned to depart the Fresh-Air Fiend uttered an exclamation of annoyance, and said: "Here's bad luck already! The Failings are coming this way." ”

“ The gingerbread man had given up all hope of escape and stood tremblingly awaiting his foe when Chick suddenly grasped the Blunderer's lance and tripped the Arab so neatly with it that Ali Dubh fell his full length upon the path and broke his knife-blade into a dozen pieces. But he squirmed forward and was about to bite into John's leg when the big-headed man came to the rescue and threw a handful of pebbles into the Arab's open mouth, and so prevented him from doing the gingerbread man any damage. "He seems dangerous," remarked the Blunderer. "Let's tie him up, before he hurts some one." ”

“ Every one of my eyes is good for a half-peck of potatoes, at least." "Unless you're boiled with your jacket on," remarked the Ugly, with a sour smile. "Come, come! Let us go on," interrupted the little man with the big head. "Our Kinglet doubtless awaits us." When they had gone a few steps farther the Incubator Baby paused to say: "Some one is following us, and it's a stranger." This remark caused John to look around, and immediately he stopped short with an expression of horror upon his frosted face. For there, turning the corner of the rocky path, was Ali Dubh the Arab. ”

“ But Chick is the first and only Original Incubator Baby, and so Chick properly belongs in the Isle of Phreex." Chick jumped up, made a stiff bow, and with eyes sparkling with mischief exclaimed: "I'm six years old and quite strong and well." "Tut-tut, Chick!" remonstrated the big-headed man; "it was more than two years ago you were taught to make that speech. You can't be always six years old, you know." The little sprite enjoyed the joke so much that John was forced to laugh in sympathy. But just then a thought struck him, and he asked, a little nervously: "Do you like gingerbread?" ”

“ Indeed, John now noticed a big blue ribbon twined around the middle of the potato, and on the ribbon was printed in gold letters: "First Prize." "Some day you'll sprout," said the Disagreeable, "and then you won't have so many eyes." The Prize Potato winked its numerous eyes, one after the other, in a droll fashion, and answered: "Some day you'll meet with an accident, my dear Failing; but when you're planted in the ground you'll not sprout at all. That's where I'm your superior, for I'm perpetual. ”

“ It sent the Brotherhood of Failings sprawling in every direction, while the Incubator Baby flew to the water's edge, and John Dough's armor-clad body was knocked down and pressed into the soft sand until it was level with the surface. ”

“ John stared at the new-comers, and they returned the compliment by staring at him. A queerer lot of folks could seldom have been seen together. "This is the Blunderer," said the Fresh-Air Fiend, indicating a short, fat man who was clothed in glittering armor and bore a lance over his shoulder. The Blunderer acknowledged the introduction by bowing. "And here is the Thoughtless One," continued the man, pointing to a tall, lean man who was clothed in chamois-leather and carried a wide-mouthed blunderbuss under his arm. "Look out for the gun," said Chick ”

“ But the giant rocket was not made in the same way as the other and smaller ones that had been fired, the intention being merely to make it go as high and as far as possible. So it finally burned itself out, but so great was the speed it had attained that it continued to fly for many minutes after the last spark had died away. ”