Part 14 (1/2)

Instantly a commotion arose all about them. Doors and windows began to open, and from the houses flocked many dolls of all sorts and sizes. There were china, bisque, wooden, papier-mache, rag and rubber dolls, with yellow hair, red and brown and white hair, and complexions ranging from the daintiest pink to the deepest black.

Some were finely dressed, some well dressed and some shabbily dressed; but all seemed and light-hearted, and they ran about singing and dancing chatting to each other as happily as if they had not been asleep for so long a time by their Queen.

”I don't understand how you can make dolls act like real people,”

said Dot, as she watched them with wonder.

”No, I suppose not,” replied her Majesty. ”But if you were a fairy, as I am, you would know all about it.”

The Queen now left her seat in the carriage and entered a pretty little cottage that stood near by. Dot followed to doorway and, peeping in, saw that this entire cottage was occupied by an enormous music box.

”I'll make it play,” said the Queen, ”for my dolls love to dance to the music.”

Thereupon she touched a spring, and at once strains of delightful melody came from the big music box.

Dot hastened outside again and found the street filled with dolls, who were dancing joyously to the bewitching music. After watching them for a time in silence the Queen said:

”Now they have had enough fun for one day, so I will send them to sleep again.”

She waved her wand once and the music stopped playing. The dolls stopped dancing and began to say good-night to one another. A second time the Queen waved her wand above her head, and then every doll hurried to its own home, and the doors and windows began to close again. But Dot and Tot could hear the dolls laughing and talking in the houses until the Queen waved her wand for the third and last time, when silence fell on the village, and her Majesty turned to the children and said:

”Now they are fast asleep again, and will remain so until I choose to awaken them.”

”They are lovely dolls,” said Dot, sighing to think the entertainment was ended, ”and I should love to play with them all day long.”

”Sometimes I have kept them awake all day myself,” replied the Queen; ”but that is when I am lonely and need amus.e.m.e.nt. No one can be dull while those laughing, romping, mischievous dolls are awake. But I must have a talk with my new Prince and Princess this evening, so I could devote but little time to my people, and only awakened them to satisfy your curiosity.”

”Can't I have a doll to keep?” asked Tot, as they drove back to the palace.

”Yes, my dear Prince,” answered the Queen. ”I'll give you Scollops.

You will find him very useful and a jolly playmate.”

Tot nodded his thanks, and soon they reached the palace and accompanied the Queen to her room. When all were seated the Wax Doll said, ”Tomorrow I must leave you here alone, for I am going upon a journey.”

”Where to?” enquired Dot, greatly surprised at this announcement.

”I shall go up the river to the end of Merryland, where you entered the First Valley. Since you have found a way to enter my kingdom from the big outside world, I have been greatly worried for fear others would also come here. To prevent this I must visit the Watch-Dog of Merryland, and tell him how to keep anyone from pa.s.sing the archway.”

”Oh, the Watch-Dog cannot keep people out,” said Dot. ”He's too polite and good-natured. When we said we would not mind him he was sorry, but he didn't try to stop us.”

”Well,” replied the Queen, ”that is why I must make the journey. I shall command the Watch-Dog to sit hereafter upon a rocky shelf above the arch, and then if people will not obey him, and try to get through the arch in spite of my orders, the old man must jump into the river in front of the opening. As soon as he touches the water he will be turned into a great rock, which will block up the archway and prevent anyone from entering my kingdom.”

”Oh, I see,” said Dot. ”Then the Watch-Dog may be of some use, after all.”

”I hope so,” declared the Queen.

”But what shall we do while you are away?” asked the girl, anxiously.

”You may amuse yourselves by running about the palace, and all my household will wait upon you and obey your orders; for you are now Prince Tot and Princess Dot of Merryland, and your power is second only to my own.”