Part 20 (2/2)
”And my hands are made of the rubber tree so I can wiggle my fingers easily and turn the keys to wind the machinery.”
”Oh!” said Tot.
”If you had not told us this,” remarked Dot, shyly, ”we should have thought you were made entirely of witch hazel.”
The Queen laughed at this, and said: ”Now, Mr. Split, if you will kindly gather some fruit and nuts from the forest for our supper we will ride on the merry-go-round until you return.”
The man bowed and at once ran into the forest on his errand, while Dot and Tot followed the Queen toward the merry-go-round.
CHAPTER 17 The Animals That Wound Up
When they came to the railway track they were careful not to get run into by the rus.h.i.+ng tin train. They waited until the cars had pa.s.sed the spot where they stood and then quickly ran across the track before the engine came around again.
The merry-go-round was turning smoothly, and the saddled animals galloped along in an inviting way, while the barrel-organ played some very loud and frisky circus tunes.
”It's almost like a side show!” cried Dot enthusiastically, as she seated herself upon a camel. Tot bestrode a dapple-gray horse, and the Queen sat upon a lion and took hold of its mane to steady herself.
They whirled around in a very pleasant and exhilarating manner for some time, and Dot was laughing and enjoying herself immensely when she happened to notice a number of big teardrops rolling down the cheeks of the tiger that was galloping just in front of her.
”I--I think it's--it's--real mean of you,” whimpered the tiger with sobs in his voice, ”for you to ride on that humpbacked animal all the time, and--and neglect a roy--royal Bengal tiger!”
”Oh, I shall be glad to make a change,” she cried, and leaping off the camel's back she sprang upon the tiger, who thereupon dried his tears and smiled in a most delightful manner.
”We seldom have visitors in this Valley,” he said, after he had wiped his eyes with a handkerchief that was sticking in his bridle, ”so most of the time there is no one to ride us. I don't see the good of a merry-go-round if it isn't used.”
The Queen now noticed some of the other animals looking discontented, so she and Tot changed seats also, and by the time Mr. Split came to call them to supper they had ridden all the animals in turn, and the keeper noticed that his merry-go-round was bathed in one whirling smile of gladness and content.
”It is good for my animals to have visitors,” he said, happily, ”it cheers them up.”
Mr. Split had spread a white cloth upon the gra.s.s close to one edge of the forest, and Dot and Tot and the Queen sat around this and ate of the delicious fruit the queer man had gathered. There were melons, grapes, bananas, oranges, plums, strawberries, and pears and all were ripe and exquisitely flavored.
By the time they finished their meal it had become twilight, and the Queen declared it would soon be dark.
”I wonder where we can sleep,” said Tot. But Dot looked around and saw that Mr. Split was fastening three big hammocks between the trees at the edge of the forest. These hammocks were lined with soft, silken cus.h.i.+ons and looked very pleasant and cozy to the sleepy children.
The Queen and Dot and Tot each climbed into one of the hammocks and were covered over with silk-quilted comfortables, after which Mr.
Split turned a key at the end of each hammock and set them moving gently to and fro like the rocking of a cradle.
Before she went to sleep Dot looked over the edge of her hammock and saw that the merry-go-round and the tin train were now motionless, while all the animals seemed to have run down and were standing quite still waiting for morning, when Mr. Split would come and wind them up again.
The little girl was awakened next morning by a sharp clicking sound near by, and opening her eyes she saw a tin monkey running up and down a string fastened to a branch of the tree.
”Dear me!” she said, looking at him intently; ”are you wound up so early in the morning?”
”Yes, indeed,” replied the monkey, still busily climbing his string; ”Mr. Split was here some time ago. I suppose nearly everyone in the Valley must be going by this time.”
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