Part 5 (1/2)
”I guess you'd better remain standing, hereafter. It seems the safest way.”
”Very well, dear father.” just as you say, replied the smiling Jack, who had been in no wise confused by his tumble.
Tip sat down again. Presently the Pumpkinhead asked:
”What is that thing you are sitting on?”
”Oh, this is a horse,” replied the boy, carelessly.
”What is a horse?” demanded Jack.
”A horse? Why, there are two kinds of horses,” returned Tip, slightly puzzled how to explain. ”One kind of horse is alive, and has four legs and a head and a tail. And people ride upon its back.”
”I understand,” said Jack, cheerfully ”That's the kind of horse you are now sitting on.”
”No, it isn't,” answered Tip, promptly.
”Why not? That one has four legs, and a head, and a tail.” Tip looked at the saw-horse more carefully, and found that the Pumpkinhead was right. The body
42 had been formed from a tree-trunk, and a branch had been left sticking up at one end that looked very much like a tail. In the other end were two big knots that resembled eyes, and a place had been chopped away that might easily be mistaken for the horse's mouth. As for the legs, they were four straight limbs cut from trees and stuck fast into the body, being spread wide apart so that the saw-horse would stand firmly when a log was laid across it to be sawed.
”This thing resembles a real horse more than I imagined,” said Tip, trying to explain. ”But a real horse is alive, and trots and prances and eats oats, while this is nothing more than a dead horse, made of wood, and used to saw logs upon.”
”If it were alive, wouldn't it trot, and prance, and eat oats?” inquired the Pumpkinhead.
”It would trot and prance, perhaps; but it wouldn't eat oats,” replied the boy, laughing at the idea.” And of course it can't ever be alive, because it is made of wood.”
”So am I,” answered the man.
Tip looked at him in surprise.
”Why, so you are!” he exclaimed. ”And the magic powder that brought you to life is here in my pocket.”
43 Full page line-art drawing.
THE MAGICAL POWDER OF LIFE
44
He brought out the pepper box, and eyed it curiously.
”I wonder,” said he, musingly, ”if it would bring the saw-horse to life.”