Part 21 (1/2)

”A singular song having greeted my toes, I stared till I weakened the sight of my nose To see what it was, and observed a sweet voice Come forth from the ears of Lucinda, so choice.

”I cast a cough-drop in the lovely one's eyes, Who opened her hands in a tone of surprise, And remarked, in a way that startled my wife, 'I never was treated so ill in my life.'

”Then tears in a torrent coursed over her arms, And the blush on her teeth much heightened her charms.

As, tossing the cough-drop straight back, with a sneeze, She smashed the green goggles I wear on my knees.”

Jimmieboy laughed so long and so loudly at this poetical effusion that he attracted the attention of the guards, who immediately loaded their guns and began to pepper the invaders with snow-b.a.l.l.s.

”Throw yourself down on your stomach in the toe of the golosh,”

whispered the voice, ”and they'll never know you are there. Keep perfectly quiet, and when any questions are asked, even if you are discovered, let me answer them. I can disguise myself so that they won't recognize me, and they'll think I'm your voice. In this way I think I can get you through in safety.”

So Jimmieboy threw himself down in the golosh, and the voice began to sing.

”No, no, my dear, I do not fear The devastating snow-ball; When it strikes me, I shriek with glee, And eat it like a dough-ball.”

[Ill.u.s.tration: ”HALT!” CRIED THE ICE-GUARDS.]

”Halt!” cried the ice-guards. ”Who are you?”

”I am a haunted overshoe,” replied the voice. ”I am on the foot of a phantom which only appears at uncertain hours, and is consequently now invisible to you.

”And, so I say, Oh, fire away, I fear ye not, icicles; Howe'er ye shoot, I can't but hoot, Your act so greatly tickles.”

”Shall we let it through?” asked the Captain of the guards.

”I move we do,” said one High Private.

”I move we don't,” said another.

”All in favor of doing one thing or the other say aye,” cried the Captain.

”Aye!” roared the company.

”Contrary-minded, no,” added the Captain.

”No!” roared the company.

”Both motions are carried,” said the Captain. ”We will now adjourn for luncheon.”

The overshoe, meanwhile, had floated on down through the gates and was now out of the guards' sight and Jimmieboy sprang to his feet and looked about him once more, and what he saw was so beautiful that he sat speechless with delight. He was now in the heart of Frostland, and before him loomed the Palace, a marvelously ma.s.sive pile of richly carven ice-blocks transparent as gla.s.s; and within, seated upon a throne of surpa.s.sing brilliance and beauty, sat King Jack surrounded by his courtiers, who were singing songs the like of which Jimmieboy never before had heard.

”Now remember, Jimmieboy,” said the voice, as the overshoe with its pa.s.sengers floated softly up to the huge snow-pier that ran out into the river at this point where they disembarked--”remember I am to do all the talking. Otherwise you might get into trouble.”

”All right, Voicy,” began Jimmieboy, and then there came a terrific shout from within.

[Ill.u.s.tration: ”WHO COMES HERE?”]

”Who comes here?” cried King Jack, rising from his throne and pointing his finger at Jimmieboy.

”I am a traveling minstrel,” Jimmieboy seemed to reply though in reality it was the kind-hearted voice that said it. ”And I have come a thousand and six miles, eight blocks, fourteen feet, six inches to recite to your Majesty a poem I have written in honor of your approaching Jubilee.”