CHAPTER VI.
A MERRY TUG OF WAR.
"There is one thing that I don't like about this trip," remarked the Prince.
"Well, brother, you are certainly rather plain in your talk," interrupted the Princess, hastily. "Why, you should be ashamed to say such a thing when the fairy has treated us so kindly. I've enjoyed every minute of the time and I want fairy Moon Queen to know it, too!"
"Wait just a minute, sis -- don't get so excited until you hear all that I was about to say," laughed the Prince. "I've also enjoyed myself just as much as you have with the good fairy and our Flower Folks, but I don't like to be called 'Prince Philip' all the time. I'm only plain Phil and I'd be happy if everybody would call me by that name. I don't want to be a prince any more. A prince must wear too many silk clothes and stand around like a statue wherever he goes. I want to get out and have some real fun like the rest of the boys that I see!"
"Oh, that's different, I beg your pardon for interrupting," replied Princess Patricia. "I really feel that way about my name and wish that everybody would call me 'Patsy.' I think it's a much better name, besides being shorter and easier to remember. Somehow, I always liked the name 'Patsy,' and it seems to suit me just right for brother will tell you that I'm very fond of Irish potatoes."
"But I'm sure that we Flower Folks had much rather continue to know you as our Prince and Princess," said Rufus Rose.
"Indeed we had," added Penelope Pansy, her beautiful dark eyes shining with love for her little master and mistress.
"And so do I think that it's very nice for you to be a Prince and Princess," remarked the fairy. "Remember that some day both of you will have a great deal of money of your own, and just think of all the good that you can do with it. You really have a most wonderful opportunity to show other people that having such titles does not prevent you from being loving and kind to everybody in the world. So, I'd suggest that you please the Flower Folks and let them continue to call you their Prince and Princess."
"But I want to be a REAL boy, not a Prince!" protested Prince Philip.
"Why, you may be both of them at the same time," laughed fairy Moon Queen. "I have known many princes who were so interested in football and such things that they had to be constantly reminded not to forget that they were really princes. When you get back to Carol Castle just tell your father that you wish to play with all the other boys and perhaps he will give his consent. In the meantime, suppose that we begin to have some fun."
"All right, I'm ready for anything!" exclaimed Caleb Cactus. "Everybody watch me turn a flip without touching the ground with my hands! One! two! three!" he counted, before his funny, spine-covered body flipped up into the air.
But just as Caleb doubled up and was about to clap himself on the knee caps with both hands so that his body would turn over completely in the air, Danny Dandelion gave one of his wild laughs. This laugh evidently caused Caleb to forget all about clapping his knees, for instead of landing upon his feet, Caleb fell straight down and his shoulders struck the ground. Of course, the sharp spines were driven right on through the short grass and into the ground so far that Caleb's feet wouldn't come down. And there he stood upon his shoulders, while he kicked his feet back and forth in an effort to loosen the hold of the spines.
"Well, isn't somebody going to help me?" Caleb finally sputtered, as the rest of the Flower Folks stood at a respectful distance and laughed until the tears ran down their cheeks, for this was one of the funniest sights that they had ever seen.
"Allen Aster and I will try to pull you out if you'll only stop kicking your feet and waving your arms," replied Rufus Rose. "Those spines of yours have stuck me too many times for me to take another chance with them, and perhaps it would be best for me to leave you here unless you promise to be good in the future."
"All right, come on, can't you see that I'm holding perfectly still," said Caleb.
After satisfying himself that the spiny fellow was actually still, Rufus said: "Here, Allen, you catch hold of Caleb's left foot and I'll catch hold of his right, then we'll pull together. One, two, three!" he counted, and both of them tugged with all their might, but the spines held fast.
"Ha! ha! he is stuck tighter than glue!" laughed Henry Hollyhock. "Why wouldn't this be a good time for us to have a tug of war game?"
"That's a dandy idea!" replied Rufus Rose. "All the boys can join hands and pull Caleb's right foot, while the girls pull his left foot, and if we can't jerk him out, Caleb wins! Everybody ready, let's go!
The tug of war game.
"Hurrah! WE WIN!" exclaimed Sweet William, as the steady pull of the Flower Folks finally loosened the grip of the spines and Caleb tumbled over flat upon his back.
"WE WIN," repeated Rufus Rose. "Why, can't you see that he is stuck just as tight as ever? The job is only half finished, for we must now catch hold of his hands and pull him upon his feet." Caleb Cactus raised his knees and placed his feet flat upon the ground, at the same time pushing downward with his head as the flower folks began to pull. Then something very funny happened. The spines let go so suddenly that Caleb flipped forward and again landed upon his back! He was stuck once more.