CHAPTER VII.
THE WHY OF A CURIOUS STAR.
"Well, you seem to be a Jonah, all right," chuckled Rufus Rose, as Caleb struggled desperately to get upon his feet by pushing downward with both his hands and feet, but the harder he tried, the tighter he seemed to stick. "That body of yours has stickers all around it and no matter which way we pull you may get stuck again," continued Rufus. "I suppose we'll have to leave you here to take a nap while we enjoy the fun that the kind fairy has promised us."
Caleb struggled desparately to get upon his feet.
"No, we don't wish to go anywhere without all the Flower Folks," said the Princess. "Caleb may seem to be all 'stuck up' now, but he really is a fine little fellow and I'm sure that fairy Moon Queen will help him to get out of his trouble."
"Oh, pshaw! Why on earth haven't we thought of that before!" exclaimed Danny Dandelion. "Here we have been pulling and tugging at Caleb just to get him stuck in a different place every time, when the fairy need but say the word and he would be on his feet quicker than any of us could say 'Jack Robinson!'"
"But it pleased me very much to see you Flower Folks trying to help yourselves without calling on anybody else," said Moon Queen. "You learned this valuable lesson in the garden, where each different flower must
look out for itself in order to live. I also noticed that Caleb tried in every way to regain his feet before asking any of you to help him. Always remember that it's a very fine thing to have lots of friends, but never call on them for help until you have helped yourself in every possible way."
"Good fairy, please don't forget that I'm stuck," spoke up Caleb Cactus. "I have called on myself, my friends, and now I call on you for help. Please give me a lift."
"Oh, I beg your pardon, Caleb," replied Moon Queen, with a smile. "Perhaps I have kept you waiting longer than you expected, but I'm glad to find that you have such a patient nature. Close your eyes for just a minute and you shall be free."
As Caleb closed his eyes she began to chant:
- "Caleb Cactus, you are stuck,
- But don't think you're out of luck,
- Set you free, if you'll keep still!"
These words were no sooner concluded, when she added:
- "Now, arise and thank the friend
- Who released you, but won't send
- So you could join in the fun!"
The spiny little fellow opened his eyes and quickly arose to his feet without any assistance. Then he bowed low before the fairy and said: "I hardly know how to thank you enough for putting me on my feet again. I have often heard people say that I am very rough, but I don't intend to be so and I'm sure that I appreciate a favor just as much as anybody in the world. Please let me thank you again for your help."
"But you happen to be thanking the wrong party," laughed Moon Queen. "Look right behind you and you'll see your helpful friend."
"Why, that's Matthew Mole!" sputtered Caleb. "He didn't give me any help that I know of."
"He did it all," replied the fairy. "You were so excited you didn't notice that Matthew had dug one of his famous tunnels to a point directly underneath your body. He then dug around so near the surface that you easily pulled your spines from the loosened earth just a moment ago. That little fur-coated fellow is one of the best friends that you Flower Folks have, although many people still imagine him to be destructive because he sometimes raises a mound of earth above his tunnels that come near the surface. I shall never forget how the vegetable folks were frightened when I introduced Matthew to them, but how happy they were when he later saved them from the Cutworm Army."
"Then I must thank Matthew for being so thoughtful and kind," said Caleb. "For a long time I have known that he was a noted hunter of Cutworms and Beetles and other enemies, but not many of those creatures trouble me, so I haven't become well acquainted with him. Now I'm glad to know that he is a real friend of mine."
"I want to say that Matthew always has been welcome in our flower garden," remarked the Prince. "My Uncle John has told me of the many good things that the little fellow does wherever he goes, so I'm happy when I see his tunnel raise the ground in a funny sort of ridge. It shows sis and me that he is busy all the time."
"Well, I think that it's about time for Matthew to say something for himself," laughed Moon Queen. "Come on, tell us a little joke on yourself -- tell us how you got that curious star on your nose."
"Ho! ho! that wasn't a joke on me," chuckled the odd little fellow. "Why, I wouldn't take anything for that pink star, although I did think it rather funny when I first got it. With it I can feel and see much better than ever before and, you know, I mostly depend upon my nose to feel my way through dark tunnels. What good are the biggest eyes in the world, if a fellow does most of his work under the ground?"
"But, go on, tell us how you got the star," urged Moon Queen.
"Your wand-star did it when we went to the Frolic Grounds with the vegetable folks," said Matthew. "You remember how I got some star dust on the end of my nose and I've been wearing this star ever since. Maybe I'm a policeman, for all policemen wear stars, although I have never seen one who wore his star on his nose!"
"Gee whillickens! Wonder if I got any dust on my nose when the wand-star woke me up!" exclaimed the Prince.
"Gee whillickens! Wonder if I got any dust on my nose?" exclaimed the Prince.
"Why, it does look rather PINK," said Princess Patricia.
"HONEST?" he asked.
"Yes, but it hasn't a star on it," she laughed.