CHAPTER XII.
THE FUN CONTINUES.
"We must now hurry back to the flower garden, for the eastern sky is getting brighter, which means that daylight will soon be here," said Moon Queen. "All of you are due in your beds before sunrise, so I shall call Even Steven to give us another ride. But here he comes now," she added, as a loud buzzing sound was heard and the basket of the Ramble-Along dropped easily upon the Rajah's Rug, while the huge Bumblebee above it kept his wings moving just enough to remain in the air.
After the jolly party had climbed into the basket, the fairy said: "Now that we are through with the Rajah's Rug, I'm sure that each of us wish to thank the good Rajah for his kindness. Now, all together, let us sing a nice litle song to him."
Using her wand as a musician's baton, Moon Queen led them in singing:
- "Rajah, off on India's shore,
- We would thank you more and more
- It has brought us much delight!
"Ouch! something is trying to bite me!" shouted Rufus Rose.
"Ho! ho! that's the best joke yet!" laughed Caleb Cactus, as he stood directly behind Rufus and held his fat sides that were shaking with laughter. "Why, that's only your friend, Henrietta Humming-bird. She tried to kiss your cheek and you were bobbing around so lively that her long beak pecked you on the forehead! You scared her so that she may never come back to catch the tiny bugs that so often worry you. Henrietta and Lois Ladybird are two of the best friends that you have, as Lois also eats the tiniest of tiny insects that must be looked at with a magnifying glass. Now, aren't you ashamed of yourself?"
"Oh, of course, I didn't dream that it was Henrietta Humming-bird," replied Rufus. "The next time I see her I shall beg her pardon for being so frightened and rude."
Everybody joined in the hearty laugh that followed this remark, as it was so funny to hear Rufus acknowledge that he had been frightened by a tiny Hummingbird who was really his best friend. Then the huge wings of Even Steven began to buzz louder and the basket was lifted from the Rajah's Rug. They were on their way back to Carol Castle. Over forest and field they continued to fly with increased speed, but above the buzzing of Even Steven's wings could be heard the songs of the many birds that were beginning to awaken with the first glimpse of daylight.
At other times the bleating of sheep, the mooing of cows, and even the grunting of pigs were heard, as all noises are much easier to hear when we are up in the air. Another good laugh was had when they saw Edgar Eagle fly away from the Ramble-Along just as fast as his wings would carry him. It will be remembered that he once bumped into the basket, so Edgar wasn't taking any more chances with such a queer-looking aeroplane!
"Well, here we are back home safe and sound, after a night of fun such as you may never have again in all your lives," said the fairy, as the Ramble-Along hovered for a minute over a grassy spot in the flower garden and then came to rest so gently that not a jar was felt. "I have tried my very best to let you enjoy life as little people like to do and I hope that all of you shall never forget the wonderful trip that we have just had to the Rajah's Rug. And now we must thank Even Steven for the nice ride that he has given us. Many of his cousins are your good friends and frequently come to collect the honey that you save for them. Even Steven happens to be a giant Bumblebee, but he is also just as good as he is big, and I often call on him to help me."
The rest of the party joined in as Moon Queen began to chant:
- "We thank you for the rides,
- We thank you much besides;
- We're sorry you must go!"
As if in reply to their thanks, Even Steven's huge wings began to hum a curious sort of song and the basket rose into the air, where it was soon lost to sight among the many small clouds that hovered about in the sky.
"And now it is time for us to bid each other good-by," continued Moon Queen. "You will notice that Solomon Sun is painting the small clouds with his yellow and orange colors, so he will soon be up and doing what he can to make the old world brighter."
"But before we go, I'm sure that the Princess and I can never thank you enough for letting us meet our flowers as real folks," said Prince Philip. "We shall always think of them as little people."
"And always continue to love them better than ever," added Princess Patricia.
"Now, please don't forget that we Flower Folks are also very grateful for all that has been done for us," spoke up Rufus Rose. "For once in our lives we have been REAL people, although we do feel and see far more than anybody would think, even when we are resting in our beds. And we are so happy to have become so much better acquainted with our master and mistress. We don't like to say good-by to them."
"Oh, you needn't say good-by to them," replied Moon Queen. "Both of them will be out in the flower garden later this morning, but I must now say good-by to all of you and hope to be with you at some other time."
Just at this moment, the wand-star became so dazzling that nothing else could be seen in the garden. Then, just as suddenly, the air became very hazy and when it cleared again the flowers were no longer little people. They were nodding in their beds, and so were the Prince and Princess sound asleep in theirs, while the good fairy was nowhere to be seen. She had gone back to her home in the moon. A long ridge of raised earth showed that Matthew Mole had dug one of his famous tunnels just underneath the grass and was again busily searching for Cutworms and Beetles.
A long ridge of raised earth showed that Matthew Mole had dug one of his famous tunnels just underneath the grass.
"Good-by, good-by, good-by, good-by," the Prince was repeating when the governess went into his room to awaken him for breakfast. Then he blinked his eyes and looked about the room in a bewildered sort of way.
"Wake up, you must be dreaming about something," said the governess, as she shook Prince Philip and then laughed heartily when he exclaimed:
"I don't want you -- I was only saying good-by to the fairy!"
"Ha! ha! you were saying good-by to a FAIRY!" she returned with a laugh. "Now I know that you were dreaming! But, come, hurry into your clothes, for breakfast is almost ready." But the governess had the biggest surprise of her life when she next went into Princess Patricia's room and heard her busily repeating the word "good-by" over and over again until she was fully awake.
At the breakfast table, both the Prince and Princess told the whole story of their wonderful trip to the Rajah's Rug with their Flower Folks and fairy Moon Queen, but everybody merely laughed and said, "Oh, you young folks were only DREAMING and happened to have the same dream at the same time!"
Suddenly, Prince Philip clapped his hands together joyously and exclaimed: "But we can prove it by the MAGIC MIRRORS! Why hadn't I thought of them before!"
Then he told of the funny mirrors that Moon Queen had sent to the Moon Flower Arbor. Still, even father and mother continued to laugh, but when they finally went to the Arbor to investigate -- sure enough, there were the Magic Mirrors!
"Well, I suppose that you and Patricia win," laughed father, as he looked at himself in the "skinny" Mirror. "Here's fifty cents for ice cream--and be sure and get some for the FAIRY!"
Father laughed at himself in the "skinny" Mirror.
The End.