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.I'm sure it's not America, for things like this couldn't happenin America.Say, I wonder why those fellows wanted me for King! Can youimagine being King of a place like that?"Marygolden shook her head and smoothed out her dress."I like itbetter here," she said contentedly."Well, I do too, but I don't think I'm going to like growing oldvery much.It felt awful." Speedy rubbed his knees reminiscently and wonderedwhat Uncle Billy would think of his adventures."I'm certainly having a lot ofexperiences," he muttered reflectively."And you know," he turned thoughtfullyto look at the little Princess sitting so quietly at his side, "you're thevery strangest of them all.I can't make you out in the least, Marygolden.Ifyou were just a statue, and were never alive before, how is it you can talk,and know how to act? And now that you are alive, what are you going to do?""I'm going to do everything you do," announced Marygolden calmly."Gosh!" breathed Speedy, rather frightened by the responsibilityof such a thing."Then I'll have to be pretty careful about everything I do,won't I?""Yes," smiled the Princess, folding her hands serenely in herlap.Speedy was about to explain that she, being a girl, could not possibly doall the exciting and adventurous things that he, as a boy, could do, but sheseemed so pleased and happy that he decided to let the matter rest for awhile."She's certainly done everything I've done so far," he reflectedslowly, "except grow whiskers! And she didn't cry when we fell, either.You'reall right!" he announced emphatically, and leaning over he gave her a realboyish handshake."You're all right, and a real good fellow!"CHAPTER 14The Enchanted ForestAFTER the rush and hurry of Quick City, both travellers were glad enough torest quietly under the oak tree.Leaning back with his head against the broadtrunk, Speedy tried to puzzle out and explain to himself the queer happeningsof the morning.But there seemed no reasonable explanation of Subterranea orQuick City, or the curious coming to life of Marygolden, and with a littlesigh he finally stopped bothering and turned his attention back to hiscompanion."Do you ever remember seeing that Shah, or any of those peoplebefore?" he inquired earnestly.Page 47ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html"I don't remember anyone but you," answered Marygolden, fixing hereyes dreamily on the bit of sky just visible above the tree tops."Well," pondered Speedy, "if you were alive before, you must havelived in some old, old country.You know, you're dreadfully old-fashioned,Marygolden.""Do you mind?" asked the Princess, leaning forward anxiously."No,-- Speedy assured her gallantly."But I should think youwould." His glance travelled critically from her long, frilled skirts, nowsadly torn and dusty, to the stiff, high, and certainly uncomfortable ruff."Girls don't wear such long skirts nowadays," he explained apologetically."Isay, shall I cut off some of that stuff?" The Princess seemed quite interestedin the idea, so Speedy, taking out his scout knife, which fortunately had ascissor attachment, snipped all the lace ruffles from her gold dress, makingit about knee length.Then he cut off her huge, uncomfortable ruff and stoodback, quite pleased with the result."If it wasn't for that crown you'd lookjust like a regular girl," declared Speedy, returning the knife to his pocket.At these words, and before he could stop her, Marygolden took off her crownand flung it as far as she possibly could."Curses!" muttered the boy with a worried bounce."You shouldn'thave done that, Mary.It's probably worth a lot of money,"But it makes my head ache," stated the Princess calmly, "and whatgood is it anyway?""Oh, well," decided Speedy, after looking without success for thegolden circlet, "I guess you won't need a crown now, for you're going homewith me, if I can ever find the way, and they don't use crowns in America.""America?" asked the Princess, taking a few dancing steps to seehow it felt without her long, trailing skirts."Shall we reach there soon?""Not unless we start," answered Speedy."And unless we want tospend the rest of the day in this forest, we'd better start right away."Marygolden made no objection, so talking quite cheerfully they strolled alongunder the giant trees."Pretty soon, now," observed Speedy, helping the Princess over alittle brook, "pretty soon now we ought to be meeting some people."'People!" sniffed Marygolden, turning up her pretty nose."Everytime we meet people we run.I'd rather not meet any people, Speedy.""Maybe the next ones will be good fellows.Maybe they'll give ussomething to eat and tell us where we are.We can't just go on and onforever," he explained, leaning down to examine a colored stone at his feet."Is there another way of getting about, then?" inquired Marygolden, staringsorrowfully at her gold kid slippers, which were already sadly scratched andtorn by the sticks and stones of the forest."Must we always walk and run?""If we were in my country we could take a bus, or a train, or ataxi; but there's nothing to take here," answered Speedy in a matter-of-factvoice, and finally deciding that the stone he had picked up was of no value,he sent it flying into the branches of a horse chestnut tree.With speed andaccuracy it hit a large chestnut burr and the burr, sailing through the air,dropped directly in his path.As Speedy was about to pick it up, it began toPage 48ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlswell like a balloon, larger and larger till it was simply immense; and asSpeedy and Marygolden jumped back together, it burst with a loud bang and outtrotted a shining chestnut steed.He wore a breastplate of gold, yellow silktrappings, a gold-trimmed saddle, and had such a glorious, golden, flyawaymane and tail that Speedy, in spite of his fright and astonishment, gave a cryof pure delight and admiration.The horse, lifting his head, looked about abit wildly and began to paw up the earth with his forefoot."Do you see that?" gasped Speedy, holding fast to Marygolden's armin case the wonderful horse should spring forward."One minute there was ahorse chestnut and now there's a chestnut horse.Girl! Girl! What a country!""Is it something to ride?" whispered Marygolden, not in the leastupset by the miraculous appearance of this stunning steed."Is it yours?""I belong to the Yellow Knight," trumpeted the horse, with a quicktoss of his golden mane."Have you seen the Yellow Knight, Smallfellow?""Knight!" breathed Speedy in a hushed voice."I didn't know therewere any Knights now-a-days.And listen to that, Marygolden, he's talking;that horse is talking to us.Wait! Stop!" he called excitedly, as the horse,wheeling round and round, showed signs of galloping off."Wait, I want to askyou something [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]