The Iceberg Express Part 8

Presently they came to an island where a lovely coral building shone pinky bright in the rays of the sun. Right in front of it were two bell buoys who rang little bells to tell the man who owned the hotel that somebody wanted a room with a fresh salt water bath.

As soon as Commodore Drake had fastened the little boat to the wharf, he and Mary Louise walked up the steps and into Wave Crest Hotel.

When the proprietor, a nice old Dolphin, saw Mary Louise's lovely sea green coat, he at once asked where she had bought it.

"The King of the Crabs gave it to me."

"You don't tell me," exclaimed the old Dolphin. "Do you know that coat is a magic one?"

"What can it do?" asked Mary Louise, even more surprised than you are.

"Why, anybody who wears it can swim like a fish," answered the good-natured Dolphin. "It's better than a pair of water wings," and he turned over three times and began to sing,

"Oh, many a mile I've swum in the sea Like a hoop that rolls on the ground, Over and over and over again, Round and around and around, But I always come right side up at last, Out in the deep blue sea, You bet I can do the loop de loo High diddle diddledy dee."

As he finished speaking, the good-natured Dolphin turned a somersault, and after that I guess he thought he'd done enough to amuse Mary Louise, and the little white sailor duck, so he went inside the hotel and stood at the desk behind the big register book.

Just then a great whale came swimming by, blowing a stream of water high in the air. Maybe a piece of seaweed had tickled his nose, for when a whale spouts he's really sneezing, I'm told.

And after that a pretty Cat Fish began to purr, and I guess she would have asked Mary Louise a lot of questions if all of a sudden a Dog Fish hadn't barked, which so frightened the p.u.s.s.y cat fish that she went into her room and locked the door, dropping the kin in her vanity bag which she hid under her pillow.

"If you'll stay awhile," said the old Dolphin, "I'll give you the finest fish dinner you ever ate,

"A whale fish steak, And some sea gull eggs, And a pint of sea cow's milk, Green sea weed sauce And water cress And oysters served on silk."

But, would you believe it, little Mary Louise didn't feel hungry.

Instead she asked the duck sailor to take her back to the boat and to sail away, over the ocean's misty spray, until they should come to the Land of Nod where sleep is sent by the Little Dream G.o.d.

As soon as she and the little white duck reached this wonderful little land, they became sleepy and their eyes winked and blinked and pretty soon they both lay down on the soft gra.s.s and went sound to sleep. And then the twinkle, twinkle star shone down with its pretty golden eye and sang a sleepy lullaby,

"Over the ocean cool and sweet Up to the sea gra.s.s's waving feet Blows the wind from the rainbow west Whispering low, 'It is time for rest.'"

Toy Land

Now, when Mary Louise and the little white sailor duck woke up in the land of Nod, they both rubbed their eyes to make sure who stood there dressed in pink pajamas and little starry crown.

It was the little Dream G.o.d. In his hand he carried a silver wand, in the handle of which was a little whistle which made a soft sound when he blew upon it.

"Did you have a good sleep?" he asked, and with a laugh, he took off his crown and sat down on the gra.s.s. And oh, what a sweet laugh it was. Just like the tinkle of a far-away bell or the ripple of a little brook.

Well, after a little talk, the big Dream Bird came out of his wicker cage and said: "I'm going to take Mary Louise for a ride," and away he flew, while the little white sailor duck went back to his boat and sailed away, too, over the ocean big and blue.

"Where would you like to go?" asked the Dream Bird. "I'm the bird who brings dreams to people. Dreams of doing great big wonderful things, you know. Not sleepy dreams."

"Take me to some place that is different from anything I've ever seen,"

answered Mary Louise.

So the big Dream Bird scratched his head with his foot, but for a long time he couldn't tell where to go.

Well, anyway, by and by, not so very long, for the big Dream Bird kept flying on as he scratched his head with his foot, they came to Toy Land where all the toys of the world are made by little dwarfs and fairies.

"Now I'll leave you," said the big Dream Bird, and he flew away, leaving little Mary Louise in front of a pretty shop full of Little Jack Rabbits, and, would you believe it, there was a toy Puss in Boots, Junior, with red top boots and a hat with a gold feather and a sword.

And the workman who made these toys was a funny little dwarf with a green suit and a red cap and a long white beard.

"This is the land of wonderful toys That are made for good little girls and boys, Talking dolls and horses that run, Everything here is made for fun, But only good little girls and boys Can have our wonderful, beautiful toys."

"Heigh ho," said Mary Louise, "what next, I wonder," and she looked at a toy regiment of wooden soldiers marching down the street.

Just then an old hand organ began to play,

"Oh, where are the songs of yesterday, And the songs we used to sing, When you and I in the days gone by Danced in the Fairy's Ring?"

And up ran a little monkey dressed in a red coat and cap. Mary Louise gave him a penny, to hand to the old man who had stopped to set another tune to the organ.

"Over the hills and far away, I've tramped all my life till I am gray, And now with my organ and monkey clown I find myself in little Toy Town,"

sang the old organ grinder as he sat down to rest with the little monkey on his lap.

"Are you very tired?" asked Mary Louise.

"Pretty tired," answered the old man. "All these years I've tramped and played, and now I find myself in a town where they make toys for children. But I see no children. Only playthings which I have no use for," and the old man sighed and patted the monkey and then he closed his eyes and fell asleep. And I guess he was very, very tired.

Then Mary Louise slipped away, out of Toy Town where the dwarfs and the fairies made all the toys in little workshops, only they had the shades pulled down so that n.o.body could see them, for they are queer little people and don't like to be watched.

"Oh, dear," sighed Mary Louise, "I wish I were home. Mother will be dreadfully worried about me.

"Oh, if I had a Wis.h.i.+ng Stone I know what I would do I'd wish for lots of lovely things, And give a lot to you.

But, Oh, dear me. I've never known Where is this wonder Wis.h.i.+ng Stone."

"I know," cried a little voice, and then, of course, Mary Louise looked all around to see who had spoken, but she couldn't see anybody.

"Who are you?" she asked, halting Dapple Gray on the edge of a big forest.

"Here I am," cried the same little voice, and then, quick as a wink, a tiny fairy jumped out from behind a bush.

"Don't frighten my pony," said Mary Louise, as Dapple Gray stood up straight on his hind legs, "he isn't used to fairies."

"No, indeed," whinnied the pony, for that is the way a horse talks, you know. "I've met lots of people in dear Old Mother Goose Land, but never a fairy."

"If you come into this forest you will meet many little people like me," answered the fairy.

"Will they object if I travel through it?" asked little Mary Louise anxiously. "You see, I'm on my way home."

"You have my permission," answered the fairy. "I'm queen of the Forest Fays. But I thought you were looking for the Wis.h.i.+ng Stone?"