HOME AGAIN.
"I don't think we have any here," said Jimmieboy, who was much pleased
to see the sprite and the major, both of whom he dearly loved, on such
good terms. "But I'll run home and see if I can get some."
"Well, we'll all go with you," said the colonel, starting up and
ordering the trumpeters to sound the call to arms.
"All except Blueface and myself," said the sprite. "We will stay here
and put everything in readiness for your return."
"That is a good idea," said Jimmieboy. "And you'll have to hurry for we
shall be back very soon."
This, as it turned out, was a very rash promise for Jimmieboy to make,
for after he and the tin soldiers had got the birthday cake and were
ready to enter Pictureland once more, they found that not one of them
could do it, the frame was so high up and the picture itself so hard
and impenetrable. Jimmieboy felt so badly to be unable to return to his
friends, that, following the major's hint about sleep bringing
forgetfulness of trouble, he threw himself down on the nursery couch,
and closing his brimming eyes dozed off into a dreamless sleep.
It was quite dark when he opened them again and found himself still on
the couch with a piece of his papa's birthday cake in his hand, his
sorrows all gone and contentment in their place. His papa was sitting at
his side, and his mamma was standing over by the window smiling.
"You've had a good long nap, Jimmieboy," said she, "and I rather think,
from several things I've heard you say in your sleep, you've been
dreaming about your tin soldiers."
"I don't believe it was a dream, mamma," he said, "it was all too real."
And then he told his papa all that had happened.
"Well, it is very singular," said his papa, when Jimmieboy had finished,
"and if you want to believe it all happened you may; but you say all the
soldiers came back with you except Major Blueface?"
"Yes, every one," said Jimmieboy.
"Then we can tell whether it was true or not by looking in the tin
soldier's box. If the major isn't there he may be up in Fortyforefoot
castle as you say."
Jimmieboy climbed eagerly down from the couch and rushing to the toy
closet got out the box of soldiers and searched it from top to bottom.
The major was not to be seen anywhere, nor to this day has Jimmieboy
ever again set eyes upon him.
THE END.
Transcriber's Note:
The use of capitalisation for major and general has been retained as
appears in the original publication. Punctuation has been standardised.
Changes have been made as follows:
Page 60
ejaculated the Paralleopipedon _changed to_
ejaculated the Parallelopipedon?
Page 74
should have been resusticated _changed to_
should have been resusitated
Page 85
he would pay him fifty cent _changed to_
he would pay him fifty cents
Page 131
For intance, a cousin of mine _changed to_
For instance, a cousin of mine
Page 159
to do but accept your propostion _changed to_
to do but accept your proposition
End of Project Gutenberg's In Camp With A Tin Soldier, by John Kendrick Bangs