“I’LL bet that little girl has wondered many times how her bear was
mended,” chuckled the Old Soldier, as he stirred up the fire with a big
darning needle which the little folks used for a poker.
“She must consider it quite a mystery,” said the Lady of Fashion.
“Speaking of mysteries,” cried the Turk, “does anybody know what the
Dunce is up to?”
The Dunce had been locking himself up in his room for the last few days,
in a most mysterious way. He seemed very important and he refused to
answer questions.
“I’ll bet he is building something,” ventured the Cowboy. “He’s been
hammering away all day.”
“I saw him sneaking along this morning with a cork on his shoulder,”
said the Cook.
[‡Illustration: Barrel]
“Well just give him a little time and we’ll find out,” remarked Grandpa,
nodding his head wisely. “He’s swelling up so with importance he’ll have
to tell pretty soon or he will bust.”
Grandpa was right, for that very evening the Dunce arose from his chair
at the teenie weenie supper table and said: “Ladies and gentlemen, I
have just finished a great invention and, if I can find some deep water
near by, I will be glad to show you something astonishing.”
“Three rousing cheers for Thomas Edison Dunce!” shouted the Clown, and
the cheers were given with such a will that the squirrel, who lived near
the shoe house, came running over and looked in the window to see what
the noise was all about.
As the weather was quite cool, the Teenie Weenies thought it would be
wise to try the Dunce’s invention indoors. So it was decided to go to
the big house across the street, where plenty of water could be found in
the bathroom. As soon as breakfast was over the next morning the Teenie
Weenies hurried over to the house and climbed up to the washstand. After
a lot of hard work they got the faucets turned and filled the bowl with
water. The Dunce then took two corks from a big package that the Sailor
had helped him carry, and strapped them tightly to his feet.
“Now, ladies and gentlemen,” shouted the Dunce, “I will show you how
easy it is to walk on water.”
Letting himself down into the water by the chain to the stopper, the
Dunce stepped bravely out toward the center of the bowl. But—as soon as
he let go of the chain he lost his balance and fell over, kersplash,
into the water! The corks, being so light, pulled his feet to the top of
the water, and kept them there, and if the Turk and the Sailor had not
promptly dived in after him the Dunce would probably have been drowned.
“G-G-G-Golly.” spluttered the Dunce, as he sat dripping, but safe, on
the edge of the bowl, “it d-d-didn’t w-wo-work, did it?”
[‡Illustration: Dunce in the water]
The Teenie Weenies had lots of fun teasing the Dunce about walking on
the water, and it was many days before he heard the last of his
wonderful invention.
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[‡Illustration: Drum]