When they reached the edge of the Fog Bank the Pinkies all halted to put
on their raincoats and Button-Bright put up his umbrella and held it
over himself and Trot. Then, when everybody was ready, they entered the
Fog and Rosalie the Witch made a signal to call the Frog King and his
subjects to aid them, as they had done before.
Pretty soon the great frogs appeared, a long line of them facing Trot
and her Pink Army and sitting upon their haunches close together.
"Turn around, so we can get upon your backs," said Rosalie.
"Not yet," answered the Frog King, in a gruff, deep voice. "You must
first take that insulting umbrella out of my dominions."
"Why, what is there about my umbrella that seems insulting?" asked
Button-Bright, in surprise.
"It is an insinuation that you don't like our glorious climate, and
object to our delightful fog, and are trying to ward off its soulful,
clinging kisses," replied the Frog King, in an agitated voice. "There
has never been an umbrella in my kingdom before, and I'll not allow one
in it now. Take it away at once!"
"But we can't," explained Trot. "We've got to take the umbrella with us
to the Pink Country. We'll put it down, if you like, an' cross the bank
in this drizzle--which may be clingin' an' soulful, but is too wet to be
comfort'ble. But the umbrella's got to go with us."
"It can't go another inch," cried the obstinate frog, with an angry
croak, "nor shall any of your people advance another step while that
insulting umbrella is with you."
Trot turned to Rosalie.
"What shall we do?" she asked.
"I really do not know," replied the Witch, greatly perplexed.
"Can't you _make_ the frogs let us through?" inquired the boy.
"No; I have no power over the frogs," Rosalie answered. "They carried us
before as a favor, but if the king now insists that we cannot pass with
the umbrella we must go back to the Blue Country or leave your umbrella
behind us."
"We won't do that!" said Button-Bright, indignantly. "Can't we fight the
frogs?"
"Fight!" cried Trot; "why, see how big they are. They could eat up our
whole army, if they wanted to."
But just then, while they stood dismayed at this unfortunate position, a
queer thing happened. The umbrella in Button-Bright's hand began to
tremble and shake. He looked down at the handle and saw that the red
eyes of the carved elephant's head were rolling fiercely and sending out
red sparks of anger in all directions. The trunk swayed from side to
side and the entire head began to swell and grow larger.
[Illustration]
In his fright the boy sprang backward a step and dropped the umbrella to
the ground, and as he did so it took the form of a complete elephant,
growing rapidly to a monstrous size. Then, flapping its ears and wagging
its tail--which was merely the covered frame of the umbrella--the huge
elephant lifted its trunk and charged the line of astonished frogs.
In a twinkling the frogs all turned and made the longest leaps their
powerful legs enabled them to. The King jumped first of all and in a
panic of fear the others followed his example. They were out of sight in
an instant, and then the elephant turned its head and looked at
Button-Bright and at once trotted into the depths of the fog.
"He wants us to follow," said the boy, gasping in amazement at this
wonderful transformation. So immediately they began marching through the
fog behind the elephant, and as the great beast advanced the frogs
scrambled out of his way and hid themselves in the moist banks until he
had passed them by.
Cap'n Bill had to mind his wooden leg carefully and the old sailor was
so excited that he mumbled queer sentences about "Araby Ann Knights,"
and "ding-donged magic" and the "fool foolishness of fussin' with
witches an' sich," until Trot wondered whether her old friend had gone
crazy or was only badly scared.
It was a long journey, and all the Pinkies were dripping water from
their raincoats, and their little fat legs were tired and aching, when
the pink glow showing through the fog at last announced the fact that
they were nearing the Pink Country.
At the very edge of the Fog Bank the elephant halted, winked at
Button-Bright, lowered its head and began to shrink in size and dwindle
away. By the time the boy came up to it, closely followed by Trot and
Cap'n Bill, the thing was only the well-known Magic Umbrella, with the
carved elephant's head for a handle, and it lay motionless upon the
ground. Button-Bright cautiously picked it up and as he examined it he
thought the tiny red eyes still twinkled a little, as if with triumph
and pride.
Trot drew a long breath.
"That was _some_ magic, I guess!" she exclaimed. "Don't you think so,
Rosalie?"
"It was the most wonderful thing I ever saw," admitted the Witch. "The
fairies who control Button-Bright's umbrella must be very powerful,
indeed!"
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
TROT REGULATES THE PINKIES