Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-28

fate"
Very true" remarked the bis-headed
man.
Let's be friends exclaimed Chick. COM
Ing close to John and taking his soft brown
hand in firm clasp. ''Ill take care OF
you
John looked down at the merry little elf
in positive wonder.
"we'n be friends. all right" said he:
but instead of your taking care Of me-
Chick, I'll take care Of you
"Oh. there you are entirely wrong" broke
In the big-headed man. Chicks a privileged
character In the Isle OF Phreex and the
only one of us who dares defy our awful
kinglet. And In case of danger"
Danger" cried John. with start rs
there danger here. too?
Chicks laughter rang out at the foolish
question. but the man rep led seriously:
There Is danger everywhere To those who
are unusual. and especially in the Isle of
Phreex, where We are at the mercy of a
horrid kinglet But come; we must go and
report your arrival to that same graceless
ruler, or we shall all be punished
Very WE'LL said John. meekly.
But as he took Chicks hand and turned to
depart. the Fresh-Air Fiend uttered an ex-
clamation of annoyance and said:
Here's bad luck already! The Failings
are coming this way
As he spoke a noise of shouting and chat
tering reached their ears and presently
several people came around corner OF
rock and stood before John and his newly
found friends.
IT'S the Brotherhood of FaIlings." whis-
pered the bigheaded man. Look out for
them. or they'll do you mischief
Don't worry: I'll take care OF you" said
Chick, pressing the dough hand.
John stared at the newcomers and they
returned the compliment by staring at him.
Queerer lot of folks could seldom have
been seen together.
This Is the Blunderer'' said the Fresh
Air Fiend, indicating short. fat man who
was clothed I'm glittering armor and bore
lance over his shoulder. The Blunderer
acknowledged the introduction by bowling
And here is the Thoughtless One" con-
tinued the man, pointing to a tall, lean
man who was clothed in channels leather
and Carried wIde-mouuted blunderbuss
under his arm.
Look out for the gum said Chick; ''he
never knows whether or not it is loaded"
And here are the Disagreeable and the
Unlucky, and the Sorrowful. and the Ugly,
and the Awkward. continued the big headed
man. pointing out each Failing in turn.
Their pecuiarties you will have 40 trou-
Bile to discover. Indeed. on all the Isle OF
Phreex there is no one more unpleas to
meet with than this same lot OF Failings"
At this the brothers all bowed saying at
the same time:
I'VE are proud of ourselvesr
At this instant the Awkward tripped over
his own toes and fell against the Blunderer
who tumbled headlong and thrust his slim
lance straight through the body of John
Dough
oh" cried Chick greatly Mortified
Il told you SOL" growled the Fresh-Air
Fiend. Tell me, John Dough. are you dead.
or are you just dyingT
Neither one" said John, ruefully pushing
together the hole that the lance had made:
but 1t doesn't add to my personal appear
ance to be prodded in that fashion I'm
made Of gingerbread he explained turn
Ing TO the man in armor.
Il beg your pardon, / really beg your
pardon!" said the Bunderer, greatly dis
tressed at what he had done. II had no in
tention of hurting you.
He means WE'LL. said the Incubator
Baby; but that doesn't help much"
He won't last long in this island" grunt-
ed the Bad-Tempered. referring to John
Dough.
Being made of gingerbread. he can't be
expected to last" remarked the Disagree
able. smiling in a way that made John
shudder.
HE shall have my protection said the
Blunderer It's the least | can do to make
amends. There-put on this armor,'
He hastily began stripping off the plates
of metal. and placed the steel helmet over
the head of the gingerbread man.
mo. nor exclaimed John. Il don't want
to wear all that hardware"
But you must cried the Blunderer. It's
the only way you can escape accident in
this awful island
That's true enough" agreed the big
headed man. Il advise you to wear the
armor, my gingerbread friend"