hy, not knowing
its early history, but he was afraid that if I lost the umbrella, bad
luck would happen to us. So he made me go right home to put the
umbrella back where I got it. I was sorry Uncle Bob was so cross, and I
didn't want to go home yet, where the governess was crosser 'n he was.
I wonder why folks get cross when it rains? But by that time it had
stopped raining--for awhile, anyhow--and Uncle Bob told me to go
straight home and put the umbrella in the attic an' never touch it
again.

"When I was around the corner, I thought I'd see if I could fly as I
had before. I'd heard of Buffalo, but I didn't know just where it was,
so I said to the umbrella, 'Take me to Buffalo.' Up in the air I went,
just as soon as I said it, and the umbrella sailed so fast that I felt
as if I was in a gale of wind. It was a long, long trip, and I got
awful tired holding onto the handle, but just as I thought I'd have to
let go, I began to drop down slowly, and then I found myself in the
streets of a big city. I put down the umbrella and asked a man what the
name of the city was, and he said 'Buffalo'."

"How wonderful!" gasped Trot. Cap'n Bill kept on smoking and said
nothing.

"It was magic, I'm sure," said Button-Bright. "It surely couldn't have
been anything else."

"P'raps," suggested Trot, "the umbrella can do other magic things."

"No," said the boy. "I've tried it. When I landed in Buffalo I was hot
and thirsty. I had ten cents car fare, but I was afraid to spend it. So
I held up the umbrella and wished I had an ice-cream soda, but I didn't
get it. Then I wished for a nickel to buy an ice-cream soda with, but I
didn't get that, either. I got frightened and was afraid the umbrella
didn't have any magic left, so to try it I said 'Take me to Chicago.' I
didn't want to go to Chicago, but that was the first place I thought
of, and I soon saw this was going to be another long journey, so I
called out to the umbrella, 'Never mind. Stop! I guess I won't go to
Chicago. I've changed my mind, so take me home again.' But the umbrella
wouldn't. It kept right on flying, and I shut my eyes and held on. At
last I landed in Chicago, and then I was in a pretty fix. It was nearly
dark, and I was too tired and hungry to make the trip home again. I
knew I'd get an awful scolding, too, for running away and taking the
family luck with me, so I thought that as long as I was in for it, I'd
better see a good deal of the country while I had the c