there was a rushing of wings,
and who should appear, but a kind fish hawk, that once gave Johnnie and
Billie Bushytail a ride on his back.

"I will save Jimmie!" cried the fish hawk.

So he flew up in the air, right to the kite, and, with his strong beak, he
tore a hole in the paper to let the air through. Then the kite came gently
down, just like a red balloon, or maybe a blue one, that you get at the
circus, and some one sticks a pin in it. Yes, the kite came gently down,
and Jimmie came with it, and that's how he was saved!

And, maybe he wasn't glad! Well, I just guess, and some cornstarch pudding
besides! Of course Peetie and Jackie were very sorry for biting Jimmie's
heels and never did it again. Now, if I don't get stung by a bee, I'll
tell you to-morrow night about Alice in a bag.

[Illustration]

STORY XXXI

ALICE WIBBLEWOBBLE IN A BAG

You remember I told you last night about Jimmie Wibblewobble being carried
up by a kite. Well, when his papa and mamma came home that evening, they
heard all about it, and how much excitement there was, and they told
Jimmie he must be more particular after this. He promised that he would be
very careful.

"I'll fly smaller kites," he said, and he went out the next time with one
about the size of a postage stamp, and that couldn't take any one up in
the air, you know, except, maybe, a mosquito, and they don't count.

Well, it was about two days after this that something happened to Alice.
You see she had been sent to the store for a yeast cake and some prunes,
for her mamma was going to make prune bread--that is, bread with prunes in
it, and it's very nice, I assure you, for I've eaten it.

As Alice was coming home, through a lonely part of the woods, where the
trees were so thick that it was almost dark, she began to feel a little
bit frightened. So, to stop herself from feeling scared she began to sing.
If she had been a boy, she would have shouted, or if she had been Lulu
she would have whistled, for Lulu could whistle as good as could Jimmie.

But instead Alice sang, and this is the song she made up so she wouldn't
be frightened. You are allowed to sing it if you are not more than
seven-and-three-quarters years old. If you are any older than that you
will have to have a special excuse; or some one else will have to sing it
for you. Well, this is the song:

"I'm not afraid to wander
In woodlands dark and drear,
For who is there to harm me