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famous yellow incense will then do the rest, but we
must be careful not to fall into Faleero's clutches or
get ourselves captured or enchanted."
"Is the blue incense all gone?" asked Randy, looking
rather worried.
"Every grain," answered Jinnicky, "and it's too
bad, for that would have overcome Faleero and the
whole population and given us plenty of time to
work out our magic. My mercy me! How these hill
roads do joggle one. There goes Johnwan over a
tree stump." Randy hastily clicked the controller,
brought the wooden soldier to his feet and headed
him in the right direction, as Kabumpo thoughtfully
mounted the second hill. He was not sure himself
just what he would do when they reached Pumperdink.
Perhaps if they rushed pell mell into the royal
city and took Faleero by surprise, Jinnicky could
work his magic before the old fury had time to try
any witchwork, so, when Jinnicky asked him again
what he planned to do, he merely flapped his great
ears and informed him solemnly that he intended to
use his head.
"Very good," approved Jinnicky, clasping his
hands over his middle. "Use your head by all means.
It's big enough to serve all four of us. In fact I
never saw a more long-headed creature in my life:
"Long-headed, bee, hee!
And three hearty ho, ho's !
It's three yards from his eyes
To the tip of his nose."
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"This is no time for joking," said Kabumpo, looking
back severely at Jinnicky. "Besides, people in
glass houses shouldn't throw stones."
"That's so," agreed the Jinn quite amiably. "Are
you referring to my glass palace or my jar?"
"Oh, look!" put in Randy, anxious to change the
subject before his two best friends got into a serious
quarrel. "We can see the towers of Pumperdink's
castle from here. Only one hill and a forest to go
now!" Taking off the looking glasses long enough
to assure himself that the towers showing above the
tree tops were really those of the King's palace,
Kabumpo with a long sigh of satisfaction clapped
them on again and headed recklessly down the hill.
The rest of the journey took barely an hour. The
forest was the most difficult, for Johnwan kept bumping
into trees. Randy found that if he walked beside
the wooden warrior he could guide him easily
around them, though he had to run to keep up with
Johnwan's long strides. But fortunately the forest
was small and when at last they stepped out they
found themselves on the King's Highway that led
directly into Pumperdink. It was a little after noon,
and Randy rather nervously wished Kabumpo and
Johnwan were not so big and conspicuous.
"Maybe we'd better wait till night," suggested the
boy, mounting Jinnicky's ladder and seating himself
on Kabumpo's head. But Kabumpo shook his head.
"The people of Pumperdink will know I have come
to help them," he stated calmly. "When they get a
glimpse of Johnwan and our friend yonder," Kabumpo
swung his trunk carelessly in Jinnicky's direction,
"they will fall in behind us and by the time
we reach the palace we'll have a regular army of
rebellion."
Kabumpo was right. No sooner had they entered
the gates of the city than the Pumperdinkians gathered
around them in huge crowds, and throwing fear
and discretion to the winds, shouted their welcome
at the top of their voices. Those in their houses, looking
out to see what the commotion was about, hastily
joined the others and seizing sticks, brooms, spades
and umbrellas, ran joyfully after Kabumpo and
Johnwan. Most of them were a dark purple from
frequent dippings in the royal well, but Kabumpo
and Randy, Johnwan and Jinnicky put new courage
and confidence into Pompus' downtrodden and sorely
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abused subjects. Yelling threats and defiance they
proceeded boldly to the palace. The guards, brandishing
their pikes, fell in step with Johnwan and
by the time Faleero, followed by her three old ladies
in waiting, heard the deafening uproar and rushed
out to see what was the matter, the rebels were already
mounting the steps of the imperial palace.
Faleero, astonished by the unexpected appearance
of Kabumpo and the giant soldier and the extreme
suddenness of the uprising, gave a howl of anger and
in high, indignant screeches ordered the crowd to
disperse.
Randy, closely watching Johnwan mount the steps,
made ready to halt the giant soldier the minute they
reached the top. But as Johnwan, closely followed by
Kabumpo, stepped up on the broad flagged terrace
before the palace door, Faleero flung up her arms
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