"Yes, I did," said Teddy, "and I didn't know it was yours, but if you want me to go I will.""Not so fast," said the robber."Sometimes it is easier to come into my cave than to go out, and you must sit down and have some supper with me now that you are here."Teddy was quite willing to do that, for he was really hungry, so he and the robber drew chairs up to the table, and the Bird-maiden, at a gesture from the robber, picked up the sack that he had thrown upon the ground, and out from it she drew some pieces of bread and some bits of cold meat.It did not look particularly good, but it seemed to be all there was, so when the robber began to eat Teddy helped himself too.
The robber-magician did not take off his hat, and he ate very fast;after a while he leaned back in his chair and began to tell Teddy what a great magician he was, and about his treasure chamber.
"There," he said, "is where I keep my gold.I have gold, and gold, and gold, great bars and lumps and crusts of gold, all piled up in my treasure chamber." At last he rose, pushed back his chair, and bade Teddy follow him and he should see how great and rich he was.
Leading the way across the cave, he unlocked the third door, and flinging it open stepped back so that Teddy might look in.As he opened it a very curious smell came out.
Teddy stared and stared about the treasure chamber."But where is the gold?" he said.
"There, right before your eyes," said the robber."Don't you see it?""Why, that isn't gold.That's nothing but cheese," cried Teddy.
"Cheese! cheese!" cried the robber-magician, stamping his foot in a rage; "I tell you it's gold.""It isn't! it's cheese!" said Teddy."Look! I have some just like it;I'll show you," and running to the keg where he had left his trap he pulled it out and held it up for the robber to see.
As soon as the robber-magician saw the cheese in the trap his fingers began to work and his mouth to water."Oh, what a fine rich piece of gold!" he cried."How do you get it out?""I don't know," said Teddy."I don't think it comes out.""There must be some way," cried the robber."Let me see," and taking the trap from Teddy he put it down on the floor and began to pick and pry at the bars, but he could not get the cheese out, and the more he tried the more eager he grew."There's one way," he muttered to himself, looking up at Teddy suspiciously from under his slouch hat.
"How is that?' asked Teddy.
"If one were only a rat one could get at it fast enough," said the robber-magician.
"Yes, but you're not," said Teddy.
"All the same it might be managed," said the magician.Again he tore and tore at the bars, and he grew so eager that he seemed to forget about everything but the cheese."I'll do it," he cried, "yes, I will." Then he laid of his great soft hat, and crossing his forefingers he cried:
"Innocent me! Innocent me!
As I was once again I will be."
And now the magician's nose grew longer, his mustache grew thin and stiff like whiskers, his sword changed to a long tail, and in a minute he was nothing at all but a great brown rat that ran into the trap.
"Click!" went the trap, and there he was fastened in with the cheese.
It was in vain that he shook the bars and squeaked.
"Quick! quick!" cried the Bird-maiden."let us escape before he can use his spells." She caught Teddy by the hand, and together they ran to the door that led to the stairway."Your key! Oh, make haste!" cried the Bird-maiden, breathlessly.
In a moment Teddy had unlocked the door they had passed through, and it had swung to behind them.Up the stairs they ran, and there they were standing in the sunlight near the rain-butt.
"I am free! I am free!" cried the Bird-maiden, joyously."Oh! thank you, little boy.And now for home." She caught the edges of her cloak and spread it wide, and as she did so it changed to wings, her head grew round and covered with feathers, and with a glad cry she sprang from the earth and flew up and away and out of sight through the sunlight.
"Why, it's Harriett's canary!" cried Teddy.
* * * * * * * *
"And now I must go," said the Counterpane Fairy.
Teddy was back in the India-room.The sun was low, and a broad band of pale sunlight lay across the foot of the bed.The fairy was just starting down the counterpane hill.
"Was it really Harriett's canary?" asked Teddy.
"I haven't time to talk of that now," cried the Counterpane Fairy, "for I hear your mother coming.Good-bye! good-bye!"And sure enough she had scarcely disappeared behind the counterpane hill when his mamma came in.
"Oh, Mamma!" cried Teddy, "do you think Harriett's canary came back?
"I don't know, dear," said his mother.Then she put a little package into his hand."Do you think Harriett will like that?" she asked.
When Teddy opened the bundle he saw a cunning little bisque doll that sat in a little tin bath-tub.You could take the doll out and dress it, or you could really bathe it in the tub.
"Oh! isn't that cute!' cried Teddy, with delight."Won't little Cousin Harriett be pleased!""I hope she will," said mamma.
