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the bag. Two of the packets she mixed together, and then she cautiously
opened the third.
"
Better stand back, your Majesty," she advised, "for if this powder falls on you
you might be transformed yourself."
The King hastily retreated to the end of the room. As Blinkie mixed the third
powder with the others she waved her hands over it, mumbled a few words,
and then backed away as quickly as she could.
Cap'n Bill was slumbering peacefully, all unconscious of what was going on.
Puff! A great cloud of smoke rolled over the bed and completely hid him from
view. When the smoke rolled away, both Blinkie and the King saw that the
body of the stranger had quite disappeared, while in his place, crouching in
the middle of the bed, was a little gray grasshopper.
One curious thing about this grasshopper was that the last joint of its left leg
was made of wood. Another curious thing--considering it was a grasshopper--
was that it began talking, crying out in a tiny but sharp voice:
"
Here--you people! What do you mean by treating me so? Put me back where I
belong, at once, or you'll be sorry!"
The cruel King turned pale at hearing the grasshopper's threats, but the
Wicked Witch merely laughed in derision. Then she raised her stick and aimed
a vicious blow at the grasshopper, but before the stick struck the bed the tiny
hopper made a marvelous jump--marvelous, indeed, when we consider that it
had a wooden leg. It rose in the air and sailed across the room and passed
right through the open window, where it disappeared from their view.
"
Good!" shouted the King. "We are well rid of this desperate wizard." And then
they both laughed heartily at the success of the incantation, and went away to
complete their horrid plans.
After Trot had visited a time with Princess Gloria, the little girl went to Button-
Bright's room but did not find him there. Then she went to Cap'n Bill's room,
but he was not there because the witch and the King had been there before
her. So she made her way downstairs and questioned the servants. They said
they had seen the little boy go out into the garden, some time ago, but the old
man with the wooden leg they had not seen at all.
Therefore Trot, not knowing what else to do, rambled through the great
gardens, seeking for Button-Bright or Cap'n Bill and not finding either of
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