CHAPTER XXII.

TIBBS AND KIDDIWEE TO THE RESCUE.

“I do wish you’d go away, or--or--move--or do something!” sobbed Coppertop. “You make me feel terrifikly nervous, standing there and saying nothing; just staring and staring, and leaning on that horrid, sharp sword!”

These words were addressed to a strange-looking person, who had been standing beside the Japanese Lantern for some time, silent, motionless, and mysterious.

He was dressed in the armour of a Samurai of old Japan, and leant upon a long and very sharp two-handed sword. His face was so stern and still that Coppertop could not decide if it really were his face or only a mask. And it made her feel most uncomfortable and nervous.

She had spoken to him several times, but he took not a bit of notice, which was extremely impolite, to say the least.

“Whatever shall I do with the horrid old thing?” she cried, and she wept faster than before.

Splash, splash, fell the big crystal tears, on to the steps of the ancient stone Lantern.

“Don’t splash so, up there!” cried a small voice, which sounded so very familiar that Coppertop ceased weeping, and, drying her little grey eyes, looked down.

And there, to her intense delight, she beheld Miss Smiler.

“Oh, you dear, duckie, little old person!” she cried. “However did you get here?”

“Oh, I just trotted along on my four legs,” replied the Camel, smiling up at her, “until I came to the sea, and then--

Myself and a Nautilus Put to sea In a beautiful ship Of purple shell. And the Nautilus smiled In the highest glee, But I felt far from well. For a storm came on-- As storms will do-- And rocked our shell-ship Fro and to, Fro and to, And to and fro, The way that shell-ships Rock, you know.

And I cried, ‘Though I’m fond of the ocean, too, With its billowy waves, so green and blue, I like it much better quite still, don’t you?’ But the Nautilus didn’t agree.

She said, ‘When it’s still As still can be, And there isn’t a breeze To fill my sail, Great fishes come up And stare at me, Till I feel my cheeks Grow pale.’

‘Don’t talk about “pale,”’ I cried. ‘Oh, please! I’m getting so shaky about my knees; Such rickety-rockety boats as these Should never put out to sea.’

For the storm grew worse-- As storms will do-- And rocked our shell-ship Fro and to, Fro and to, And to and fro, The way that shell-ships Rock, you know. Then the Nautilus into A rage she flew! ‘My beautiful ship Of shell,’ cried she, ‘Is far too good For a Cameloo!’ And she pushed me Into the sea.

But I reached here just the same!” beamed Miss Smiler.

“Yes, but how?” asked Coppertop, who was so interested by this story that she almost forgot the horrid Samurai.

“Before I answer any more questions,” interrupted Miss Smiler, in a hushed voice, “I’d like to know who that piece of old china is, standing there on guard, like a figure on a teapot?”

“Hush!” cried Coppertop. “Oh, I’ve been terrifikly worried about him.”

“I don’t wonder,” interrupted the Camel, whose manners were not too good. “I should think he’s worried about himself, with such a face!”

“Oh, I don’t mind his face so much,” whispered back Coppertop; “he’s a Samurai of Old Japan, and they all have faces like that!”

“Poor things!” exclaimed the Camel.

“If we were used to their faces, we should think them quite handsome,” exclaimed the child. “I expect they think we’re ugly, too. It’s all a matter of taste.”

“Taste!” cried Smiler. “We don’t have to taste them, do we? It’s painful enough to look at them.”

“Do be quiet!” warned Coppertop. “If he hears you he’ll chop your head off! That’s what he’s waiting to do with mine, I expect.”

“Don’t you let him take such a liberty,” cried Miss Smiler. “Once you lose your head you don’t know where you are. And it’ll be extremely hard to put it on again.”

“Oh, I’ve had such arguments with the horrid old thing! I’ve told him all that. If only Tibbs and Kiddiwee were here to drive him away,” she added, tearfully.

“They’re not so very far away,” replied Miss Smiler, peeping round the edge of the Lantern. “In fact--HERE THEY ARE!” she exclaimed.

And, lo and behold, floating along over the river toward the Lantern, came the beautiful soap bubble, with Tibbs and Kiddiwee inside.

“Oh, where? Where?” cried Coppertop, excitedly, for she could see nothing from her side of the Lantern, and she dared not venture out because of the Samurai, who looked most anxious to prove how sharp his sword was.

“I can’t see without a head,” she added. “Otherwise I believe I’d risk it.”

Just then the soap bubble was seen by the Samurai, who evidently wondered where it had come from, and looked a trifle uneasy.

While he was looking, it suddenly exploded, and out shot Tibbs and Kiddiwee. As soon as they were released from the bubble they grew rapidly to their usual size.

Head or no head, Coppertop could resist it no longer, but flew down from the old stone Lantern, and flung herself into their arms.

At this strange sight the Samurai showed little surprise, but he walked sternly forward, and in the calmest manner, without even waiting to say “May I?” or “By your leave!” he aimed a terrible blow at Coppertop’s head with his cruel two-handed sword.

Fortunately, she moved her head, but the blade cut through both her wings, and, with a cry of dismay, she saw them fall to the ground.

Instantly Tibbs and Kiddiwee threw themselves on the Samurai, flying round him rapidly, to dazzle and confuse him.

They kicked and they punched him--for what else could they do? They pulled his long, black hair. They scratched him. Anything to take his attention, and to prevent him from again attacking Coppertop.

Miss Smiler joined in also, and did what she could, which wasn’t very much, for she was smaller than ever now, being no larger than when she hung on the chain round the neck of her little mistress.

Making a final effort, the Samurai tried, with one sweep of his terrible sword, to cut through the bodies of the two boys. But his foot slipped on a stone which Smiler had rolled under it, and he fell crashing to the ground, the sword flying out of his hand.

In a flash, Tibbs seized the sword, and, swinging it above his head with both hands, he rushed upon the fallen Samurai.

But, before he could strike, the armour of the Samurai was flung asunder, and revealed the craven face, the snub nose, and the trembling form of the wretched Clerk of the Weather!

“Mercy! Mercy!” he cried, grovelling on the ground at the feet of the two boys. “Spare me, and I’ll worry you no more! You shall be free to find your precious day unhindered.”

“Perhaps it _would_ be better not to kill him,” suggested Coppertop. “You see, if we did, the weather would be simply too awful for words, with no one to look after it.”

“All right,” agreed Tibbs, reluctantly. At the words the Clerk of the Weather rose shakily to his feet, and, springing into the air, disappeared behind a passing cloud.

“I don’t trust him a bit!” muttered Tibbs. “And I may never get another chance to cut a real head off,” he said, regretfully.

“Oh, you two dears!” cried Coppertop, beside herself with joy, “you’re both positively Victoria Cross heroes! I’m terrifikly proud of you. If I wasn’t so upset about my poor old spoilt wings, I could almost cry with happiness!”

“Funny things--girls?” remarked Tibbs, feeling awkward at being regarded as a hero. “Let’s find another head. This sword’s too sharp to waste. Come on, Kiddiwee,” and off he raced.

“_Boys_ are funny--I should think,” remarked Coppertop. “Fancy leaving me like that, when we’ve only just found each other. Oh, I do wish I had a baby to squeedge.”

At this moment she glanced down, and there she beheld Smiler; smiling, too, with all her might.

“Oh, I do love you, I do!” cried the child, impulsively, and seizing the surprised Camel in her hands, she kissed her fondly.

As this happened, Miss Smiler heaved a deep sigh, and became just a little bronze camel once more.