CHAPTER XXIII.

THE DECEMBER DAY IS ALMOST THEIRS

“Yes! I guess I’ll fix you up with a December day, all right,” answered the genial North Wind, in response to the entreaty of the children. For, shortly after their fight with the Clerk of the Weather, there came a gentle, warm breeze, which they felt sure must be the North Wind. And finding that this was so, Coppertop and Tibbs implored his aid in their long search for a December day.

“Oh, you dear!” exclaimed Coppertop, scarcely able to believe their good fortune; “the address is: ‘Chesney Grange, near Mount Dandenong, Australia,’” she added, lest the precious December day should go astray.

“The World,” added the North Wind, with a smile. “Bless you, I guess I know all Australia from Perth to Sydney, and Darwin to Hobart. I’ll send the December day along to this Australia of yours, direct by Sunbeam--that’s heaps faster than Marconi.”

“’Es, but I like marconi!” interrupted Kiddiwee, “with lots and lots of milk!”

“You mean macaroni, stupid!” corrected Tibbs.

“Whatever CAN we do to thank you?” cried Coppertop, beside herself with joy.

“Don’t thank me till you get it,” said the North Wind, with a decided American accent, due to the fact that he had often travelled over the United States. “And you don’t get it till you’ve paid the price!”

“The price!” exclaimed Coppertop, her face falling.

“Yep! Everything has a price in this world, dearie! Nothing is given away. We must earn everything that is worth having, and then we know how to value it. I guess you’ve pretty well earned your wish by now, and there’s only one thing more to do----”

“Oh, do say!” cried Coppertop, anxiously.

“Well, you must kiss Biddy-be-sure, or the Blarney Stone, and then the December day will be yours.” And, without any more explanation, the North Wind blew by.

For some time after his departure the children remained silent; they were decidedly disappointed, for the December day seemed as far off as ever.

“Why, the Blarney Stone is on Blarney Castle!” said Tibbs.

“And where’s that?” asked Coppertop.

“Right away over in the Emerald Isle! It’s an awfully long way from here!”

“However shall we get there,” cried Coppertop, hopelessly, “now that I haven’t any wings?”

“Keep smiling!” replied the small voice of Smiler--the Camel-without-the-Hump--who now hung by a string round Coppertop’s neck.

“The Camel is right!” said a voice which seemed to come from everywhere at once, “always smile at difficulties; they don’t like being smiled at, and soon get out of your way. Now, if you take my advice----”

“Yes, we will!” cried each of the children eagerly, for they recognised the voice of dear Mr. Atom.

“You’ll put the two wings which were cut off upon the sword of the Samurai, then seat yourselves upon it--on the blunt side--and sing:

“Smiles to-day Make smiles to-morrow; Smiles will banish Bogey Sorrow. Smiles will help us Over stiles, Making life Just miles of Smiles!

Then hold tight, and see what happens. Ta-ta!”

Trembling with excitement, the children hastened to carry out the instructions of Mr. Atom. Tibbs and Kiddiwee fetched the sword of the Samurai, and laid it upon the steps of the old Japanese Lantern. Coppertop picked up her beautiful wings very tenderly, shedding a tear or two unseen, and placed them--the wings, not the tears--upon the Samurai’s sword, to which they at once became attached, and commenced to quiver with life!

Feeling that something most magical was about to happen, Coppertop and her brothers seated themselves upon the sword--their legs hanging over the blunt side--and commenced to sing:

“Smiles to-day Make Smiles to-morrow.”

At this, the sword of the Samurai quivered violently, and then rose several feet into the air--

“Smiles will banish Bogey Sorrow.”

continued the children, hardly able to sing for excitement. They felt that they were in for another wonderful trip.

“Smiles will help us Over stiles.”

And now the wings began to beat, and the sword moved forward--

“Making life Just miles of Smiles!”

shouted the children.

At these last words the sword of the Samurai shot forward at lightning speed with its precious burden, and never stopped till they arrived at the Emerald Isle.