“What have you done with the Lovely Bird?” Cho-Cho demanded. “I have seen no bird,” said the Imp called Dirt. “You may search this house from dark cellar to dusty garret if you doubt my word.”
Cho-Cho turned to his friend the Dog. “Watch here,” he said, “and see to it that these Imps do not escape.” Then holding his Magic Magnet in his hand he looked about the room. The Magnet turned toward the door at the far corner, and Cho-Cho following the Magnet entered a dark and narrow passage, that seemed to lead on and on. He could not see, but Cho-Cho’s stout heart knew no fear for he possessed magic power, that protected him from all evil—so he called to his friend the Moon and asked for help. Mr. Moon had not yet risen, but he sent for his chief Clerk and gave an order, “Send down to my friend Cho-Cho one of our latest flashlights,” he said, “one of Golden Light, that will turn the darkest dungeon into the light of day.”
So in the shortest possible time Cho-Cho held in his hand a powerful flashlight that showed him every corner of the dark passage, but no matter how carefully he looked he could find no trace of the Lovely Bird.
Standing there thinking, he heard a faint sound that seemed to come from within the wall, and looking at his Magnet found that it pointed directly opposite.
With his ear at the wall, he heard the sound clearer—then suddenly his eye caught the glint of steel, and he saw a small bright spot about the size of a pea. Cho-Cho pressed the spot and the wall opened showing a tiny room. The Lovely Bird lay on the floor, too weak to fly—so Cho-Cho carried him forth and helped him on the Dog’s back.
The wicked Imps knew that their punishment was near and cowered in the corner.
Then Cho-Cho bound the two Imps with strong cords. Standing them back to back he tied their arms together and also their legs, so that they could go neither forward nor backward, and mounting the back of his friend the Wonderful Dog, he started homeward.
They could hear the cries of the Imps far down the roadway, for each one blamed the other with ugly words for what had happened.
When Education felt stronger he flew forward with his Message to the Teachers.
And everywhere the Teachers received him with the deepest interest, and now all over this great country Children are being taught the beauty of cleanliness and the love of fresh air and pure water.