“Take all the cigars you wish!” the man called to Johnny and Janey, who were behind the counter. “He’s ringing up quite a lot!”
“I am glad your wire stopped the wicked creature,” said Gran’ma, “for he was after us and would soon have overtaken us. He took the children’s Flying Machine and he took Gran’pa’s Flying Boat, and he is the one who put the Princess of Nite into the Green Jar!”
“Put the lovely Princess in the Green Jar!” the man exclaimed.
“Yes!” Gran’pa answered, as they stood and watched the antics of the Magician. “And Gran’ma rescued her! The Princess is on her way to the City of Nite now, in the Dancing Master’s Umbrella!”
“Not Tiptoe’s Magic Umbrella?” the man asked, in surprise.
“Yes,” answered Gran’pa. “His name is Tiptoe and he was the Princess’ Dancing Master.”
“And my brother!” said the Little Man.
“Sh!” he added in a whisper, as he glanced hastily about as if to see that no others were listening. “It’s a secret! I was the Chief of Detectives in the City of Nite when the Princess disappeared, and I had to leave when I found out that the wicked creature who claimed to be the Princess really was a Witch! She made it so unpleasant for me that I decided to go in search of Old Jingles the Magician, to see if he would help me find the real Princess. Excuse me a moment,” and he went back of the counter where the children were eating the strange ice creams with large spoons.
Opening a box with a key which he wore on his watch chain, he studied the figures on a number of dials; then when he had written the figures upon a piece of paper, he handed it to Johnny.