Johnny came down standing. He ran a few steps. His parachute folded up. He lurched a step or two, then stood still not thirty feet from a very much surprised little girl who fairly danced, in spite of her crutches.
“Where did you come from?” she demanded. “I looked, and you were not there. Then I looked again and you were. How funny!”
“Yes,” said Johnny, “it is strange. But then, this is a strange world.
“I came down from the air to bring you a doll. Curlie sent it—Curlie Carson.”
“Curlie Carson! A doll!”
“Yes,” said Johnny. “She shuts her eyes when she sleeps. And she can talk a little. But the best part is her dress. See! It is all made of real money! There is another dress underneath. So tell your daddy to take off this green dress and use it buying things for you.”
“Oh!” The little girl stared. She did not understand all this. But she took the doll.
“Her father may not understand it either,” Johnny told himself. “Guess I’ll leave it that way, at that.”
“Good-bye, little girl. Have a good time.”
He gathered up his parachute and started for the road.