Page:The land of enchantment (1907, Cassell).djvu/30



HE maker of ghosts and the maker of shadows had little to do in the way of preparation on leaving the capital of Common-Sense. Their ghost and shadow samples were done up in brown-paper parcels, while their breeches pockets bulged with the common-sense they had gained. From the first they had made up their minds to adopt a straightforward policy; so straight forward they went, and that took them on the road to Puzzledom.

After walking the greater part of the day they got into a fog, which gradually became denser, and at last rose like a wall before them. The highway ended abruptly; but they groped forward until they were brought up by what seemed to be the bottom rung of a huge ladder.

“Hem!” exclaimed the maker of shadows, “skywards, eh? I′ll venture a little way up!”

He had only climbed a step or two, however, when down he came with a run.

“What's the matter?” asked the maker of ghosts anxiously.

“Why,” things are not what they seem, “as the poet says. There are the steps plain enough apparently, but when I went to take hold of them I pawed the air and seemed to lose my footing in the fog. I believe the ladder′s bewitched!”

“I′ll tell you what!” cried the other. “We′re beyond the bounds of Common-Sense. But it is late; let us, therefore, rest to-night where we are, and in the morning very likely the mist may be gone.”

This sensible advice was acted upon. Curling themselves up in shadows to keep off the damp, they slept soundly until a loud " Cock- a-doodle-doo! " awoke them.

" That sounded like a good honest crow," said the maker of ghosts. " But was it the voice of a Common-Sense fowl? "