Twinkle Toes and His Magic Mittens

<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV.<br/> <span class="smaller">VISIT TO OLD SHADOW</span></h2> <p>On Ground-Hog day in February, Dot cried, “Oh, Ma, may we go to visit Old Shadow, the Ground-Hog?”</p> <p>Tot cried, “Oh, Ma, may we go out with our little travelling bags?”</p> <p>Trot stood first on one foot, then on the other, and said, “Ma cannot hear herself think if we all talk at once.”</p> <p>Twinkle Toes said, “I think we can all take our travelling bags.”</p> <p>Mother Kit-Cat looked severely at the Three Little Kittens and said, “You may go, if you will only remember to wear your mittens.”</p> <p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_50"></SPAN>[50]</span></p> <div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/illus9.jpg" width-obs="550" height-obs="700" alt="" /> <p class="caption">IT GREW DARKER AND DARKER IN OLD SHADOW’S BURROW</p> </div> <p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_51"></SPAN>[51]</span></p> <p>“Mittens, mittens, I will wear my magic mittens,” said Twinkle Toes.</p> <p>By this time Mother Kit-Cat had finished the mittens for Twinkle Toes.</p> <p>He put on his mittens and the Three Little Kittens all put on theirs, and followed Twinkle Toes with a hop and a skip and a bound.</p> <p>It was a cold day in February, and the wind was blowing.</p> <p>Suddenly Dot, and Tot and Trot cried, “We are tired, we wish we were at our journey’s end.”</p> <p>Twinkle Toes rubbed his mittens together and said, “I wish we were at Old Shadow’s hole.”</p> <p>Then the funniest thing happened.</p> <p>In the twinkling of an eye, they were<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_52"></SPAN>[52]</span> at Old Shadow’s hole, and there he was, busily digging.</p> <p>He said,</p> <div class="poetry-container"> <div class="poetry"> <div class="stanza"> <div class="verse indent0">“Three Little Kittens I’m glad you came,</div> <div class="verse indent0">But old Woodchuck is my real name,</div> <div class="verse indent0">Now if “Old Shadow” you like better,</div> <div class="verse indent0">Call me that to the very letter.”</div> </div></div> </div> <p>Just then he caught sight of Twinkle Toes and said,</p> <div class="poetry-container"> <div class="poetry"> <div class="stanza"> <div class="verse indent0">“Here is a friend that everyone knows,</div> <div class="verse indent0">Our dear little, queer little Twinkle Toes.”</div> </div></div> </div> <p>The Three Little Kittens made a bow and said,</p> <div class="poetry-container"> <div class="poetry"> <div class="stanza"> <div class="verse indent0">“Old Shadow, answer the Three Little Kittens,</div> <span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_53"></SPAN>[53]</span> <div class="verse indent0">Did you ever wear our three pairs of mittens?”</div> </div></div> </div> <p>At that, the strangest thing happened, Old Shadow ran into his hole calling,</p> <div class="poetry-container"> <div class="poetry"> <div class="stanza"> <div class="verse indent0">“You speak of mittens, you scare me so,</div> <div class="verse indent0">I do not know which way to go.”</div> </div></div> </div> <p>The Kittens all ran after him.</p> <p>The hole was funnel-shaped, and the passage-way grew smaller, and smaller, and smaller, and wound in and out.</p> <p>By and by they saw Old Shadow at the far end, and he called,</p> <div class="poetry-container"> <div class="poetry"> <div class="stanza"> <div class="verse indent0">“Come inside, and take your ease,</div> <div class="verse indent0">But don’t disturb my digging, please.”</div> </div></div> </div> <p>By and by he stopped digging, and said, “Ha, ha, ha, let us measure whiskers.”</p> <p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_54"></SPAN>[54]</span></p> <p>He had very long whiskers and was proud of them.</p> <p>“Come, help me dig, for we may then find some clover roots. How I do like clover roots!”</p> <p>Twinkle Toes waltzed round and round and then began to dig with a will, to please Old Shadow.</p> <p>Dot soon said, “I must stop, for my paws are tired.”</p> <p>Tot said, “Oh dear, my paws were not made for digging.”</p> <p>Trot said,</p> <div class="poetry-container"> <div class="poetry"> <div class="stanza"> <div class="verse indent0">“We are Three Little Kittens,</div> <div class="verse indent0">Who once lost our mittens.”</div> </div></div> </div> <p>At the mention of the word, “mittens,” the most remarkable thing happened.</p> <p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_55"></SPAN>[55]</span></p> <div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/illus10.jpg" width-obs="550" height-obs="700" alt="" /> <p class="caption">ALL THE ANIMALS WERE MARCHING, RIGHT FOOT, LEFT FOOT</p> </div> <p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_56"></SPAN>[56]</span></p> <p>Old Shadow took out his watch and cried, “It is quarter to spring, it is quarter to spring. I must hurry, hurry, hurry or I will be too late to meet Lady Spring.”</p> <p>Whisk! bound! He was out of his burrow before you could wink an eye lash!</p> <p>It was dark in the strange burrow, and Twinkle Toes and the Three Little Kittens ran this way, and that way, trying to find the way out.</p> <p>The burrow had several rooms and they kept losing themselves every few minutes.</p> <p>They could always hear the tinkle, tinkle, tinkle of the little bell that hung from Twinkle Toes’ neck.</p> <p>Dot and Tot began to cry, but brave little Trot said,</p> <p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_57"></SPAN>[57]</span></p> <div class="poetry-container"> <div class="poetry"> <div class="stanza"> <div class="verse indent0">“Cheer up, kittens do not cry,</div> <div class="verse indent0">There’s a way out, if you but try.”</div> </div></div> </div> <p>It grew darker and darker in Old Shadow’s burrow, and I don’t know what in the world they would have done, if Twinkle Toes had not thought of his Magic Mittens.</p> <p>He thought of his mittens, and rubbed them gently saying, “I wish the Little Old Man of the Fire would appear.”</p> <p>No sooner said, than done.</p> <p>The Little Old Man of the Fire appeared in his green cap and jacket of yellow.</p> <p>His jacket shone with light and he sang,</p> <div class="poetry-container"> <div class="poetry"> <div class="stanza"> <div class="verse indent0">“Ha, ha, ha, I can’t help but sing,</div> <div class="verse indent0">It is planting time, and almost spring.”</div> </div></div> </div> <p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_58"></SPAN>[58]</span></p> <p>“Not in February,” said Dot.</p> <p>“Not in February,” said Tot.</p> <p>Brave little Trot said,</p> <div class="poetry-container"> <div class="poetry"> <div class="stanza"> <div class="verse indent0">“Don’t be alarmed Sir, we’re only kittens,</div> <div class="verse indent0">Who once on a time lost all our mittens.”</div> </div></div> </div> <p>Twinkle Toes said never a word, but his little bell went, “tinkle, tinkle, tinkle,” every step he took.</p> <p>The Little Old Man of the Fire said, “I came upon you so suddenly, you almost scared me out of a year’s growth.</p> <p>“I see Twinkle Toes, and Three Little Kittens, big as life and half as natural. Ho, ho, so you do not think it is time for spring? Look above you, see the roots growing.”</p> <p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_59"></SPAN>[59]</span></p> <p>Dot said, “Please show us the way out.”</p> <p>Tot said, “We are afraid of the dark, lead the way out.”</p> <p>Brave Little Trot said, “We will do a kindness for you, kind Sir, if you will light us home.”</p> <p>Twinkle Toes waltzed round and round.</p> <p>The Little Old Man of the Fire was full of mischief and he said</p> <div class="poetry-container"> <div class="poetry"> <div class="stanza"> <div class="verse indent0">“Once or twice most every year,</div> <div class="verse indent0">I naturally just disappear,</div> <div class="verse indent0">Your eyes as big as saucers, I see,</div> <div class="verse indent0">They are light enough for you and me.”</div> </div></div> </div> <p>Without another word the Little Old Man of the Fire disappeared.</p> <p>Dot and Tot began to cry softly into<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_60"></SPAN>[60]</span> their little pocket handkerchiefs and even Trot got his little pocket handkerchief out, but Twinkle Toes waltzed round and round.</p> <p>Twinkle Toes said,</p> <div class="poetry-container"> <div class="poetry"> <div class="stanza"> <div class="verse indent0">“A misfortune is often what we make it,</div> <div class="verse indent0">Hark! to footsteps, I don’t mistake it.”</div> </div></div> </div> <p>Then he rubbed his Magic Mittens and wished for Uncle Mouser.</p> <p>They all listened.</p> <p>For steps were coming nearer, and nearer every minute.</p> <p>Uncle Mouser appeared at the opening of the burrow with the Little Old Man of the Fire, whom he had caught, and now carried inside a lantern!</p> <p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_61"></SPAN>[61]</span></p> <p>Uncle Mouser shouted,</p> <div class="poetry-container"> <div class="poetry"> <div class="stanza"> <div class="verse indent0">“Have you seen three Kittens</div> <div class="verse indent0">Who once lost their mittens?</div> <div class="verse indent0">I’m looking also for Twinkle Toes,</div> <div class="verse indent0">There’s a bell that tinkles wherever he goes.”</div> </div></div> </div> <p>They all shouted, “Hurrah Uncle Mouser, here we are, here we are!”</p> <p>They lost no time getting out of Old Shadow’s burrow you may be sure, and the Little Old Man of the Fire hopped merrily about in the lantern singing,</p> <div class="poetry-container"> <div class="poetry"> <div class="stanza"> <div class="verse indent0">“It is fun away to roam,</div> <div class="verse indent0">But there is no place like home!”</div> </div></div> </div> <p>Uncle Mouser said, “It is not safe to go into deep burrows. Let me count, are you all here?”</p> <p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_62"></SPAN>[62]</span></p> <div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/illus11.jpg" width-obs="550" height-obs="700" alt="" /> <p class="caption">THEY WERE MAKING A FLAG</p> </div> <p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_63"></SPAN>[63]</span></p> <div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/illus12.jpg" width-obs="550" height-obs="700" alt="" /> <p class="caption">THEY DREAMED THEY WERE SAILING AWAY</p> </div> <p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_64"></SPAN>[64]</span></p> <p>Twinkle Toes and the Three Little Kittens were so pleased to see Uncle Mouser, they hugged and kissed him so hard, and jumped about so much, he could not count them to save his life.</p> <p>He kept saying anxiously, “I hope I have you all here, two, three, or four.”</p> <p>Old Mother Kit-Cat stood in the doorway looking for them and she said, “Oh Uncle Mouser, your red plush-lined basket is waiting for you.”</p> <p>She hugged and kissed Twinkle Toes, and the Three Little Kittens and gave them some milk, and put them to bed.</p> <p>They talked a good deal in their sleep that night and Twinkle Toes said,</p> <div class="poetry-container"> <div class="poetry"> <div class="stanza"> <div class="verse indent0">“With travelling bags now we have found,</div> <span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_65"></SPAN>[65]</span> <div class="verse indent0">’Tis safe to journey underground,</div> <div class="verse indent0">But very happy are the kittens,</div> <div class="verse indent0">Because I wore my Magic Mittens!”</div> </div></div> </div> <p>The Magic Mittens were very busy that night, they dusted everything in Twinkle Toes’ room. They said in a sing-song kind of way.</p> <div class="poetry-container"> <div class="poetry"> <div class="stanza"> <div class="verse indent0">“You may know some things about Three Kittens,</div> <div class="verse indent0">But you know very little of Magic Mittens.”</div> </div></div> </div> <p>I wonder what the Magic Mittens meant, don’t you?</p> <hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> <p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_66"></SPAN>[66]</span></p> <div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/header1.jpg" width-obs="500" height-obs="60" alt="" /></div> <div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />