As the days passed Bob became more and more disgruntled, more and more dissatisfied with things in Goblinville. The bare thought of food-tablets and drink-pellets disgusted and nauseated1 him; and he could hardly swallow them at all. The young goblins would not, could not, play the games he liked to play. They were too small for one reason; and, then, as it did not please them to do so, they were not permitted to do so. And the boy was without youthful companionship. The only associates he had were his faithful companion Fitz Mee and the officers of the town, who were always at his elbow to see that he did what pleased him. This constant espionage2 became simply unbearable3; and the lad grew peevish4, gloomy; desperate. At last he broke down and tearfully confessed to his comrade:
“Fitz, I want to go back home; I do—I do! I can’t stand it here any longer. It isn’t at all what I thought it would be like; and I’m homesick!”
Fitz Mee did not laugh; he did not smile, even. On the contrary he looked very grave—and a little sad.
[174]
“So you’re homesick, Bob—eh?” he said.
“Yes, I am, Fitz.”
“And you desire to go home?”
“Uh-huh.”
“You don’t like things here in Goblinville?”
“No, I don’t.”
“What is it you object to?”
“Oh, everything!”
“But especially?”
“Well, the—the pills, I guess.”
“Oh!” joyfully5. “Is that all, Bob? We can fix that all right. I’ll get a special permit from the mayor—he’s a political friend of mine,—to let me prepare you food like you’ve been accustomed to. Then you’ll be as happy as a clam6, won’t you?”
“I—I don’t hardly know, Fitz; no, I don’t think I will.”
“What!”
“Uk-uh.”
“Well, what else is wrong, then?”
The goblin’s pop eyes were dancing with mischief7.
“I don’t like to be compelled to do what pleases me,” Bob confessed shamefacedly.
“Ho, ho!” laughed Fitz Mee.
“Oh, you can laugh!” the boy cried, in weak irritation8. “But I don’t!”
[175]
“You said it would just suit you, Bob—before you came here,” Fitz chuckled9 hoarsely10, holding his sides and rocking to and fro.
“I know I did; but I’d never tried it.”
“And you don’t like it?”
“No, indeed,” Bob answered very earnestly.
“And you’re homesick, and want to go home?”
The boy nodded, his eyes downcast.
“All the goblins’ll laugh at you, if you go to leave Goblinville.”
“Well, let ’em; I don’t care.”
“And your people and your schoolmates will laugh at you, when you return home.”
Bob was silent, deeply pondering.
“Don’t you care?” Fitz Mee asked, cackling explosively.
“Yes, I do! But I’ve got to go, anyhow; I’ll die here.”
“Oh, no, you won’t, Bob,” said the goblin, teasingly.
“I will, too,” said Bob, desperately12 in earnest; “I know.”
“You’ll have to go to school, if you return home.”
“I don’t mind that; I’ll have other boys to play with, anyhow.”
“Yes, but you’ll have to obey the teacher.”
“I know.”
“And you’ll have to do what pleases your parents.”
“I know that, too.”
[176]
“And you won’t be permitted to do what pleases yourself.”
“I know; I’ve thought it all over, Fitz.”
“And yet you wish to return home?”
“Yes, I do.”
Fitz Mee laughed gleefully, uproariously, irrationally13, laughed till the tears coursed down his cheeks and his fat features were all a-quiver.
“Ho, ho!” he gasped14 at last. “Roberty-Boberty, you’re not the same boy you were, not at all; you’re not half as high and mighty15. What’s come over you, hey?”
“I’ve—I’ve learned something, I—I guess, Fitz.”
“Oh, you have!”
“Uh-huh.”
“What?”
“I’m not going to say,” replied Bob, grinning sheepishly; “but I think I know what you brought me to Goblinland for.”
“What for?”
“W-e-ll, to—to teach me what I’ve learned. Didn’t you?”
“I’m not going to say,” mimicked16 the goblin.
Then both tittered.
“And you’re bound to go back home, Bob?” Fitz pursued.
The boy nodded.
“If you’re rested now, we’ll resume our sight-seeing.” (See page 168.)
[177]
“You’re a pretty looking thing to go back to Yankeeland—a little mite17 of a human like you!” sneeringly18.
“Oh, Fitz!” the lad wailed19. “Can’t I be made a real boy again?”
The goblin impressively shook his head.
“I don’t know,” he said slowly. “You see you’ve taken so many gob-tabs it’s very doubtful whether you can be changed back into a boy at all.”
“Oh, Fitz, don’t say that!”—greatly distressed20.
“Of course, if you were put on human diet for a long time, you might come out all right,”—reflectively.
“But can’t I take something that will change me quick—right away?”
Again the goblin shook his head.
“I doubt it,” he murmured. “Giant-tabs would make a giant of you; and you don’t want to be a giant.”
“No, I don’t.”
“Well, I guess, then, if you want to go back home right away, you’ll have to go just as you are.”
“Oh, Fitz!” almost blubbering. “I don’t want to go back home this way; I just can’t! Can’t you give me something that will—will stretch me and swell21 me to boy size—just to boy size? Can’t you—can’t you?”
[178]
“I don’t know,”—with a gloomy shake of the head; “I never heard of such a drug or chemical, but it’s barely possible our chemists may know of something of the kind. I’ll see about it. But here’s a difficulty.”
“What? What, Fitz?”
“Why, as you know, there’s no means of getting out of Goblinland except by balloon; and I doubt if my balloon will carry you at full and normal weight.”
“But can’t you get a bigger one?”
“I might have one made; I don’t—”
“Oh, no—no, Fitz!” the boy interrupted frantically22. “Don’t think of doing that; I can’t wait. Can’t you borrow a bigger one?”
“There are no bigger ones, except the mayor’s state balloon. It has two feather beds lashed23 together for a bag, and a very large car.”
“Can’t you get it—can’t you get it, Fitz?”
“I don’t know, indeed. Then, here’s another difficulty, Bob, and a greater one to my mind.”
“Oh, Fitz!” the boy moaned, wringing24 his hands. “You don’t mean it!”
“Yes, I do,” said the goblin, nodding gravely; but his twinkling pop eyes belied25 his words. “You see, Bob, you’re the first human being that has ever come to Goblinland. Now, the secrets of the[179] country—including the secret of its whereabouts, have always been carefully guarded. I don’t know what his honor, the mayor, will say about letting you go.”
“I won’t tell anything, Fitz, I won’t—I won’t!”
“Not a thing?” questioned Fitz Mee.
“No, sir—not a thing.”
“W-e-ll, I—I don’t know. What will you do, Bob, if the mayor won’t let you go back home?”
“I’ll just die—that’s what!”
The goblin slapped his thin thighs26 and laughed and whooped27, and laughed some more.
Out of patience, the lad screamed: “Laugh! Laugh till you burst, you old Convulsions! You old Spasms28! You old Hysterics! Yeah! Yeah!”
And Fitz Mee did laugh—till he was entirely29 out of breath and panting and wheezing30 like a bellows32. When at last he had regained33 control of himself, he whispered brokenly:
“Bob, we’ll—we’ll go and see—the mayor.”
And they caught up their caps and were off.
“So you wish to go home, boy—eh?” said the mayor, the august ruler of Goblinville and all adjacent territory, as soon as the two were ushered34 into his presence.
[180]
“Yes, sir,” Bob answered humbly35. Then, with boyish inquisitiveness36: “But how did you know it?”
“Never mind,” was the gruff reply. “It will please you to return home will it?”
“Yes, sir, indeed it will.”
“Then you must go. Be off at once.”
“But—but—” Bob began.
“I’ll fix all that,” his honor interrupted, quickly divining what the boy meant to say. “I’m as anxious to be rid of you as you are to be gone. You’ve stirred up a pretty rumpus here—you have. You’re the first human boy that ever came into my domain37; and you’ll be the last. But I trust your experience has done you good—eh?”
Bob nodded.
“Very well, then. Sign this pledge that you won’t reveal what you’ve seen and learned, and that you’ll take the lesson to heart.”
Bob gladly signed the pledge.
“Now,” continued the mayor, his eyes snapping humorously, “these are the conditions under which you must leave my domain: I’ll call in the chemists and have them restore you to normal size; I’ve already communicated with them, and they assure me they can do it. Then I’ll let the honorable and worthy38 Fitz Mee take my state balloon and carry you back to Yankeeland. You will set out this afternoon at one o’clock. But one other thing I exact: you[181] must bear nothing away with you that you did not bring here with you.” And the mayor gave the boy a keen, meaningful look that the urchin39 could not interpret.
The chemists came in, three aged40 and bewhiskered goblins wearing long, black robes and silk skull41 caps.
“My good chemists,” said the mayor, “are you ready for the experiment?”
“All ready, your honor,” the eldest42 of the three made answer, bowing profoundly.
“To work, then,” the mayor commanded.
The younger two advanced and caught and held Bob’s hands, their fingers upon his pulse. The eldest produced a tiny phial of thick, opalescent43 liquid.
“Put out your tongue,” he said to the boy.
The lad unhesitatingly obeyed, and the aged and trembling chemist let a drop of the viscid liquid fall upon the tip of the youngster’s quivering organ of speech.
[182]
The effect was instantaneous and startling, if not marvelous. Bob let out a mad bellow31 of pain, shaking his head and writhing44 and drooling. The mayor changed countenance45 and deprecatingly shook his head. Fitz Mee groaned46 aloud.
“Draw in your tongue and shut your mouth and swallow!” the three savants simultaneously47 yelled at the boy.
Bob reluctantly did as he was told; and immediately, instantaneously he was restored to normal size.
“Whoopee!” shouted the chemists, embracing one another and indulging in mad capers48 and other manifestations49 of insane joy. “A success! A complete success!”
“Thank goodness!” murmured Fitz Mee. “A success!”
“Yes,” the mayor muttered drily, grimly, “a remarkable50 success—a too remarkable success! My good chemists, destroy what you have left of that stuff, and make no more at your peril51. I’m not going to have any more boys manufactured in this country—a noisy, disturbing lot! You hear me!” Then to Fitz Mee: “You take your departure from the public square at one o’clock, remember. The state balloon will be there in readiness. You’re excused.”
When the two comrades were again at Fitz Mee’s residence, Bob remarked ingenuously52:
“Fitz, while you’re getting ready I’m going to gather up some of the gold nuggets I saw on the shore of the brook53.”
[183]
“Better not,” Fitz replied, without looking up from his work.
“Why?”
“I wouldn’t, if I were you—that’s all.”
“Well, why?”
“They’re not yours.”
“I know. But you goblins make no use of them; and it wouldn’t be wrong—wouldn’t be stealing, would it?”
“No,” Fitz Mee mumbled54, “it wouldn’t be robbery, exactly. But you heard what the mayor said.”
“What about?”
“That you weren’t to take anything away with you that you didn’t bring here with you.”
“Yes, I heard him. Is that what he meant?”
“To be sure.”
“Well, why does he object to my taking a few old nuggets of gold that none of you will use?” said Bob peevishly55.
“For this reason, Bob: you take that gold back to Yankeeland, and tell where you got it—”
“But I won’t tell where I got it,” the lad interrupted.
Unheeding, the goblin continued: “And your money-mad people will search out our country and conquer and ruin us.”
“Oh, pshaw, Fitz!”
“What I say is true, Bob.”
[184]
But Bob was neither convinced nor satisfied, and he resolved to have the nuggets at all hazard. Where was the harm? The gold was of no value to the goblins; it would be of great value to him. And he wouldn’t say a word about where he got it—indeed he wouldn’t. He would take it; and no one would be the wiser or the poorer. So, while his comrade was busy at other things, he slipped out to the brookside and filled his pockets.
One o’clock came, the time of departure, and all Goblinville, including the mayor and his officers, was out to see the aëronauts off upon their long voyage. The mayor shook hands with the two and wished them God-speed and the populace gave them three hearty56 cheers.
Then the anchor was weighed, and they were off. Slowly and majestically57 the great state balloon began to ascend58. But when it had risen a hundred feet, Bob, looking over the side of the car, became aware of a disturbance59 in the crowd beneath. He saw goblins excitedly running this way and that and a number of officers trundling a big black object on wheels across the public square.
“What’s the meaning of the rumpus, Fitz?” the lad cried to his companion. “What’s that the officers have?”
“Why,” Fitz gasped, taking a hurried look beneath, “the officers are running out the dynamite60 gun!”
“And they’re training it upon our balloon—upon us!” Bob whispered[185] hoarsely, his soul a prey61 to guilty fear. “What—what can it mean, Fitz?”
Then arose the voice of the mayor, bellowing62:
“Fitz Mee, descend63! Come back! That boy can’t leave Goblinland with his pockets full of gold! He has deceived us; he can’t leave Goblinland at all. Come down; or we’ll send a dynamite shell through the balloon-bag, and bring you down in a hurry.”
Fitz gave a few strokes to the pump, and the big balloon came to a stop. Bob sat silent, speechless at the dread64 result of his rash act.
“You’ve played the mischief—you have, Bob Taylor!” his companion snarled65 angrily, reproachfully. “And you’ll spend the balance of your days in Goblinland—that’s what!”
“Oh, dear!” the boy found voice to moan. “Oh, dear!”
“Hello!” Fitz called over the side of the car. “Hello, your honor!”
“Hello!” answered the mayor.
“If I’ll make the boy throw the gold down to you, will that satisfy you?”
“No, it won’t!” came the hoarse11 and determined66 reply. “Bring the young scamp back! He shall stay in Goblinville!”
“I guess I won’t!” Bob shouted, desperation spurring his courage. And he sprang to the air-tank and opened the cock. The balloon began to rise swiftly.
[186]
“Oh, Bob—Bob!” Fitz Mee groaned. “What have you done? We’ll both be killed!”
“Boom!” went the dynamite gun; and a shell tore through the balloon-bag, rending67 it asunder68 and sending goose feathers fluttering in all directions.
The car began to drop like a plummet69. Its occupants let it out shrill70 screeches71 of terror. Then came the proverbial dull, sickening thud! Bob felt the empty balloon—bag fall over him and envelop72 him; and then he lost consciousness.
“Bob, crawl out of there.”
“Fitz! Fitz!” the boy cried, disentangling himself and struggling to his feet.
“Fits!” laughed a big manly73 voice. “Yes, I guess you’ve got ’em, Bob; and you’ve rolled out of bed in one, and dragged the covers with you.”
[187]
Bob blinked and rubbed his sleepy eyes. There stood his father in the doorway74, grinning broadly;
“Hustle into your clothes, laddie,” he said; “breakfast’s ready.”.
The End
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1
nauseated
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| adj.作呕的，厌恶的v.使恶心，作呕( nauseate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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espionage
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| n.间谍行为，谍报活动 | |
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unbearable
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| adj.不能容忍的；忍受不住的 | |
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peevish
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| adj.易怒的，坏脾气的 | |
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joyfully
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| adv. 喜悦地, 高兴地 | |
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clam
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| n.蛤，蛤肉 | |
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mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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irritation
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| n.激怒，恼怒，生气 | |
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chuckled
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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hoarsely
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| adv.嘶哑地 | |
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hoarse
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| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
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desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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irrationally
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| ad.不理性地 | |
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14
gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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15
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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mimicked
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| v.（尤指为了逗乐而）模仿( mimic的过去式和过去分词 )；酷似 | |
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mite
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| n.极小的东西；小铜币 | |
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sneeringly
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| 嘲笑地，轻蔑地 | |
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19
wailed
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| v.哭叫，哀号( wail的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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distressed
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| 痛苦的 | |
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swell
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| vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强 | |
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frantically
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| ad.发狂地, 发疯地 | |
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lashed
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| adj.具睫毛的v.鞭打( lash的过去式和过去分词 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥 | |
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wringing
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| 淋湿的，湿透的 | |
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25
belied
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| v.掩饰( belie的过去式和过去分词 )；证明（或显示）…为虚假；辜负；就…扯谎 | |
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26
thighs
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| n.股，大腿( thigh的名词复数 )；食用的鸡（等的）腿 | |
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27
whooped
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| 叫喊( whoop的过去式和过去分词 )； 高声说； 唤起 | |
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spasms
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| n.痉挛( spasm的名词复数 )；抽搐；（能量、行为等的）突发；发作 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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30
wheezing
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| v.喘息，发出呼哧呼哧的喘息声( wheeze的现在分词 )；哮鸣 | |
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31
bellow
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| v.吼叫，怒吼；大声发出，大声喝道 | |
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32
bellows
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| n.风箱；发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的名词复数 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫v.发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的第三人称单数 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫 | |
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regained
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| 复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
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ushered
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| v.引，领，陪同( usher的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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humbly
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| adv. 恭顺地，谦卑地 | |
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inquisitiveness
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| 好奇，求知欲 | |
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domain
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| n.(活动等)领域，范围；领地，势力范围 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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urchin
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| n.顽童；海胆 | |
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aged
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| adj.年老的，陈年的 | |
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skull
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| n.头骨；颅骨 | |
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eldest
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| adj.最年长的，最年老的 | |
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opalescent
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| adj.乳色的，乳白的 | |
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writhing
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| （因极度痛苦而）扭动或翻滚( writhe的现在分词 ) | |
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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simultaneously
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| adv.同时发生地，同时进行地 | |
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48
capers
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| n.开玩笑( caper的名词复数 )；刺山柑v.跳跃，雀跃( caper的第三人称单数 ) | |
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manifestations
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| n.表示，显示（manifestation的复数形式） | |
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remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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51
peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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52
ingenuously
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| adv.率直地，正直地 | |
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53
brook
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| n.小河，溪；v.忍受，容让 | |
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54
mumbled
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| 含糊地说某事，叽咕，咕哝( mumble的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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55
peevishly
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| adv．暴躁地 | |
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56
hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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57
majestically
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| 雄伟地； 庄重地； 威严地； 崇高地 | |
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58
ascend
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| vi.渐渐上升，升高；vt.攀登，登上 | |
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59
disturbance
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| n.动乱，骚动；打扰，干扰；(身心)失调 | |
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60
dynamite
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| n./vt.(用)炸药(爆破) | |
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61
prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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62
bellowing
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| v.发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的现在分词 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫 | |
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63
descend
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| vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降 | |
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64
dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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65
snarled
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| v.（指狗）吠，嗥叫， （人）咆哮( snarl的过去式和过去分词 )；咆哮着说，厉声地说 | |
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66
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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67
rending
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| v.撕碎( rend的现在分词 )；分裂；（因愤怒、痛苦等而）揪扯（衣服或头发等）；（声音等）刺破 | |
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68
asunder
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| adj.分离的，化为碎片 | |
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69
plummet
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| vi.(价格、水平等)骤然下跌；n.铅坠；重压物 | |
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70
shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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71
screeches
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| n.尖锐的声音( screech的名词复数 )v.发出尖叫声( screech的第三人称单数 )；发出粗而刺耳的声音；高叫 | |
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72
envelop
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| vt.包，封，遮盖；包围 | |
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73
manly
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| adj.有男子气概的；adv.男子般地，果断地 | |
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74
doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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