Charlie the Great White Horse and the Journey to the North Pole

by Kenneth Mullinix

  ~Chapter 20~

  The Great Wrapping-Machine

  "OK, were off...

  Push Algar. Push, Alfeo" called out Louis.

  Growlar being pushed by the Algar and his friends: went through the front doors of the woodshop, down a side alley, and finally out onto Santa Claus Boulevard, into the heart of the village.

  What a site to see.

  All of the elves pushing the working-carts, to-and-fro down the streets full of wrapped toys looked up in fright, at seeing the great bear walking along. All ran for cover just as fast as they could.

  Molly and Chug were hard at work inside operating: the legs, arms, and head with Chug practicing his growling into the megaphone.

  "Arrrr-gh, ga-rrr-rrr-owal!" shouted out Chug constantly at the top of his lungs.

  Louis was out in front dressed from head-to-toe in fur. He was the spitting image of a Great Bear-Slayer. Louis was walking along yelling out Black Jack's name at the tops of his lungs, and waving his walking staff out in front of him, with a great deal of passion in his voice.

  "Black Jack Tilly this is...Louis the White."

  "This is, Louis the Brave and Mighty."

  "Your day of reckoning is here. Leave Santa's Village or face, the wrath, deathly claws, and fiery flames of his breathe..."

  "Growlar the Ancient Cave Bear, is at my command," yelled out Louis to all within ear-shod.

  Louis's white hair and whiskers could be seen from under his fur hat, as he continued to bark and bite at anyone who was nearby. Growlar continued down the street, and could not have looked any scarier or dangerous.

  Growlar entered the village's main square at the very far north side. Finally, he arrived into the center of the town's square, directly in front of The Great Hall when Louis banged his wooden staff on the two large wooden doors of The Great Hall. He demanded entry.

  "The Great Bear-Slayer commands entry!" bellowed out little Louis with all his might.

  "Do, as I request, or face the consequences and the outcome of your actions."

  Again and again Louis continued to yell out and bang on the great doors.

  "What's going on over there Big Belly? What's all that yelling about? A Bear-Slayer, A cave bear...who is...yelling that?" asked Black Jack.

  Big Belly Bill left his guard position, from under the magic bells next to Sleaze Ball. He started walking toward the front doors when one of the doors slightly opened. Just then a small oddly dressed, stranger strolled into the bright candlelight's of The Great Hall.

  Louis placed his staff across his body, tilted his fur cap back a little off his forehead, and then yelled out in the broadest and deepest voice that tonsils could make.

  "Bring me your leader."

  Louis raised his walking stick high into the air, to punctuate his arrival.

  "Shut down this contraption of evil, and bring me that no good rat of a man and renown coward...Black Jack Tilly."

  Big Belly stopped in his tracks about twenty feet away from little, Louis at the front door. He just stared at the stranger, not knowing what to make of him. Looking sideways at Louis then looking at him up-and-down, Bill could just not figure out, if this was a little boy dressed as small man, or a small man or elf, dressed to look like a little boy. For surely a little boy would not have the courage or panache to barge into The Great Hall barking out demands, to Black Jack Tilly.

  Big Belly Bill gazed a moment longer at Louis; he finally spoke.

  "Well what do we have here? A small boy I believe, dressed up to look like a great bear-slayer, barking out orders and trespassing, here in The Great Hall, owned by Black Jack Tilly. Sleaze Ball, have the workingmen, and elves stop all the machines, shut down everything, and come over here and look at this boy imitating a great bear hunter."

  "Break time!"

  "Shut...er...down" screamed out Sleaze Ball Tom above the sounds of the clunky machines in the hall.

  Sleaze Ball Tom walked over with a quizzical eye fixated on Louis, and with a smirk on his face. He spoke.

  "Why Big Belly you're right. I think we have a furry mouse in the house. Black Jack, come...come...over here. Rags take a break and look at this little boy all dressed up for Halloween early and trying to take over, our operations."

  "Nobody squeezes out Black Jack...ya see...nobody. This is our enterprise and you ain't gettin no, cuts and ya ain't taking over...see" said Big Belly in his long slow Saint Louis drawl.

  Black Jack turned towards the front doors upon hearing Big Belly call out break time, and seeing all the machines being shut down all at once.

  "What the heck is going on?" Who called out fer that break? This is Christmas Eve, we've got work to do" yelled out Black Jack as he jumped down off of the main platform in front of The Great Wrapping-Machine, and started towards the front doors to where Sleazy, Bill and the little stranger were standing.

  "Your-a gonna git it Sleazy. No breaks for tonight, I tell ya. No breaks."

  As Black Jack grew closer and closer to the doors, Louis began to tremble a little bit. He started to have images, of that awful night when Black Jack kidnapped him, threw him into that gunnysack, and was carrying him off, in the dark away from the train station.

  Louis almost started to call out Charlie's name for help, when he regained his courage yet again.

  "Good, just who I came to see. The infamous Black Jack Tilly!"

  "You: lice covered mangy, low down, no good for nothing crook" yelled Louis.

  "What do we have here? A little boy dressed up as a bear-slayer? You can't be talkin to me, little...BOY? I am Black Jack Tilly the leader of this outfit, and our own Missouri Rats. What do you think you're-a doin here? Trying to take over the operations are ya?"

  "I'm Louis the Great Bear-Slayer, as you can see by my bearskin coat that once belonged to a very nasty and evil bear, Broadfoot the Awful, who once lived in the dark mountains. I slew him with one great stroke of my walking stick. And, you can tell by the great string of bears' teeth strung around my neck, and the by the carved bear's head, that sits atop of my staff, and lastly by the courage that dwells in my heart that I am as I said I am. I am a great hunter, and leader of men who has come from the south. I am a slayer of mighty beasts" and I am here to slay you if you do not, release all these elves and workingmen, in this Great Hall tonight from their toils. Shut down your making of these evil toys and leave Santa's Village tonight; promising never to return"

  As Louis yelled out this, he made a look on his face that shown; watch out Black Jack, because I am no one to be fooled with.

  Louis's epiglottis shook in his throat, wildly as each word left his mouth.

  Louis crunched up his nose, pressed his lips tightly together and squinted his eyes, sending daggers of pent up hate and disgust at Black Jack, Big Belly Bill, and Sleaze Ball Tom. Black Jack and his two boys just stood there looking Louis over for another moment, to see if there was really something to this little boy. Something more than meets the eye; or was apparent.

  Another moment passed when Black Jack noticed something most peculiar.

  "Didn't you use to have big red freckles on your face, have a large cowlick and red hair? Don't you live in Centerville and play right base for the Centerville Giants?"

  The jig was up!

  "No...ah...er...no...you have me...ah...confused for some other indomitable bear-slayer. I am Louis the White from the south, as I said before. And I travel the world doing good and fighting evil."

  "No, now I recognize you. At first, I didn't because of your white hair, and because you looked like someone scared the heck, out of ya lately. No, you're Louis the Red as in Louis Parks, who is Charlie the Horse's best friend, and who I once kidnapped, and was going to try to sell off!"

  "No...er...ah...ah...no you have it wrong, I'm...ah..." mumbled Louis as he realized the jig wa
s up, and that his plan was starting to fall apart all around him. Quickly he changed his plan in mid-stride, and went with his gut feeling (which all great brave men are known to do).

  "Yes...yes...It's true. It's true! As you said, I am Louis Parks from Centerville. Let the truth be told! I did have red hair and what's wrong with freckles? Besides, I didn't like you shaking me in that bag. I don't' like what you've done to Charlie and mostly, I don't like what you've done with all the kid's toys and Santa's Village. That is why I am here. And I am a great bear-slayer! Your demise is at hand!" screamed out Louis.

  His voice echoed so loud throughout The Great Hall that Louis's teeth started to rattle loose in his mouth.

  "Louis Parks a great bear-slayer? Louis the White...ha, ha, ha...!" laughed out Black Jack.

  He grabbed his over-sized belly, pulled his black beanie cap off his head, leaned over forward grabbing his knees, and let out the deepest belly laugh anyone had ever heard before.

  "You'd better run BOY, because I am gonna go find another sack to stuff you into, right quick! Big Belly find, me another sack and let's bag Ole' Louis the White then get back to work."

  "Well I warned you Black Jack Tilly. Now you and all of your friends are going to get cooked, like a pig on spit. Fried tied and boxed! Ready for shipment back, to the Saint Louis jail where you all belong."

  "Behold Growlar the Ancient Cave Bear!!" roared out Louis as he slammed the tip of his walking staff on the floor.

  "Show Time" said Chug to Molly from deep within Growlar's chest.

  "Push Algar, Push" called out Molly.

  Algar and his friends upon hearing Louis, Molly and Chug's commands, started pushing the huge bear as hard as they could through the partially open doors into The Great Hall.

  Chug frantically pulled down on the levers in front of him activating Growlar's massive arms and legs. Part of one great door, as they started to open hit Louis on the hind-side, which knocked him to the ground and threw him out of the way. Black Jack Tilly, Rags Martin, Cool Joe and all of the others inside of the great hall turned towards the opening doors to see what was happening.

  "Grrr-arrr-arrrawl!!" hollered out Chug into the megaphone over and over again, as one of Growlar's large feet parted the door, showing off the great claws on his foot. Then the other foot could be seen coming through the doors.

  "What the heck...?" yelled out Rags as the doors opened wider. Growlar majestically sauntered into The Great Hall. Thirty foot tall, growling angrily with his arms and legs flailing about.

  What a show!

  Molly sitting close by Chug was operating his great jowls, opening and closing his massive eyes and moving his head, searching about, up-and-down, back and forth, his head went.

  "Run Black Jack run!"

  "He is Louis the White", he is a great Bear-Slayer!" cried out Big Belly Bill as he stumbled backwards, and tried the best he could to get away from Growlar.

  "He's gonna eat us alive. Look at the size of that belly and those claws," yelled out Sleaze Ball Tom as he to, tried to back away from the doors. All the while, his eyes were transfixed in a trancelike state.

  "Run! Run!" yelled out a few of the workingmen in the room. Panic swept over everyone. Even Black Jack Tilly started backing away from the doors, as he took in the horror of Growlar as he came thundering through the doors.

  "As I told you before, I am claiming Santa's Village for my own, and you're right I am taking over your operations here. Growlar, I command you. Show you're mighty breath."

  Louis (just as planned) started to shake the string of bear teeth hung around his neck. Molly seeing this though a slit in the fur grabbed another lever, which lit Growlar's breath. She opened his jowls one more time and pulled down on a lever. This sent thirty-foot long flames shooting from Growlar's open mouth, sending the roaring flames soaring across the room, right over Black Jack's head Scorching what little hair he had on his balding head. Black Jack quickly rubbed his hand over his head, to feel if he was OK. Chug shirked into the megaphone a few more times to add to the effect.

  Growlar was alive again!

  "Don't ever be kid-napping no kids, no more! Put me in a bag will ya!" yelled out Louis as bright orange and red flames shot out again and again into The Great Room.

  Louis got back up on his feet, he started slamming his walking staff over and over on the ground to signal Algar and the other elves (positioned behind Growlar) to continue to push with all their might; which kept Growlar moving steadily forward. Slowly Growlar was walking towards the very center of the room, and would soon be right underneath the Magic Jingle Bells.

  Louis called out taunts, and catcalls, to try to confuse Black Jack, Rags and everyone else in the room towards complete chaos.

  Black Jack backed all the way up to the main-controls in front of the great wrapping-machine. Complete terror had overcome him. The plan was now working again thought Louis as he saw Black out of the corner of one of his eyes. Everyone in The Great Hall was running hysterically about, searching for cover. Flames were still shooting out of Growlar's mouth, Chug was growling into the megaphone, with Louis screaming out at the top of his lungs.

  It was pure pandemonium!

  Then failure was once again about to embrace the courageous.

  All of a sudden, Growlar's flames tripped the fire alarms hanging in the ceiling. Quick loud blasts of the fire alarms began blaring out over and over. Which only added to the confusion.

  Just then, Growlar came to a halt underneath the Magic Jingle Bells and in perfect position for Chug to grab the magic bells.

  The water sprinklers in the ceiling suddenly turned on, sending hundreds and hundreds of gallons of cool water, showering down upon everything in the room, immediately covering Growlar the Ancient Cave Bear from head to toe. The water streaming over Black Jack Tilly brought him back to his senses again for the time being. He grabbed his cap off his balding, thick head and started to wipe clean his eyeglasses and clear his eyes. He then started staring intently at Growlar's dripping wet fur.

  The seams in Growlar's fur were being held together by kid's toy-glue, which was not waterproof. It began to melt the seams at the sides. Growlar's fur started to open up and began to fall off the skeleton that hid Molly and Louis inside. The water cascading down from the fire-sprinklers started leaking inside of the great bear, completely soaking Chug and Molly to the bone. The water in turn put out the gas pilot light, which lit Growlar's breadth of flames.

  Growlar was dying a second death. The Phoenix could not be reborn again.

  His great fiery voice was gone. The fur was matting, and falling off his frame, and Chug and Molly could now be fully seen, operating the levers and controls from the inside.

  Suddenly Black Jack yelled out.

  "Trying to pull a fast one on Black Jack...are ya-s? Looks like you're back, to Louis the Red again BOY." Black Jack was just roaring out commands to Rags, Cool Joe and his two boys. All stopped in their tracks to watch Growlar melting before them. Black Jack Tilly started laughing like a, maniac on the loose in an insane asylum. His eyes rolled back into his head, and what little hair he had on his head was now standing on their ends, making him look like he had just been hit with a bolt of red-hot lightning.

  Pure evil took over his mind.

  "Chug we're done for!"

  "Get those bells!" hollered out Louis who was standing in front of Growlar looking up towards Chug.

  "Molly get out of there, run towards the door! Algar everyone run!"

  "Rags (now seeing that the jig was finally up) quickly headed for the main doors of the hall to block their escape.

  "Big Belly Bill, grab that little kid and bring him here" yelled out Black Jack as he pointed towards Molly.

  Up, Chug climbed through the skeleton, higher and higher as Molly jumped off her platform. She scuttled, down between the wooden
frame and out to safety by the front doors. Big Bill with his enormous belly hanging down over the top of his tight pants tried to fetch Louis, but Louis was just too small and too fast. He easily and quickly side stepped Big Bill.

  "Come here you little freckle-faced pain in the butt. We've had about as much from you as we can take," yelled out Bill as he uselessly floundered about trying to grab Louis. Darting here and there and dodging back and forth around Growlar, Louis easily got away from big slow Bill.

  "I'm getting a little tired of hearing about my freckles Bill" taunted back Louis as he again ducked under one of Big Bills outstretched fat hands.

  "I got em. I got em Louis!" shrieked out Chug as he stood on the very top of Growlar's head with his long arms fully extended and with the magic bells now in hand.

  "Now get out of there Chug", yelled out Louis as again he made his escape from Bills relentless grasping. Cool Joe with great quickness was upon the frame where Growlar (in all his glory) once stood. With one quick leap, he was almost up to the head where Chug was standing.

  "Just like I bagged Jupiter last year, I'm gonna bag you son!" cried out Joe all the while smiling like a bank robber counting his money after a big heist. Chug ducked just just in time, as Cool Joe overshot his mark and flew past him.

  "Get out of there Chug. Head out the back door, get those bells to Charlie as fast as you can. I will hold em off, but I don't know for how long," said Louis.

  Molly, Algar, Elfrida, and all the rest of the workingmen in the room had escaped out of The Great Hall. All were now out in the main square on Santa Claus Boulevard looking back into the hall, when Molly yelled out.

  "Everyone's out Louis. Run for safety, Chugs got the bells now and he's flying down the alley towards Charlie. We did it Louis, now get out of there."

  "Like I said, I am pretty tired of all the cracks about my puny size, my freckles, and the jokes about me being Louis the Red."

  With this last decree by Louis, he bolted for his staff lying on the floor under Growlar's fur that was lying, at the back of the massive empty frame.

  "This is no time to be a hero Louis, not again. You're gonna flub it up again, as you did with that stupid catch last year at the ballpark. Louis no!" cried out Molly from the street.

  That's the last straw. Now Molly was back telling Louis that he would be a failure again, and Louis could just see it coming. Going back home and getting, pummeled to no end from: Short-Stack, Growlin Harry, Tessie and all his other friends, all saying; "You should've seen Ole' Louis, he just couldn't do anything right again. He's just a mess and he's never gonna amount to nothin!"

  "Well not this time kids, I ain't flubbing no catches this time," yelled out Louis to anyone who was nearby.

  Black Jack climbed back onto the wooden stage in front of the controls of the wrapping machine. He started to laugh again at the top of his lungs.

  "Rags, Cool Joe, Sleazy Tom, we've got a real hero here. What-ya think we should do with him?"

  "How about we gift-wrap him, and send him back to his mom in a pretty little package, with red bows around it to match his stupid freckles?"

  "Good idea Black Jack. That was just what I was thinking", blurted out Louis as he grabbed his staff tighter in one hand. He then threw off his heavy winter coat and the string of bear's teeth hanging around his neck with the other hand.

  "I don't need all of those things to be brave, because I have true courage in my heart that I earned for myself. Nobody needs to give me courage, no more. And I mean never! I don't care if I'm only a kid. I'm going to box you guys around the ears, gift-wrap you, and send you by first class mail all the way back to that Saint Louis prison again, where, you all belong."

  Chug had escaped out of the back door. He was well on his way down the back alleyways running just as fast as his long, lanky legs could carry him. Through the night ran Chug, with the healing power of the Magic Jingle Bells in hand when he suddenly remembered, he did not have Louis's magic bell the one that he had carried to the North Pole, to make the magic string complete. Chug instantly stopped in his tracks, pivoted around and bolted back towards The Great Hall.

  Sleaze Ball Tom, seeing Louis not paying attention, and standing in the middle of the hall yelling out to anyone and everyone, snuck up behind him. He grabbed him about the shoulders, which sent Louis sprawling to the floor. Louis rolled to his left, regained control of his staff then sent a thunderous stroke of his walking stick across Sleaze Ball Toms left temple, knocking him backwards, off his feet. Sleaze Ball cried out in agony then rubbed his forehead a few seconds to see if he was all right.

  "Take that you sleaze-ball!"

  "You want another knot on the other side of you head to match that one?' screamed out Louis.

  "Get em Louis. Give him another lump, to match that other lump," cried Molly in pure delight at seeing Louis land a well-placed blow.

  "Tom you idiot get back over here. We'll all get that freckle-faced runt together," said Black Jack as he motioned for Rags, Cool Joe, and Big Belly Bill to get closer to him.

  Louis standing with his back to the two front doors of the hall now stood in boldness once again. Just then, Chug, with the string of Magic Jingle Bells in hand dashed into the hall through the back doors, swung himself off Growlar's skeleton and landed right in front of Louis.

  "Louis you forgot to give me your magic bell. Quickly, give it to me."

  "You're right Chug I plain forgot," said Louis as he fumbled in his front pocket, found the bell, and instantly thrust it into Chug's hand.

  Chug grasped the bell from Louis; he was off again, darting towards the back doors.

  "Stop that lanky kid from getting away, and bring me those magic bells," cried out Black Jack to Cool Joe who was standing only a few feet away.

  "I'll get him Black Jack, don't you worry. Years of baggin horses has taught me to be really fast, no little kid is gonna get past me."

  The race was on.

  Chug with a mighty leap flew over a couple of boxes stuffed with toys, landed on the conveyor belt at the far end of The Great Wrapping-machine, and was almost at the back doors and away again.

  Cool Joe was on him like ugly on an ape.

  There was no way to shake him this time. Cool Joe cut him off right before he reached the back door. Chug tried to stop himself in time, but Cool Joe was right where he should be, blocking the only way out. Chug's momentum carried him forward as he tried to stop, but he ended up sliding into the wall next to the doors, as he tried to change directions. He hit the wall hard. This jarred the string of Magic Jingle Bells out of his hand, sending them straightaway, up in the air right into Cool Joe's outstretched hands and into his thieving fingers.

  "Easy grabbins I tell ya. Easy grabbins" said Cool Joe as he grinned from ear-to-ear, while holding the magic bells, high up in the air for Black Jack to see.

  THA-WA-ACK!!

  A large black frying pan landed directly on the back of Cool Joe's baldhead, which sent Cool Joe's awful yellow teeth flying out of his mouth, out in all directions. Cool Joe's cold eyes rolled back into his skull, as his body grew as limp as an over-cooked noodle. He fell, toothless face first into a pile of Christmas boxes off to his left. This sent the Magic Jingle Bells flying back into the air softly landing back in Chug's hands who, was now lying on the ground nearby.

  "Now that's a dentist appointment, you won't ever forget! Don't go scaring any more...little boys. And always respect your MOM!" called out Ms. Telly Bell (the cook from the Cimarron Cutter) as, she spun the black frying pan in her hand.

  "I thought you might need a little help Chug, now go get those bells to Charlie and let's get him back to the new Charlie, and back on his feet."

  "What the heck...! What are you doing here Ms. Telly Bell?"

  "Never mind that for now, off with you boy...and I mean now," said Ms. Tel
ly the Cimmaron Cutter's Head Cook.

  Chug clamored to his feet, shook off some water, and again he was off, through the back door, into the alleyway, flying towards Charlie. As he ran towards Charlie he just kept saying to himself, "I'm coming Charlie, hang on Ole buddy. I'm coming. Chug passed out of sight down the last alley, and was heading straightaway for Charlie's stall with absolutely no time to waste.

  Black Jack looked over at Cool Joe knocked out on the floor and said, "Oh, forget him for now. Come on boys let's get that kid." Black Jack, Rags, Big Belly Bill, and Sleaze Ball Tom all started for Louis, where he still stood in the center of The Great Hall with his back turned away from the front doors.

  "Why don't you pick on someone your own size, you bully's? If you mess with me, you're just messing with big trouble. I didn't come three thousand miles: across a Great Lake, through a haunted forest, get chased by a arctic wolf pack, cross over a ice covered mountain range, through a hungry cave bear's den and then get frightened out of my mind, by a orange abominable snowman, to be afraid of you guys. You bunch of: cheep, horse-napping, two-timing, present stealing, and no good for nothing, bunch of child scaring thugs!"

  "Now...on-guard!"

  Louis (who again) had his back turned towards the two front doors, raised his staff into the air; he was ready for a fight to the end when Black Jack Tilly, stopped in his tracks.

  He looked intently behind Louis.

  There standing just as proud and brave as ever was Jupiter the Show Horse in the center of the doorway. Right behind him, in stepped "Apollo" with a look on his face that said, "Watch out Black Jack, because you're done for".

  As Louis stood there, again he yelled out.

  "OK, Rags, try another horse-napping, try to scare me again, pick on Chug again. Just try it, I dare ya."

  Ms. Telly Bell and Captain Legrande Legrange stepped into the light of the hall at the front doorway right next to Jupiter and Apollo behind Louis. Then three of his bravest soldiers fell right in line behind Captain Legrande.

  Rags, started to stumble a little bit as he walked forward towards Louis until he finally slowed down his pace to a crawl. Big Belly Bill stopped dead in his tracks, grabbed his stomach, and said in his thick Saint Louis drawl, "Ah...Black Jack, ah... I don't think this is going to be a...fair fight."

  "You're dead right this ain't going to be no fair fight. It's me against the four of you. The odds are against you! Now get over here and let's get this show started," yelled out Louis, as he appeared to grow more and more impatient.

  Just as Black Jack and the rest of his thugs realized, that they had better think of something fast, with one mighty leap Nebuka the Orange Yeti, landed in the entryway. When he hit the ground the whole hall shook for a few moments, which sent a rumbling sound throughout the village."

  "Do you hear that Black Jack? That must be the sound of one of my friends up in the mountains jumping up and down on the mountainside. He must be as mad as heck, for he knows about you. One day he might just come down here and take care of you. His name is Nebuka and he's an orange Abominable Snow Man. Yeah...a real...Yeti" said Louis.

  "You see I have more friends that you could possible imagine. So you better do as I say, or might just call him down here, but I don't need him because I am Louis Robert Parks from Centerville."

  Nebuka was standing right behind Louis and just towered over him. He showed a crafty smirk on his face. His bright orange fur was all aglow, and his devilish red eyes were shinning as bright as ever. He was staring right at Black Jack Tilly.

  "You say you know...a...ah, ah...an orange Yeti. Ah...I...I...ah believe you Louis. I really do," said Black Jack, as he looked even higher up, behind Louis.

  "Yeah and if that ain't enough for ya, I know a real live snow panther who is the mightiest warrior to ever walk the face of the earth. He alone fought off Raff the Red wolf, the feared leader of a pack of arctic wolves. Don't make me call him either, I'm telling you."

  In strolled Panthera the Great Snow Panther.

  His emerald green eyes were on fire, and peered right into Black Jack's soul, sending a chill down the center of his cowardly spine, and out the bottom of his stinky feet.

  The hair stood up on Rags neck as Big Belly Bill stumbled around a bit then fell to the ground grasping at his eyes, trying to cover them.

  "That's right, you should be scared; what's with that look on your face Big Belly, you look like you've seen a ghost or worse a wild beast. Maybe you are seeing a wild panther. No that's just the wild look in my eyes that you're seeing."

  "FOR I AM THE PANTHER...!"

  "I AM THE YETI...!"

  "I AM THE GHOST...!"

  "It's all here in my heart because of my love for my best friend Charlie. And nobody does any harm to him you see. Therefore, this is your last chance. All of you come over here and fight like, the cowards you are, or turn on The Great Wrapping-Machine, jump on that conveyor belt, and let's gift wrap you up nice and tidy like. Then we'll send you all packing, back to the Saint Louis jail. It will be the best Christmas present the warden Sergeant Pettigrew will ever get."

  As Louis barked out loudly this last and final command that said, I mean business in strutted behind Louis: with incomparable pride, the always noble, and the very defiant, incredibly brave and most incredible courageous and re-born once again:

  "CHARLIE...THE...GREAT...WHITE...HORSE!!"

  Then in stepped next to Charlie: Hot Tamale Molly, Chug Martin, with Algar, Alfeo, and Elgar, Elvina, all the elves, and all the workingmen in town.

  "Now turn on that wrapping-machine as I said, and let's get packing. The Saint Louis jail is waiting for a special delivery tonight."

  Cool Joe: finally woke up and wobbled back over to where Black Jack was, rubbed his eyes a moment then dutifully stepped right in behind Rags, and Black Jack Tilly, to follow Louis's orders. Black Jack had never looked so afraid in his whole life when he began to speak.

  Black Jack grabbed Rags on the arm for support and said", Ah yes mister Louis sir. Whatever you, say and...ah...ah...I am sorry about that crack about your freckles, red hair, and about you being a little runt. I...am...ah, ah sorry for kidnapping you last year, and I am...ah sorry for horse-napping Jupiter. I'm sorry for all the bad things I have done. And I am sorry about all the kids I've scared..."

  "Aw, shut up."

  "You're just rambling now. I wanted to scare yeah but this is going too far. Are you gonna to start calling for your mom now?" asked Louis as he started to get cocky at seeing Black Jack, Rags, and Cool Joe starting to cower.

  Ms. Telly Bell stepped to the front of Nebuka. She gave an insidious grin towards Black Jack.

  "Aw, I'm sorry mommy..."

  "Now you're calling for your mom, oh this is getting ridiculous now. Like I said just get that wrapping-machine up and running again, jump on that conveyor belt and get cracking.'

  Black Jack climbed up on the main platform in front of controls and turned the key on to the great machine. With a loud belch, rumble and jolting motion the great machine came back to life. The leather pulleys, wooden levers, great wheels and ball bearings all started to move in motion. The machine was just thundering, as it bellowed black smoke, and steam up into air, and into the great vent pipes that passed through the ceiling.

  When the machine was up and running, at full bore and the conveyor belts were all spinning as they should be Black Jack Tilly, Cool Joe Biggs, Rags Martin, Big Belly Bill, and Sleaze Ball Tom all headed for the front of the conveyor belt.

  "Shoes on or shoes off, Mister Louis sir?" asked Cool Joe sheepishly.

  "Better keep your shoes on, because we don't want any elves to pass out from the smell of your foul smelling feet, when they ship you out."

  Just as Louis started to smile Black Jack Tilly's whole gang of "Missouri Rats" misfits and relatives jumped up onto the moving conveyor
belt. One by one, each passed into the mouth of the great machine. The conveyor belt jolted for a minute then each one came out the other end perfectly gift wrapped, with a large name tap perfectly centered on the box, which read in large letters: Black Jack Tilly, destination-The Saint Louis Jail, Saint Louis Missouri. Rags Martin, ET...

  Muffled and from inside the boxes all could barely heard being sung, "WE LOVE TO BAD, WE LOVE TO BE BAD! WE LOVE TO BE BAD! Over...and over...again.

  As each one passed through to the other side, Louis began jumping up in down with pure glee, and with joy showing across his young face. He screamed out, "I did it, I did it!"

  Just before Louis turned back around again to face the front doors to find Molly and Chug, everyone jumped backwards. Clean out of sight except standing alone in the middle of the entryway, were Molly and Chug who started screaming with joy right along with Louis.

  "Yes, you did it Louis!"

  "Yes, you did!"

  "And just think about it Louis, you did it all by yourself with no help from anybody, said Molly with the biggest, broadest smile on her face that she had ever smiled before.

  Molly came, flying up to Louis, jumped into his waiting, open arms, squeezed him with all of her might, and then planted the biggest, wettest kiss Louis had ever gotten before right on Louis' waiting lips.

  "I have wanted to do that my whole life Louis. You're simply the best Louis, simply the best," said Molly over and over again.

  "I love you Molly. I always have from the first day that I saw you ride by on your bike with Janie, pass Tessie Whitman's Five and Dime. I just never had the courage to tell ya Molly. I finally found the courage Molly."

  Both smiled broadly.

  "I finally found the courage to say it; I love you Molly; always have, always will."

  "I love you too Louis; always have always will!"