The children moved back just a little, never taking their eyes from her.
“Don’t you want any magic at all?” demanded the fairy, rather disappointed.
“Maybe she could think of a way of dis—disenchant the beautiful lady,” suggested Alice.
“Bring on the enchantments!” said the fairy boastfully. “I’ll fix ’em all! Who is the unfortunate creature who needs to be disenchanted?”
Minx told her all about the lady of the mirror.
The fairy’s eyes grew quite round. “Oh, my goodness!” she piped. “I know that lady well, my dear! And I know all about the enchantments, too. She’s under a spell placed on her by Madam Snickasnee—”
“My mother!” cried Minx, in astonishment.
“Don’t interrupt,” said the fairy, crossly. “This enchantment can never be broken until—” All at once her voice faded out so weakly that no one could hear her any more, and then she faded out, too.
“Oh, my golly!” cried Minx, in disappointment. “Let’s hurry and throw some more powder in the kettle!”
They rushed to the jar, but as they reached for it, they heard a dreadful racket and clatter outside the door.
“What’s that?” they cried, fearfully.
Scarcely were the words spoken, when in through the door burst Madam Snickasnee!
“AHAAA!” screeched the witch, in a long, drawn-out howl, while the children stood rooted to the floor, their knees knocking.
Minx was the first to recover sufficiently to speak. “Oh, hello, Ma’am,” she quavered, “These are my f-friends from school”
Madam Snickasnee looked at them as if she thought less than nothing of them.
“Oh! Your fine school friends!” she sneered.
“How do you do?” said Frances, weakly.
The other children opened their mouths, but no sounds emerged.
“Don’t ask me how I do!” shrieked Madam Snickasnee so violently that they all backed away in terror. “I do fine! But I’d do much better without all these gawking brats around!”
She grabbed Minx by the ear and held fast. “You, young lady! What were you doing with my magic kettle out? Speak up!”
“I—I was trying s-some experiments, Ma’am!”
“Oh, experiments, hey? And may I ask what experiment resulted from all your brazen fiddle-faddling with my magic powders?”
“N-nothing much, Ma am,” squeaked Minx.
Madam Snickasnee pushed Minx roughly aside, and went over to the kettle. Sticking her long nose inside, she took a deep sniff.
“AHA!” she screamed. “I smell the yellow powder! What did that little snip of a fairy tell you?”
“Nothing, Ma’am. She Just showed off, and put lipstick on.”
The witch narrowed her eyes until they were red slits. “I suspect you lie, little vixen!”
George began to howl. “I wanna go home!”
“George wants to go home,” Frances spoke up bravely. “Good night, everybody!”
“Just a minute!” screamed Madam Snickasnee. “Nobody’s going to set foot outside that door!”
Alice began to howl, too. There was such a din what with Madam Snickasnee screeching, and George and Alice howling, that Minx stuck her fingers in her ears.
“You brat!” shrieked Madam Snickasnee. “How dare you plug up your ears when I’m speaking!”
Minx took her fingers out of her ears.
“And another thing!” the witch went on, in the same tone of voice. “I happened to see Billy Martin while on my travels this evening—so I’m quite sure now what happened to those flowerpots! You were sneaking around in my magic powders, and found the formula!”
She grabbed Minx by the ear again. “Now just for that, Miss Smarty, you’re going to do a little job for me! We still have that bottle of Black Spell Brew you made up the other night—so now you’ll take it and change all your wonderful friends into beautiful flowerpots!”
All the children let out gasps and screeches.
“Oh, Ma’am!” cried Minx. “Please, please don’t make me do that! Oh, please, please, Ma’am!”
But Madam Snickasnee got the bottle of Black Spell Brew, and uncorking it, thrust it into Minx’s hand. “Get busy, or I’ll change you first into a flowerpot, and all your fine friends after you!”
“I wanna go home!” bellowed George and Alice.
“I guess you’d better do it, Minx,” said Frances, as bravely as she could. “We’ll get changed into flowerpots, anyhow.”
“Please don’t make me do it, Ma’am,” begged Minx, beginning to cry. “They’re good children. Let them go home!”
“I don’t care whether they’re good or bad,” said Madam Snickasnee. “They’re children, and that’s enough! Start now, young lady, or you’ll be sorry!”
Slowly, with shaking hand, Minx tipped up the bottle over the blond head of Frances. But just as the liquid started to ooze out thickly, there sounded a knock on the door.
Madam Snickasnee gave a start of surprise. “Who can that be?” she croaked. “Open it,” said Minx, eagerly, holding the bottle upright again, before any of the liquid could spill.
“There’s no one I want to see,” said the witch. “They can just go away!”
“Maybe it’s your new poison catalog,” suggested Minx, anxiously.
“That would come in the mail, stupid,” said the witch.
Minx’s heart started to sink again. If only something would happen to-save them!
But at that moment, the door burst open and in walked Mr. Beanpot with two policemen!
“The witch is going to change us to flowerpots!” sobbed George.
“Not I! Never! Never!” screeched Madam Snickasnee, and pointing a clawlike finger at Minx, she said, “That horrible child was going to do it!”
“Well,” said Mr. Beanpot, suspiciously, “something funny is going on here, and we arrest both of you in the name of the law!”
“Quick, Minx, quick!” shrieked Madam Snickasnee. “Pour the Black Spell Brew on them!”
But quite deliberately, Minx dropped the bottle on the floor, and all the brew spilled out.
Scorcher bolted over to it in a flash and started to lap it up. But no sooner had he taken two laps, than he gave a hideous yowl, and turned into a puff of black smoke which quickly disappeared.
“Oh my cat! My beautiful cat!” howled Madam Snickasnee. “That’s the end of him, poor dear creature!”
“Never mind that,” said the bigger policeman. “Come along quietly, now.”
So Madam Snickasnee and Minx were taken off to jail.
10
GRANDMA TO THE RESCUE
With a clang, the door of the jail shut them in, and they heard the scrunch of the big key in the lock.
Madam Snickasnee had screamed and threatened all the way, and now for a while she tore around, cursing and shrieking; but then, seeing that it did her no good, she sank down on one of the bunks and began to mutter darkly.
Minx was sitting miserably on the other bunk, unhappy, less because she was in jail than because she was shut in the same cell with the witch.
“A pretty pickle,” Madam Snickasnee kept mumbling. “Me, the smartest, cleverest witch this side of the Rockies, to allow mere men to get the best of me—and one of them a man by the name of ‘Beanpot,’ too. Ugh!”
And she shuddered with such violence that the bunk rattled.
“Why don’t you try some magic?” suggested Minx, timidly.
“Without my magic pot or powders, or even my catalog?” said Madam Snickasnee, fiercely. “You stupid child! This is all your fault, too, and I’ll not forget it, either, once I get out of this loathsome place!”
All of a sudden they heard voices.
“Ha!” said Madam Snickasnee, triumphantly. “Here they come to let me out, and when that happens, you’d better shiver and shake, for your fate will be worse than jail!”
Minx was shivering and shaking already.
Presently a big police
man stopped by their cell. When Minx saw who was with him, the icicle in her chest melted away—for it was Frances’s grandma!
“Well, little girl,” said the policeman, “this lady has come to take you home with her.”
“You’re not leaving me here alone, are you?” screamed Madam Snickasnee.
“That we are, Ma’am,” said the policeman, “and I’m sure you’ll be nice and cozy till tomorrow when the judge will take up your case.”
Madam Snickasnee began to scream and threaten again while Grandma led Minx out of the jail house.
“You have to appear in court tomorrow, too, darling,” said Grandma, “but I persuaded the judge to let you come home with me tonight.”
Minx clung tightly to Grandma’s hand all the way home. She had never had a hand to cling to before in her whole life.
The children were noisy with delight to see her, and even though it was rather late, they all got out of bed, and Grandma fed them milk and sandwiches. Minx ate and ate, and then all of a sudden everything began to blur—the cheerful, lighted room, the rosy, laughing faces, and her head dropped down on her chest. She was fast asleep.
The first thing she saw in the morning was Frances’s tousled blond head on the pillow next to her. Frances was still asleep, her eyelashes light on her flushed cheeks, her mouth partly open.
Minx gazed at her intently, a warm feeling inside her. How wonderful it was to have a friend like Frances, and to be able to share a family like this one, even a little bit!
Suddenly Frances’s gray eyes opened, and she smiled sleepily at Minx.
“Grandma put you to bed last night. It’s fun having you here with us.”
“I wish—-I wish I could stay here forever,” said Minx, fervently.
A knock sounded on the door, and Frances called, “Come in!”
Grandma came bustling into the room. “Get up, girls. Minx has to get down to the courthouse early. I have her bath all ready for her.”
“Bath?” repeated Minx, in alarm.
“Didn’t you ever take a bath?” asked Frances, in astonishment.
“No, I never did.”
“Well, now you’re going to,” said Grandma, firmly, “And I bet you’ll enjoy it. So march straight into the bathroom!”
Minx marched, and after stripping off the nightgown Frances had loaned her, she got into the tub with great timidity.
The water closed around in delicious warmth.
Grandma called through the door, “Take the washcloth and soap and give yourself a good scrubbing! Don’t leave one speck of dirt!”
Minx scrubbed, lightly at first, and then with greater gusto. The water promptly became as black as Madam Snickasnee’s hat, and at last Minx stepped forth as clean and shiny as a new dime.
“Are you finished yet?” Frances asked. “I’m coming in with your clothes.”
Minx hated to think of putting on her ragged, dirty clothes against her clean skin, so when Frances handed her a pile of clean, whole clothing, she was overjoyed.
“These are mine, and may be a bit big for you,” said Frances, “but I’m sure they’ll do for now.”
Minx scrambled gaily into the clothes, and finally pulled on a starched yellow dress.
“Oh, my!” she said. “This is the most beautiful dress I ever saw!”
Frances laughed heartily. “This is just an old dress of mine!”
“It doesn’t look old to me,” Minx said, her face shining with happiness, as well as cleanliness.
“Now come on to my room, and I’ll fix your hair,” said Frances.
At last Minx was all dressed, from neat, shining hair, to toes—although the shoes were rather large. After breakfast her stomach was comfortably full of pancakes, sausages, and milk.
“We can’t waste another minute,” said Grandma, clapping on a gay hat with a large red bow and quantities of cherries. “I’ve got to take you straight to the courthouse!”
“I feel scared,” said Minx.
“Oh, nonsense!” said Grandma. “There’s nothing for you to feel scared about. Come along!”
The whole family went, all piling into the car which was supposed to hold only five people. But Alice sat on Frances’s lap, and George scrooged down on the floor.
It looked as if the whole town had heard about the trial, because streams of people were pouring into the courthouse.
Minx had to go sit up front; but Grandma and the children could find seats only in the back.
Pretty soon Judge Honk came in, and everyone stood up. Then he sat down, and so did everyone else.
There were other cases to be tried, and the children found it all quite dull; but at last Madam Snickasnee was called up.
“What is the charger” asked the judge.
“Witchcraft, your Honor,” said the prosecuting attorney.
“Be specific, please,” said the judge. “That is a very serious charge.”
“The accused has been observed riding around on a broomstick, your Honor, and there is also the matter of the seven missing children who were finally discovered coming out of the accused’s house. Then there is also the mysterious disappearance of Mrs. Algernon Sputter for whom all the little Sputters mourn night and day.” Here the prosecuting attorney paused to wipe away the tears which were streaming from his pale, prominent eyes.
“Go on,” said Judge Honk. “What makes you think the accused had anything to do with the disappearance of Mrs. Sputter?”
“She was last seen going into the accused’s house,” said the prosecuting attorney, importantly.
The judge turned to Madam Snickasnee.
“Are these accusations true?” he asked.
Madam Snickasnee drew herself up haughtily. “I’m as innocent as a spotless lamb,” she said, indignantly. Then she made such an effort to smile sweetly, that her cheeks creaked, and almost split.
“If I lie about this,” she went on, pretending to wipe a tear away from her eye, “may I turn into a—an ant-eater!”
Instantly, before the astonished eyes of all the spectators, there stood an anteater, plumy-tailed, squat, its long tongue flicking around for ants.
As soon as Judge Honk was able to speak again, he said, “Well, I—I guess that finishes this case. If the defendant happens to resume her natural form, the court will have to sentence her to prison. Meanwhile, you’d better take this—this creature to the zoo. Next case!”
As two astounded policemen led the anteater from the courtroom, Minx was called up.
“What is the charge against the defendant?” asked Judge Honk.
“Witchcraft, your Honor,” said the prosecuting attorney, looking at Minx rather nervously, as if he expected another anteater to appear any moment.
“Be specific, please,” said the judge.
“The defendant was seen riding on a broomstick, and one Billy Martin (Judge Honk winced) has stated that she was present in the house when he and the other formerly missing children found themselves again.”
Judge Honk looked at Minx sternly.
“What have you to say for yourself, young lady?” he asked.
Minx could feel her knees shaking, but she said, bravely, “It’s true I can ride on a broomstick. I learned it from my mother. But I had nothing to do with the disappearance of Billy Martin or the others. In fact, I had them brought back again.”
“How did they disappear in the first place?” asked Judge Honk.
Minx answered promptly, “My mother changed them into flowerpots—and Mrs. Sputter, too!”
Everyone in the courtroom gasped.
“But I found a formula,” Minx continued, “that made the Pied Piper appear, and he piped a tune that made all the flowerpots change back again.”
“Could you do that for Mrs. Sputter, too?” asked the judge.
“I—I could try,” said Minx, doubtfully.
“As you’re a child,” said Judge Honk, “this court will not hold you responsible for any witchcraft you may have committed. Just turn over a new
leaf, and be law-abiding in the future.”
“Yes, sir!” said Minx, thankfully.
Judge Honk pounded with his gavel. “Case dismissed! Court adjourned until two o’clock this afternoon!”
11
THE MAGIC MIRROR
Grandma and the children were waiting for Minx, and she was soundly hugged and kissed by all of them. As they were going out of the courthouse, Minx gave a little cry.
“What’s the matter?” asked Frances.
“I thought I saw the beautiful lady!” said Minx. “She went out the door just ahead of us!”
“Oh, you got a good imagination!” scoffed Jack.
“Maybe,” said Minx, “but I was almost sure!”
“Well now you must come home with us,” said Grandma, “and be part of our family.”
“Oh golly!” cried Minx. “Do you really mean it?”
“Of course she does,” said Frances. “But Grandma, let’s first go to Minx’s house and get the magic powders and stuff.”
“Yeah, it’s a shame to waste all that good stuff,” said Bob.
“Maybe we can see more fairies,” said Alice.
“Well, you know that Judge Honk doesn’t want you to practice any more witchcraft, Minx,” said Grandma, worriedly.
“Oh, Grandma,” begged Frances, “He won’t mind if we take those few little things!”
So Grandma drove to Minx’s house, and they all went in and carried out the jars of magic powders, the kettle, and the brooms.
When they were making their last trip, Minx said, “Say! Mrs. Sputter is gone!”
Sure enough! The large plant was missing from the table.
“The spell must have broken when my mother was changed into the anteater,” said Minx.
‘Well, let’s not worry about Mrs. Sputter,” said Frances. “It’s almost lunch time and I’m starved.”
“Would you mind waiting for me just one minute?” asked Minx. “Let me alone here, and I won’t be long, I promise!”
“What do you want to do?” asked Frances, curiously.
“I can’t tell you,” said Minx. “Please don’t be mad at me, Frances, but I just can’t.”
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