THE MAGIC CAKE
Ned and the Gnome landed safely on a big soft bunker of moss.
THE MAGIC CAKE
AS the last drum beat died away in the distance, the Gnome turned to Nedand said: "Come, let us hasten, for I am rather hungry, and you no doubtare in need of nourishment also."
Ned obeyed willingly, for he had tasted nothing since breakfast and wasnow as hungry as a healthy youngster should be.
At the farther end of the cavern was an inclined plane, very much likethe chutes at Coney Island.
Carefully seating Ned at his side the Gnome said: "Now hold tight, andhold your breath and hold your tongue--in fact, hold everything you'vegot--for we are going to take a swift shoot to the bottom of themountain and you'll find out what the word swift means if you never havebefore!"
At this they began to move, and in another moment they were traveling asfast as a bullet from a gun.
The wind, whistling by, cut Ned's cheeks like little sharp needles; hishair stood out behind like feathers on a speeding arrow.
They were going so fast it was almost impossible to breathe.
Presently a tiny light appeared in the distance, and he saw that theywere now on a level, although still going at a tremendous rate of speed.
In another moment they shot through the little round hole of light,which turned out to be the opening at the other end, and he and theGnome landed safely on a big soft bunker of moss in the midst of abeautiful forest.
Birds were singing in the treetops and little rabbits were skipping onthe soft carpet of the woodland.
Pretty flowers sent forth a delicious perfume and a brook close at handrippled over the pebbly bottom of its bed.
"Wait," cried the Gnome, as Ned leaned over to drink the cool water."Wait; I have for you the most delicious drink if you will restrain yourimpatience a moment longer."
Ned obeyed and followed the Gnome along a narrow path until they came toa small clearing, where the blue sky smiled down upon them.
In the center of the spot was a monstrous watermelon, standing up onend, the thick vine supporting it like a strong round barrel stave.
A large wooden spigot protruded from one side and over it leaned aGnome, who had climbed upon the vine in order to reach the handle.
Ned's little companion lifted a goblin cup to catch the drops ofdelicious looking pink juice which began to drip slowly from the spigotwhen the Gnome carefully turned the handle.
"Careful, now," commanded the Gnome, as he handed the brimming goblet toNed. "See that you spill not a drop of the precious nectar.
"Good, is it?" he inquired, seeing the sparkle in Ned's eyes and hearingthe smack on his lips as the last drop disappeared. "Pretty good, eh?"
"Better'n soda water," replied Ned; "lots better."
The little Gnome at the spigot smiled. "I grew the melon," he said withpride. "It's the largest so far in Gnomeland. But next year I'm going togrow even a bigger one!"
"How do you make them grow so large?" inquired Ned, hoping he would beinvited to have another glass of the juice.
"Not another drop!" said Ned's little friend. "A second goblet and youwould be so hungry you could eat stones."
"Come with me," said the small Gnome guide. "We must eat."
Ned eagerly followed him, and they pressed forward at a rapid walk untilthey came to a queer little hut, from which issued a most delicious odorof sponge cake.
Around the door, or, more properly, what appeared to be one, but whichwas in fact but a small opening, stood several goblins, evidentlyawaiting orders from someone.
As Ned drew near he perceived that instead of a hut it was in reality ahuge oven, in which something very delicious was being baked.
"Minions!" called out Ned's friend, "is not the goblin cake ready?"
"Yes, sire!" responded several voices, and in another moment the ovenwas taken apart and removed from the most delicious looking sponge cakethat Ned had ever seen. A soft, warm brown color made it most temptingto the eyes, and the delicious smell made Ned so anxious to commenceeating that he could with difficulty restrain himself.
"Help yourself," cried his little friend, and without a moment'shesitation Ned pulled off a piece of cake and eagerly commenced.
"Begone!" commanded the Gnome to the small bakers, who still stoodaround curiously watching their cake disappearing down the mouth of amortal as rapidly as its owner could cram it in; "begone and leave us toenjoy the cake alone!"
At this they turned away and descended the steep hill which lay to theright and disappeared below.
"Be careful," admonished the Gnome, as Ned showed no signs of finishing,"you may eat too much. Gnome cake, while most delicious, is more fillingthan that of mortal make!"
But Ned paid no heed. Already he had eaten a great hole in the cake and,finding the inside warm and flaky, he squeezed himself in.
It was much easier to eat the inside, as it was softer, and the crusthad already grown quite hard.
He was so busy eating and, I'm sorry to say, so greedy, that he did notnotice that as he ate away the interior of the sponge cake the outsidegradually grew tighter, and the opening which he had made at thebeginning of his feast, and through which he had crowded, became smallerand smaller, until finally it closed altogether.
When Ned perceived this, and it was some time after, I assure you, hewas indeed frightened. He pounded on the walls of his sponge cake prisonand called loudly to the Gnome, but for some time he heard nothing.
Finally, after frantically running around and around inside the hugecake ball, he thought he heard the voice of his small friend. He pressedhis ear close to the wall and listened.
Sure enough, he could just hear the words, "Hold on tight to one side,and brace your feet," and the next moment he perceived that the cake wasin motion.
Slowly at first, but in a few minutes the great cake ball began torevolve faster and faster.
Ned was terrified at first, as it was with great difficulty that he kepthis body from playing battledore and shuttlecock. The greater the speedof the huge mass, however, the less inclination there was to bounceabout, and he soon found himself literally glued, as it were, to oneside.
While thus traveling in this novel way, he began to entertain some fearas to what would happen should an obstacle be encountered, and by somestrange coincidence no sooner had, the idea come than it was followed bya terrific crash!
The crust of the cake ball broke into a thousand pieces, and Ned landedsafely some distance from the spot, still clinging to a huge piece ofsponge cake, which acted like a cushion between him and the ground.
Looking anxiously around, after wiping some stray crumbs from his eyes,he saw his little friend, the Gnome, running frantically down the steepincline, which, luckily for Ned, had been the cause of his liberation.
Finding him unhurt, the Gnome sat down on the piece of cake to resthimself and regain his breath before speaking.
When he did, however, what he said caused Ned to run quickly over to thebrook to look at himself in the water.
To his dismay, what the Gnome had said was, indeed, too true. Ned wasnearly as broad as he was high.
The cake he had eaten had evidently occupied the same space inside ofhim as it had inside the brown crust.
"What am I ever going to do?" said Ned.
"'Twas a lucky think I kept you from drinking another gobletful of thewatermelon juice," answered the Gnome. "Otherwise you might have eatenthe whole cake, and then you might have been twice as large as you arenow."
"I don't think there is anything to laugh at," said Ned, as his smallfriend burst into a hearty peal of laughter.
"Of course you don't," replied the Gnome, "you can't see yourself. Ifyou could, though--oh, my!" and he again burst into peals of laughter.
Ned waited a few moments and then asked: "Well, what are we going todo?"
"Don't worry, Ned, dear," replied his little friend, touched by his goodnature and feeling sorry for him, "don't worry. The watermelon ju
icemade the sponge cake swell. All that is necessary now is to take theantidote, and I know where it can be found without any trouble."