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THE GOBLIN LOOKING-GLASS |
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of lemonade. To the children's surprise Bom raised it to his lips and drank it all off at one gulp.
" That's good," he said. " Very good."
Then he stood and sniffed the air as if he could smell something.
" Tumpy," he said, in an angry voice. " You have had visitors. Where are they? "
Tumpy was very frightened but he wasn't going to give the children away. He shook his head and taking up a broom, began to sweep the floor. But Bom took him up in his big hand and shook him so hard that Micky and Pam were sure they could hear his teeth rattling together.
Micky was not going to let anyone be hurt for him. So he stepped boldly out from behind the couch with Pam.
" Stop shaking Tumpy," he said. " We are not really his visitors. We didn't come to see him."
Bom dropped Tumpy in surprise, and stared at the two children.
" Did you come to see me, then? " he asked. " Oh, perhaps you are the two children of the Wizard Broody? He told me he was sending them out travelling, and that they might perhaps call and see me."
" Perhaps we are, and perhaps we aren't," said Micky, grandly. " We shall not tell you our names."
Bom looked at them sharply.
" Well, if you are, you can do two or three things for me," he said. " I've a silver canary that won't sing. If you are the Wizard's children, you can easily make it sing for me. Then I've a sack of stones I can't turn into gold, no matter how I try. You can do that for me, too. Then I've a candle that won't light. You must make it light for me. If you can do those things I shall know you are the wizard's children and you shall go in safety. But—if you cannot do them, then who will you be? Perhaps children that have come through the goblin mirror! Aha! "
Micky put on a bold face, and hoped that Pam would try not to cry. He meant to go back to the mirror room as soon as he had a chance, and climb through the looking-glass into his own nursery.
" I'll try to do what you want," he said. " Take us to the canary."
Bom marched to the door, and the children went after him. Micky looked behind him at the little goblin Tumpy, and saw that he was pointing and signalling to him. Micky knew why. It was to remind
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