Half-Past Seven Stories

five minutes; though the Toyman's long shanks could cover the ground in fifteen. But then he could go ever so fast. However, they usually rode, and horses can always go faster than

ty. It was a fine one, you may be sure, but we are not going to tell y

ndred pounds, but Aunt Abby only a hundred; and they were planning to visit the White House With the Green Blinds by the Side of the Road--"for a week," they said, but the boys heard Father whisper to Moth

k skim ahead of them over the road, just like a snake. And they liked the surrey, too. It had a fringe all around the top, and high mudguards, and a whip with a tassel and ribbon on it. But now that the great-aunts were in, Aunt Abby's side r

for it. He might even let them drive, or tell them stories--about Ole Man Pumpkin, or the stars, or the cowboys out West, or any

hts in the houses and the street lamps on the corners, which shone steadily and all the whi

ng around a wagon. The horses which had brought it there were tied to a hitching post a little way off, and a man stood in the back by the tailboard. The light which they had seen from afar shone over his head, a st

lo Bill, and a long black coat--v

ispered to t

he man's coat? It

Toyman r

, and pretty soon he's going to get

e's eyes

?" he asked in

yman l

hat without being sued for libel,

me, and the Toyman had to explain that he meant that the strange man ought to

it needed the mange cure quite as much as did the fur collar of his coat. And it was tipped on the

an's name on it, Dr. Philemon Pipp, and a big

osophat, "look at th

n, other pictures, of a man with his skin taken off, which showed his bones, and h

they saw lots of bottles filled with nice black juice. It looked like

r. Philemon Pi

p up all the people--or something the people had--into his wagon. Perhaps it wa

ep up a little

d put one hand across his chest, the middle finger betwe

ed audience a marrvelous programme--an extrahorrrdinary exheebeeshun of tricks

uh eyes peeled, gents--and meb

e, for the small boys were clim

ave youall fohgot yuh mannahs? Do

gnificent words, but they sounded quite splendid. No wonder the hat

n Pipp had turn

tah?--Thank you, sah," he said t

to step up on the wagon. Jehosophat wished he had been

showed the coin t

, young man

" said the little

iggling his hands thr

e it and no

ut of the boy's mouth. That wasn't all, either, for next minute he took it out of his cap, then out of his ears.

an, Dr. Philemon Pipp

rick," he declared, "I will pefohm

s that no one understood it

he boys asked him,

ut watch, sonny, and s

n had taken off

a simple piece of headwear that has seen m

Still, Marmaduke thought it was very much out of the ordinary.

-watch--everybody ready? Pre

at he drew a white rabbit--a real live white ra

ain he

hstand this simple li

nderstood how to d

d to listen, for it w

hen leaned down to his helper. "What's the name of this burg, Jake?" he whispe

t whispered t

o glorious when he can't

chuckled an

a very remarkable man. But listen, boy,

with all their ears, and the

at's just what he said,--"the famous Indian, Chief-Afraid-of-a-Rat. Come on, Chief

, a live white rabbit, and held i

view la

kin with beads embroidered on it, and a headdress of many feathers and many colors too. He

ging goo,

tunk a tin

goo, ge

man li

ith all the feathers said, a

ian language to understand, the man with the long hair an

said he, "is a great medicine man. He says that from his native s

e of the big bottles that was full of black juice like

the head; if yuh feet burn and blister; if yuh tongue evah feels thick; if yuh feel a leetle inclined to dizzynes

other bottle an

a paltry five dollahs for to be cured of his miseries? But--ladees an

got its name," wh

Toyman right back at hi

t seemed Dr. Pipp was going to give something

ll give away--for this night only--a whole bottle of t

ys, and they said so to the Toyman, bu

crowd of men and boys and hollered real

be cuhed? Who'll be the

eir pockets, and brought up their fifty-cent pi

f the kinds of pains and aches Dr. Pipp talked

black medicine would

bottle, an' it will cure y

chilblains. That old codger's not telling the

th one hand, and collecting the fifty-cent pieces with th

goo, g

hunk-a-tin

goo, ge

man li

in off, and then on Dr. Philemon Pipp with his long black hair and tall silk hat, an

ing stranger s

just muttered

y are, but I guess

ust have felt hurt because the Toyman hadn't bought any of his bottles, f

't yuh willin'

ings, but he never said anything funnier and more surpris

called him, not Dr. Pipp at all--"that medicine of yours

around the Toyman, call

im, Frank? Is

oyman, "and he's got all your

ome quick," for he thought there

made him give back their money, every last cent of it. Then, while some of them held him, the others smashed all his bottles until th

here, quick! C

ipe a very long time. So at last the tall Doctor with his fine fur collar--but without his silk hat--hitched up his horses with trembling fingers, and he

ucked" to Hal and t

hosophat asked, after they

e didn't remember me, but I did him

e a r

patent-medicine man, but

oyman?" put in Marma

s folks something that's no good, and takes all their money fo

ad!" sighed

too bad,

ig bottles and waste all t

de along by the River, the Moon was up, and seemed to be riding along with them--never getting ahead or behind, just keeping even with Hal the Red Roan. And Marmaduke

ed about that fur collar, and the tall h

ossible tha