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with him, and began to sort out boxes containing food. Then he quickly
gathered some faggots for a fire, as the night was raw and chilly, and had
Planetty signal Thun to breathe on the wood. Thun, only too happy to be of
some use, quickly lighted the campfire, and he and the little Princess
watched curiously while Randy prepared his own and Kabumpo's supper, making
coffee in a tin box with some water Kabumpo had fetched in his collapsible
canvas bucket. The Elegant Elephant did rather well with the contents of
seven cake boxes and four bread and cereal containers, and Randy found so
many good things to eat among Chillywalla's presents he felt sorry not to
be able to share them with Planetty or Thun.
"It would be more fun if you ate, too," he observed, looking down sideways
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at the little Princess, who was sitting on a boulder, hands clasped about
her knees, while she gazed contentedly up at the stars.
"Would it?" Planetty smiled faintly, tapping her silver heels against the
rock. "This seems nite enough," she sighed, stretching up her arms
luxuriantly, "but now it is time to ret." Slipping off her metal cape, the
Princess of Anuther Planet tossed one end against a white birch and the
other to a tall pine. To Randy's surprise, the ends of the cape instantly
attached themselves to the trees, making a soft, flexible hammock. Into
this Planetty climbed with utmost ease and satisfaction. "Good net, Randy
and Big Bumpo, dear," she called softly. "Take care of Thun. I've told him
to stay where he is till the earling, and he will, he will."
With a smile, Planetty closed her bright eyes, and the wind swaying her
silver hammock soon rocked her to sleep. It had been a long day, and Randy
felt very drowsy himself. Walking over to the Thunder Colt, he turned his
head so that his fiery breath would fall harmlessly on a cluster of damp
rocks. He was pleased to find this steed from another planet so obedient
and gentle. Though formed of some live and lively black metal, Thun was
soft and satiny to the touch and seemed to enjoy having his back rubbed as
much as an ordinary horse.
"Tap me twice on the shoulder if aught occurs, Slandy," he signalled,
blowing the words out lazily between Randy's pats. "And good net to you, my
Nozzies! Good net!"
"That language is just full of foolishness," sniffed Kabumpo, spreading a
blanket on the ground for Randy and then stretching himself full length
beneath a beech tree. "Put out the fire, Nozzy, my lad, the creature's
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breath makes light enough to frighten off any wild men or monsters."
"Oh, I don't believe there are any wild beasts or savages in this forest,"
Randy said, stamping out the embers of the campfire. "It's too quiet and
peaceful. I have an idea we're almost across Ix and will reach Ev by
morning. What do you think, Kabumpo?"
Kabumpo made no answer, for the Elegant Elephant had stopped thinking and
was already comfortably asnore. So, with a terrific yawn, Randy wrapped
himself in the blanket, and curling up close to his big and faithful
comrade, fell into an instant and pleasant slumber. Morning came all too
soon, and Randy was rudely awakened by Kabumpo, who was shaking him
violently by the shoulders. "Come on! Come on!" blustered the Elegant
Elephant impatiently. "Stir out of it, my boy, we've all been up for hours.
Is it proper to lie abed and let a Princess light the fire?"
"She didn't!" Sitting bolt upright, Randy saw that Planetty, with Thun's
help, actually had lighted a fire and set water to boil in the tin box just
as he had done the evening before. "Oh my goodness, Planetty! You musn't do
that rough work," he exclaimed, hurrying over to take the big cake box from
Planetty's hands.
"Why not?" beamed the little Princess, hugging the box close. "See, I have
found the great choconut cake for Big Bumpo to eat C4 I mean neat."
"Ha, ha! Choconut cake!" Kabumpo swayed merrily from side to side. "Very
neat, my dear. If there's one thing I love for breakfast, it's choconut
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