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words in Planetty's language, did not interrupt her. "And halfway there,"
continued Planetty calmly, "a dreadful storm overtook us. A bright flash of
lightning frightened Thun, and though I signalled for him to stop, he
sprang right up on a huge glowing thunderbolt that had fallen across the
netway, and it fell and fell and fell, bringing us to where we are now."
"Well, that's one way of going places," commented Kabumpo, swinging his
trunk from side to side.
"But how can we find Anuther Planet when none of us fly?" demanded Randy
anxiously. "It must be miles above this country, for think how fast and far
thunderbolts fall when they fall."
"Now you've forgotten the Red Jinn," boomed Kabumpo, winking meaningfully at
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the young King, for at Randy's words the little Princess had covered her
face with her hands and three yellow jewels had trickled through her
fingers. "Jinnicky can help Planetty and Thun go anyplace they wish,"
insisted Kabumpo in his loud, challenging bass. "Come, Princess, summon
your fire-breathing steed, and we will travel on to the most powerful
wizard in Ev."
"Ev? Wizard? Oh, how gay it all sounds." Planetty's voice rang out merrily
as Christmas bells. With a lively skip she tapped her staff three times on
the ground, and Thun, though out of sight, came instantly bounding back to
his little mistress. Vaulting easily upon his back, the Princess of Anuther
Planet lifted her staff, and Kabumpo, picking up Randy, started away like a
whole conquering army.
CHAPTER 8
ON TO EV
"Is there any way you can signal to your mount to trot ahead?" inquired
Kabumpo, looking down sideways at the Thunder Colt, whose breath was
blowing hot and uncomfortable against his side. "Let Thun be the vanguard,"
he suggested craftily. "When I trumpet once, turn him left; at two, turn
right; at three, he must halt."
"Oh, fine," approved Planetty, tapping out the message with her heel on the
Thunder Colt's flank. "That will be simply delishicus." Thun evidently
agreed with her, for, tossing his smoky mane, he cantered to a position
just ahead of the Elegant Elephant, at which Kabumpo heaved a huge sigh of
relief. He did not wish to hurt Thun's feelings; neither did he wish to
catch fire again.
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"Here travel Thun, the Thunder Colt; Planetty, Princess of Anuther Planet;
Kabumpty of Noz; and Slandy, King of Seegalia! Give way, all ye comers and
goers, and arouse me not, for I am a seething mass of molten metal!"
"Is he really?" marveled Randy, gazing up at the fiery message floating like
a banner over their heads. Planetty nodded absently, her interest so taken
up with the wildflowers below, the blue sky above, and the wide-armed,
lacy-leafed trees of this ancient forest she could not bear to turn her
head for fear of missing something. On her own far-away metal planet, skies
were grey and leaden, and the various states of slate and silver strata
arranged in stiff and net-like patterns. The gay colors of this bright new
world simply delighted her, and Randy and Kabumpo she considered beings of
rare and singular beauty. The word she used to herself when she thought of
them was "netiful," which is Anuther way of saying beautiful.
"A wonder that high-talking Thomas couldn't get a name straight once in a
while!" complained Kabumpo out of one corner of his mouth as Thun's
sentence spiraled away in thin pink smoke.
"Oh, what difference does it make?" laughed Randy. "I think `Kabumpty' is
real cute."
"CUTE!" raged the Elegant Elephant with such a fierce blast Planetty
promptly turned Thun to the left.
"Now see what you've done," snickered Randy, giving Kabumpo's ear a
mischievous tweak. "They think you want them to go left."
"As a matter of fact, I do," snapped Kabumpo grumpily. "We must go east
through Ix and then north to Ev."
"Puzzling and more puzzling," murmured Planetty, looking round at the
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Elegant Elephant. "Where are all these curious places, Bumpo dear? I
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