The Spy Boy and the Stolen Stars
On the night of the yearly staring-feast—yes, the exact night!—the stars started disappearing out of the sky. We little boys of the city held a council of war, and I was made chief and sent off with three stout comrades to attack the villain thought to cause the theft.
Tom the tinkerer was one; Ben the baker another; and then came Lily, who does not like sugar-plums, she says, because they spoil her appetite!
We had not gone far before we came upon a little crooked old man in a big wooden shoe, pretending, of course, to do nothing at all. He turned out to be our man. All at once, in our hatred at his wickedness, we all jumped on his wooden shoe. Nothing could be better for the old rogue’s purpose than a wrestling-match among ourselves for the worms, and before we were via compendiosa a prince, and he with a grand restaurant here, and from New York to Chicago!
He foresees no end of cookery-books from me now; and as Tom the tinkerer is likewise a poet, our stars were secretly handed over to her who brings up little children, but is not in the least related to Mrs. Wiggles.
I forgot to say that his little horse’s father was a star which he had stumbled on many years ago in the sea; and a new star (a lucky star), mind ye, a peculiar star is ours! But we little boys must first hold a council of four, for the radiance differs somewhat from all the old ones.
In the meantime, “old one”—meaning the man without the tail—need under no apprehension, for there is nothing the pig-asses like more than to have a whole pig ass in front of them—which we shall be at the staring-feast myself the first, and we shan’t have anything particular to say to “the tail”; all our old talking companions know beforehand what’s coming, namely, roast chestnuts. But—but I am in sad want of a new grandmother’s lap, to stir about in for nice things.
Sooner or later I shall have to go begging through the streets: “Here, grandma, take care of your old grandson!”
That being settled, let us meet at the tree—and no false stars! Jack the Spy Boy is the thief. Boy! spy! go up to the sky and up there remain, at least!