CHAPTER 28

When they reached the edge of the Fog Bank, the Pinkies all halted to put on their raincoats, and Button-Bright put up his umbrella and held it over himself and Trot.  Then, when everybody was ready, they entered the Fog and Rosalie the Witch made a signal to call the Frog King and his subjects to aid them as they had done before.

Pretty soon the great frogs appeared, a long line of them facing Trot and her Pink Army and sitting upon their haunches close together.

“Turn around so we can get upon your backs,” said Rosalie.

“Not yet,” answered the Frog King in a gruff, deep voice.  “You must first take that insulting umbrella out of my dominions.”

“Why, what is there about my umbrella that seems insulting?” asked Button-Bright in surprise.

“It is an intimation that you don’t like our glorious climate and object to our delightful fog and are trying to ward off its soulful, clinging kisses,” replied the Frog King in an agitated voice.  “There has never been an umbrella in my kingdom before, and I’ll not allow one in it now.  Take it away at once!”

“But we can’t,” explained Trot.  “We’ve got to take the umbrella with us to the Pink Country.  We’ll put it down if you like, an’ cross the bank in this drizzle—­which may be clingin’ an’ soulful, but is too wet to be comfort’ble.  But the umbrella’s got to go with us.”

“It can’t go another inch,” cried the obstinate frog with an angry croak, “nor shall any of your people advance another step while that insulting umbrella is with you.”

Trot turned to Rosalie.  “What shall we do?” she asked.

“I really do not know,” replied the Witch, greatly perplexed.

“Can’t you make the frogs let us through?” inquired the boy.

“No, I have no power over the frogs,” Rosalie answered.  “They carried us before as a favor, but if the king now insists that we cannot pass with the umbrella, we must go back to the Blue Country or leave your umbrella behind us.”

“We won’t do that!” said Button-Bright indignantly.  “Can’t we fight the frogs?”

“Fight!” cried Trot.  “Why, see how big they are.  They could eat up our whole army if they wanted to.”

But just then, while they stood dismayed at this unfortunate position, a queer thing happened.  The umbrella in Button-Bright’s hand began to tremble and shake.  He looked down at the handle and saw that the red eyes of the carved elephant’s head were rolling fiercely and sending out red sparks of anger in all directions.  The trunk swayed from side to side, and the entire head began to swell and grow larger.

In his fright, the boy sprang backward a step and dropped the umbrella to the ground, and as he did so, it took the form of a complete elephant, growing rapidly to a monstrous size.  Then, flapping its ears and wagging its tail—­which was merely the covered frame of the umbrella—­the huge elephant lifted its trunk and charged the line of astonished frogs.