Elmer and the Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett Read Free Book Online

 
    Chapter One
    TANGERINA
    Into the evening sky flew Elmer Elevator aboard the gentle baby dragon, leaving Wild Island behind forever. Elmer, who was nine years old, had just rescued the dragon from the ferocious animals who lived on the island. An old alley cat told him how the dragon had been hurt when he fell from a cloud onto the island, and how the wild animals had made him their miserable prisoner. Elmer, feeling sorry for the dragon, and also hoping to fly on his back, had set off to the rescue.
    Now the dragon was free, and happy and grateful, and he said, "Elmer, you were wonderful to come all the way to Wild Island just to rescue me. I'll never be able to thank you enough!"
    "Oh, that's all right," said Elmer. "Flying on your back makes all my trouble worthwhile."
    "Then I'll take you on a trip! Where would you like to go?"
    "Everywhere," said Elmer. "The trouble is that I ran away ten days ago to rescue you, and I guess I ought to be getting home."
    "Well, at least I can fly you there." "That would be swell," said Elmer, peering over the dragon's side. "Let's rest tonight down there on Tangerina Island, and start the trip tomorrow."
    "Fine," said the dragon, swooping down and landing beneath a tree on the beach of Tangerina.
    Elmer slid down and took off his knapsack. "You're beautiful!" he said, admiring the dragon's blue and yellow stripes, his red horn and eyes, his great long tail, and especially his gold-colored wings shining in the faint moonlight.
    "It's very kind of you to say so," said the dragon, suddenly feeling very hungry. "What's there to eat around here?"
    "Tangerines all over the place!" said Elmer, picking one and peeling it for the dragon.
    "Pew! Pew! What a terrible taste!" choked the dragon, spitting out the tangerine as hard as he could.

    "What do dragons eat?" asked Elmer.
    "I used to enjoy the skunk cabbages and the ostrich ferns on Wild Island, but I don't see any here," said the dragon, looking anxiously up and down the empty beach.
    "Maybe you'd like the tangerine peelings?" suggested Elmer.
    The dragon closed his eyes and carefully bit off a small corner of a piece of a peel. Then he jumped up yelling, "Why, they're delicious!"

    So Elmer and the dragon ate nineteen tangerines, Elmer the insides and the dragon the peels. A chilly wind blew along the beach and the dragon curled his great long tail around the boy to keep him warm. "Good night!" said Elmer, resting his head on his knapsack. "I can't wait for the trip home tomorrow."
    Next morning, as the sun edged over the horizon, the dragon rubbed his eyes, stretched his wings, and yawned. "My, but it's good to be free again! By the way, Elmer, where do you live?"
    "In Nevergreen City near Evergreen Park on the coast of Popsicornia," mumbled Elmer, who was already awake and eating tangerines.
    "I hope you know how to get there," said the dragon.
    "Don't you?" asked Elmer.
    "No, don't you?" asked the dragon.
    "No," said Elmer. "You see, I came here in the bottom of a boat and I couldn't see where I was going."
    "The seagulls will know," said the dragon. "They follow ships out to sea."
    "I'll go ask one," said Elmer, suddenly remembering that it would be nice to be home for his father's birthday. He walked down to the water where a very old gull was blinking at the morning sun.
    "Excuse me," said Elmer, "but did you ever hear of Nevergreen City?"
    "Of course," croaked the very old gull. "I lived there before I followed a ship to Tangerina, but I wouldn't dream of going back now."
    "That's very interesting," said Elmer, "but would you know how to go if you did want to?"
    "Certainly!" answered the old gull, pointing his right wing toward the ocean. "Just fly in exactly that direction until you get there."
    Elmer took out his compass and found that this direction was west northwest. "Is it very far?"
    "Far? I should say so!"
    "Well, thanks a lot," said Elmer.

    "I'm kind of worried," said the dragon. "Suppose we never find it?"
    "We'll find