More Wishing-Chair Stories by Enid Blyton Read Free Book Online Page A

there is something funny about you. Make us scrub the floor, or something. Anything will do.”
    “But do give us something to eat,” said Mollie. “We really are very hungry.”
    Peter clapped his hands. The door swung open and two soldiers appeared. They saluted and clicked their heels together.
    “Bring me a tray of chocolate cakes, some apples, and some sardine sandwiches,” commanded Peter. “And some lemonade, too. Oh, and bring two pails of hot water and two scrubbing-brushes. I am going to make my two prisoners scrub the floor.”
    The guards saluted and went out. In a few minutes two Scally-Wags, dressed in footmen’s uniform, came in with the tray of food. How good it looked! Behind them followed another Scally-Wag carrying two pails of steaming hot water, two scrubbing-brushes, and some soap.
    “Your Majesty, is it safe for you to be alone with two prisoners as fierce as these?” asked one of the Scally-Wags.
    “Dear me, yes,” said Peter. “I would turn them both into black-beetles if they so much as frowned at me!”
    The Scally-Wags bowed and went out. Mollie and Chinky giggled. “Do you like playing at being a King, Peter?” asked Mollie.
    “I’m not playing at it, I am a King!” said Peter. “Come and help yourselves to food, you two. I’ll have some too. It looks good.”
    It was good! But in the middle of the meal there came a loud knock at the door. Mollie and Chinky flung down their sandwiches in a hurry, caught up scrubbing-brushes and went down on their hands and knees! They pretended to be hard at work scrubbing as three Scally-Wags entered with a message.
    “Your Majesty!” they said, bowing low till their foreheads bumped against the floor. “His Highness, the Prince of Goodness Knows Where, is coming to see you tomorrow, to exchange magic spells. He will be here at eleven o’clock.”
    “Oh,” said Peter. “Thanks very much.”
    The three Scally-Wags looked angrily at Mollie and Chinky scrubbing the floor, and said, “Shall we beat these prisoners for you, Your Majesty? We hear that they have pushed three people into the river, and smashed down the old wizard’s hat on to his nose, and . . .”
    “That’s enough,” said Peter in a fierce voice. “I punish my prisoners myself. Any interference from you, and you will scrub my floor too!”
    “Pardon, pardon, Your Majesty!” cried the three Scally-Wags, and they backed away so fast that they fell over one another and rolled down the steps. The two children and Chinky laughed till their sides ached.
    “Oh, Peter, you do make a good King!” said Mollie. “I do wish I could be a queen!”
    “I say! What about this Prince of Goodness Knows Where,” said Chinky. “If he is really coming to exchange magic spells with you, Peter, you will find things rather difficult. Because, you see, you can’t do any spells at all.”
    The three stared at one another. Then Peter had an idea.
    “Look here, Chinky, couldn’t you change places with me tomorrow, and do spells instead of me?” he asked. “I’ll say that I will receive the Prince alone— so that none of the Scally-Wags will know it’s you and not me.”
    “Good idea!” cried Chinky at once. “I don’t know anything about the Prince, but perhaps I can manage to satisfy him. That’s just what we’ll do— change places!”
    That night Mollie and Chinky slept in the kitchen of the palace. They were quite comfortable on a big sofa there, though the two kitchen cats would keep on lying down on top of them. They were nice, warm cats, but very fat and heavy. Peter slept on a golden bed in a big bedroom—but he said he would much rather have slept with Molly and Chinky on the kitchen sofa with the cats. It was lonely in the golden bed.
    Peter told the soldiers that he meant to keep the two prisoners, Mollie and Chinky, as personal servants, and therefore they were to bring him in his breakfast. You may be sure that the two of them piled the trays up well with food of