[CHAPTER XXI] _The Tingle-Berries_
When the excitement of the morning had subsided and the forest wasquiet again, Policeman Bluejay came to the nest of the child-larks,wearing his official helmet and club. You may be sure that one of thefirst things Twinkle asked him was if he knew where tingle-berriesgrew.
"Of course," he replied, promptly. "They grow over at the north edge ofthe forest, in the open country. But you must never eat them, my dearfriend, because they are very bad for birds."
"But the Royal Necromancer of the King Bird of Paradise says thetingle-berries will restore us to our proper forms," explained thegirl.
"Oh; did he say that? Then he probably knows," said the bluejay, "and Iwill help you to find the berries. We birds always avoid them, for theygive us severe pains in our stomachs."
"That's bad," observed Chubbins, uneasily.
"Well," said Twinkle, "I'd be willing to have a pain or two, just to bemyself again."
"So would I, if it comes to that," agreed the boy. "But I'd rather havefound a way to be myself without getting the pain."
"There is usually but one thing that will overcome an enchantment,"remarked the bluejay, seriously; "and if it is a tingle-berry that willdestroy the charm which the old tuxix put upon you, then nothing elsewill answer the same purpose. The Royal Necromancer is very wise, andyou may depend upon what he says. But it is late, at this season, fortingle-berries. They do not grow at all times of the year, and we maynot be able to find any upon the bushes."
"Cannot we go at once and find out?" asked Twinkle, anxiously.
"To be sure. It will grieve me to lose you, my little friends, but Iwant to do what will give you the most happiness. Come with me,please."
They flew away through the forest, and by and by came upon the opencountry to the north, leaving all the trees behind them.
"Why, this is the place we entered the forest, that day we got'chanted!" cried Twinkle.
"So it is," said Chubbins. "I believe we could find our way home fromhere, Twink."
"But we can't go home like we are," replied the girl-lark. "What wouldour folks say, to find us with birds' bodies?"
"They'd yell and run," declared the boy.
"Then," said she, "we must find the tingle-berries."
The bluejay flew with them to some bushes which he said were the kindthe tingle-berries grew upon, but they were all bare and not a singleberry could be found.
"There must be more not far away," said the policeman, encouragingly."Let us look about us."
They found several clumps of the bushes, to be sure; but unfortunatelyno berries were now growing upon them, and at each failure the childrengrew more and more sad and despondent.
"If we have to wait until the bushes bear again," Twinkle remarked, "itwill be nearly a year, and I'm sure we can't live in the forest allwinter."
"Why not?" asked the policeman.
"The food in our basket would all be gone, and then we would starve todeath," was the reply. "We can't eat bugs and worms, you know."
"I'd rather die!" declared Chubbins, mournfully.
The bluejay became very thoughtful.
"If we could find some of the tingle bushes growing near the shade ofthe forest," he said at last, "there might still be some berriesremaining on them. Out here in the bright sunshine the berries soonwither and drop off and disappear."
"Then let us look near the trees," suggested Twinkle.
They searched for a long time unsuccessfully. It was growing late, andthey were almost in despair, when a sharp cry from Policeman Bluejaydrew the child-larks to his side.
"What is it?" enquired the girl, trembling with nervous excitement.
"Why," said the policeman, "here is a bush at last, and on it areexactly two ripe tingle-berries!"