Free Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton Page A

started from! The driver of the train
was there, waiting.
     
   
"So you're back again," he said. "My, you've been quick."
"Well, the engine didn't behave itself very well," said Jo, stepping
down thankfully. "It just ran away the last part of the journey. It wouldn't
stop anywhere!"
"Oh, I dare say it wanted to get back to me," said the driver, climbing
into the engine-cab. "It's a monkey sometimes. Come along and drive it again
with me."
"No, thank you," said Jo. "I think I've had enough. It was fun,
though."
The girls, Moon-Face and Silky, got out of their carriages. They had been rather
frightened the last part of the journey, but they thought Jo was very clever to
drive the train by himself.
     
   
They all left the station. "Now what shall we do?" said Moon-Face.
     
   
"I want to ride on an elephant," said Fanny at once.
"There aren't any," said Bessie. But no sooner had she spoken than the
children saw six big grey elephants walking solemnly up to them, swaying a little
from side to side.
     
   
"Oh, look, look!" yelled Fanny, nearly mad with excitement. "There
are my elephants. Six of them! We can all have a ride!"
Each elephant had a rope ladder up its left side. The children, Moon-Face and
Silky climbed up and sat on a comfortable seat on the elephant's backs. Then the
big creatures set off, swaying through the crowds.
     
   
It was simply lovely. Fanny did enjoy herself. She called to the others. "Wasn't
this a good idea of mine, everybody? Aren't we high up? And isn't it fun?"
"It is fun," said Moon-Face, who had never even seen art elephant before,
and would certainly never have thought of riding on one if he had. "Oh, goodness-my
rope ladder has slipped off my elephant! Now I shall never be able to get down!
I'll have to ride on this elephant all my life long!"
Everybody laughed-but Moon-Face was really alarmed. When the children had had
enough of riding they all climbed down their rope ladders-but poor Moon-Face sat
up high, tears pouring down his fat cheeks.
     
   
"I tell you I can't get down," he kept saying. "I'm up here for
good!"
The elephant stood patiently for a little while. Then it got tired of hearing
Moon-Face cry. It
swung its enormous trunk round, wound it gently round Moon-Face's waist, and lifted
him down to the ground. Moon-Face was so surprised that he couldn't speak a word.
     
   
At last he found his tongue. "What did the elephant lift me down with?"
he asked. "His nose!"
"No, his trunk," said Jo, laughing. "Didn't you know that elephants
had trunks, Moon-Face?"
"No," said Moon-Face, puzzled. "I'm glad he didn't pack me in his
trunk and take me away for luggage!"
The children roared with laughter. They watched the big elephants walking off.
     
   
"What shall we do now?" said Jo. "Dick, what do you want to do?"
"Well, I know I can't do it -but wouldn't I just love to have a paddle in
the sea!" said Dick.
     
   
"Oooh-that would be nice!" said Fanny, who loved paddling too. "But
there isn't any sea here."
Just as she said that she noticed a sign-post near by. It pointed away from them
and said, in big letters, "TO THE SEA."
"Goodness!" said Fanny. "Look at that! Come on, everyone!"
Off they all went, running the way that the signpost pointed. And, after going
round two corners, there,-sure enough, was the blue, blue sea, lying bright and
calm in the warm sunshine! Shining golden sands stretched to the little waves.
     
   
"Oh, goody, goody!" cried Dick, taking off his 92
shoes and socks at once. "Come on, quickly?'
Soon everyone was paddling in the warm sea. Moon-Face and Silky had never paddled
before, but they loved it just as much as the children did. Dick paddled out so
far that he got his shorts soaking wet.
     
   
"Oh, Dick! You are wet!" cried Bessie. "Come back!"
"This is the Land of Do-As-You-Please, isn't it?" shouted Dick, dancing
about in the water and getting wetter than ever. "Well, I shall get as wet