Babes In WENNLand, Part 6

Lisa could hear Mr. Barnaby on the factory floor when they got downstairs. “But my sweet Miss Blue,” he purred, “I could provide you with every luxury and comfort. You'd have an office of your own with a view of the Parched Mountains and all the time to write real stories, not greeting cards. You'd wear nothing but the finest gowns of silk and satin, with jewels entwined in those comely dark curls.”

Mr. Eldridge chuckled and the kids snorted. Mr. Barnaby was still brushing bits of paper, old peanut shells, wood shavings, and unraveled fabric off his expensive black suit. He was trying to look suave, but he really looked rather silly. His suit had blotches of green and blue paint smeared across the sleeves and elbows.

“Mr. Barnaby,” said Betty as she looked up from her clipboard, “I really don't have the time for this. I'm not going to the Christmas Festival with you tomorrow, and I'm certainly not interested in marrying you. I don't love you.”

Mr. Barnaby chuckled as he took her arm and pulled her close to him. “I suppose it's that arrogant pig thief Scott Piper you're interested in. I can provide you with a castle in Spain, a villa in France, and the largest empire in Toyland. What can he give you?” She tried to push him away, but he pulled her closer.

“A lot more than you can.” Scott Piper ambled over to them. He yanked Betty away from Mr. Barnaby. “Is this fellow bothering you, Miss Blue?”

“Oh, I'm not bothering her.” Mr. Barnaby glared at them as Scott held Betty close. “May I remind you, Miss Blue, that the mortgage on your mother's shoe is due tomorrow? Unless you can come up with that money, you, your mother, that old goat who runs this place, Piper, and your entire family will be thrown out onto the streets!”

“I won't let that happen.” Scott stepped in front of her. “We'll get that order for Santa out by tomorrow, whether you and Mother Goose like it or not. It'll be more than enough to pay the mortgage, with some leftover.”

Mr. Barnaby sniffed. “I suppose you'll put that some leftover into such worthwhile endeavors as hiring so many sponsors for your line of cards, they start looking more like catalogs, or making the quiz games for children so difficult, no child could complete them.”

“Those were good ideas!” Scott protested. “They just needed a tweak or two.”

Betty rolled her eyes. “I can't believe we even tried them. The sponsors demanded so many changes to the cards, there was no room left for just saying 'Merry Christmas.' And the quiz games flopped because the kids got frustrated, and the whole thing felt like a fraud.”

Mr. Barnaby edged closer to Betty, turning back to her. “Certainly, you'd prefer someone with my wealth and status over a half-gypsy former pig thief.”

“No, I wouldn't.” Betty shook her head. “Scott's ideas may be outlandish, but at least they show he cares about this factory. You'd just close it down and put everyone out of work.”

“Oh, but not you, my sweet. I'd certainly find a place for you. Perhaps, in my boudoir...” He took her hand and kissed it. She yanked it away.

“I want no part of you or your bedroom,” Betty said angrily, “or anything else!”

Scott pushed Betty behind him, one fist clenched. “I think it's time for you to leave.”

Barnaby reached for his cane. “Get out of my way, you half-breed wastrel.” He narrowed his eyes. “Or I'll show you what happens when someone defies me.”

“The soldiers!” Lisa took one of the soldier's hands and lead him to the trio. Half the factory had already stopped to watch the little drama unfolding. Even C.J hung over his controls, his eyes wide and filled with interest.

“Yeah!” added Alan. “Come on, officers! You're gonna be a big help now!”

Mr. Eldridge lead them right to Pruitt Barnaby. They got on either side of his and took his arms. “Eldridge, what is this all about?” Mr. Barnaby looked annoyed...and maybe a little bit scared. The soldiers were much taller than he was, and even wider. “I demand that these oversized tin cans unhand me this instant!”

“You're not being nice to my workers.” Mr. Eldridge pointed to the door. “Officers, please see Mr. Barnaby to his carriage.”

“I'll get you for this Eldridge,” he glared at them, “and your little children, too.” He looked at Scott. “And you, Mr. Piper. You'll especially pay for this humiliation.”

Scott chuckled. “I'm still not scared, Barnaby”

“You will be.” The two toy soldiers picked him up and bodily carried Barnaby out, with him protesting loudly the entire time.

“Well,” said Scott with his usual cheeky grin, “we solved that problem.”

Betty frowned. “I wouldn't be surprised if he tried again. He's after this factory for a reason.”

“So we'll kick him out again.” Scott chuckled. “Piece of cake!”

Mr. Eldridge shook his head. “I agree with Betty. Barnaby isn't one to give up easily. We'll have to find a way to make sure he knows we don't want to sell.”

“We'll work on it tomorrow.” Scott turned to Betty as a whistle echoed through the factory. “End of the day, Miss Roberts.” He got a little closer. “Want to go on a date? We could go get a slice of mincemeat pie from Simple Simon, maybe go for a walk in the park...”

Betty looked like she wanted to say 'yes,' but she finally pulled away. “Scott, you can walk me home, but I don't have the time to go out, with you or anyone. I need to get started on the designs for our spring and summer holiday cards. They're due in a few weeks.”

He smiled. “That's all right.” She started towards the exit with the other workers, but Scott kept up with her. Mr. Eldridge followed with the children. Scott finally took her hand as they made their way through the crush of workers punching out. He pulled her close to him. “How about tomorrow? We could go to the Christmas Festival together.”

“Well...” Betty would never admit it, but when she looked into those huge brown eyes of his, she just about turned into mush. “...all right.”

“That's close enough for me.” Scott kissed her forehead. “We're only putting in a half-day at work tomorrow, so everyone can get ready for the Festival in the evening. We'll go right to the Festival together.” He held up her brown low-heeled shoe. “Oh, and you lost this again.” Betty just made a face as he handed it to her.

“Grandpa, can we go to the Christmas Festival?” Alan asked as they made their way to the exit.

Lisa frowned. “Alan, what about Mother? She has to be at the station by now. She's probably worried sick about us!”

Mr. Eldridge patted Lisa's shoulder. “Oh, it'll be all right, Lisa. Days and nights here are different than they are in Pittsburgh. I'll get you home before your mother even realizes you were gone.”

“Well...” Lisa wasn't sure she liked the idea. Mother did worry about them a lot, and there were times when she wondered if Grandpa were really all there. She did want to go to the Christmas Festival, though. “What happens at the Christmas Festival, Grandpa?”

“Oh, it's a lot of fun. It's the biggest party of the year in Toyland Town. Nursery Rhyme and fairy tale characters come from miles around to take part in it. There's games and races and food booths and a show with dances and singing.”

Scott joined them as they made their way past the gates and down the teeming rock candy streets. “The Toy Factory sponsors the show. The last number is always a singer with the Toyland musicians and choir, and that's what announces the arrival of Santa.”

Betty sighed sadly. “Mother Goose performed the last number of the Christmas Festival Show, until her husband died last year. Now she won't sing for anyone, anywhere.”

Lisa frowned. “Aw, poor Mother Goose! She must miss her husband very much. I know I miss Father. Even if Mother does say he was always in trouble with the law and we're better off without him.”

“I wish I'd known Father better.” Alan kicked at a rock. “He left when I was really little. Mother said he was lookin'...lookinG for work, and he never came back.”

Scott shook his head. “I'm sorry about that, kids. That's really too bad.” He was talking to them, but was really looking at Betty. “Not everyone is like that. Some people will stay by your side no matter what. You just have to give them a chance.”

Betty smirked and looked at Scott. “And some people will make up so many stories and lies about themselves, you can't tell truth from fiction anymore.”

Scott just smirked back. “I only tell 'em when I need to.”

Alan looked up at Scott. “You're a half-gypsy?”

Lisa was confused about something Mr. Barnaby said in the factory. “What's a wastrel?”

Scott frowned. “Kids, I'm part of a gypsy clan. My father was a Toyland butcher. My mother was a gypsy. I was raised by Mama's tribe when my parents were killed by the trolls in the Forest of No Return.” He shrugged. “People like Pruitt Barnaby don't like me because I'm not one or the other. They think all gypsies are thieves and murderers.”

Alan's eyes were just getting wider. “The Forest of No Return?”

Mr. Eldridge shuddered and pointed at the dark woods beyond Toyland Town. “That's the Forest of No Return. It's a frightening place, filled with living trees that grab at you and trolls and monsters and giant spiders. Only the worst criminals are sent there. Those who go there never come back.”

Alan gulped and took Mr. Eldridge's hand. “I...I'm not afraid.”

“I'm not, either.” Lisa rolled her eyes. “It sounds like a lot of stories to me. There's no such thing as trolls.”

They finally arrived at the largest boot Lisa ever saw. It was so big, it actually had windows and a roof. “Here we are, home at last.” Mr. Eldridge headed for the door. “Scott and I rent rooms here. You can stay with us tonight. There's plenty of room.”

Scott sniffed at the air. “And I do believe the Widow Gertie Blue is making her famous chicken and carrot stew tonight! We're going to dine like kings!”

The Widow Gertie Blue turned out to be a tall older woman with red hair and a calico dress with a big striped apron. Lisa never saw so many kids around one table. Girls and boys ranging in ages from barely three to teenagers chattered about their day in school, told them what they wanted for Christmas, reached across the table, threw food, and fed carrots to the wiry little terrier under the table.

Lisa couldn't help noticing Scott barely touched his food. He was too busy watching Betty. She ran back and forth, bringing food to her siblings, wiping runny noses and separating fights. She lost her shoe twice, but she still somehow managed to be everywhere at once. Lisa saw the look in Scott's eyes. She saw it on Clark Gable or Nelson Eddy when they fell in love in the movies. Scott really, truly loved Betty. He certainly seemed nice enough. He was smart and funny and respectful of her grandpa. His ideas stopped Barnaby from doing anything really, really mean.

Lisa helped Betty do the dishes after dinner. Scott and Mr. Eldridge took the other children, including Alan, outside to run hoops and climb the sugar plum and candy apple trees. Gertie put away the leftovers. “Betty,” Lisa wondered, “why did you turn Scott down for a date? It's obvious you kind of like him.”

Betty was watching Scott out the window. He was shooting marbles with Alan and some of the boys on the rock candy sidewalk. “Hmm?”

Lisa grinned. “Come on, admit it. You like him! You looked like you were going to jump in his arms back at the factory when he asked you to the Christmas Festival.”

Betty blushed as she handed Lisa the last dish to dry. “Well, he did ask me nicely. It'll be a wonderful opportunity to talk about work and making toys.”

Lisa put the dish in wooden drying rack. “Is that the only reason you want to go?”

She sighed. “All right. I do...well, I like him. He's handsome, and charming, and funny, and smart. I just...” Her eyes became sad. “The last man I fell in love with was Victor Be Nimble. I thought he loved me, but he kept going on longer and longer journeys across the sea to deliver toys. On the last one a year ago, his ship was caught in a storm.” She looked very sad. “He was with Papa and Ben Gander. None of them were ever seen again.”

She pushed a stack of dishes into a cabinet. “Besides, Scott isn't trustworthy. He used to be a thief and a swindler. He was caught and put in jail for stealing a pig and trying to sell it. He says he knows everything about making toys, but I don't think he made a toy in his life before Tom Eldridge and Victor hired him.”

“Does that matter?” Lisa looked up at her. “You said he's doing really well now. Isn't that what counts?”

Scott was leading the kids inside. Lisa took the last pile of dishes from her. “Why don't you go talk to him? I could help your mom with the other kids. I'm used to it. I take care of Alan all the time.”

“Well...” Betty watched as Scott went back outside. “All right.” She smiled. “You know what? I will talk to him. He's...he's really not so bad. He was certainly helpful today with Barnaby.”

Lisa nodded. “That's right. And my brother likes him. Even if my brother likes everybody most of the time. Except Mr. Pruitt at the radio station, and Barnaby, and Ming the Merciless from Flash Gordon.”

Betty raised an eyebrow at the last name. “You certainly have strange rulers in your world.”

Lisa sighed and watched as Betty went outside. She went over to Scott, who was gathering the marbles in a purple cloth bag.

“Scott,” she started, “thank you for, uh, helping me with Barnaby today.”

He stood up and gave her that warm, cheeky smile. “You're welcome, Betty.” The smile turned down. “I wish that jerk would leave you alone. You're too good for someone like him. You deserve a real prince.”

She took his hand. “But I already have a prince. I have you.”

“You...” His big brown eyes glowed like the stars in the navy sky. “You...me? You like me?”

She nodded. “Even if you weren't a toymaker before, you've picked up making toys so quickly.”

Scott frowned. “How do you know I'm not a toymaker?”

She shook her head. “No real toymaker would come up with ideas like dolls that ate and swallowed like real babies or airplanes that fly on their own or six-foot toy soldiers. That's what makes you unique.”

Lisa was suddenly aware that every kid in the shoe was gathered around her, including Alan, leaning out the kitchen window. One girl in a frilly pink dress let out a sigh. “Isn't it romantic?”

“Do you think they'll get married?” asked a little boy in a blue suit.

“Is he gonna try to bite her?” added another boy, this one in bright red flannels.

Lisa waved her hands around them. “Shhh!” Scott was leading Betty into the small garden and sugar plum orchard next to the shoe. He picked a red and white striped rose and handed it to her.

“This is for you, Betty,” he said as they sat on a chocolate bench. “I know it's not as fancy as Barnaby could give you, but it's the best I can do at the moment. Your mother grows the finest peppermint roses in all of Toyland.”

She took a deep sniff. “Scott, it's beautiful. Peppermint roses are my favorite flowers.”

He put it in her ear. “Someday, we'll be the greatest toymaking team in all of Toyland. I'll bring you home to a beautiful cottage and garden of our own.”

She leaned against him. “Right now, all I want is to pay off the rent on Mother's shoe.” She bit her lip. “I wish Papa and Victor were here. Papa always knew what to do. When he died, it was like part of the sun vanished.”

Scott held her close, stroking her hair. “We'll figure out a way to save the factory and the Shoe together. The two of us and Mr. Eldridge and your mother. As long as we can get Santa's order through, we'll be ok.”

“Scott...” Betty started, looking up into his velvety brown eyes.

“Yeah...” He said softly, running his finger over the soft petals of the rose.

Their lips had just met when Lisa realized that just about every kid in the shoe – including Alan – was nearly falling over her and out the window. She made a face at them. “It isn't nice to eavesdrop, you know!” She finally closed the curtains on the kitchen window and herded the others back into the shoe.

Lisa was changing into a lacy white nightgown she'd borrowed from Mary Quite Contrary when she saw Betty come back inside. She held the red and white striped rose, her eyes dreamy. She sighed. “Oh Mr. Eldridge,” she said, “I want to write a million valentines tonight!”

“You look like you could, with that happy expression on your face.” Mr. Eldridge beamed as he tucked Alan in the cot. “Well, tell me all about it. When's the wedding?”

“Wedding?” Betty laughed. “We haven't gotten that far yet. He's taking me to the Christmas Festival tomorrow, and then...then we'll see.”

“Where's Scott?” Lisa asked as she finished brushing her blond hair.

“He said he had something to do before he went to bed,” Betty explained.

“I like Scott,” Alan piped up from his cot. “He's a great marbles shooter. He knows all the tricks. He taught me how to get all the marbles out of the circle with just three shots!”

Lisa looked at her heavy knitted blanket. “Well, he is nice. I just hope he stays for a while.”

“I do, too. He told me he didn't want to leave, but he is part-gypsy. They're wanderers.” Betty shook her head. “But he's here now, and that's what counts.”

Alan snuggled in his cot. “I miss Mother,” he sniffled. “I wish she was here. She always sings us a lullaby, then reads us a story.”

“I miss her, too.” Lisa climbed into her worn woolen cot. “I like it here, but I miss home.”

“We'll take you back tomorrow, after the Christmas Festival.” Mr. Eldridge kissed each of his grandchildren's foreheads. “There. You now have my protection. No creature anywhere will be able to harm you.”

Lisa yawned. “Could you sing for us, Grandpa?”

“Now children, you know I'm not much of a singer.” Mr. Eldridge ruffled Alan's hair. “The last time I tried to sing for your mother, she informed me that I sounded like a donkey braying. I don't know how a donkey got in me, but that's what she said.”

Betty took a seat and settled next to the two cots. “I'll sing for you. I sing for my siblings all the time.”

Lisa thought Betty was a wonderful singer. She sang them a really lovely song about waiting for Christmas and wishes coming true. It was so pretty.

“You're a good singer, Miss Betty,” Lisa murmured as she settled into sleep. Alan was already long gone. “You should be...on the radio....”

“Thank you.” Lisa felt Grandpa stroke her head, then Alan's. Betty pulled her blanket up to her chin. “Night, children.”

“Good night, my little ones,” Mr. Eldridge added.

“Night, Grandpa.” The older man and the young greeting card writer finally left.

Lisa couldn't sleep that night. She tried as hard as she could. The cot wasn't very comfortable. It was made of wool between two candy cane poles. The wool itched. She tossed and turned. She wasn't used to so many people making noise in one place, either. Grandpa snored loudly. He sounded like a foghorn on the Monongahela River. Some of the kids talked in their sleep. Others made whistling sounds or begged for a drink of water in the middle of the night.

Lisa finally got tired of trying to sleep and went to the window. She had a really nice view of the gardens and the other houses. She could even see part of the factory from where they were. The shadowy dense greens of the Forest of No Return could be seen beyond them. She pulled the blanket around her. They're just stories, she told herself. There's no such thing as trolls and giant spiders!

That was when she thought she saw something moving in the garden. She ducked down next to the window far enough that she didn't think anyone could see her. She couldn't really see much, but she heard everything.

The first voice was Mr. Barnaby's. “Did you steal them?”

“Oh yeah, Mr. B,” said a sneaky, nasal, somewhat familiar voice. “We got 'em, all right.” The man was very gaunt and very tall. He wore a sailor's uniform that was much too big for him. “Gonzorgo is at the factory now.”

“And they're safely hidden?”

She could hear the smirk in the man's voice. “Oh yeah, Mr. B. We stashed 'em where no one will find 'em. When Rodrigo and Gonzorgo do a dirty deed, you can count on it being done.”

“I hope so.” Barnaby pulled something thick, meaty, and red out of a sack. “You'll have to sneak into the factory with the evidence. They certainly won't permit me to enter again after today.”

Evidence? Evidence of what? Lisa yawned, trying not to make it too loud. She didn't want them to hear her.

“Sure, Mr. B.” He took the sack. “You got the money?”

Mr. Barnaby handed the tall man another sack. “Of course. Here's a thousand gold chocolate coins, just like I promised you.”

He tucked the sack into a burlap bag by his side. “Thank you, Mr. B. Splendid doing business with ya.”

Lisa wanted to hear more, but her eyelids were getting heavy. She yawned again. I have to warn Mr. Piper, was her last thought as she crawled into the cot and fell into a deep sleep. He may be in serious trouble.

Babes In WENNLand, Part 7

As soon as Lisa got up the next morning and Grandpa went downstairs, she told Alan what she heard. Or at least, what she could remember of it.

“Do you really think those men are gonna hurt Mr. Piper?” Alan asked as he pulled on a black and green boy's suit with a big, stiff collar and floppy black bow tie that looked like the outfits Grandpa wore when he was young. “Maybe they're gangsters! Or aliens!”

Lisa rolled her eyes. “In Toyland?” She had borrowed a peasant-style dress from Little Red Riding Hood. She wore a white blouse and a flowery red embroidered skirt and a black ribbon bodice. She pulled her hair back with a red ribbon. “They're probably thieves, like what Mr. Piper used to be.”

Alan pulled on his good brown shoes. “What would Mr. Barnaby want with thieves? He has tons of money!”

Lisa pulled on her own black strap shoes over her white stockings. “That's the part I can't figure out. We really need to tell the others. Grandpa and Mr. Piper should know, and Miss Betty. They might have some ideas.”

Scott poked his head in. He held a box in his hands. He now wore a fancier white blouse with a red vest that matched the crimson sash on his waist and black trousers with shiny black boots. Lisa thought he looked something like a pirate from the movies. “Your grandpa sent me up here to tell you kids that breakfast is ready. Come and get it now, or you're going to have an empty stomach for a while. Food goes fast in this shoe!”

Lisa and Alan had just come downstairs and joined the messy, noisy breakfast table when there was a knock on the door. Betty, who was trying to get her wayward shoe back on her foot and get her brother Jack Horner to eat his Christmas pie, managed to get to the door first. Gertie followed her. “Hello?”

It was Maple Bo Peep. She waved a lemon-yellow handkerchief and looked very upset. Gil Tucker was with her. “Have you seen my sheep? They're missing again!” She burst into tears on Gil's shoulder. He patted her back.

Betty sighed. “Maple, your sheep are missing every other day. Have you tried the Green Country Meadow?”

Maple nodded, dabbing at her eyes. “Gil n' I have looked everywhere! They're not in the hillside or on the meadow, or near the river. We've asked everyone in town, and no one has seen them.”

“I'm sure they must be somewhere,” Mr. Eldridge assured her. “They may have wandered further off this time. Or just gotten somewhere they can't get out of. We'll find them.”

Scott nodded. “We'll help you look for them before we go to work.”

Lisa and Alan got up just in time to see Mr. Barnaby, still in black, and three men in police officers' uniforms push their way in. “I'm very sorry, Miss and Widow Blue, but I need to see one of your borders on a police matter.”

Scott joined them. “What seems to be the trouble, officer?”

Mr. Barnaby pointed his cane at Scott. “I want you to arrest Scott Piper on charges of grand sheep larceny.”

Scott raised an eyebrow. “Grand sheep larceny? I gave that up a year ago. I'm in toy manufacture now.”

Mr. Eldridge joined them. “They're not empty! Officers, I will personally vouch for this man. He may have stolen pigs, but he's never stolen sheep, that I know of.”

Scott rolled his eyes. “Thanks, Mr. Eldridge. That was a lot of help.” The two shorter policemen took his arms. “Now look here, fellas,” he said amiably, “why don't we go to the factory and talk this over?”

Betty frowned. “What makes you think Scott stole the sheep?”

The tallest policeman with the largest silver star pulled out a paper. “We received an anonymous tip this morning that Mr. Scott Piper was seen sneaking around the sheep pen late last night.”

Scott frowned. “I was looking for something. What would I do with sheep? I work in a toy factory.”

Mr. Barnaby looked up as two more men shuffled over. One was the tall man in the too-big sailor's outfit Lisa saw the night before. The other was a small, fat fellow in a very tight blue gypsy outfit. The buttons on the shirt were threatening to pop off any second.

“What are you gentlemen – and I use the term loosely – doing in this good home?” Mr. Barnaby demanded. “Unless...you have some revelation you'd like to share with these men?”

“Hi there, boss!” The thin man grabbed Scott's hand. “It was sure great workin' for ya!”

Scott just looked bewildered. “What? Who are you?”

The fat guy slapped Scott so hard on the back, he almost fell over the policemen. “Don't you remember your old buddies, Gonzorgo and Rodrigo? You hired us last night to do the job!”

Betty was glaring at him. Mr. Eldridge just raised his eyebrows. Scott looked worried. “I swear, I've never seen these men in my life!”

“Can you tell us what you were doing around the sheep's pen, then, hmm?” Mr. Barnaby poked him in the chest with the cane.

Scott rubbed where he poked. He glared angrily at the black-dressed man. “I was looking for something for a Christmas present,” he ground out. “I don't have much money. It was supposed to be a surprise.”

“A surprise? Around the sheep's pen?” Mr. Barnaby snorted. “Officers, he's a known thief and liar. He'd do anything to keep his crime from being discovered.”

“But what if he's telling the truth?” Alan asked, looking like he might cry.

Lisa nodded. “Where we come from, you're innocent until proven guilty.”

“Scott's my friend,” Maple added. “He'd never hurt the sheep. He's helped me find them before when I've lost them.”

“I don't know.” Betty was looking at her feet. “He did steal that pig a while ago, and he's never really told us much about what he did before that.”

“I was a sailor!” Scott protested. “That's how I met Victor Be Nimble. I ran into him when he was delivering toys across the sea.”

“We've already sent policemen to search his office at the factory.” Mr. Barnaby smirked. “We'll search his room here, too.”

“Oh no, you don't.” Gertie snapped. “I don't want people invading my family's home!” But another policeman was already making his way upstairs. Gertie went after him.

The police captain took Scott by the arm. “Why don't we take you down to the station, and we can discuss this with Mother Goose herself.”

Scott's eyes widened in horror. “We don't need to involve her in this. Her husband died a year ago. She's still in mourning!”

“She's in charge.” Mr. Barnaby smirked. “She's the one who passes judgment here.”

“Now, wait just a minute!” Mr. Eldridge stepped in front of Scott. “I'm coming, too! I have a say in what goes on here. Scott works in my factory, and I'm this town's biggest employer. Besides,” he gave them a small grin, “you forget, captain, I'm Chief of Police in addition to being Chief Toymaker.”

“We're going, too!” Alan took his grandpa's hand.

Betty shook her head. “Maybe you children should stay here. This is really adult business.”

“But we have something to tell you!” Lisa grabbed Mr. Eldridge's other hand. “Grandpa, I overheard two men talking last night. They sounded a lot like the thin fellow and Mr. Barnaby. They were talking about stealing something and evidence. I think they stole the sheep!”

Mr. Barnaby just laughed. “That's rather amusing, little girl. Why would I steal my own sheep?”

Scott stepped right up to him. “Because you want me out of the way and out of the toy factory. You don't like all those ideas I'm coming up with.” He looked at Betty, who blushed. “Or that I'm courting Miss Blue, and she's a lot more interested in me than you.”

“Is that so?” Mr. Barnaby took Betty's hand. “Are you now, Miss Blue?”

Betty frowned. “Scott wouldn't steal anything!” She looked over at him, her eyes doubtful. “Would you?”

“No!” He took her hand. “Let's go to the police station and settle this matter. I'm sure it's all just a big misunderstanding.”

The moment they made it to the police station, they were met by C.J Grumio. He looked really worried. “Toymaker, sir,” he started, “I don't know how to tell you this, but somehow in the night, half our toy inventory went missing. The shelves are empty.”

“What? Now how did that happen?” Mr. Eldridge scratched his head. “I know a lot of our toys are magic, but I didn't know most of them could walk away!”

Mr. Barnaby rolled his eyes. “You had a thief, Mr. Eldridge.” He glared at Scott. “Did you do this too, Piper? I wouldn't put it past you. You are a well-known criminal and one of those roving gypsy ruffians.”

“I have been saving money,” Scott explained. “Why would I steal our own inventory?”

“To sell it to make more money so you could leave town.” Mr. Barnaby smirked.

“But he wouldn't!” Lisa exclaimed. “He loves Betty!”

Two more of the police men hurried in, carrying some kind of rope in a bag. “We found these in Mr. Piper's office, sir.”

“Lamb sausages!” gasped Mr. Barnaby, a little too dramatically. He held up a collar. “And isn't this familiar?”

Maple took the collar, a forlorn look on her face. “That's Woolie's collar. My poor sheep!” Maple wailed. She started crying on Gil Tucker's shoulder. He patted her back. “Who would be so mean as to make them into breakfast? Especially little Woolie. She's just a baby!”

“You did it, didn't you, Piper?” smirked Barnaby. “The evidence is clear.”

“This isn't real evidence!” Scott exclaimed. “Maple's one of my closest friends. I'd never hurt her sheep. I know how important they are to her!”

“What's going on here?” Lisa looked up as a beautiful older woman with silvery hair followed another policeman into the station. Even though her green and white dress looked like Betty's, she walked like a queen. She held a real goose under her arm and wore a pointed hat, like a princess from a fairy tale. She looked like Mother Goose from the illustrations in the nursery rhyme book she had when she was little, only much prettier.

“Mother Goose, my dear woman.” Mr. Barnaby turned to Scott, who was still flanked by police men. “We have a small problem here, nothing you need to worry your dear head about. You have so many things on your mind, what with Ben's death and all...”

She frowned. Her face seemed to crumble at the mention of Mr. Gander's death. “Yes, yes, I know. I just wish he were here. He was better with handling legal matters than I was.”

“Mother Goose, I swear to you, I'm not a thief!” Scott exclaimed. “Well, I'm not now.”

Lisa tried to get Mother Goose to the sausage. “Mother Goose, ma'am, you really need to see this. I don't think something's right here.”

“Yeah!” added Alan. “Scott's a nice guy. He wouldn't steal!”

Mr. Barnaby blocked her. “Now, why don't you let me deal with this? I know more about these sort of things than you do.”

She frowned. “I don't know. Maybe I should inspect these sausages...”

“Oh no, that won't be necessary.” The police flanked Scott. Mr. Barnaby nodded at him.“The evidence is clear. Mother Goose, I want to put Scott Piper under arrest and have him banished to the Forest of No Return!”

“Oh please, no!” Betty took Mother Goose's arm. “Mother Goose, he wouldn't do anything wrong!” She looked at Scott, doubt in her dark eyes. “Would you? What were you doing at the sheep's pen last night?”

Scott frowned. “I can't tell you. It's supposed to be a surprise.”

“See?” Mr. Barnaby smirked. “He won't admit to his guilt. He was seen at the sheep's pen last night by these gentlemen.” He indicated the two mismatched sailors.

“Sure!” said Rodrigo, the thin sailor. “We worked with him!”

Gorgonzo nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah! We took orders to steal the sheep from him.”

“But I don't know them!” Scott insisted.

Mother Goose rubbed her head. “I don't know what to do. They did find the lamb sausages in your office, Mr. Piper.”

“That doesn't mean anything!” Lisa tried to tug at Mother Goose's skirt. Her grandfather pulled her away. “Mother Goose, you have to listen!”

Mr. Barnaby sniffed. “The evidence was found in his office. He's clearly a devious criminal, Mother Goose, and should be banished to where he can do no harm.”

Mr. Eldridge frowned. “Gloria, don't do this. Don't listen to him. This man is my second-in-command at the factory, and he's a good worker. I wouldn't know what to do without him. Or with him, for that matter.”

Mother Goose finally just shook her head. “Under the circumstances, I...well, there is the evidence.” She finally turned to Barnaby. “You do what you think is right.”

She was drowned out by a sea of protests. “No!” Scott yelled. “I'm innocent! I didn't take the sheep or the toys!”

“You have to reconsider!” Betty added, trying to tug at Mother Goose's arm.

“There's something about the evidence!” Lisa added.

Gil Tucker nodded. “Maybe I shouldn't talk, seeing how I'm just passing through, but something doesn't seem right to me here.”

Mr. Barnaby thrust out his cane in front of the group. “Mother Goose has spoken!” He turned to the policemen. “Take Mr. Piper to the wagon. Drive him as deep into the Forest of No Return as you dare. The trolls and living trees and other monsters will make short work of this criminal!”

“No!” Scott struggled in the strong arms of the cops. “Please don't do this! I'm innocent! I am! I didn't steal anything! Not today, anyway.” The cops finally lead him away.

Betty moved to follow them, but Mr. Barnaby grabbed her arm. “You poor, dear girl.” He clutched his breast. “How terrible! Your heart must be breaking. How could you love such a man? Now me,” he leaned closer to her, “I would be a far more sensible and wealthier suitor for you. I would never steal sheep and turn them into sausages, or take all those toys intended for little children. Besides,” he stroked her arm, “there's the little matter of the mortgage to attend to. How will you pay it now, with so much of your inventory gone and no one to help the Toymaker run the factory?”

Betty yanked her arm away. “I may not be sure about Scott, but I am sure that I don't love you. I could never love you. You only care about money!”

“Money makes the world go around, my sweet little golden chocolate coin.” He tried to kiss her hand, but Mr. Eldridge blocked him.

“I don't think she wants you kissing that,” the old man insisted. “Who knows where your lips have been?”

“I need to get back to Goosedown Farm.” Mother Goose frowned. “Are you sure about this, Barnaby? That young man didn't look like a criminal.”

“Looks can be deceiving.” He smirked at Betty. “Remember, Miss Blue, the mortgage must be paid in full by the end of today...or out you all go!” He finally lead Mother Goose out the door, with the two sailors following like a fat and a thin dog, waddling behind.

Lisa watched as the policemen lead Scott to a huge wagon with bars in the windows and shove him in. “Alan, we have to do something! Scott didn't take the sheep. I know it!” She realized her brother was gone. “Alan?”

“Sis, these sausages are really good!” Alan had one sausage in his mouth and two more in his hand. “You've gotta try them!”

“Alan!” Lisa groaned. “You're not supposed to eat the evidence!”

“Funny thing, though.” Alan bit into another and went on between chews. “They don't really taste like lamb. Remember when the people who live next-door to us whose son owns a sheep ranch gave Mother those lamb chops? They don't taste like them. They taste more like pork sausage.”

“Wait a minute.” Lisa took one of the sausages and bit into it. She actually managed to swallow before she continued. “Alan, you're right. This isn't lamb. It's pork. These are pork sausages.”

Alan shrugged. “I guess they all look the same when you're eating them.”

“Grandpa!” Lisa took the plate of sausages and rushed out to the adults. “Grandpa, try these sausages! They're not lamb, they're pork!”

“Oh, good. I never did get to finish my breakfast.” Mr. Eldridge bit into one...and frowned. “Oh dear. I think you children are right. These don't taste like lamb to me.”

Everyone took a sausage. Maple looked relieved. “Thank goodness! They didn't grind up my poor babies after all!”

Lisa remembered the night before. “Those two sailors planted the evidence in Mr. Piper's office last night. I heard them talking. They're really thieves!”

Alan grinned. “I'll bet they're trying to frame Scott, just the Professor did to Sam Dane in 'Sam Dane, Private Eye.'”

“They said they'd stash them in a place no one would find them,” Lisa continued. “Where is the least-likely place in Toyland you'd find the sheep?”

C.J gulped. “I think I know. The Forest of No Return. It's the best place in Toyland to really lose something.”

Mr. Eldridge frowned. “Oh dear. I think we made a terrible mistake. We have to find Scott and unbanish him.”

Babes In WENNLand, Part 8

“Let's round up a posse!” Maple added. “I want my poor sheep back. They must be so scared, especially little Woolie.”

“But that could take forever!” Alan complained.

“We'll need a lot more help to track down Barnaby and find the sheep,” Mr. Eldridge explained. “We need good, strong men, who aren't afraid of anything. And if we can't find them, we'll just gather up some of the citizens of Toyland.”

They all walked out the door. “I could get Jack and Jill,” Maple started. “Gil, maybe you could find some of the musicians. And Wee Mackie Winkie, the town crier. He's scared of his own shadow, but when you can stop him from taking off, he's pretty good in a fight.”

Lisa didn't like this. It could take hours to find all those people. They didn't have hours. Scott could be in that scary forest already. Even if there were no trolls or monsters there, there might be bears, or giant falcons. He might be in a bear stomach even as the adults argued!

“This is dumb.” Alan grabbed Lisa's hand. “Come on, sis. We'll find Scott faster than they could. We don't need a posse. We just need each other.”

“Alan, I don't know.” Lisa shuddered at the dark woods just outside the gates. “The adults say the woods are full of nasty monsters. And even if there are no monsters, it's still dark. We might get lost.”

“You're such a wet blanket.” Alan was already skipping ahead. “Think of it as an adventure!” He frowned. “Besides, we need to tell Scott he's not banished anymore and that Mr. Barnaby is a big old phony.”

Lisa played with her ruffled apron. She finally sighed. “You're right.” She took Alan's hand. “You stay with me. I don't want us getting lost, too.”

They made their way quickly through the gates and down the meadow, to the edge of the tangle of trees and dense brush. Lisa gulped. Something moved in the undergrowth. She thought she heard an owl hooting. “It looks spooky in there.”

Alan squared his thin shoulders. “I'm not afraid of anything!”

Lisa nodded. “We have to do this. For Scott and Miss Betty and Grandpa.” She squeezed Alan's hand tightly, and the two of them stepped into the forest.

The Forest of No Return was a gloomy place, filled with shadows and dark corners, even in the daytime. Spider webs that glistened like tinsel hung off the branches of very tall old trees. Squirrels and chipmunks leaped over their heads, chattering as they gathered nuts. Lisa felt like Hansel and Gretel, trying to follow a bread crumb path the birds had eaten. The trees loomed over them, twisted and intensely deep green.

“I don't like this, Alan.” Lisa squeezed her brother's hand. “I'm glad you're here.”

“And I'm glad I have you, sis.” Alan squeezed her hand, too. He leaned closer to her. “These trees are really big, aren't they?”

Lisa gulped. “Yes, they are.”

Alan jumped. “What was that noise?”

“I think it was just a bird.” Lisa pulled Alan closer. She heard what she thought sounded like howling, and the trees rustling. The squirrels must have been chasing each other.

Alan looked around. “Do you see Scott anywhere?”

“No.” Lisa sighed. “Maybe we should go back. It might be better to have the grown ups...oh, darn!” Her dress had snagged on a bramble bush. As she turned around to get it off, she felt someone tap her shoulder. “Alan, was that you?”

“What, sis?” She looked up with surprise as Alan trotted over.

“Did you tap my shoulder?”

Alan rolled his eyes. “I wasn't anywhere near your shoulder! I was looking for Scott in the bushes.” He made a face. “Maybe you're right. Maybe this is just a wild...” Lisa heard more rustling as Alan's eyes got wide. His mouth fell open in shock. “Lisa, watch out!”

It was too late. A skeletal hand scooped Lisa into its powerful grip. Lisa found herself face to face with...a tree! A tree with a rough, jagged face in it, like a wooden monster. She screamed and struggled, trying to get away.

“What are you doing here, little human?” it hissed. “The Living Trees of the Forest of No Return do not permit outsiders.”

“I came to find Scott Piper!” Lisa insisted. “He was banished from Toyland by Mr. Barnaby, but he's really innocent.”

“No one who is sent here is innocent.” The tree just squeezed her harder. “Only criminals live here.”

Alan pounded on the tree. “You leave my sister alone, you big old bully!”

The tree grabbed him, too. “You stop that, little human.”

Alan twisted and turned, trying to get loose. “Let us go! We're just looking for Scott Piper!”

“You'll never find him,” sneered a pine with rusty, greenish-silver needles. “You humans won't be going any further. We will crush your bones, like you humans crush our wood for your...” it shuddered “...terrible fires!”

Lisa looked up as a distinctly human figure crashed through the brush. “What are you doing with those poor kids?” Lisa wanted to cheer when Scott Piper ran out, brandishing a thick log. “Release them at once!”

A maple hissed this time. “They trespassed on our property, Piper. They're not criminals. They're much too small to be criminals, and they're certainly not a bird or a squirrel or a Dark Chocolate Bat.”

Scott swung at the trees with the log, but there were too many of them. A willow finally wound its long branches around Scott's arms and legs, pulling him to the forest floor.

“What are you going to do with us?” Lisa asked, feeling very nervous.

“We're going to feed you to the trolls,” snarled the ancient oak. “They'll make short work of all of you.” It looked down at Scott, who was desperately trying to break free of the strong willow limbs. “Including you, Piper. The small human tells me you're not a criminal.”

“No, I'm not.” Scott wiggled his arms and legs around in attempt to push the tree limbs from his body. “I never stole the sheep, or the toys. I haven't stolen anything in a year! Barnaby is behind this.”

“Yeah!” Alan yelled. “It's like in 'Sam Dane, Private Eye.' He wants to frame you and get you out of the way.”

Willow dragged Scott towards her. “It means you're an outsider, too. You don't belong here!”

Lisa thought they were all done for, when she heard...whistling?

She looked up to see a small, middle-aged woman walk among the trees. She held a wicker basket on her round arm. She was plump and sweet-looking, in her colorful flowered dress and purple paisley scarf and red sash and long gold hoop earrings. A gold necklace on a thick chain with a big pearl pendant on the end bounced against her bosom.

The oak put another limb down in front of her. “State your business here, human.”

“I'm just passing through, Oak. I'm collecting cocoa truffles to sell at the Christmas Festival.” She gently pushed his limb away. “I wish you wouldn't carry on so.”

A slender maple tree looked surprised. “You know who we are?”

“Of course I do! All gypsies know about the Living Trees.” The woman frowned. “Oh my, but it's dark here! I'll never be able to find any truffles if I can't see where I'm going.” She drew a match from her basket and struck it against the handle. It ignited, giving off a small, soft flame.

The Living Trees gasped in horror, drawing as far away from the woman as they could. “Put that out, human!” shrieked the oak. “It could set the entire forest ablaze!”

The woman took Scott's log and set the end on fire, making a torch. “I'll take this away if you release your prisoners.”

The oak quickly set Lisa and Alan on the ground. The willow unwound its limbs from Scott. He kicked them away and hurried to the gypsy. She held up her torch, pushing it toward the trees, as they hurried away.

Babes In WENNLand, Part 9

“Thanks, Floretta,” Scott said as they ducked through the undergrowth. “You saved our skins. The Living Trees really hate fire. I knew their weakness, too, but I didn't have anything around that makes fire in a hurry.”

“You're welcome, Scott. You're family, even if some of the others don't think so.” She hugged him. “I couldn't let them hurt you.” She leaned over the children. “And who are these little darlings?”

“I'm Lisa, ma'am,” she said politely, “but I'm not little. Not really.” She put an arm on Alan's shoulder. “And this is my brother Alan.”

Alan just stared at her. “Are you really a gypsy?”

Lisa groaned. “Alan!”

Floretta chuckled. “That's all right. Yes, I am a gypsy, young man. I do fortunes and gather fruit and vegetables from the forest to sell at the market. We're going to have our own booth at the Christmas Festival later today.”

“The Festival!” Lisa had forgotten all about it. “I'll bet Barnaby is going to try to do something to ruin the Christmas Festival.”

Scott nodded. “I wouldn't put it past him. If we have no toys for Santa, we won't be able to make a profit, and Santa won't have enough toys for all the kids in the world. A lot of kids won't get presents.”

“Oh dear,” Floretta fretted. “We're going to be taking the carts into town anyway as soon as I get back. We'll give you a ride.”

Scott smiled. “I haven't driven the carts in...well, in a long time.”

“You've driven gypsy carts?” Alan asked, his eyes getting bigger by the minute.

“I'm part-gypsy, remember? My mother was a member of Floretta's tribe. My father was a butcher in Toyland.” His eyes looked a little sad. “It's why I'm not accepted in either place. I'm not enough of a Toylander for the people in Toyland Town, and I'm not enough of a gypsy for the tribe.”

Floretta patted his shoulder. “You're a good man no matter what, Scott. You're a lot like your mother. People dismissed her as a thief, but she had a good heart.” She frowned. “What are you doing out here, anyway?”

“I was banished.” Scott sighed. “I was accused of stealing sheep and our toy inventory. I didn't do either.”

“We found out he's innocent,” Lisa added.

Alan nodded. “Someone planted the evidence in his office!” He kicked at a pebble. “I'll bet it was that rotten Barnaby. He doesn't like Scott, or us, really. Or anybody.”

“Mr. Barnaby?” Floretta looked surprised. “I don't really think he's that bad. He's never done anything to us. Why, he let us stay on his grounds when we were in town.”

“Barnaby's crooked in name and crooked in nature.” Scott pushed some branches aside. “He'd do anything to sell off the factory and make money. That's all he cares about.” He turned to Lisa. “What are you kids doing out here? Where's your grandfather?”

“He's back at Toyland,” Lisa explained. “We got tired of waiting for the grown-ups to do something, so we went after you ourselves.”

“I appreciate it, kids, but it probably wasn't a good idea.” He pushed aside another branch. “I imagine your grandpa is worried about you, and you don't know the woods.”

Alan kicked another rock. “We just wanted to help.”

Lisa nodded. “We're old enough to do some things on our own.”

“Well, yes,” Scott reminded them, “but you don't know the woods, or what's in here.” He turned to Floretta. “How much further to the camp? We really need help getting back to Toyland. I'm afraid Barnaby will try something at the toy factory.”

“Oh, we're there now.” Floretta looked up as they heard a commotion very near-by. “What's all that about?”

Scott pushed away another branch. “I think I hear Maple and Gil.”

Lisa made a face at a familiar squawk. “And that would be Jill, I think. She sounds like Miss Booth complaining."  

They emerged into a sun-dappled clearing. A noisy group of people, most in colorful outfits and jangling jewelry like Floretta's, were tying up what indeed looked like Maple, Gil, Jack, Jill, Betty, and Wee Mackie Willie, the town crier. A group of brightly-painted carts encircled the clearing.

“Betty!” Scott hurried over to her, pushing past several gypsies. “Release her!”

“We found these people in the woods, snooping around,” said the tallest gypsy. He had long, thick dark hair and a very bushy black beard. He looked like a big bear in a red and purple tunic. “They say they're looking for a friend, but I don't believe them. No one comes here but criminals and animals and us gypsies.”

“It's me they're looking for, Vardan,” Scott explained. “They're my friends from Toyland Town.”

“Scott!” The moment Betty was released, she ran to him. “You're all right!”

Scott smirked. “It would take a lot more than a bunch of living trees to take me out.”

Betty shook her head. “Are you sure you didn't steal the sheep?”

Scott pulled away from her. “Betty!”

Maple chuckled. “She's kiddin', Scotty. We got the cops to check the eviden-ts. Yeah, they were pork sausages, not lamb. Someone probably put 'em in your office while no one was lookin'.” She frowned. “We still haven't found my poor sheep, though. We were hopin' they'd be out here.”

“C.J Grumio and Mr. Eldridge are looking for the toys now,” Wee Mackie Winkie added, tugging his nightshirt down. “We're supposed to meet them at the Christmas Festival after we get Scotty back.” He looked around, shivering. “Could we get moving? This place gives me the heebie-jeebies. I hate the dark, and who knows when you'll be attacked by some troll?”

“Trolls are real?” Alan's face was utterly delighted. “Neat-o!”

Floretta shivered. “Oh, it's not neat at all, young man! Trolls are awful creatures. They're hairy and smelly and will attack anything that gets in their way.”

Scott nodded. “I've tangled with them before.” He rolled up his sleeve, revealing three long, angry red scars. “I was lucky I just got off with these. They tried to eat me whole, but I was too fast for them and escaped.”

“I think we need to get moving.” Jill straightened her fancy yellow and blue dress. “Jack and I are doing 'The Night Before Christmas' with Betty and Maple and the musicians at the Christmas Festival. We have one more rehearsal before the big show.”

Scott nodded. “And I'm supposed to be helping Mr. Eldridge and C.J with the toy shop booth.”

Two strong gypsies helped Floretta onto the driver's seat of one of the carts. “We'll give you a ride to Toyland Town. We're on our way there ourselves. We'll be selling our cocoa truffles and candied fruit and telling fortunes.”

Vardan helped Lisa in next to Floretta. She watched as Alan eagerly climbed into a cart next to Vardan. “Are you a real gypsy, Miss Floretta?” she asked.

“Of course. My family goes back generations. We've been a part of this tribe for centuries.”

Lisa had to hold on tight as the Floretta cracked the reigns and the cart started bouncing off through the woods. “Ohh! It's kind of bouncy, isn't it?”

Floretta smiled. “You get used to it after a while, little one. There's nothing like traveling by cart, I always say. Beautiful scenery, and your home is always with you wherever you go.”

“I'm not little!” Lisa protested. “I'm almost grown-up...well, sort of.”

“Why do you want to be grown-up?” Floretta gave her a strange sideways look. “There's plenty of time for you to be an adult.”

Lisa picked at a thread on her lacy apron. “I guess I really haven't had much of a chance to be a kid lately. Mother takes care of us alone. I go straight home from school and take care of Alan. I start dinner and clean and do my homework and make sure Alan does his.”

“Why don't you make a game out of it?” Floretta chuckled. “Put on music and see who can clean the fastest and the best, with no corners missed. Set your homework to music, too. You'd be surprised how easier a rhyme can make learning your capitols or how much two times five is.”

“Well...maybe.” Lisa sighed. “I can't believe any of this is real. Where I come from, toys are just toys. They're kid's stuff. And nursery rhymes are just something babies read, and gypsies are a wandering group of people in geography books.”

Floretta shook her head. “You have to believe, young lady. Just like people always believe the spring will come back after winter, or know they breathe air, even when they can't see it. The holiday spirit is a special feeling.” She touched her chest. “Right down in here. It's something you can't wrap and put under the tree. It's in your heart.”

Lisa thought a lot about that as they clip-clopped across the Forest of No Return. The trees finally began to thin out. There were fewer and fewer of them, until finally, they found themselves in the green woods behind the Toy Factory.

“Everyone out here!” Floretta said cheerfully. Scott and Gil helped Lisa down.

“Thank you for the lovely ride, Miss Floretta,” Lisa said. “Aren't you coming with us?”

Floretta shook her head. “I'm afraid we don't have the time. We have to get to the Christmas Festival to set up our booth.” She took Lisa's palm and ran her finger over it. “I read in your future that you'll learn a very important lesson...and you'll do someone a great service. You have a lot of heart, young lady. You just need to have faith. It's not such a bad thing to be a child.”

Lisa smiled. She'd thought a lot about what Floretta said on the trip. Even if she didn't believe a word Floretta said or that she could predict the future, it was nice of her to talk to her like a real adult. “Thank you, Miss Floretta.”

“You're welcome.” Vardan climbed in with her now. “All right, everyone. Off to the Christmas Festival!”

Babes In WENNLand, Part 10

Alan rushed over to Lisa as the carts turned down the road and through the gate to Toyland Town. “Lisa, I had a great ride! Vardan read my palm. He said I'm going to have a real adventure and help save everyone!”

Lisa shook her head. “That stuff isn't real, Alan.”

“But it sure sounds good.” Scott pulled a key out of his pocket. “Glad Barnaby didn't swipe this. I know a back way in.”

Maple nodded. “We're supposed to meet Mr. Eldridge and C.J in the office. They and some of the workers were going to search the Factory for the toys. They have to be around here somewhere!”

Betty took Scott's hand as they headed inside. “I don't like this. It seems awfully quiet around here.”

Lisa noticed it, too. The hallway where they emerged was very silent. There was no sound of gears creaking, no chatter from workers, no clattering toys or swishing paint brushes. It was eerie. She felt like she was in an abandoned city.

“I'm afraid something may have gone wrong,” Gil added.

Scott pulled Betty close to him. “Stay together, everyone. I don't like the feel of this.”

Jack took Jill's hand. “I don't, either. There should at least be a few workers here.”

Alan shrugged. “Maybe they're all out at the Festival.”

Betty shook her head. “They're would at least be one or two people finishing up work.”

They finally made it up to Scott and Mr. Eldridge's office. “Come on.” He nodded at the door. “They should be here by now.”

“I'm scared,” Mackie whimpered. “What if there's monsters in there?”

“Then we'll deal with them.” Scott grinned as he opened the door. “Piece of cake!”

Lisa was the first to follow Scott in, with Alan close behind. She gasped. The first thing she saw were two big, ugly, hairy monsters holding onto their grandfather. He looked more worried about them than scared. Two more held C.J, who was trying his hardest to pull away.

“Children!” Mr. Eldridge glared at them. “Unhand me, you nasty brutes! You're going to make my new suit dirty.”

“Grandpa!” Alan started towards him, but one of the monsters grabbed his arm.

“Leave my brother alone!” Lisa ran over to the monster, but another one took her around the waist and lifted her into the air.

She heard Scott let out a growl as Pruitt Barnaby rose from his chair behind the desk. “Barnaby! I should have known you were behind this. I'll bet you were the one who planted that evidence.”

“Of course, I did.” He laughed and started around the desk. “It's all a part of my plan. I'm going to be the only Christmas gift-giver now.”

Betty gasped. “What? Are you crazy?”

“Not at all, my beautiful Miss Blue.” He got closer to her. “When Santa arrives at the Christmas Festival, he'll be greeted not by faithful Toylanders, but by my own army of trolls. They aren't very fond of toys. Those nasty old Toylanders have banished them to the Forest of No Return for a few too many years. They'll happily take care of Santa and his sack of toys. I'll be free to deliver things things that are far more useful for children, like socks and adding machines.”

“But that's no fun!” Alan yelled, struggling in the troll's arms.

“It's not supposed to be fun, you silly child.” Barnaby glared at him. “Children nowadays are spoiled and frivolous. It's time they learned that being an adult comes all too soon.”

“You'll never get away with this!” Mr. Eldridge snapped. He then went on with a grin. “For one thing, you don't know Santa. You don't understand how Christmas magic works.”

“Don't talk to me about magic, you senile old fool!” Barnaby looked like he was going to strike Mr. Eldridge with his cane, but Scott jumped in front of him.

“I won't let you hurt him like that!” Scott finally hit Barnaby as hard as he could in the chin. He went flying over the desk and into the chair!

The trolls all jumped on Scott at once. It took at least five of them to get his arms behind his back and wrestle him to the floor. They surrounded the others, herding them into a ragged circle in the center of the room. One troll shoved Betty over to Barnaby as he stumbled to the group. “That was a grave mistake, Piper,” Barnaby hissed.

“What are you going to do with us?” Jill asked in horror.

“I'll lock most of you, including the brats, in the factory basement until after the Christmas Festival.” He rubbed Betty's arm with his fingers. “I'll take care of the lovely Miss Blue and meddlesome Mr. Piper myself.”

“No!” Betty tried to pull away. “I won't let you do this!” Scott tried to lunge for Betty, but the trolls pulled him back.

The distraction gave Lisa the chance she needed. She kicked the troll as hard as she could in a sensitive place. He doubled over, letting her go. Alan stamped on the foot of the troll holding him. While he was hopping around, the boy ducked away. When Lisa turned around to find her grandpa, he'd simply disappeared.

Barnaby let out an angry roar. “Find the old man! Get those children!”

Lisa didn't stop to think. She grabbed Alan's hand and ran as fast as she could down the hallway. Two trolls and Gonzolo and Rodrigo were on their trail. Alan looked worried. “What are we gonna do? We can't out-run them!”

“Then we'll trick them.” Lisa turned around and waved her hand. “Come and get me! I'll bet you couldn't catch a cold!”

She took Alan's hand and lead him to the same door to the garbage compactor that Scott used to get rid of Barnaby earlier. She opened the door and let the two trolls, Rodrigo, and Gonzolo rush right in. She pushed Alan against the wall, letting them all trip ring into the slide that lead to the basement and the trash room.

“That gets rid of that trash,” said Alan with a grin.

“But what about Grandpa?” Lisa gulped. “And the others? We have to find a way to get them out!”

Alan pointed downstairs. “Didn't Mr. Barnaby say he was going to lock the others in the basement?”

Lisa nodded. “We'll get them first. We could use more help. Some of them could go recruit more people from the Christmas Festival. They'll need to know about what Pruitt's doing.”

She and Alan took the same elevator, with the same mouse who somehow managed to run up to the buttons to push them, they had the day before. It was only a minute or two before there was a “ding” and the door opened.

Babes In WENNLand, Part 11

The basement was a dark, scary place. Old toys, tools, and crates filled with ancient parts were scattered on rickety shelves. There were shadows and spooky creaking noises at every turn.

Rodrigo and Gonzolo stood on either side of a door at the very end of the room. They both stood to attention, holding what appeared to be pop guns...and looked very, very bored. They still had a little trash on them from the garbage room. Lisa could clearly see something key-shaped hanging out of Rodrigo's pocket.

Lisa pushed Alan behind a shelf. “How can we distract them?”

Alan grinned. “I know!” He whispered in his sister's ear.

Lisa giggled. “Well, ok! It's worth something.”

She went right over to Rodrigo. “Hi there!” She wanted to sound friendly, even though she was really scared.

“What are you doing here, kid?” Rodrigo made a face. “Shouldn't you be somewhere else?”

“Oh, no!” Lisa smiled. “How would you like to hear about Pittsburgh, where I come from?”

“Pittsburgh?” The fat man and the thin man exchanged looks. Rodrigo raised his eyebrows. “What's a Pittsburgh?”

“Oh, it's a place!” She grinned. “You wouldn't believe all the things they have there! There's carriages that go by themselves, with no horses or other animals pulling it. You can listen to a radio that'll play sound with no people around, and see baseball players that can hit a ball so far, it lands far away, and a department store that sells everything you can possibly imagine...”

Rodrigo and Gonzolo listened avidly to her words. After a while, their eyes started to glaze over, and their heads nodded. The moment they started looking comatose, Alan slid over and slipped the key from the skinny sailor's pocket.

“Whew!” Maple was the first out after Alan got the door open. “Thank goodness we're out of there! Now, let's find out what happened to my sheep.”

Rodrigo's eyes nearly popped out of his head. “Look at what you did, Gonzorgo!”

“What I did?” His plump friend poked him in the chest. “You're the one who just had to listen to the kid and all those wild stories!”

“Says who?” Rodrigo gave him a shove.

“I say!” Gonzorgo shoved him back. They were too busy arguing to pay attention to Jack, Jill, and Mackie bringing over a ball of twine from the utility closets. They had them tied up and shoved in the closet in no time.

“Now what are we going to do?” Lisa asked. “We don't know where Grandpa disappeared to, or what they did with the others.”

Jill nodded. “Jack and I need to get out to the Festival. We're a part of the Christmas show. So is Betty Blue, for that matter. Why don't Jack, Gil, and I go out and see if we can get help there, while the rest of you search for Scott, Betty, and Barnaby? I'm sure that nasty man has something terrible planned for them.”

Mackie gulped. “You know, maybe I'd better go to the Festival. I really need to announce the acts, and I'll be in the show, and...”

Maple grabbed the back of his nightshirt. “You're not going anywhere, except with us.”

“Please! We really need help!” Lisa begged.

Mackie sighed. “All right.” He pulled down his nightshirt. “Maybe I could use a little exercise. Those trolls aren't so tough. I'll bet I could take 'em down with one hand behind my back!”

“Let's get out of here, before we have to find out.” Maple escorted him and the kids out into the main basement.

“How are we going to find the others?” Lisa worried.

“I'm more worried about how we're getting out of here.” Wee Mackie Winkie looked around nervously. “I don't see any exit signs.”

“There has to be a way out!” Maple looked up as they heard grinding noises. “What's that?” She sniffed and then wrinkled her nose deeply. “And what's that smell? What died?”

Mackie Winkie ducked behind her. “It's the trolls! They're coming for us!”

Maple rolled her eyes. “They smell worse than that.”

“No, it smells more like...” Lisa sniffed, then wrinkled her own nose. “Garbage?”

Alan's eyes widened. He started running. “Lisa, do you remember what Scott said yesterday about the trash compactor? It only runs every other day?”

“And it didn't run yesterday!” Lisa hurried to catch up with her brother. “Someone must have just turned it on!”

Alan skidded around a corner. “And I'll bet that someone was Barnaby!”

They finally came to a door at the other end of the basement. “Whoa, kids!” Maple finally stopped behind them, Mackie bringing up the rear. “What's goin' on?”

“Someone started the trash compactor,” Alan said breathlessly, “and I think I know who!”

“Me too!” Lisa was thankful the door opened easily. She went in first, putting a finger to her lips. She could already hear Barnaby's nasty laughter.