There was a pretty garden around the house, where
blue trees and blue flowers grew in abundance and
in one place were beds of blue cabbages, blue
carrots and blue lettuce, all of which were
delicious to eat. In Dr. Pipt's garden grew bun-
trees, cake-trees, cream-puff bushes, blue
buttercups which yielded excellent blue butter and
a row of chocolate-caramel plants. Paths of blue
gravel divided the vegetable and flower beds and a
wider path led up to the front door. The place was
in a clearing on the mountain, but a little way
off was the grim forest, which completely
surrounded it.

Unc knocked at the door of the house and
a chubby, pleasant-faced woman, dressed all in
blue, opened it and greeted the visitors with a
smile.

"Ah," said Ojo; "you must be Dame Margolotte,
the good wife of Dr. Pipt."

"I am, my dear, and all strangers are welcome
to my home."

"May we see the famous Magician, Madam?"

"He is very busy just now," she said, shaking
her head doubtfully. "But come in and let me
give you something to eat, for you must have