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Page:The Floating Prince - Frank R Stockton.djvu/154

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THE FLOATING PRINCE AND OTHER FAIRY TALES.
139

too big to put in anybody's pocket. Perhaps they 've hidden it under the step.

So she got down on her knees, and groped about under the great stone before the gate. But she found no key. Then she saw the chair which had been left by the gate.


THE WITCH SEARCHES FOR THE KEY.


"Oho!" she cried. "That's it! They put the key on the ledge over the gate, and had the chair to stand on!"

She then quickly set the chair before the gate and stood up on it. But she could not yet reach the ledge, so she got up on the back. She could now barely put her hands over the ledge, and while she was feeling for the key, the chair toppled and fell over, leaving her hanging by her hands. She was afraid to drop, for she thought she would hurt herself, and so she hung, kicking and calling for help.

Just then, there came up a hippogriff, who had become peni-