He began to regret
that he had not constructed the wooden limbs more carefully and
substantially. Yet how could he ever have guessed
40
that the man he had made merely to scare old Mombi with would be brought to
life by means of a magical powder contained in an old pepper-box?
So he ceased to reproach himself, and began to think how he might yet remedy
the deficiencies of Jack's weak joints.
While thus engaged they came to the edge of a wood, and the boy sat down to
rest upon an old sawhorse that some woodcutter had left there.
"Why don't you sit down?" he asked the Pumpkinhead.
"Won't it strain my joints?" inquired the other.
"Of course not. It'll rest them," declared the boy.
So Jack tried to sit down; but as soon as he bent his joints farther than
usual they gave way altogether, and he came clattering to the ground with
such a crash that Tip feared he was entirely ruined.
Line-Art Drawing along right side of this page
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He rushed to the man, lifted him to his feet, straightened his arms and
legs, and felt of his head to see if by chance it had become cracked. But
Jack seemed to be in pretty good shape, after all, and Tip said to him:
"I guess you'd better remain standing, hereafter.
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