The Quaint and Curious Quest of Johnny Longfoot, The Shoe King's Son - Catherine Besterman (best summer reads of all time TXT) 📗

"How good it feels to be on solid ground again," sighed Johnny, full of relief. He lay down on the sweet-smelling green grass.

"What are our plans now, dear nephew?" inquired Uncle Lucas.

"First I have to deliver Barnac's boots," said Johnny. "And then..."

"And then you come to stay with me," decided Uncle Lucas for him. "From now on, I'm taking care of you. And you'll have a really wonderful vacation. Go on to Barnac and finish your business with him. Then come back to me."

"I certainly will, Uncle," promised Johnny.

"And meanwhile," Uncle Lucas went on, "I will go to the nearest town and buy myself a whole new outfit, so you won't even recognize me. And I'll try to laugh a lot and get fat. As you probably know, it's very healthy to laugh. Healthy people always look plump. Ha! Ha! Ha!"

So Uncle Lucas said good-by to Johnny and the animals, who were still amazed at the change in him. He left, still wrapped up in seacloth.

I have a really good uncle now, thought Johnny with pleasure. We will get along well. I hope I can wind up all the business about Coral Island, the boots and the treasures in a short time.

The travelers started on their way back to Catnap. There was no change whatever in Barnac's estate. There was Barnac, as usual, up on the roof. Only this time, instead of sitting on the chimney, he was curled up in a comfortable basket. Two strong cats held it. When he noticed the travelers, he ordered the cats to bring him down, and so they did.

"How are you, Johnny?" asked Barnac. "I'm glad to see you. And you, too, Captain. And you, my cats. You must have lost weight during your journey. You all look extremely thin."

He miaowed three times. The cooks appeared immediately to hear his orders, and quite an extraordinary dinner was then prepared. This dinner lasted for two days and two nights without interruption, while Johnny told the whole story of their journey. The dancing lessons, the climb through the mountains, how he stitched the sharks' and the whale's skins, how he fought the storm, and how he altered the boots.

Barnac kept purring with delight. When Johnny finished his story he said, "You are a very clever and very brave boy, Johnny. I knew it the minute I saw you. I wasn't interested in the treasures, so it doesn't matter whether they're on the coral island or at the bottom of the sea. They were cursed and I didn't want them. But just think, after all you've been through, I can't even try out the magic properties of the boots. I am suffering dreadfully from rheumatism. I can't even move from my basket. The only thing I really need is a good masseur."

"I could massage you," proposed Fuzzy. "I am strong, yet at the same time my paws are very gentle."

"That's fine," agreed Barnac. "I hereby appoint you my personal masseur. You will get twenty pounds of nuts and ten pounds of honey every day."

"Oh, that's too much!" exclaimed Fuzzy delightedly.

"And," continued Barnac, "if I get well after your massages, we'll all start out on a trip around the world. I'll take Captain Cat, the dogs and Fuzzy with me. In that case, of course, the seven-league boots will be of great help. Would you like to go with us, Johnny?"

"Thank you for your kind invitation," answered Johnny, "but Uncle Lucas and Father are waiting for me. I really have to leave right away. It's time for me to go now."

"Go, then, my dear boy," said Barnac. "But first I have to reward you generously."

"No, thanks," answered Johnny proudly. "Everything I did was only for fun. And also, because I love animals. I don't need a thing. Especially now when I have a generous uncle who will take care of me."

"That's true," said Barnac. "There are no limits when a miser becomes generous."

So the moment of farewell came. Everybody cried -- cats and dogs, Fuzzy and Johnny. The only sounds were sniffling and nose-blowing. Johnny had to promise to revisit Catnap someday. And he shook paws with the cats and dogs again and again. Even some of the mice came and rubbed their noses on his boots.

"Good-by," said Johnny finally. "I'm sorry, but I really have to leave now. But I'll be back sometime. You'll see."

"Yes, oh, yes, do that," exclaimed all the animals. And, waving his handkerchief, Johnny started to walk to Shoestring Manor.

He had a great deal to think about and he was very tired. The soft grass was so tempting that he lay down. I shall rest for a while, he thought.

As soon as he lay down, his eyes closed, and he fell asleep immediately. He slept and slept. Finally, after a long time, he felt a touch on his arm. Johnny staggered to his feet and rubbed his eyes.

A tall, handsome, well-dressed gentleman was standing beside him, smiling. Johnny had to look twice to be sure who it was. The gentleman certainly looked like his own Uncle Lucas -- but how changed he was!

But it was Uncle Lucas. He hugged Johnny affectionately.

"I came to meet you, my dear boy. You were sleeping so soundly that I hated to wake you up."

And, as if he had read Johnny's mind, he added, "I know you can hardly recognize me. It is not only this handsome new suit that makes me look different. It is because I learned so much during our journey. I learned that money doesn't always mean happiness, and that a kind and brave heart is worth more than all the jewels in the world. I am so happy to have you here, Johnny.

I want your father to come to Shoestring Manor too. But now let's go. I'm sure you are very hungry, and there is a little snack waiting for you at home."

Johnny had to admire the changes Uncle Lucas had made in the old house too. It was all scrubbed clean. All the windows stood wide open. A big table was spread with a white cloth and loaded with good food: strawberries and whipped cream, golden honey, brown bread and country butter, big plates of black cherries, cookies, and pitchers full of milk. Forgetting his adventures and Barnac's recent banquet, Johnny ate with delight. He ate and ate until he felt as though food was coming out of his ears.

This was the beginning, not the end, of a wonderful vacation. Johnny's father came to join them at Shoestring Manor. Uncle Lucas became so fond of both old Peter and his son that he invited them to stay with him forever. So they stayed with Uncle Lucas and were all very, very happy. Johnny grew into a strong, healthy boy. The old Shoe King, Peter Longfoot, used to sit happily on the front porch of Uncle Lucas' fine house, smiling, rocking in his comfortable chair, and smoking his long-stemmed pipe. He was glad to be away from his dark, damp shoemaker's shop.

They never talked about their expedition for Barnac the Cat, because Uncle Lucas never mentioned their adventures. Maybe he didn't want to. Maybe he just forgot. And Johnny never asked him about it. Gradually he forgot, too. Every day something new was happening in his life, and he had no time to think about the past, but only about the wonderful present or the future.

Publication Date: 12-09-2014

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