at all, began to pummel him hard with his big fists, crying: 'I'll teach

you to put me into a kettle!"

Wily hit out at Mr. Change-About, not knowing in the least who he
was, or where he had suddenly sprung from. And there was a perfectly
marvellous fight going on, just as the wooden bench flew out of the
window. The enchanter saw it going and tried to get hold of it-but just
at that moment Mr. Change-About gave him such a hard punch on the
nose that he fell over, smack, again!
"Go it, Change-About!" yelled Moon-Face. "Hit him hard!"
And out of the window sailed the bench, with Moon-Face, Silky and
Saucepan clinging tightly to it. Far away in the distance was the
upside-down table.
The table whizzed steadily onwards, over hills and woods, and once
over the sea. "We've come a very long way from home since we've been
in the Land of Spells," said Jo. "I hope the table knows its way to our
home. I don't want to land in any more strange lands just at present!"
The table knew its way all right. Jo gave a shout as it flew over a big
dark wood. "The Enchanted Wood!" he cried. "We're nearly home!"
The table flew down to the garden of the children's cottage. Their
mother was there, hanging out some clothes. She looked round in the
greatest astonishment when she saw them arrive in such a peculiar way.
"Well, really!" she said. "Whatever next! Do you usually fly around the
country in an upside-down table?"
"Oh, mother! We've had such an adventure!" said Jo, scrambling off.
He looked up in the air to see if the bench was following -but there was
no sign of it.
"Where's the bench?" said Dick. "Oh-I suppose it will go to the
Faraway, as that is where the others live. Gracious-I feel all trembly.
Jo-I am NOT going into any more lands at the top of the Faraway Tree
again. It's just a bit too exciting!"
"Right," said Jo. "I feel the same. No more adventures for me!"
9-The Land of Dreams.
The children had had enough of adventures for some time. Their mother
set them to work in the garden, and they did their best for her. Nobody
suggested going to the Enchanted Wood at all.
"I hope old Moon-Face, Silky and the Saucepan Man got back to the
tree safely," said Jo one day.
Moon-Face was wondering the same thing about the children. He and
Silky talked about it.
"We haven't seen the children for ages," he said. "Let's slip down the
tree, Silky, and make sure they got back all right, shall we? After all, it
would be dreadful if they hadn't got back, and their mother was
worrying about them."
So one afternoon, just after lunch, Silky and Moon-Face walked up to
the door of the cottage. Bessie opened it and squealed with delight.
"Moon-Face! So you got back safely after all! Come in! Come in, Silky
darling. Saucepan, you'll have to take off a kettle or two if you want to
get in at the door."
The children's parents were out. The children and their friends sat and
talked about their last adventure.