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Cause there isnt any! rejoined the meteor. Come along!
After a little more hesitation, the comet yielded, and the two frisked merrily along, side by side. As they went, No. 73 confided all his vexations to his new friend, who sympathized warmly with him, and spoke in most disrespectful terms of the Comet Master.
A pretty sort of person to dictate to you, when he hasnt the smallest sign of a tail himself! I wouldnt submit to it! cried the meteor. As to the other orders, some of them are not so bad. Of course, nobody would want to go near that stupid, poky Earth, if he could possibly help it; and the planet Bungo is ah is not a very nice planet, I believe. [The fact is, the planet Bungo contains a large reform-school for unruly meteors, but our friend made no mention of that.] But as for the Sun, the bright, jolly, delightful Sun, why, I am going to take a nearer look at him myself. Come on! We will go together, in spite of the Comet Master.
Again the little comet hesitated and demurred; but after all, he had already broken one rule, and why not another? He would be punished in any case, and he might as well get all the pleasure he could. Reasoning thus, he yielded once more to the persuasions of the meteor, and together they shot through the great space-world, taking their way straight toward the Sun.
When the Sun saw them coming, he smiled and seemed much pleased. He stirred his fire, and shook his shining locks, and blazed brighter and brighter, hotter and hotter. The heat seemed to have a strange effect on the comet, for he began to go faster and faster.
Hold on! said the meteor. Why are you hurrying so? I cannot keep up with you.
I cannot stop myself! cried No. 73. Something is drawing me forward, faster and faster!
On he went at a terrible rate, the meteor following as best he might. Several planets that he passed shouted to him in warning tones, but he could not hear what they said. The Sun stirred his fire again, and blazed brighter and brighter, hotter and hotter; and onward rushed the wretched little comet, faster and faster, faster and faster!
Catch hold of my tail and stop me! he shrieked to the meteor. I am shrivelling, burning up, in this fearful heat! Stop me, for pitys sake!
But the meteor was already far behind, and had stopped short to watch his companions headlong progress. And now, ah, me! now the Sun opened his huge fiery mouth. The comet made one desperate effort to stop himself, but it was in vain. An awful, headlong plunge through the intervening space; a hissing and crackling; a shriek, and the fiery jaws had closed on Short-Tail No. 73 forever!
Dear me! said the meteor. How very shocking! I quite forgot that the Sun ate comets. I must be off, or I shall get an æon in the Reform School for this. I am really very sorry, for he was a nice little comet!
And away frisked the meteor, and soon forgot all about it.
But in the great court-yard in front of the Comet House, the Master took a piece of chalk, and crossed out No. 73 from the list of short-tailed comets on the slate that hangs on the door. Then he called out, No. 1 Express, come forward! and the swiftest of all the comets stood before him, brilliant and beautiful, with a bewildering magnificence of tail. The Comet Master spoke sharply and decidedly, as usual, but not unkindly.
No. 73, Short-Tail, he said, has disobeyed orders, and has in consequence been devoured by the Sun.
Here there was a great sensation among the comets.
No. 1, continued the Master, you will start immediately, and travel until you find a runaway meteor, with a red face and blue hair. You are permitted to make inquiries of respectable bodies, such as planets or satellites. When found, you will arrest him and
take him to the planet Bungo. My compliments to the Meteor Keeper, and I shall be obliged if he will give this meteor two æons in the Reform School. I trust, he continued, turning to the assembled comets, that this will be a lesson to all of you!
And I believe it was.