Suddenly a bootblack attempted to solve the problem by saying:
"You guys is all wrong! Can a dummy talk? Can a dummy walk? Can a dummy live?"
"Hush!" murmured the policeman.
"Look here!" and he pointed to the hold in the lady's head. The newsboy looked, turned pale and whistled to keep himself from shivering.
A second policeman now arrived, and after a brief conference it was decided to take the strange creature to headquarters. So they called a hurry-up wagon, and the damaged wax lady was helped inside and driven to the police station.
There the policeman locked her in a cell and hastened to tell Inspector Mugg their wonderful story.
Inspector Mugg had just eaten a poor breakfast, and was not in a pleasant mood; so he roared and stormed at the unlucky policemen, saying they were themselves dummies to bring such a fairy tale to a man of sense.
He also hinted that they had been guilty of intemperance. The policemen tried to explain, but Inspector Mugg would not listen; and while they were still disputing in rushed Mr. Floman, the owner of the department store.
"I want a dozen detectives, at once, inspector!" he cried.
"What for?" demanded Mugg.
"One of the wax ladies has escaped from my store and eloped with a $19.98 costume, a $4.23 hat, a $2.19 parasol and a 76-cent pair of gloves, and I want her arrested!" While he paused for breath the inspector glared at him in amazement.
"Is everybody going crazy at the same time?" he inquired, sarcastically.
"How could a wax dummy run away?"
"I don't know; but she did. When my janitor opened the door this morning he saw her run out."
"Why didn't he stop her?" asked Mugg.
"He was too frightened. But she's stolen my property, your honor, and I want her arrested!" declared the storekeeper.
The inspector thought for a moment.
"You wouldn't be able to prosecute her," he said, "for there's no law against dummies stealing."
Mr. Floman sighed bitterly.
"Am I to lose that $19.98 costume and the $4.25 hat and—"
"By no means," interrupted Inspector Mugg. "The police of this city are ever prompt to act in defense of our worthy citizens. We have already arrested the wax lady, and she is locked up in cell No. 16. You may go there and recover your property, if you wish, but before you prosecute her for stealing you'd better hunt up a law that applies to dummies."
"All I want," said Mr. Floman, "is that $19.98 costume and—"
"Come along!" interrupted the policeman. "I'll take you to the cell."
But when they entered No. 16 they found only a lifeless dummy lying prone upon the floor. Its wax was cracked and blistered, its head was badly damaged, and the bargain costume was dusty, soiled and much bedraggled. For the mischief-loving Tanko-Mankie had flown by and breathed once more upon the poor wax lady, and in that instant her brief life ended.
"It's just as I thought," said Inspector Mugg, leaning back in his chair contentedly. "I knew all the time the thing was a fake. It seems sometimes as though the whole world would go crazy if there wasn't some level-headed man around to bring 'em to their senses. Dummies are wood an' wax, an' that's all there is of 'em."
"That may be the rule," whispered the policeman to himself, "but this one were a dummy as lived!"
◇◇◇♡♡♡◇◇◇
"How did you like that story Sam? The dummy that could walk and talk. Would you be scared of her?"
"Sam please wake up and talk to me. Do you think the store keeper was foolish for believing that his wax dummy was a live. I think he should of reported to the police that someone stole his wax dummy and not the clothes she wore."
"What do you think Sam?"
"Instead of being scared they could of made a lot of money letting people see the living dummy. They were the real dummies." Sam said
George stood up and pulled his son to him. "Thank you for waking up. I'm sorry for being gone so long."
"Dad can they take this tube out. It hurts."
George called for the nurses and doctor. They took Sam for some more testing before he had the chance to talk with his dad.
When he got back George told him the story about the island. "You know because we built that radio from scratch that one time I was able to repair the radio we found. It would of gotten done faster if you were there. You know more about this stuff more then I do."
Sam told him what had happen while his father was away. He apologized for making his mother worry about him. He told him about how grandpa went on a rampage and got lost.
It was good to have Sam awake. When he was released they walked down to give Bella back her book and Thank her knowing how to wake a sleeping boy.
"Thanks Bella"
"Your welcome. Which story did you read?" She asked.
"The Dummy That Lived" Sam said.
"I read that one a few days ago. What did you think?" She asked.
"The wax dummy that was alive should of been the owners main thought. Instead he focused on the cloths. He could of made a lot of money by having a live dummy in his window so that makes him the real dummy." Sam answered.
"I have never thought of it that way. You are really smart." Bella said.
"Can I come over sometimes and read with you?" he asked.
"Yes, you are always welcome at our home. You are family."
After they left Bella looked at her book only two stories left. Then she would need to find something else to read. These tales were not right for babies to hear so she would look for better stories.
She opened he book The King of the Polar Bears and The Mandarin and the Butterfly was all that was left.