Ze Conclusion

With the Master Pumpkin returned to his kingdom and Colonel Stalk vanquished, everything had returned to normal for our heroes, as they resumed their peaceful lives just in time for Halloween ... and their original goal in the forbidden forest...

Wasn't it nice of the Master Pumpkin to find us a Jack O' Lantern?

After all the trouble we went through to help defeat Colonel Stalk, I suppose it was a fitting gesture...

...even it it is a little lopsided with that one eye.

The End.

That's not true, Master! Colonel Stalk has only siphoned off the bad ones and made them do his bidding!

The voice piped up from a nearby pumpkin -- none other than the ghost pumpkin from the forest!

He's made us obey him -- without you here, we didn't have a choice.

Silence, you moldy turnip! screamed Colonel Stalk.

The Master Pumpkin rumbled as he listened to the roar of the pumpkin patch.

I think he's telling the truth, sir. In case you really want to know.

The Master Pumpkin spoke again in his rumbling voice.

You've forced me to act, Colonel Stalk -- and now, you'll feel the force of this forest's magic.
As he drew on his sorcerer's hat and waved a wand --

POP!

As the crows and pumpkins cheered aloud!

The Showdown

Colonel Stalk? repeated the Great Pumpkin. He cast his eye in the direction of the sneering cornstalk.


That's what he called himself. He said he was the leader of the pumpkins ...

I am the leader of the pumpkins. No one has authority over the forest patch but me.


Oh, yeah? Then why have you disappeared for so long and left it open for ME to take over? The patch has called ME leader for ages!

A Special Bulletin from Our Feline Friends

What have we here in my forest? The voice was deep and rumbling in the still forest. Two large hollow eyes surveyed the crows with solemn wisdom.

All hail the Master Pumpkin!!!! The pumpkin chorus intoned with more enthusiasm than usual.
Please, sir, we're not here to do any harm -- we only wanted a Jack o' Lantern, but we encounter the one-eyed pumpkin and Colonel Stalk --

One-Eyed Jack is one of my subjects. And therefore, protected by law of the forest.

But what of Colonel Stalk? asked Bertie.

We'll Return to Our Regularly Scheduled Post Momentarily...

As the evil Colonel Stalk prepared to annhilate our heroes, a strange event began unfolding in the pumpkin patch...

With a hush, the pumpkins drew back suddenly.

Hey, wait a second -- where do you think you're going?

The pumpkins paid their master no heed. The patch rearranged itself as a massive pumpkin tumbled down from the forest hill, into the midst of the patch!

With a shiver, the pumpkin's orange hull rearranged itself to expose large eyes, a nose and a mouth -- the Master Pumpkin was among them!

The angry cornstalk glared at the crows. Surrounded by pumpkins, he looked intimidating -- and downright nasty.

Not until you let us go --

Not happening! You may have dispatched my ghosts and my best henchman, but I'll show you who's in charge here!

As the corn stalk waved a leaf hand in their direction, the crows prepared for certain destruction.

Until a strange silence fell over the pumpkin patch....

As the trio crept back to the pumpkin patch, in disguise as the ghost beneath a bedsheet, they were spotted by a pumpkin sentry...

Hey, Jack! Somebody's sneakin' into the patch!

Before sneering Jack could move, Gussie burst from beneath the sheet -- in a football helmet!
Without pausing, he scooped up One-Eyed Jack and tucked him underneath his arm! The pumpkin chorus actually cheered with enthusiasm at the sight!

Hey, you! Let go of me!

Go for the goal, Gussie! The crows cheered him on as he ran towards the deep forest.

Stop that, you fools! I'm in chage here and I demand you put him down!

Another Shameless Delay in the Story ...

Bertie's Big Plan

As the White Howler descended upon our heroes in the forest, they responded quickly ... by running!

Keep it up, Gussie -- if we fall, Bertie will never have his chance! Reggie gasped aloud.

As the ghost moved swiftly over the ground, Bertie made a flying leap and snagged the ghost's bedsheet.

Gotcha!

With a shriek of fright, a Jack o' Lantern tumbled from beneath and leaped away into the forest.

The Ghost of Halloween Past? suggested Gussie. Bertie fumbled with the sheet.

Now's not the time, boys -- not if we're going to snag a Jack o' Lantern in time for Halloween!

Right. Bertie, let's all get under that sheet and sneak back to the patch. As for Gussie here, I think it's time he returned to his old football days in high school...we've got a little surprise for the pumpkins.

We Interrupt, Yet Again ....

Once the heroes encounter the leader of the pumpkin gang, they were shocked to see a giant stalk of corn instead of the legendary Master Pumpkin. Before a crowd of shivering pumpkins, they were sentenced to face the Ghost of the Forest!

Fleeing the scene swiftly, Bertie, Reggie, and Gussie didn't even have time to survey the Jack o' Lanterns around them for Halloween decoration potential, since the Ghost of the Forest was hot on their heels.

Wait a minute! What are we doing?


Bertie's breathles exclaimation was accompanied by the "shush" of his several companions as they ducked behind bushes.

What do you mean "doing"? We're running from a scary ghost ordered to dispatch us on behalf of a giant corn stalk! Reggie hissed.

But there's no way we can outrun it, boys -- our only chance is to outwit it.

Outwit a ghost?

Why not? I have a plan, boys...

With that, Bertie lowered his voice to a whisper. As the others listened, comprehension dawned on their faces.

What's Bertie's brilliant plan? Tune in Next Time to find out!

Who are you? Before Bertie could stop himself, the words popped out.

The corn stalk -- if such a thing is possible -- leered at him with broken kernel teeth exposed through its hull.

I'm the master of the pumpkins, sonny boy. If anybody's got business with them, they's got it with me.

All hail Colonel Stalk!! droned the pumpkins.

Too shocked to respond, the crows stared at the giant corn stalk towering above them.

Shall I feed 'em to the wolves, boss? Asked One-Eyed Jack with a sneer.

I think we should let the White Howler take care of 'em!

As the corn stalk laughed with a high, evil cackle, a form took shape in the mist...the unmistakable form of a ghost!

When we last encountered our heroes, one of them demanded an audience with the pumpkin's leader from a vicious thug known as One-Eyed Jack.

Good going, Reg -- now we'll be facing off with the Master Pumpkin himself. You heard what the owl said --

Gussie's remarks were cut short, however, by the pumpkins. Who parted in a sea of orange hull and green leaves to reveal.....

A Corn Stalk.

This Just In from Our Foreign Correspondents ...

Hail ye, One-Eyed Jack!

The droning pumpkin chorus was directed at the newcomer. Who fixed his good carved eye on the unfortunate trio of crows.

Well, well, well. Invaders in the Master's forest. We'll have to make them welcome, won't we, boys?

Look here, you deformed turnip lump -- we demand to see your leader or else!!!

Yes, folks, Reggie was wearing the wrong hat, but he did speak the right words -- a shudder passed through the crowd of pumpkins at this suggestion. Even One-Eyed Jack received this request with a grim reflection, before chortling.

All right, then. I'll take you to him.