The boy named Candlewick sat atop the Coachman's coach as it waited at the crossroads about one mile from the seaside Italian village he was from. The coach was bound for Pleasure Island, a paradise for boys and girls somewhere just off the coast of the mainland.
Every kid currently aboard the coach was anywhere between five and fifteen years old, Candlewick was at least twelve.
Candlewick was both tall and slender and had both red hair and a pair of buck teeth. He wore a formal brown jacket and yellow vest with a green ascot over his white shirt, complemented by olive green pants with suspenders and a pair of brown shoes. He also wore a bowler hat with a single feather in it.
Candlewick had spent a large chunk of his life living on the streets which had made him a bit tougher than most boys.
It was at times an exciting life and a tough one, but it was more preferable to him than living at home where he had to deal with his father's fists and his mother's neglect. On his own, he didn't have to worry about anyone telling him what he could or couldn't do.
As Candlewick sat up front next to the Coachman on the furthest side of the driver's seat, he pulled out his slingshot from his pant's pocket and began to fiddle with it. He was getting bored and couldn't wait to begin his journey.
Candlewick toyed with the idea of striking one of the ten donkeys that pulled the Coachman's stagecoach with his slingshot, reasoning it could be fun. But ultimately he decided against it. He didn't want to risk angering the Coachman or potentially hold up the coach and from the looks of it the donkeys looked like they had enough to worry about.
The donkeys were small and looked both unhappy and exhausted from having to pull the Coachman‘s heavy stagecoach across the rough countryside terrain. Their eyes were very expressive for a dumb animal, showing signs of both fear and sadness.
Suddenly Candlewick heard footsteps and turned to see a familiar face approach the coach. It was the fox Honest John, the one who had persuaded Candlewick to go to Pleasure Island. He was followed by his dim witted sidekick Gideon and they both held onto the arm of another boy they were leading towards the coach.
But this wasn't just any other little boy. He was quite unique. The boy looked as if he was a wooden puppet, but he could both walk and talk.
"Ah, Coachman," Honest John announced as he reached the coach, "I believe this is last kid we could find. He too is very eager to join you on your trip back to your fantastic island paradise."
The Coachman nodded and smiled to the wooden little boy who he helped climb aboard. The boy then took a seat in between both the Coachman and Candlewick on the driver's platform.
"Thank you, Honest John," the Coachman told the fox with a tip of his hat, "I'll see you next week."
"Of course, sir," Honest John replied with a gentlemanly tip of his hat as well.
"Giddy up!" the Coachman shouted as he cracked his whip at the ten frightened little donkeys that pulled his coach. The donkeys all jumped fearfully and immediately went to work in pulling the coach off towards their next destination as the rowdy boys and girls aboard the coach began to cheer loudly.
Candlewick turned to the wooden little boy sitting next to him and introduced himself, "My name's Candlewick. What's yours?"
"Pinocchio," the little boy replied with a smile. "Ever been to Pleasure Island?" Candlewick asked his new friend. Pinocchio shook his head as he held up a playing card of the ace of spades.
"Uh-uh, but Mr. Honest John gave me -- " he started to say before Candlewick cut him off. "Me neither, but they say it’s a swell joint; no school, no cops. You can tear the joint apart and nobody says a word." said Candlewick enthusiastically.
"Loaf around, plenty to eat, plenty to drink. And it’s all free!" Candlewick remarked as he leaned back against the coach. "Boy that’s the place. I can hardly wait!"
As the kids aboard the coach cheered even louder as the Coach continued along its way, it was apparent they everyone was happy. The kids, Candlewick, Pinocchio and even the Coachman himself.
The only ones that were not happy were the donkeys.