Oz 09: The Scarecrow of Oz by L. Frank Baum
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they all ate of_the biscuits . after a while trot said:

"I've never seen or heard of an Ork before . are there many of you ? "

" we_are rather few and exclusive, I believe," was_the reply ." in_the country where i_was born we_are the absolute rulers of all living things, from ants to elephants ."

" what country is_that ? " asked Cap'n bill .

"Orkland ."

" where does it lie ? "

"I don't know, exactly . you_see, I_have a restless nature, for some reason, while all the rest of_my race are quiet and contented Orks and seldom stray far from home . from childhood days I loved to fly long distances away, although father often warned me that i_would get into trouble by so doing .

"' it's a big world, flipper, my son,' he_would say, ' and I've heard that in parts of it live queer two- legged creatures called men, who war upon all other living things and would_have little respect for even an Ork .'

" this naturally aroused my curiosity and after I had completed my education and left school I decided to fly out into_the world and try to_get a glimpse of_the creatures called men . so I left home without saying good-bye, an act I_shall always regret .Adventures were many, I_found .I sighted men several_times, but have never before been so close to_them as now . also I had to fight my way through_the air, for I met gigantic birds, with fluffy feathers all over them, which attacked me fiercely . besides, it kept me busy escaping from floating airships . in my rambling I had lost all track of distance or direction, so_that when i_wanted to_go home I had no idea where my country was located .I've now been trying to_find it for several_months and it_was during one of_my flights over the ocean that I met the whirlpool and became its victim ."

trot and Cap'n bill listened to_this recital with much interest, and from_the friendly tone and harmless appearance of_the Ork they judged he_was not likely to_prove so disagreeable a companion as at first they had feared he_might_be .

the Ork sat upon its haunches much as acat does, but used the finger- like claws of_its front legs almost as cleverly as if_they were hands . perhaps the most curious thing about_the creature was its tail, or what ought_to_have been its tail . this queer arrangement of skin, bones and muscle was shaped like the propellers used on boats and airships, having fan- like surfaces and being pivoted to its body .Cap'n bill knew something of mechanics, and observing the propeller- like tail of_the Ork he_said:

"I s' pose you're a pretty swift flyer ? "

" yes, indeed; the Orks are admitted to_be Kings of_the air ."

" your wings don't seem to amount to much," remarked trot .

" well, they_are_not very big," admitted the Ork, waving the four hollow skins gently to and fro, " but they serve to support my body in_the air while I speed along by_means of_my tail . still, taken altogether, I'm very handsomely formed, don't you_think ? "

trot did_not like to reply, but Cap'n bill nodded gravely ." for an Ork," said he, " you're a wonder .I've never seen one afore, but I_can imagine you're as good as any ."

that seemed to_please the creature and it began walking around the cavern, making its way easily up the slope . while it_was gone, trot and Cap'n bill each took another sip from_the water- flask, to wash down their breakfast .

" why, here's a hole -- an exit -- an outlet ! " exclaimed the Ork from above .

" we_know," said trot ." we_found it last night ."

" well, then, let's be off," continued the Ork, after sticking its head into_the black hole and sniffing once_or_twice ." the air seems fresh and sweet, and it can't lead us to any worse place than this ."

the girl and_the sailor- man got up and climbed to_the side of_the Ork .

" we'd about decided to explore this hole before_you came," explained Cap'n bill; " but it's a dangerous place to navigate in_the dark, so wait till I light a candle ."

" what_is a candle ? " inquired the Ork .

" you'll see in a minute," said trot .

the old sailor drew one_of_the candles from_his right- side pocket and_the tin matchbox from_his left- side pocket . when he lighted the match the Ork gave a startled jump and eyed the flame suspiciously; but Cap'n bill proceeded to light the candle and_the action interested the Ork very_much .

" light," it said, somewhat nervously, " is valuable in a hole of_this sort . the candle is_not dangerous, I_hope ? "

"Sometimes it Burns your fingers," answered trot, " but that's about_the worst it can do -- 'cept to blow out when_you don't want it to ."

Cap'n bill shielded the flame with_his hand and crept into_the hole . it wasn't any too big for a grown man, but after he had crawled a few feet it grew larger . trot came close behind him and then the Ork followed .

"Seems like areg'lar tunnel," muttered the sailor- man, who was creeping along awkwardly because of_his wooden leg . the rocks, too, hurt his knees .

for nearly half an hour the three moved slowly along the tunnel, which made many twists and turns and sometimes slanted downward and sometimes upward . finally Cap'n bill stopped short, with an exclamation of disappointment, and held the flickering candle far ahead to light the scene .

" what's wrong ? " demanded trot, who_could see nothing because the sailor's form completely filled the hole .

" why, we've come to_the end of_our travels, I guess," he replied .

" is_the hole blocked ? " inquired the Ork .

" no; it's wuss nor that," replied Cap'n bill sadly ."I'm on_the edge of a precipice . wait a minute an' I'll move along and let you_see for yourselves . be careful, trot, not to_fall ."

then he crept forward a little and moved to one side, holding the candle so that_the girl could_see to_follow him . the Ork came next and now all three knelt on a narrow ledge of rock which dropped straight away and left a huge black space which the tiny flame of_the candle could_not illuminate .

"H-m ! " said the Ork, peering over the edge; " this doesn't look very promising, I'll admit . but let me take your candle, and I'll fly down and_see what's below us ."

"Aren't you afraid ? " asked trot .

" certainly I'm afraid," responded the Ork ." but if_we intend to escape we_can't stay on_this shelf forever . so, as I_notice you poor creatures cannot fly, it_is my duty to explore the place for_you ."

Cap'n bill handed the Ork the candle, which had now burned to about half its length . the Ork took it in one claw rather cautiously and then tipped its body forward and slipped over the edge . they heard a queer buzzing sound, as_the tail revolved, and a brisk flapping of_the peculiar wings, but they were more interested just then in following with their eyes the tiny speck of light which marked the location of_the candle . this light first made a great circle, then dropped slowly downward and suddenly was extinguished, leaving everything before them black as ink .

"Hi, there ! how did that happen ? " cried the Ork .

" it blew out, I guess," shouted Cap'n bill ." fetch it here ."

" I_can't see where you_are," said the Ork .

so Cap'n bill got out another candle and lighted it, and its flame enabled the Ork to fly back to_them . it alighted on_the edge and held out the bit of candle .

" what made it stop burning ? " asked the creature .

the wind," said trot ." you_must_be more careful, this_time ."

" what's the place like ? " inquired Cap'n bill .

"I don't know, yet; but there_must_be a bottom to_it, so I'll try to_find it ."

with_this the Ork started out again and this_time sank downward more slowly . down, down, down it went, till the candle was amere spark, and then it headed away to_the left and trot and Cap'n bill lost all sight of it .

in_a_few_minutes, however, they saw the spark of light again, and as_the sailor still held the second lighted candle the Ork made straight toward them . it_was only a few yards distant when suddenly it dropped the candle with a cry of pain and next moment alighted, fluttering wildly, upon_the rocky ledge .

" what's the matter ? " asked trot .

it bit me ! " wailed the Ork ."I don't like your candles . the thing began to disappear slowly as_soon_as i_took it in my claw, and it grew smaller and smaller until just now it turned and bit me -- a most unfriendly thing to_do .Oh -- oh ! Ouch, what a bite ! "

" that's the nature of candles, I'm sorry to_say," explained Cap'n bill, with a grin ." you_have to handle 'em mighty keerful . but tell us, what did you find down there ? "

" I_found a way to_continue our journey," said the Ork, nursing tenderly the claw which had_been burned ." just below us is a great lake of black water, which looked so cold and wicked that_it made me shudder; but away at_the left there's a big tunnel, which we_can easily walk through .I don't know where it leads to, of_course, but we_must follow it and find out ." " why, we_can't get to_it," protested the little girl ." we_can't fly, as_you_do, you_must remember ."

" no, that's true," replied the Ork musingly ." your bodies are built very poorly, it seems to_me, since all you_can do is crawl upon_the earth's surface . but you_may ride upon my back, and in_that way I_can promise you a safe journey to_the tunnel ."

" are_you strong enough to carry us ? " asked Cap'n bill, doubtfully .

" yes, indeed; I'm strong enough to carry a dozen of you, if_you_could find a place to sit," was_the reply; " but there's only room between my wings for_one at_a_time, so I'll have to_make two trips ."

" all right; I'll go first," decided Cap'n bill .

he lit another candle for trot to hold while they were gone and to light the Ork on_his return to her, and then the old sailor got upon_the Ork's back, where he sat with_his wooden leg sticking straight out sidewise .

" if_you start to_fall, clasp your arms around my neck," advised the creature .

" if I start to_fall, it's good night an' pleasant dreams," said Cap'n bill .

" all ready ? " asked the Ork .

" start the buzz- tail," said Cap'n bill, with a tremble in_his voice . but the Ork flew away so gently that_the old man never even tottered in_his seat . trot watched the light of Cap'n bill's candle till it disappeared in_the far distance . she didn't like to_be left alone on_this dangerous ledge, with a lake of black water hundreds of feet below her; but she was a brave little girl and waited patiently for_the return of_the Ork . it came even sooner than she had expected and_the creature said to her:

" your friend is safe in_the tunnel . now, then, get aboard and I'll carry you to him in ajiffy ."

I'm sure not many little girls would_have cared to_take that awful ride through_the huge black cavern on_the back of a skinny Ork . trot didn't care for_it, herself, but it just had to_be_done and so she did it as courageously as possible . her heart beat fast and she was so nervous she_could scarcely hold the candle in her fingers as_the Ork sped swiftly through_the darkness .

it seemed like a long ride to her, yet in reality the Ork covered the distance in a wonderfully brief period of_time and soon trot stood safely beside Cap'n bill on_the level floor of a big arched tunnel . the sailor- man was very_glad to greet his little comrade again and both were grateful to_the Ork for_his assistance .

"I dunno where this tunnel leads to," remarked Cap'n bill, " but it surely looks more promisin' than that other hole we crept through ."

" when_the Ork is rested," said trot, " we'll travel on and_see what happens ."

" rested ! " cried the Ork, as scornfully as his shrill voice would allow ." that bit of flying didn't tire me at all .I'm used to flying days at_a_time, without ever once stopping ."

" then let's move on," proposed Cap'n bill . he still held in_his hand one lighted candle, so trot blew out the other flame and placed her candle in_the sailor's big pocket . she knew it_was not wise to burn two candles at once .

the tunnel was straight and smooth and very easy to walk through, so they made good progress . trot thought that_the tunnel began about two miles from_the cavern where they had_been cast by_the whirlpool, but now it_was impossible to guess the miles traveled, for they walked steadily for hours and hours without any change in their surroundings .

finally Cap'n bill stopped to rest .

" there's somethin' queer about_this 'ere tunnel, I'm certain," he declared, wagging his head dolefully ." here's three candles gone a' ready, an' only three more left us, yet the tunnel's the same as it_was when we started . an' how long it's goin' to_keep up, no one knows ."

"Couldn't we walk without a light ? " asked trot ." the way seems safe enough ."

" it does right now," was_the reply, " but we_can't tell when we_are likely to_come to another gulf, or somethin' jes' as dangerous . in_that case we'd be killed afore we_knew it ."

" suppose I go ahead ? " suggested the Ork ."I don't fear a fall, you_know, and if anything happens I'll call out and warn you

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