Oz 09: The Scarecrow of Oz by L. Frank Baum
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you ."

" that's a good idea," declared trot, and Cap'n bill thought so, too . so the Ork started off ahead, quite in_the dark, and hand in band the two followed him .

when_they had walked in_this_way for a good long_time the Ork halted and demanded food .Cap'n bill had_not mentioned food because there_was so little left -- only three biscuits and a lump of cheese about as big as his two fingers -- but he_gave the Ork half of a biscuit, sighing as he_did so . the creature didn't care for_the cheese, so the sailor divided it between himself and trot . they lighted a candle and sat down in_the tunnel while they ate .

" my feet hurt me," grumbled the Ork ."I'm not used to walking and this rocky passage is so uneven and lumpy that_it hurts me to walk upon it ."

" can't you fly along ? " asked trot .

" no; the roof is too low," said the Ork .

after_the meal they resumed their journey, which trot began to fear would never end . when Cap'n bill noticed how tired the little girl was, he paused and lighted a match and looked at his big silver watch .

" why, it's night ! " he exclaimed ." we've tramped all day, an' still we're in_this awful passage, which mebbe goes straight through_the middle of_the world, an' mebbe is a circle -- in_which_case we_can keep walkin' till doomsday . not knowin' what's before_us so_well as we_know what's behind us, I propose we_make a stop, now, an' try to sleep till mornin' ."

" that_will suit me," asserted the Ork, with a groan ." my feet are hurting me dreadfully and for_the_last few miles I've been limping with pain ."

" my foot hurts, too," said the sailor, looking for a smooth place on_the rocky floor to sit down .

" your foot ! " cried the Ork ." why, you've only_one to hurt you, while I_have four . so I suffer four times as_much as_you possibly can . here; hold the candle while I look at_the bottoms of_my claws .I declare," he_said, examining them by_the flickering light, " there_are bunches of pain all over them ! "

"P'r'aps," said trot, who was very_glad to sit down beside her companions, " you've got corns ."

"Corns ? nonsense ! Orks never have corns," protested the creature, rubbing its sore feet tenderly .

" then mebbe they're - they're - what do_you call 'em, Cap'n bill ? something ' bout the pilgrim's progress, you_know ."

"Bunions," said Cap'n bill .

"Oh, yes; mebbe you've got bunions ."

" it_is possible," moaned the Ork ." but whatever they_are, another day of_such walking on them would drive me crazy ."

"I'm sure they'll feel better by mornin'," said Cap'n bill, encouragingly ." go to sleep an' try to forget your sore feet ."

the Ork cast a reproachful look at_the sailor- man, who didn't see it . then the creature asked plaintively: " do we eat now, or do we starve ? "

" there's only half a biscuit left for_you," answered Cap'n bill ." no one knows how long we'll have to stay in_this dark tunnel, where there's nothing whatever to eat; so I advise you to save that morsel o' food till later ."

" give it me now ! " demanded the Ork ." if I'm going to starve, I'll do_it all at once -- not by degrees ."

Cap'n bill produced the biscuit and_the creature ate it in a trice . trot was rather hungry and whispered to Cap'n bill that she'd take part of her share; but the old man secretly broke his own half- biscuit in two, saving trot's share for a time of greater need .

he_was beginning to_be worried over the little girl's plight and long after she was asleep and_the Ork was snoring in a rather disagreeable manner, Cap'n bill sat with_his back to a rock and smoked his pipe and tried to_think of some way to escape from_this seemingly endless tunnel . but after a time he also slept, for hobbling on a wooden leg all day was tiresome, and there in_the dark slumbered the three adventurers for many hours, until the Ork roused itself and kicked the old sailor with one foot .

" it must_be another day," said he .

chapter Four

daylight at last

Cap'n bill rubbed his eyes, lit a match and consulted his watch .

"Nine o'clock . yes, I guess it's another day, sure enough . shall we go on ? " he asked .

" of_course," replied the Ork ." unless this tunnel is different from everything else in_the_world, and has no end, we'll find a way out of it sooner or later ."

the sailor gently wakened trot . she felt much rested by her long sleep and sprang to her feet eagerly .

" let's start, Cap'n," was all she said .

they resumed the journey and had only taken a few steps when_the Ork cried "Wow ! " and made a great fluttering of_its wings and whirling of_its tail . the others, who were following a short distance behind, stopped abruptly .

" what's the matter ? " asked Cap'n bill .

" give_us a light," was_the reply ." i_think we've come to_the end of_the tunnel ." then, while Cap'n bill lighted a candle, the creature added: " if that_is true, we needn't have wakened so soon, for we were almost at_the end of_this place when we went to sleep ."

the sailor- man and trot came forward with a light .a wall of rock really faced the tunnel, but now they saw that_the opening made a sharp turn to_the left . so they followed on, by a narrower passage, and then made another sharp turn this_time to_the right .

" blow out the light, Cap'n," said the Ork, in a pleased voice ." we've struck daylight ."

daylight at last ! a shaft of mellow light fell almost at their feet as trot and_the sailor turned the corner of_the passage, but it came from above, and raising their eyes they found they were at_the bottom of a deep, rocky well, with_the top far, far above their heads . and here the passage ended .

for a while they gazed in silence, at_least two of_them being filled with dismay at_the sight . but the Ork merely whistled softly and said cheerfully:

" that was_the toughest journey I ever had the misfortune to undertake, and I'm glad it's over . yet, unless I_can manage to fly to_the top of_this pit, we_are entombed here forever ."

" do_you_think there_is room enough for_you to fly in ? " asked the little girl anxiously; and Cap'n bill added:

" it's a straight- up shaft, so I don't see how you'll ever manage it ."

" were I an ordinary bird -- one of_those horrid feathered things -- I wouldn't even make_the attempt to fly out," said the Ork ." but my mechanical propeller tail can accomplish wonders, and whenever you're ready I'll show you a trick that_is worth while ."

"Oh ! " exclaimed trot; " do_you intend to_take us up, too ? "

" why_not ? "

" i_thought," said Cap'n bill, " as_you'd go first, an' then send somebody to help_us by lettin' down a rope ."

"Ropes are dangerous," replied the Ork, " and I might_not_be_able to_find one to reach all this distance . besides, it stands to reason that if I_can get out myself I_can also carry you two with me ."

" well, I'm not afraid," said trot, who longed to_be on_the earth's surface again .

"S' pose we fall ? " suggested Cap'n bill, doubtfully .

" why, in_that case we_would all fall together," returned the Ork ." get aboard, little girl; sit across my shoulders and put both your arms around my neck ."

trot obeyed and when she was seated on_the Ork, Cap'n bill inquired:

" how ' bout me, Mr Ork ? "

" why, i_think you'd best grab hold of_my rear legs and let me carry you up in_that manner," was_the reply .

Cap'n bill looked way up at_the top of_the well, and then he looked at_the Ork's slender, skinny legs and heaved a deep sigh .

" it's goin' to_be some dangle, I guess; but if_you don't waste too_much time on_the way up, I may_be_able to hang on," said he .

" all ready, then ! " cried the Ork, and at once his whirling tail began to revolve . trot felt herself rising into_the air; when_the creature's legs left the ground Cap'n bill grasped two of_them firmly and held on for dear life . the Ork's body was tipped straight upward, and trot had to embrace the neck very tightly to_keep from sliding off . even in_this position the Ork had trouble in escaping the rough sides of_the well . several_times it exclaimed "Wow ! " as it bumped its back, or a wing hit against some jagged projection; but the tail kept whirling with remarkable swiftness and_the daylight grew brighter and brighter . it_was, indeed, a long journey from_the bottom to_the top, yet almost before trot realized they had come so_far, they popped out_of_the hole into_the clear air and sunshine and a moment later the Ork alighted gently upon_the ground .

the release was so sudden that even with_the creature's care for its passengers Cap'n bill struck the earth with a shock that sent him rolling heel over head; but by_the_time trot had slid down from her seat the old sailor- man was sitting up and looking around him with much satisfaction .

" it's sort o' pretty here," said he .

" earth is a beautiful place ! " cried trot .

"I wonder where on earth we_are ? " pondered the Ork, turning first one bright eye and then the other to_this side and_that .Trees there were, in plenty, and shrubs and flowers and green turf . but there were no houses; there were no paths; there_was no sign of civilization whatever .

" just before I settled down on_the ground i_thought I caught a view of_the ocean," said the Ork ." let's see if i_was right ." then he flew to a little hill, near by, and trot and Cap'n bill followed him more slowly . when_they stood on_the top of_the hill they_could see the blue waves of_the ocean in front of_them, to_the right of_them, and at_the left of_them . behind the hill was a forest that shut out the view .

" I_hope it ain't an island, trot," said Cap'n bill gravely .

" if_it_is, I s' pose we're prisoners," she replied .

"Ezzackly so, trot ."

" but, ' even so, it's better than those terr'ble underground tunnels and caverns," declared the girl .

" you_are right, little one," agreed the Ork ." anything above ground is better than_the best that lies under ground . so let's not quarrel with_our fate but be thankful we've escaped ."

" we_are, indeed ! " she replied ." but I wonder if_we_can find something to eat in_this place ? "

" let's explore an' find out," proposed Cap'n bill ." those trees over at_the left look like cherry-trees ."

on_the way to_them the explorers had to walk through a tangle of vines and Cap'n bill, who went first, stumbled and pitched forward on_his face .

" why, it's a melon ! " cried trot delightedly, as she saw what had caused the sailor to_fall .

Cap'n bill rose to_his foot, for he_was not at all hurt, and examined the melon . then he_took his big jackknife from_his pocket and cut the melon open . it_was quite ripe and looked delicious; but the old man tasted it before he permitted trot to eat any .Deciding it_was good he_gave her a big slice and then offered the Ork some . the creature looked at_the fruit somewhat disdainfully, at first, but once he had tasted its flavor he ate of it as heartily as did the others . among_the vines they discovered many_other melons, and trot said gratefully: " well, there's no danger of_our starving, even if_this_is an island ."

"Melons," remarked Cap'n bill, " are both food an' water . we couldn't have struck anything better ."

farther on they came to_the cherry trees, where they obtained some_of_the fruit, and at_the edge of_the little forest were wild plums . the forest itself consisted entirely of nut trees -- walnuts, filberts, almonds and chestnuts -- so there would_be plenty of wholesome food for_them while they remained there .

Cap'n bill and trot decided to walk through_the forest, to discover what_was on_the other side of it, but the Ork's feet were still so sore and " lumpy" from walking on_the rocks that_the creature said he preferred to fly over the tree-tops and meet them on_the other side . the forest was not large, so by walking briskly for fifteen minutes they reached its farthest edge and saw before them the shore of_the ocean .

" it's an island, all right," said trot, with a sigh .

" yes, and a pretty island, too," said Cap'n bill, trying to conceal his disappointment on trot's account ."I guess, partner, if_the wuss comes to_the wuss, I_could build a raft -- or even a boat -- from those trees, so's we_could sail away in_it ."

the little girl brightened at_this suggestion ."I don't see the Ork anywhere," she remarked, looking around . then her eyes lighted upon something and she exclaimed: "Oh, Cap'n bill ! Isn't that a house, over there to_the left ? "

Cap'n bill, looking closely, saw a shed- like structure built at one edge of_the forest .

"Seems like it, trot . not that I'd call it much of a house, but it's abuildin', all right . let's go over an' see if_it's occypied ."

chapter Five

the little old man of_the island

a few steps brought them to_the shed, which_was merely a roof of boughs built over a square space, with some branches of trees fastened to_the sides to_keep off the wind . the front

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