Oz 09: The Scarecrow of Oz by L. Frank Baum
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place by their adventures, for often they_would_have preferred the company of a wild beast to_that of Pessim .

on_the fourth day a happy thought came to_the Ork . they had all been racking their brains for a possible way to leave the island, and discussing this or that method, without finding a plan that was practical .Cap'n bill had said he_could make a raft of_the trees, big enough to float them all, but he had no tools except those two pocketknives and it_was not possible to chop down tree with_such small blades .

" and s' pose we got afloat on_the ocean," said trot, " where would we drift to, and how long would it take us to_get there ? "

Cap'n bill was forced to admit he didn't know . the Ork could fly away from_the island any_time it wished to, but the queer creature was loyal to_his new friends and refused to leave them in_such a lonely, forsaken place .

it_was when trot urged him to_go, on_this fourth morning, that_the Ork had his happy thought .

" i_will go," said he, " if_you two will agree to ride upon my back ."

" we_are too heavy; you_might drop us," objected Cap'n bill .

" yes, you_are rather heavy for a long journey," acknowledged the Ork, " but you_might eat of_those lavender berries and become so small that I_could carry you with ease ."

this quaint suggestion startled trot and she looked gravely at_the speaker while she considered it, but Cap'n bill gave a scornful snort and asked:

" what would become of us afterward ? we wouldn't be much good if_we were some two_or_three inches high . no, Mr Ork, I'd rather stay here, as I_am, than be ahop-o'- my- thumb somewhere else ."

" why couldn't you take some_of_the dark purple berries along with_you, to eat after we had reached our destination ? " inquired the Ork ." then you_could grow big again whenever you pleased ."

trot clapped her hands with delight .

" that's it ! " she exclaimed ." let's do_it, Cap'n bill ."

the old sailor did_not like the idea at first, but he thought it over carefully and_the more he thought the better it seemed .

" how could you manage to carry us, if_we were so small ? " he asked .

" I_could put you in a paper bag, and tie the bag around my neck ."

" but we haven't a paper bag," objected trot .

the Ork looked at her .

" there's your sunbonnet," it said presently, " which_is hollow in_the middle and has two strings that you_could tie around my neck ."

trot took off her sunbonnet and regarded it critically . yes, it might easily hold both her and Cap'n bill, after they had eaten the lavender berries and been reduced in size . she tied the strings around the Ork's neck and_the sunbonnet made a bag in_which two tiny people might ride without danger of falling out . so she said:

"I b'lieve we'll do_it that way, Cap'n ."

Cap'n bill groaned but could make no logical objection except that_the plan seemed to him quite dangerous -- and dangerous in more ways than one .

" i_think so, myself," said trot soberly ." but nobody can stay alive without getting into danger sometimes, and danger doesn't mean getting hurt, Cap'n; it only means we_might get hurt . so I guess we'll have to take_the risk ."

" let's go and find the berries," said the Ork .

they said nothing to Pessim, who was sitting on_his stool and scowling dismally as he stared at_the ocean, but started at once to seek the trees that bore the magic fruits . the Ork remembered very_well where the lavender berries grew and led his companions quickly to_the spot .

Cap'n bill gathered two berries and placed them carefully in_his pocket . then they went around to_the east side of_the island and found the tree that bore the dark purple berries .

"I guess I'll take four of_these," said the sailor- man, so in_case one doesn't make us grow big we_can eat another ."

" better take six," advised the Ork ." it's well to_be on_the safe side, and I'm sure these trees grow nowhere else in all the world ."

so Cap'n bill gathered six of_the purple berries and with their precious fruit they returned to_the shed to big good-bye to Pessim . perhaps they_would not have granted the surly little man this courtesy had they not wished to use him to tie the sunbonnet around the Ork's neck .

when Pessim learned they were about to leave him he at first looked greatly pleased, but he suddenly recollected that nothing ought to_please him and so began to grumble about being left alone .

" we_knew it wouldn't suit you," remarked Cap'n bill ." it didn't suit you to_have us here, and it won't suit you to_have us go away ."

" that_is quite true," admitted Pessim ."I haven't been suited since I_can remember; so it doesn't matter to_me in_the least whether you go or stay ."

he_was interested in their experiment, however, and willingly agreed to assist, although he prophesied they_would fall out_of_the sunbonnet on their way and be either drowned in_the ocean or crushed upon some rocky shore . this uncheerful prospect did_not daunt trot, but it made Cap'n bill quite nervous .

" i_will eat my berry first," said trot, as she placed her sunbonnet on_the ground, in_such manner that they_could get into_it .

then she ate the lavender berry and in a few seconds became so small that Cap'n bill picked her up gently with_his thumb and one finger and placed her in_the middle of_the sunbonnet . then he placed beside her the six purple berries -- each_one being about as big as_the tiny trot's head -- and all preparations being now made the old sailor ate his lavender berry and became very_small -- wooden leg and all !

Cap'n bill stumbled sadly in trying to climb over the edge of_the sunbonnet and pitched in beside trot headfirst, which caused the unhappy Pessim to laugh with glee . then the king of_the island picked up the sunbonnet -- so rudely that he shook its occupants like peas in a pod -- and tied it, by_means of_its strings, securely around the Ork's neck .

" I_hope, trot, you sewed those strings on tight," said Cap'n bill anxiously .

" why, we_are_not very heavy, you_know," she replied, " so i_think the stitches will hold . but be careful and not crush the berries, Cap'n ."

" one is jammed already," he_said, looking at them .

" all ready ? " asked the Ork .

" yes ! " they cried together, and Pessim came close to_the sunbonnet and called out to_them: " you'll be smashed or drowned, I'm sure you_will ! but farewell, and good riddance to_you ."

the Ork was provoked by_this unkind speech, so he turned his tail toward the little man and made it revolve so fast that_the rush of air tumbled Pessim over backward and he rolled several_times upon_the ground before he_could stop himself and sit up . by_that_time the Ork was high in_the air and speeding swiftly over the ocean .

chapter Six

the flight of_the Midgets

Cap'n bill and trot rode very comfortably in_the sunbonnet . the motion was quite steady, for they weighed so little that_the Ork flew without effort . yet they were both somewhat nervous about their future fate and could_not help wishing they were safe on land and their natural size again .

" you're terr'ble small, trot," remarked Cap'n bill, looking at his companion .

" same to_you, Cap'n," she said with a laugh; " but as long as we_have the purple berries we needn't worry about our size ."

" in a circus," mused the old man, " we'd be curiosities . but in a sunbonnet -- high up in_the air -- sailin' over a big, unknown ocean -- they ain't no word in any booktionary to describe us ."

" why, we're midgets, that's all," said the little girl . the Ork flew silently for_a_long_time . the slight swaying of_the sunbonnet made Cap'n bill drowsy, and he began to doze . trot, however, was wide awake, and after enduring the monotonous journey as long as she was able she called out:

"Don't you_see land anywhere, Mr Ork ? "

" not yet," he answered ." this_is a big ocean and I've no idea in_which direction the nearest land to_that island lies; but if I keep flying in a straight line I'm sure to reach some place some_time ."

that seemed reasonable, so the little people in_the sunbonnet remained as patient as possible; that_is, Cap'n bill dozed and trot tried to remember her geography lessons so she_could figure out what land they were likely to arrive at .

for hours and hours the Ork flew steadily, keeping to_the straight line and searching with_his eyes the horizon of_the ocean for land .Cap'n bill was fast asleep and snoring and trot had laid her head on_his shoulder to rest it when suddenly the Ork exclaimed:

" there ! I've caught a glimpse of land, at last ."

at_this announcement they roused themselves .Cap'n bill stood up and tried to peek over the edge of_the sunbonnet .

" what does it look like ? " he inquired .

"Looks like another island," said the Ork; " but I_can judge it better in a minute or two ."

"I don't care much for islands, since we visited that other one," declared trot .

soon the Ork made another announcement .

" it_is surely an island, and a little one, too," said he ." but I won't stop, because I_see a much bigger land straight ahead of it ."

" that's right," approved Cap'n bill ." the bigger the land, the better it_will suit us ."

" it's almost a continent," continued the Ork after a brief silence, during which he_did_not decrease the speed of_his flight ."I wonder if_it can_be Orkland, the place I_have_been seeking so_long ? "

" I_hope not," whispered trot to Cap'n bill -- so softly that_the Ork could_not hear her -- " for I shouldn't like to_be in a country where only Orks live . this_one Ork isn't a bad companion, but alot of him wouldn't be much fun ."

after a few more minutes of flying the Ork called out in a sad voice:

" no ! this_is_not my country . it's a place I_have never seen before, although I_have wandered far and wide . it seems_to_be all mountains and deserts and green valleys and queer cities and lakes and rivers -- mixed up in a very puzzling way ."

" most countries are like that," commented Cap'n bill ." are_you going to land ? "

" pretty soon," was_the reply ." there_is a mountain peak just ahead of me . what do_you say to our landing on_that ? "

" all right," agreed the sailor- man, for both he and trot were getting tired of riding in_the sunbonnet and longed to set foot on solid ground again .

so in_a_few_minutes the Ork slowed down his speed and then came to a stop so easily that_they were scarcely jarred at all . then the creature squatted down until the sunbonnet rested on_the ground, and began trying to unfasten with its claws the knotted strings .

this proved a very clumsy task, because the strings were tied at_the back of_the Ork's neck, just where his claws would_not easily reach . after much fumbling he_said:

"I'm afraid I_can't let you out, and there_is no one near to help me ."

this_was at first discouraging, but after a little thought Cap'n bill said:

" if_you don't mind, trot, I_can cut a slit in your sunbonnet with my knife ."

" do," she replied ." the slit won't matter, ' cause I_can sew it up again afterward, when I_am big ."

so Cap'n bill got out his knife, which_was just as small, in proportion, as he_was, and after considerable trouble managed to cut a long slit in_the sunbonnet . first he squeezed through_the opening himself and then helped trot to_get out .

when_they stood on firm ground again their first act was to_begin eating the dark purple berries which they had brought with_them . two of_these trot had guarded carefully during the long journey, by holding them in her lap, for their safety meant much to_the tiny people .

"I'm not very hungry," said the little girl as she handed a berry to Cap'n bill, " but hunger doesn't count, in this_case . it's like taking medicine to_make you well, so we_must manage to eat 'em, somehow or other ."

but the berries proved quite pleasant to taste and as Cap'n bill and trot nibbled at their edges their forms began to grow in size -- slowly but steadily . the bigger they grew the easier it_was for_them to eat the berries, which of_course became smaller to_them, and by_the_time the fruit was eaten our friends had regained their natural size .

the little girl was greatly relieved when she found herself as large as she had ever been, and Cap'n bill shared her satisfaction; for, although they had seen the effect of_the berries on_the Ork, they had_not_been sure the magic fruit would_have the same effect on human beings, or that_the magic would work in any_other country than that in_which_the berries grew .

" what shall we_do with_the other four berries ? " asked trot, as she picked up her sunbonnet, marveling that she had ever been small . enough to ride in_it ." they're no good to_us now, are they, Cap'n ? "

"I'm not sure as_to_that," he replied ." if_they were eaten by one who had never eaten the lavender berries, they_might have no effect at all; but

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