the Ork started out again and sank downward more slowly Down, down, down it went, till the candle was mere spark, and then it headed away left and Trot and Cap'n Bill lost all sight of it

, however, they saw the spark of light again, and sailor still held the second lighted candle the Ork made straight toward them only few yards distant when suddenly it dropped the candle with cry of pain and next moment alighted, fluttering wildly, 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 it in my claw, and it grew smaller and smaller until just now it turned and bit me -- most unfriendly thing Oh -- oh ! Ouch, what bite ! "

"That's the nature of candles, I'm sorry ," explained Cap'n Bill, with grin " to handle 'em mighty keerful But tell us, what did you find down there ? "

" way our journey," said the Ork, nursing tenderly the claw which burned "Just below us is great lake of black water, which looked so cold and wicked made me shudder; but away left there's big tunnel, which easily walk through I don't know where it leads to, , but follow it and find out " "why, 't get ," protested the little girl " 't fly, , remember "

"No, that's true," replied the Ork musingly "Your bodies are built very poorly, it seems , since all do is crawl earth's surface But ride upon my back, and way promise you safe journey tunnel "

" strong enough to carry us ? " asked Cap'n Bill, doubtfully

"Yes, indeed; I'm strong enough to carry dozen of you, find place to sit," reply; "but there's only room between my wings , so I'll have 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 return to her, and then the old sailor got Ork's back, where he sat wooden leg sticking straight out sidewise

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

"If I start , 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 tremble voice But the Ork flew away so gently old man never even tottered seat Trot watched the light of Cap'n Bill's candle till it disappeared far distance She didn't like left alone dangerous ledge, with lake of black water hundreds of feet below her; but she was brave little girl and waited patiently return Ork It came even sooner than she had expected creature said to her:

"Your friend is safe tunnel Now, then, get aboard and I'll carry you to him in jiffy "

I'm sure not many little girls cared that awful ride huge black cavern back of skinny Ork Trot didn't care , herself, but it just had and so she did it as courageously as possible Her heart beat fast and she was so nervous scarcely hold the candle in her fingers Ork sped swiftly darkness

It seemed like long ride to her, yet in reality the Ork covered the distance in wonderfully brief period and soon Trot stood safely beside Cap'n Bill level floor of big arched tunnel The sailor-man was to greet his little comrade again and both were grateful Ork 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 "

" Ork is rested," said Trot, "we'll travel on 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 , without ever once stopping "

"Then let's move on," proposed Cap'n Bill He still held hand one lighted candle, so Trot blew out the other flame and placed her candle sailor's big pocket She knew 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 tunnel began about two miles cavern where they cast whirlpool, but now 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 '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 when we started An' how long it's goin' up, no one knows "

"Couldn't we walk without light ? " asked Trot "The way seems safe enough "

"It does right now," reply, "but 't tell when likely to another gulf, or somethin' jes' as dangerous case we'd be killed afore it "

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

"That's good idea," declared Trot, and Cap'n Bill thought so, too So the Ork started off ahead, quite dark, and hand in band the two followed him

had walked for good the Ork halted and demanded food Cap'n Bill mentioned food because so little left -- only three biscuits and lump of cheese about as big as his two fingers -- but the Ork half of biscuit, sighing as so The creature didn't care cheese, so the sailor divided it between himself and Trot They lighted candle and sat down 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 hurts me to walk upon it "

"Can't you fly along ? " asked Trot

"No; the roof is too low," said the Ork

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 match and looked at his big silver watch

"Why, it's night ! " he exclaimed "We've tramped all day, an' still we're awful passage, which mebbe goes straight middle world, an' mebbe is circle -- keep walkin' till doomsday Not knowin' what's as what's behind us, I propose stop, now, an' try to sleep till mornin' "

" suit me," asserted the Ork, with groan "My feet are hurting me dreadfully and few miles I've been limping with pain "

"My foot hurts, too," said the sailor, looking for smooth place rocky floor to sit down

"Your foot ! " cried the Ork "why, you've to hurt you, while four So I suffer four times possibly can Here; hold the candle while I look bottoms claws I declare," , examining them flickering light, " bunches of pain all over them ! "

"P'r'aps," said Trot, who was 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 call 'em, Cap'n Bill ? Something 'bout the Pilgrim's Progress, "

"Bunions," said Cap'n Bill

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

" possible," moaned the Ork "But whatever , another day 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 reproachful look sailor-man, who didn't see it Then the creature asked plaintively: "Do we eat now, or do we starve ? "

"There's only half biscuit left ," answered Cap'n Bill "No one knows how long we'll have to stay 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 all at once -- not by degrees "

Cap'n Bill produced the biscuit creature ate it in 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 time of greater need

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

"It another day," said he

Chapter Four

Daylight at Last

Cap'n Bill rubbed his eyes, lit match and consulted his watch

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

" ," replied the Ork "Unless this tunnel is different from everything else , and has no end, we'll find 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 few steps Ork cried "Wow ! " and made great fluttering wings and whirling tail The others, who were following short distance behind, stopped abruptly

"What's the matter ? " asked Cap'n Bill