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The Scarecrow of Oz, a novel by L. Frank Baum |
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Chapter 4. Daylight at Last |
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_ 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 a buildin', all right. Let's go over an' see if it's occypied." _ |
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