第17章

"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 then, contrarywise, they might.One of 'em has got badly jammed, so I'll throw it away, but the other three I b'lieve I'll carry with me.They're magic things, you know, and may come handy to us some time."He now searched in his big pockets and drew out a small wooden box with a sliding cover.The sailor had kept an assortment of nails, of various sizes, in this box, but those he now dumped loosely into his pocket and in the box placed the three sound purple berries.

When this important matter was attended to they found time to look about them and see what sort of place the Ork had landed them in.