第23章

The Kingdom of Jinxland Trot rode with more comfort than she had expected, although the swing swayed so much that she had to hold on tight with both hands.Cap'n Bill's bird followed the Ork, and Trot came next, with Button-Bright trailing behind her.It was quite an imposing procession, but unfortunately there was no one to see it, for the Ork had headed straight for the great sandy desert and in a few minutes after starting they were flying high over the broad waste, where no living thing could exist.

The little girl thought this would be a bad place for the birds to lose strength, or for the cloth ropes to give way; but although she could not help feeling a trifle nervous and fidgety she had confidence in the huge and brilliantly plumaged bird that bore her, as well as in Cap'n Bill's knowledge of how to twist and fasten a rope so it would hold.

That was a remarkably big desert.There was nothing to relieve the monotony of view and every minute seemed an hour and every hour a day.Disagreeable fumes and gases rose from the sands, which would have been deadly to the travelers had they not been so high in the air.As it was, Trot was beginning to feel sick, when a breath of fresher air filled her nostrils and on looking ahead she saw a great cloud of pink-tinted mist.Even while she wondered what it could be, the Ork plunged boldly into the mist and the other birds followed.She could see nothing for a time, nor could the bird which carried her see where the Ork had gone, but it kept flying as sturdily as ever and in a few moments the mist was passed and the girl saw a most beautiful landscape spread out below her, extending as far as her eye could reach.

She saw bits of forest, verdure clothed hills, fields of waving grain, fountains, rivers and lakes; and throughout the scene were scattered groups of pretty houses and a few grand castles and palaces.

Over all this delightful landscape -- which from Trot's high perch seemed like a magnificent painted picture --was a rosy glow such as we sometimes see in the west at sunset.In this case, however, it was not in the west only, but everywhere.

No wonder the Ork paused to circle slowly over this lovely country.The other birds followed his action, all eyeing the place with equal delight.Then, as with one accord, the four formed a group and slowly sailed downward.This brought them to that part of the newly-discovered land which bordered on the desert's edge; but it was just as pretty here as anywhere, so the Ork and the birds alighted and the three passengers at once got out of their swings.

"Oh, Cap'n Bill, isn't this fine an' dandy?" exclaimed Trot rapturously."How lucky we were to discover this beautiful country!""The country seems rather high class, I'll admit, Trot," replied the old sailor-man, looking around him, "but we don't know, as yet, what its people are like.""No one could live in such a country without being happy and good -- I'm sure of that," she said earnestly.

"Don't you think so, Button-Bright?"

"I'm not thinking, just now," answered the little boy.

"It tires me to think, and I never seem to gain anything by it.When we see the people who live here we will know what they are like, and no 'mount of thinking will make them any different.""That's true enough," said the Ork."But now I want to make a proposal.While you are getting acquainted with this new country, which looks as if it contains everything to make one happy, I would like to fly along -- all by myself -- and see if I can find my home on the other side of the great desert.If I do, I will stay there, of course.But if I fail to find Orkland I will return to you in a week, to see if I can do anything more to assist you."They were sorry to lose their queer companion, but could offer no objection to the plan; so the Ork bade them good-bye and rising swiftly in the air, he flew over the country and was soon lost to view in the distance.

The three birds which had carried our friends now begged permission to return by the way they had come, to their own homes, saying they were anxious to show their families how big they had become.So Cap'n Bill and Trot and Button-Bright all thanked them gratefully for their assistance and soon the birds began their long flight toward the Land of Mo.Being now left to themselves in this strange land, the three comrades selected a pretty pathway and began walking along it.They believed this path would lead them to a splendid castle which they espied in the distance, the turrets of which towered far above the tops of the trees which surrounded it.It did not seem very far away, so they sauntered on slowly, admiring the beautiful ferns and flowers that lined the pathway and listening to the singing of the birds and the soft chirping of the grasshoppers.

Presently the path wound over a little hill.In a valley that lay beyond the hill was a tiny cottage surrounded by flower beds and fruit trees.On the shady porch of the cottage they saw, as they approached, a pleasant faced woman sitting amidst a group of children, to whom she was telling stories.The children quickly discovered the strangers and ran toward them with exclamations of astonishment, so that Trot and her friends became the center of a curious group, all chattering excitedly.Cap'n Bill's wooden leg seemed to arouse the wonder of the children, as they could not understand why he had not two meat legs.This attention seemed to please the old sailor, who patted the heads of the children kindly and then, raising his hat to the woman, he inquired: