'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 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.
Chapter Seven
The Bumpy Man
The mountain on which they had alighted was not a barren waste, but had on its sides patches of green grass, some bushes, a few slender trees and here and there masses of tumbled rocks. The sides of the slope seemed rather steep, but with care one could climb up or down them with ease and safety. The view from where they now stood showed pleasant valleys and fertile hills lying below the heights. Trot thought she saw some houses of queer shapes scattered about the lower landscape, and there were moving dots that might be people or animals, yet were too far away for her to see them clearly.
Not far from the place where they stood was the top of the mountain, which seemed to be flat, so the Ork proposed to his companions that he would fly up and see what was there.
'That's a good idea,' said Trot, ''cause it's getting toward evening and we'll have to find a place to sleep.'
The Ork had not been gone more than a few minutes when they saw him appear on the edge of the top which was nearest them.
'Come on up!' he called.
So Trot and Cap'n Bill began to ascend the steep slope and it did not take them long to reach the place where the Ork awaited them.
Their first view of the mountain top pleased them very much. It was a level space of wider extent than they had guessed and upon it grew grass of a brilliant green color. In the very center stood a house built of stone and very neatly constructed. No one was in sight, but smoke was coming from the chimney, so with one accord all three began walking toward the house.
'I wonder,' said Trot, 'in what country we are, and if it's very far from my home in California.' 'Can't say as to that, partner,' answered Cap'n Bill, 'but I'm mighty certain we've come a long way since we struck that whirlpool.'
'Yes,' she agreed, with a sigh, 'it must be miles and miles!'
'Distance means nothing,' said the Ork. 'I have flown pretty much all over the world, trying to find my home, and it is astonishing how many little countries there are, hidden away in the cracks and corners of this big globe of Earth. If one travels, he may find some new country at every turn, and a good many of them have never yet been put upon the maps.'
'P'raps this is one of them,' suggested Trot.
They reached the house after a brisk walk and Cap'n Bill knocked upon the door. It was at once opened by a rugged looking man who had 'bumps all over him,' as Trot afterward declared. There were bumps on his head, bumps on his body and bumps on his arms and legs and hands. Even his fingers had bumps on the ends of them. For dress he wore an old gray suit of fantastic design, which fitted him very badly because of the bumps it covered but could not conceal.
But the Bumpy Man's eyes were kind and twinkling in expression and as soon as he saw his visitors he bowed low and said in a rather bumpy voice:
'Happy day! Come in and shut the door, for it grows cool when the sun goes down. Winter is now upon us.'
'Why, it isn't cold a bit, outside,' said Trot, 'so it can't be winter yet.'
'You will change your mind about that in a little while,' declared the Bumpy Man. 'My bumps always tell me the state of the weather, and they feel just now as if a snowstorm was coming this way. But make yourselves at home, strangers. Supper is nearly ready and there is food enough for all.'
Inside the house there was but one large room, simply but comfortably furnished. It had benches, a table and a fireplace, all made of stone. On the hearth a pot was bubbling and steaming, and Trot thought it had a rather nice smell. The visitors seated themselves upon the benches—except the Ork. which squatted by the fireplace—and the Bumpy Man began stirring the kettle briskly.
'May I ask what country this is, sir?' inquired Cap'n Bill.
'Goodness me—fruit-cake and apple-sauce!—don't you know where you are?' asked the Bumpy Man, as he stopped stirring and looked at the speaker in surprise.
'No,' admitted Cap'n Bill. 'We've just arrived.'
'Lost your way?' questioned the Bumpy Man.
'Not exactly,' said Cap'n Bill. 'We didn't have any way to lose.'
'Ah!' said the Bumpy Man, nodding his bumpy head. 'This,' he announced, in a solemn, impressive voice,
