The Scarecrow of Oz | Page 8

said she, staring at the glowing seaweed fire and speaking
slowly, "that we can catch all the fish we need; how 'bout the
drinking-water, Cap'n?"
He moved uneasily but did not reply. Both of them were thinking about
the dark hole, but while Trot had little fear of it the old man could not
overcome his dislike to enter the place. He knew that Trot was right,
though. To remain in the cavern, where they now were, could only
result in slow but sure death.
It was nighttime up on the earth's surface, so the little girl became

drowsy and soon fell asleep. After a time the old sailor slumbered on
the sands beside her. It was very still and nothing disturbed them for
hours. When at last they awoke the cavern was light again.
They had divided one of the biscuits and were munching it for
breakfast when they were startled by a sudden splash in the pool.
Looking toward it they saw emerging from the water the most curious
creature either of them had ever beheld. It wasn't a fish, Trot decided,
nor was it a beast. It had wings, though, and queer wings they were:
shaped like an inverted chopping-bowl and covered with tough skin
instead of feathers. It had four legs -- much like the legs of a stork, only
double the number -- and its head was shaped a good deal like that of a
poll parrot, with a beak that curved downward in front and upward at
the edges, and was half bill and half mouth. But to call it a bird was out
of the question, because it had no feathers whatever except a crest of
wavy plumes of a scarlet color on the very top of its head. The strange
creature must have weighed as much as Cap'n Bill, and as it floundered
and struggled to get out of the water to the sandy beach it was so big
and unusual that both Trot and her companion stared at it in wonder --
in wonder that was not unmixed with fear.

Chapter Three
The Ork
The eyes that regarded them, as the creature stood dripping before them,
were bright and mild in expression, and the queer addition to their party
made no attempt to attack them and seemed quite as surprised by the
meeting as they were.
"I wonder," whispered Trot, "what it is."
"Who, me?" exclaimed the creature in a shrill, high- pitched voice.
"Why, I'm an Ork."
"Oh!" said the girl. "But what is an Ork?"

"I am," he repeated, a little proudly, as he shook the water from his
funny wings; "and if ever an Ork was glad to be out of the water and on
dry land again, you can be mighty sure that I'm that especial, individual
Ork!"
"Have you been in the water long?" inquired Cap'n Bill, thinking it only
polite to show an interest in the strange creature.
"why, this last ducking was about ten minutes, I believe, and that's
about nine minutes and sixty seconds too long for comfort," was the
reply. "But last night I was in an awful pickle, I assure you. The
whirlpool caught me, and --"
"Oh, were you in the whirlpool, too?" asked Trot eagerly
He gave her a glance that was somewhat reproachful.
"I believe I was mentioning the fact, young lady, when your desire to
talk interrupted me," said the Ork. "I am not usually careless in my
actions, but that whirlpool was so busy yesterday that I thought I'd see
what mischief it was up to. So I flew a little too near it and the suction
of the air drew me down into the depths of the ocean. Water and I are
natural enemies, and it would have conquered me this time had not a
bevy of pretty mermaids come to my assistance and dragged me away
from the whirling water and far up into a cavern, where they deserted
me."
"Why, that's about the same thing that happened to us," cried Trot.
"Was your cavern like this one?"
"I haven't examined this one yet," answered the Ork; "but if they
happen to be alike I shudder at our fate, for the other one was a prison,
with no outlet except by means of the water. I stayed there all night,
however, and this morning I plunged into the pool, as far down as I
could go, and then swam as hard and as far as I could. The rocks
scraped my back, now and then, and I barely escaped the clutches of an
ugly sea- monster; but by and by I came to the surface to catch my
breath, and found myself here. That's the whole story, and as I see you

have something to eat