第21章
Button-Bright reached out his hand and caught a big bird by the leg.At once it rose into the air and it was so strong that it nearly carried the little boy with it.
He let go the leg in a hurry and the bird flew down again and began to eat of the popcorn, not being frightened in the least.
This gave Cap'n Bill an idea.He felt in his pocket and drew out several pieces of stout string.Moving very quietly, so as to not alarm the birds, he crept up to several of the biggest ones and tied cords around their legs, thus making them prisoners.The birds were so intent on their eating that they did not notice what had happened to them, and when about twenty had been captured in this manner Cap'n Bill tied the ends of all the strings together and fastened them to a huge stone, so they could not escape.
The Bumpy Man watched the old sailor's actions with much curiosity"The birds will be quiet until they've eaten up all the snow," he said, "but then they will want to fly away to their homes.Tell me, sir, what will the poor things do when they find they can't fly?""It may worry 'em a little," replied Cap'n Bill, "but they're not going to be hurt if they take it easy and behave themselves."Our friends had all made a good breakfast of the delicious popcorn and now they walked toward the house again.Button-Bright walked beside Trot and held her hand in his, because they were old friends and he liked the little girl very much.The boy was not so old as Trot, and small as she was he was half a head shorter in height.The most remarkable thing about Button-Bright was that he was always quiet and composed, whatever happened, and nothing was ever able to astonish him.Trot liked him because he was not rude and never tried to plague her.
Cap'n Bill liked him because he had found the boy cheerful and brave at all times, and willing to do anything he was asked to do.
When they came to the house Trot sniffed the air and asked "Don't I smell perfume?""I think you do," said the Bumpy Man."You smell violets, and that proves there is a breeze springing up from the south.All our winds and breezes are perfumed and for that reason we are glad to have them blow in our direction.The south breeze always has a violet odor; the north breeze has the fragrance of wild roses; the east breeze is perfumed with lilies-of-the-valley and the west wind with lilac blossoms.So we need no weathervane to tell us which way the wind is blowing.We have only to smell the perfume and it informs us at once."Inside the house they found the Ork, and Button-Bright regarded the strange, birdlike creature with curious interest.After examining it closely for a time he asked:
"Which way does your tail whirl?"
"Either way," said the Ork.
Button-Bright put out his hand and tried to spin it.
"Don't do that!" exclaimed the Ork.
"Why not? " inquired the boy.
"Because it happens to be my tail, and I reserve the right to whirl it myself," explained the Ork.
"Let's go out and fly somewhere," proposed Button-Bright."I want to see how the tail works.""Not now," said the Ork."I appreciate your interest in me, which I fully deserve; but I only fly when I am going somewhere, and if I got started I might not stop.""That reminds me," remarked Cap'n Bill, "to ask you, friend Ork, how we are going to get away from here?""Get away!" exclaimed the Bumpy Man."Why don't you stay here? You won't find any nicer place than Mo.""Have you been anywhere else, sir?"
"No; I can't say that I have," admitted the Mountain Ear.
"Then permit me to say you're no judge," declared Cap'n Bill."But you haven't answered my question, friend Ork.
How are we to get away from this mountain?"The Ork reflected a while before he answered.
"I might carry one of you -- the boy or the girl --upon my back," said he, "but three big people are more than Ican manage, although I have carried two of you for a short distance.You ought not to have eaten those purple berries so soon.""P'r'aps we did make a mistake," Cap'n Bill acknowledged.
"Or we might have brought some of those lavender berries with us, instead of so many purple ones,"suggested Trot regretfully.
Cap'n Bill made no reply to this statement, which showed he did not fully agree with the little girl; but he fell into deep thought, with wrinkled brows, and finally he said:
"If those purple berries would make anything grow bigger, whether it'd eaten the lavender ones or not, I could find a way out of our troubles."They did not understand this speech and looked at the old sailor as if expecting him to explain what he meant.But just then a chorus of shrill cries rose from outside.
"Here! Let me go -- let me go!" the voices seemed to say."Why are we insulted in this way? Mountain Ear, come and help us!"Trot ran to the window and looked out.