第6章

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, Ibelieve, 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 eagerlyHe 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 I entreat you to give me a share of it.The truth is, I'm half starved."With these words the Ork squatted down beside them.

Very reluctantly Cap'n Bill drew another biscuit from his pocket and held it out.The Ork promptly seized it in one of its front claws and began to nibble the biscuit in much the same manner a parrot might have done.

"We haven't much grub," said the sailor-man, "but we're willin' to share it with a comrade in distress.""That's right," returned the Ork, cocking its head sidewise in a cheerful manner, and then for a few minutes there was silence while they all ate of the biscuits.After a while Trot said:

"I've never seen or heard of an Ork before.Are there many of you?""We are rather few and exclusive, I believe," was the reply."In the country where I was born we are the absolute rulers of all living things, from ants to elephants.""What country is that?" asked Cap'n Bill.

"Orkland."

"Where does it lie?"

"I don't know, exactly.You see, I have a restless nature, for some reason, while all the rest of my race are quiet and contented Orks and seldom stray far from home.From childhood days I loved to fly long distances away, although father often warned me that I would get into trouble by so doing.

"'It's a big world, Flipper, my son,' he would say, 'and I've heard that in parts of it live queer two-legged creatures called Men, who war upon all other living things and would have little respect for even an Ork.'

"This naturally aroused my curiosity and after I had completed my education and left school I decided to fly out into the world and try to get a glimpse of the creatures called Men.So I left home without saying good-bye, an act I shall always regret.Adventures were many, I found.I sighted men several times, but have never before been so close to them as now.Also I had to fight my way through the air, for I met gigantic birds, with fluffy feathers all over them, which attacked me fiercely.Besides, it kept me busy escaping from floating airships.In my rambling I had lost all track of distance or direction, so that when I wanted to go home I had no idea where my country was located.

I've now been trying to find it for several months and it was during one of my flights over the ocean that Imet the whirlpool and became its victim."Trot and Cap'n Bill listened to this recital with much interest, and from the friendly tone and harmless appearance of the Ork they judged he was not likely to prove so disagreeable a companion as at first they had feared he might be.

The Ork sat upon its haunches much as a cat does, but used the finger-like claws of its front legs almost as cleverly as if they were hands.Perhaps the most curious thing about the creature was its tail, or what ought to have been its tail.This queer arrangement of skin, bones and muscle was shaped like the propellers used on boats and airships, having fan-like surfaces and being pivoted to its body.Cap'n Bill knew something of mechanics, and observing the propeller-like tail of the Ork he said:

"I s'pose you're a pretty swift flyer?"

"Yes, indeed; the Orks are admitted to be Kings of the Air.""Your wings don't seem to amount to much," remarked Trot.

"Well, they are not very big," admitted the Ork, waving the four hollow skins gently to and fro, "but they serve to support my body in the air while I speed along by means of my tail.Still, taken altogether, I'm very handsomely formed, don't you think?"Trot did not like to reply, but Cap'n Bill nodded gravely."For an Ork," said he, "you're a wonder.