The Scarecrow of Oz

eat Wh

big acacia tree, looking out over the blue ocean, "seems to me

after a moment's thought, during which her eyes followed those of the old sailor-man acr

bit of thinkin' they know all there is to know, while them as knows the most admits what a turr'ble big world this is.

yes and an earnest, simple manner. Cap'n Bill had been her faithfu

or, and his round face was rugged and bronzed. Cap'n Bill's left leg was missing, from the knee down, and that was why the sailor no longer sailed the seas. The wooden leg he wore was good enough to stump around with on land, or even to take Trot out for a row or a sail on the

loved the baby and often held her on his lap; her first ride was on Cap'n Bill's shoulders, for she had no baby-carriage; and when she began to toddle around, the child and the sailor became close comrades and enjo

was moored to a rock by means of a stout cable. It had been a hot, sultry afternoon, with scarcely a breath of air stirring, so Cap'

e rocky coast during many years of steady effort. The caves were a source of continua

ked Trot, at last, "that

at the sky, the sea and the motio

ered, "but I don't jes' like the

g?" she aske

le a-top the water, nary a gull a-flyin' anywhere, an' the end o' the hottest day o' the

wrong that I ca

g as my thumb, we might worry about it; but

again an

not wishing to disappoint her. "It's only a little way

e steep way, but Cap'n Bill, because of his wooden leg, had to hold on to rocks and roots now and then to save

why Cap'n Bill should treasure them. The jackknives-a big one and a little one-the bits of cord, the fishhooks, the nails: these were handy to have on certain occasions. But bits of shell, and tin boxes with unknown contents, buttons, pincers, bottles of curious stones and the like, seemed quite unnecessary to carry around. That was Cap'n Bill's business, however, and now that he added the candles and the matches to his collection Trot made no comment, for she knew these last were

g and turned hal

replied, "looks to me

akes it

. I was afraid as we'd meet with trouble, Trot.

closer," sa

e oars and began rowin

"it's we that are comin' closer to the whirlpo

grasped the tiller firmly and tried to steer the b

he whirlpool that it drew the surface of the sea into the form of a great basin, slanting downward toward the center, where

quickly force the little craft away from the rushing current they would soon be drawn into the great black hole that yawned in the middle. So he exerted all hi

following the line of the circular basin round and round and gradually drawing nearer to the great hole in the center. Any further effort to escape the whirlpool was useless, and realizing this fact Cap'

ch now faced them. Yet Cap'n Bill, noting the look in Trot's eyes and remembering h

nearer-looked very terrifying; but they were both brave