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They made rather slow progress and night overtook them before they were
halfway down the mountainside, so they found a cave in which they sought
shelter until morning. Cayke had brought along a basket full of her famous
cookies, so they all had plenty to eat. On the second day the Yips began to
wish they had not embarked on this adventure. They grumbled a good deal at
having to cut away the thorns to make the path for the Frogman and the
Cookie Cook, for their own clothing suffered many tears, while Cayke and the
Frogman traveled safely and in comfort.
"
If it is true that anyone came to our country to steal your diamond dishpan,"
said one of the Yips to Cayke, "it must have been a bird, for no person in the
form of a man, woman or child could have climbed through these bushes and
back again."
"
And, allowing he could have done so," said another Yip, "the diamond-
studded gold dishpan would not have repaid him for his troubles and his
tribulations."
"
For my part," remarked a third Yip, "I would rather go back home and dig and
polish some more diamonds and mine some more gold and make you another
dishpan than be scratched from head to heel by these dreadful bushes. Even
now, if my mother saw me, she would not know I am her son."
Cayke paid no heed to these mutterings, nor did the Frogman. Although their
journey was slow, it was being made easy for them by the Yips, so they had
nothing to complain of and no desire to turn back. Quite near to the bottom
of the great hill they came upon a great gulf, the sides of which were as
smooth as glass. The gulf extended a long distance--as far as they could see
in either direction--and although it was not very wide, it was far too wide for
the Yips to leap across it. And should they fall into it, it was likely they might
never get out again. "Here our journey ends," said the Yips. "We must go back
again."
Cayke the Cookie Cook began to weep.
"
I shall never find my pretty dishpan again, and my heart will be broken!" she
sobbed.
The Frogman went to the edge of the gulf and with his eye carefully measured
the distance to the other side. "Being a frog," said he, "I can leap, as all frogs
do, and being so big and strong, I am sure I can leap across this gulf with
ease. But the rest of you, not being frogs, must return the way you came."
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