19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 |
1 | 33 | 66 | 98 | 131 |
www.freeclassicebooks.com
knowin' what's before us so well as we know what's behind us, I propose we
make a stop, now, an' try to sleep till mornin'."
"
That will suit me," asserted the Ork, with a groan. "My feet are hurting me
dreadfully and for the last few miles I've been limping with pain."
"
My foot hurts, too," said the sailor, looking for a smooth place on the rocky
floor to sit down.
"
Your foot!" cried the Ork. "why, you've only one to hurt you, while I have four.
So I suffer four times as much as you possibly can. Here; hold the candle
while I look at the bottoms of my claws. I declare," he said, examining them by
the flickering light, "there are bunches of pain all over them!"
"
"
P'r'aps," said Trot, who was very glad to sit down beside her companions,
you've got corns."
"
Corns? Nonsense! Orks never have corns," protested the creature, rubbing its
sore feet tenderly.
"
Then mebbe they're--they're-- What do you call 'em, Cap'n Bill? Something
'bout the Pilgrim's Progress, you know."
"
"
"
Bunions," said Cap'n Bill.
Oh, yes; mebbe you've got bunions."
It is possible," moaned the Ork. "But whatever they are, another day of such
walking on them would drive me crazy."
"
I'm sure they'll feel better by mornin'," said Cap'n Bill, encouragingly. "Go to
sleep an' try to forget your sore feet."
The Ork cast a reproachful look at the sailor-man, who didn't see it. Then the
creature asked plaintively: "Do we eat now, or do we starve?"
"
There's only half a biscuit left for you," answered Cap'n Bill. "No one knows
how long we'll have to stay in this dark tunnel, where there's nothing whatever
to eat; so I advise you to save that morsel o' food till later."
"
Give it me now!" demanded the Ork. "If I'm going to starve, I'll do it all at
once--not by degrees."
Cap'n Bill produced the biscuit and the creature ate it in a trice. Trot was
rather hungry and whispered to Cap'n Bill that she'd take part of her share;
2
1
Page
Quick Jump
|