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All ready, then!" cried the Ork, and at once his whirling tail began to revolve.

Trot felt herself rising into the air; when the creature's legs left the ground

Cap'n Bill grasped two of them firmly and held on for dear life. The Ork's body

was tipped straight upward, and Trot had to embrace the neck very tightly to

keep from sliding off. Even in this position the Ork had trouble in escaping the

rough sides of the well. Several times it exclaimed "Wow!" as it bumped its

back, or a wing hit against some jagged projection; but the tail kept whirling

with remarkable swiftness and the daylight grew brighter and brighter. It was,

indeed, a long journey from the bottom to the top, yet almost before Trot

realized they had come so far, they popped out of the hole into the clear air

and sunshine and a moment later the Ork alighted gently upon the ground.

The release was so sudden that even with the creature's care for its

passengers Cap'n Bill struck the earth with a shock that sent him rolling heel

over head; but by the time Trot had slid down from her seat the old sailor-man

was sitting up and looking around him with much satisfaction.

It's sort o' pretty here," said he.

Earth is a beautiful place!" cried Trot.

I wonder where on earth we are?" pondered the Ork, turning first one bright

eye and then the other to this side and that. Trees there were, in plenty, and

shrubs and flowers and green turf. But there were no houses; there were no

paths; there was no sign of civilization whatever.

Just before I settled down on the ground I thought I caught a view of the

ocean," said the Ork. "Let's see if I was right." Then he flew to a little hill, near

by, and Trot and Cap'n Bill followed him more slowly. When they stood on the

top of the hill they could see the blue waves of the ocean in front of them, to

the right of them, and at the left of them. Behind the hill was a forest that

shut out the view.

I hope it ain't an island, Trot," said Cap'n Bill gravely.

If it is, I s'pose we're prisoners," she replied.

Ezzackly so, Trot."

But, 'even so, it's better than those terr'ble underground tunnels and

caverns," declared the girl.

The Scarecrow of Oz