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Looks like another island," said the Ork; "but I can judge it better in a minute

or two."

I don't care much for islands, since we visited that other one," declared Trot.

Soon the Ork made another announcement.

It is surely an island, and a little one, too," said he. "But I won't stop, because

I see a much bigger land straight ahead of it."

That's right," approved Cap'n Bill. "The bigger the land, the better it will suit

us."

It's almost a continent," continued the Ork after a brief silence, during which

he did not decrease the speed of his flight. "I wonder if it can be Orkland, the

place I have been seeking so long?"

I hope not," whispered Trot to Cap'n Bill--so softly that the Ork could not

hear her--"for I shouldn't like to be in a country where only Orks live. This one

Ork isn't a bad companion, but a lot of him wouldn't be much fun."

After a few more minutes of flying the Ork called out in a sad voice:

No! this is not my country. It's a place I have never seen before, although I

have wandered far and wide. It seems to be all mountains and deserts and

green valleys and queer cities and lakes and rivers--mixed up in a very

puzzling way."

Most countries are like that," commented Cap'n Bill. "Are you going to land?"

Pretty soon," was the reply. "There is a mountain peak just ahead of me.

What do you say to our landing on that?"

All right," agreed the sailor-man, for both he and Trot were getting tired of

riding in the sunbonnet and longed to set foot on solid ground again.

So in a few minutes the Ork slowed down his speed and then came to a stop

so easily that they were scarcely jarred at all. Then the creature squatted

down until the sunbonnet rested on the ground, and began trying to unfasten

with its claws the knotted strings.

This proved a very clumsy task, because the strings were tied at the back of

the Ork's neck, just where his claws would not easily reach. After much

fumbling he said:

The Scarecrow of Oz