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I might carry one of you--the boy or the girl--upon my back," said he, "but

three big people are more than I can manage, although I have carried two of

you for a short distance. You ought not to have eaten those purple berries so

soon."

P'r'aps we did make a mistake," Cap'n Bill acknowledged.

Or we might have brought some of those lavender berries with us, instead of

so many purple ones," suggested Trot regretfully.

Cap'n Bill made no reply to this statement, which showed he did not fully

agree with the little girl; but he fell into deep thought, with wrinkled brows,

and finally he said:

If those purple berries would make anything grow bigger, whether it'd eaten

the lavender ones or not, I could find a way out of our troubles."

They did not understand this speech and looked at the old sailor as if

expecting him to explain what he meant. But just then a chorus of shrill cries

rose from outside.

Here! Let me go--let me go!" the voices seemed to say. "Why are we insulted in

this way? Mountain Ear, come and help us!"

Trot ran to the window and looked out.

It's the birds you caught, Cap'n," she said. "I didn't know they could talk."

Oh, yes; all the birds in Mo are educated to talk," said the Bumpy Man. Then

he looked at Cap'n Bill uneasily and added: "Won't you let the poor things go?"

I'll see," replied the sailor, and walked out to where the birds were fluttering

and complaining because the strings would not allow them to fly away.

Listen to me!" he cried, and at once they became still. "We three people who

are strangers in your land want to go to some other country, and we want

three of you birds to carry us there. We know we are asking a great favor, but

it's the only way we can think of--excep' walkin', an' I'm not much good at that

because I've a wooden leg. Besides, Trot an' Button-Bright are too small to

undertake a long and tiresome journey. Now, tell me: Which three of you birds

will consent to carry us?"

The Scarecrow of Oz