In the morning, the sun was shining brightly and looking out of the
door of Napoleon's house they were overjoyed to see Kernel Cob walking
toward them, for the field in which he had slept was the one next to
where Napoleon lived.
You may imagine their joy.
After he had been introduced to Napoleon, they sat down to think what
had best be done.
"I wish I could help you," said Napoleon, "but I am a watch dog and a
watch dog may never shirk his duty. I never leave these grounds, for I
love my master."
"You have been very kind," said Sweetclover, "and I'm sure we are
grateful to you."
"I'll tell you what I can do," said Napoleon, whose forehead wrinkled
as he thought, "I can introduce you to a great bird that lives in a
field back of me. She is the South American condor and I'm sure she
will be able to carry you somewhere."
"All of us?" asked Kernel Cob.
"Why, yes, indeed," replied Napoleon, "she is about ten times as big
as you and very strong."
"Oh, goodie," said Sweetclover, "where is she?"
"Over there," answered Napoleon. "Just say I sent you and she will do
anything for you."
So, after thanking Napoleon for his kindness, they walked in the
direction he had given them and soon came to a great haystack on the
top of which was a large nest.
And Kernel Cob called up to the nest and the bird put out her head.
Kernel Cob then introduced everybody and the bird flew down at once.
"We are trying to find Jackie and Peggs' motheranfather," he
explained, and after he had told her their story, she was so
interested that she said she would help them as soon as she had
finished her breakfast.
"Now," she said, "let us start. Where are the motheranfather of these
little children?"
"I don't know," said Kernel Cob. "They're lost."
"I don't know anything about motheranfathers," replied the bird, "but
I know when I lose anything it is because it falls out of my nest."
"People don't live in nests," replied Kernel Cob. "For if they did,
and fell out, they would get broken."
"I say!" said the Villain who had been thinking very deeply. "Let's
look for them near where they were lost."
"That's a good way," said Sweetclover. "Let's go to the United States.
How far is it?"
"Thousands of miles," answered the Condor. "But that is nothing for
me. I can fly that far in a few days. Come, get ready. We will go to
the United States. Jump on my back."
So they climbed up on the bird's back, and all being ready she flew
away.
"How does she know which way to fly?" asked Sweetclover.
"Birds know everything in the air, just the same as fishes do in the
water," said the Villain.
"And worms in the ground," added Kernel Cob.
"I guess Dolls must be the stupidest things in the world," said
Sweetclover.
"Only some of us," said Kernel Cob.
[Illustration]
At this Sweetclover, the Villain and the Condor laughed, but Kernel
Cob didn't know what they were laughing at, which was a very good
thing for him.
All that day they flew, and were very happy indeed in the warm
sunshine skimming through the clouds. And once they went through a
rainstorm and got wet; but as the sun came out soon after and dried
them quickly they were none the worse for their bath, but felt
refreshed for it.
And they passed over the great Amazon river, the largest river in the
world, and, much before they knew it, they were in Central America
going at a tremendous rate of speed.
"We shall be in the United States very soon, at this pace," said the
Villain.
And on the Condor flew, swift as an arrow, but in the afternoon a
great wind storm came from the East and she was obliged to turn her
course in the direction of the wind, and late in the evening they were
nearing a large city which was now visible in the distance.
"I wish I had wings," sighed Sweetclover, "and could fly all over the
world. It would be so wonderful."
"We will rest to-night," said the bird, "and try to find the
motheranfather of Jackie and Peggs to-morrow."
"You will be too tired," said Sweetclover.
"Oh, no," said the Condor. "You can have no fear. I will be all right.
When I say I do something I do that. I never...."
She did not finish what she was going to say, and maybe it was a
punishment for boasting. People are often punished for talking too
much about what they can do ... for just at that moment something
dreadful happened that changed their plans.
[Illustration]