"Well," said their new friend Pierre, "That was a bad storm."
"We would have been lost in the snow, if it had not been for your good
friend Saint Bernard," said Sweetclover.
And Pierre took them to a seaport and put them on a sailing vessel
which is called a whaler.
"I have heard that this ship makes many voyages to the North," said
Pierre, "And I'm sure that it will take you where you want to go."
"You are very kind," said Sweetclover, "and we shall always remember
how good you have been to us."
"It is a pleasure to be of service to you," said Pierre.
And they said good-bye to him and went aboard the whaler.
The next morning the vessel set sail amid great cheering from a crowd
which had gathered on the dock, and for days they sailed and sailed,
and it got colder and colder till the vessel came to great fields of
ice.
But the dolls were happy, for they thought they were getting close to
the North Pole and soon they would find Jackie and Peggs'
motheranfather.
"Do you think you will know them when you see them?" asked Jackie
Tar.
"I'm sure of it," answered Kernel Cob, "for I remember just the way
they looked in the glass ball that the Magician showed us in India."
And one night as they were sailing along, the dolls crept out on the
deck to see where they might be, for all the time they were on the
ship they were down in the hold to be out of sight.
And they sat on a coil of rope but could see nothing except the great
wide sea and the beautiful blue sky.
And they fell asleep.
But the vessel began to rock and, waking, they saw that a storm had
risen.
"Quick," said the Villain, "we must get down out of danger, for if we
sit here we shall be swept overboard."
But Kernel Cob who loved all sorts of adventures didn't want to go.
"I love to be in danger," said he.
"That's not sensible," said Sweetclover. "There is enough danger in
the world without looking for more of it. Come, let us go."
And the storm grew worse and worse, and the vessel was rolling and it
was with great difficulty that they could stand.
And now something very sad was about to happen, something I would like
not to tell you, but it really happened, so I must.
As Sweetclover stood up to move she slipped and fell upon the deck and
would have rolled overboard if the Villain hadn't caught her, but
alas! his generous action brought about his own misfortune for the
vessel lurched at that moment and he was carried down to the side and
before he could regain his balance he was swept overboard.
There was no time to stand there, for nothing could be done and sadly
Kernel Cob lifted Sweetclover and carried her below.
[Illustration]
Let us not dwell upon the sadness of our poor little friends, but let
us feel sure that no matter how long they live and no matter where
they go, they will always remember this good, true, unselfish friend
who was willing to lose his own life to save another's.
* * * * *
And at length the vessel stuck in the ice and that was as far as they
could go. Kernel Cob put his head out of the window of the vessel,
which is called a port-hole, and saw nothing but ice, great fields of
ice, greenish white and it was bitter cold. But Sweetclover had found
some strips of woolen cloth on the ship which Jackie Tar had torn and
tied about them to keep them warm, for sailors, you know, are very
handy because they have no women about to help them to sew their
clothes and cannot be running to the stores to buy things.
[Illustration]
VILLAINS
A Villain must be very horrid
To wear a frown upon his forehead
And lead a wicked pirate crew
To do the awful things they do.
It's quite as easy to be good
And kind to all, as children should,
For grown-ups never give you toys
If you are naughty girls and boys.
Besides, if you do what is right
Your mother kisses you at night,
And who could sleep in peaceful bliss
Without a mother's good-night kiss?
[Illustration]