THE WATCH-DOG OF MERRYLAND
Of course, Dot paid no attention, during this exciting moment, to the
boy's demand for food.
There would be plenty of time to eat after they were out of the
tunnel and in safety.
The boat glided on as gracefully as a swan, and in a few minutes it
passed through the jagged rocks that formed the mouth of the tunnel
and floated into a broad, open river.
Dot and Tot quickly scrambled upon the seat and looked around them.
They were in a deep valley, shaped very much like a chopping bowl,
only around the outer edge were high, peaked mountains. Not a tree
nor a green thing was to be seen anywhere, but the valley was thickly
covered with stones--big stones and little stones and stones of all
sizes--scattered about in every direction.
Through the center of the valley ran the broad, blue river, at one
end of which was now the boat, while at the other end the children
saw a low archway, through which the water seemed to pass into some
country beyond.
Very slowly the boat was floating toward this archway, and Dot
decided there would be ample time to eat something from the basket
before they had passed through the valley of stones.
"We may as well go on, Tot," she said, as she arranged the luncheon;
"for this isn't a pleasant place to stop in, and we should never be
able to climb over those high mountains."
"Never could," agreed Tot, as he bit into a sandwich.
"What a queer place this is," she continued, looking around them. "I
don't believe anyone has ever been here before. Let us give it a
name. That's what all explorers do. We'll call it Stony Vale."
"All right," said Tot, contentedly. Then he stretched out his arm and
pointed to something that was moving among the stones.
"See!" he said. "Funny man."
"Why, I really believe it is, Tot!" exclaimed the girl, looking
toward the place. "No, it isn't a man; it's a bear."
"Bear!" repeated Tot, with wide open eyes. "Funny bear!"
Halfway up the valley they saw a shaggy-looking creature sitting upon
a rock. It seemed to have the form of a man, as Tot had first
declared; but it was covered with long, thick hair, which made Dot
decide it must be a bear.
Whatever it was, the creature was surely alive, and it had also seen
the boat, for the next moment it rose from the rock and came bounding
down to the shore of the river, leaping from stone to stone, and
moving so swiftly that its long hair streamed out behind it in the
wind.
The boat was now being carried by the current directly toward the
shore, and soon its front end touched softly upon the gravelly beach.
At the same time the strange creature drew closer to them and sat
down upon a big stone only a few feet away.
Dot and Tot had been watching it, and now saw that what they had
taken for a bear was an old man, with whiskers and hair so long that
they reached down to the soles of his feet, and probably would have
grown still longer had not the rough stones worn away the ends of the
hair. Not a bit of his body could be seen; the flowing white hair
covered him everywhere like a gown, except upon the top of his head,
which was smooth and bald. So thick, indeed, was the covering that
when he stretched out his arms, the old man could only push his hands
and wrists through the masses of hair.
The curious appearance of this strange person surprised the children,
and they remained for some time staring at him without trying to say
a word.
The hairy man looked at them, in return with equal interest, and was
the first to speak, saying in a mild, sad voice:
"Strangers, who are you?"
"I'm Dot, sir," answered the girl. "Dot Freeland."
"She's Dot F'eelun'," repeated Tot.
"And this is my friend, Tot Thompson," she continued.
"I'm Tot Tompum," said Tot gravely.
"Oh," replied the man. "I'm pleased to make your acquaintance. I'm
the Watch-Dog of Merryland."
"What a queer name!" exclaimed Dot. "Why do they call you that?"
"Because I'm placed here to keep everyone from passing through the
archway that spans the river into the fair and happy valleys of
Merryland."
"How can you keep them from passing through?" asked the girl.
"Why, tell them they mustn't, of course."
"But suppose they won't mind you, what will you do then?"
The old man looked puzzled, and shook his head slowly.
"I'm sure I don't know what I could do in that case," he answered.
"You see, no one has ever before come here since I was commanded to
guard the entrance to Merryland."
"How long have you been here?" inquired Dot.
"About three hundred years, I think; but I've lost track of the exact
time."
"Don't you ever die?" asked Tot wondering at this great age.
"I haven't died yet," answered the old man, thoughtfully.
"But you will, won't you?" persisted the boy.
"Why, I suppose so, if the Queen lets me," was the reply.
"Who is the Queen?" questioned Dot.
"She who rules Merryland," answered the man.
Then, for a few moments, there was silence, while Dot and Tot stared
at the hairy old man and he stared at them.
Presently Dot broke the silence the stillness by asking, "What do you
do in this lonesome place, where you have no one to talk to?"
"Why, most of the time I watch, as it is my duty to do. And when I
get lonely, I count my whiskers."
"Oh!" said Dot. Then she inquired, curiously, "How many whiskers have
you?"
"Well, answered the Watch-Dog of Merryland," confidentially, "there
are either eighty-seven thousand four hundred and twenty-six, or else
eighty-seven thousand four hundred and twenty-eight. Sometimes I make
it one figure and sometimes the other, so I can't really tell which
is right. I was engaged in counting my whiskers when I looked up and
saw your boat. I had then counted sixty-nine thousand three hundred
and fifty-four; but I was so surprised to see you that I missed the
count, and now I shall have to begin all over again."
"I'm sorry," said Dot, sympathetically; "I'd like to know just which
is the right number."
"If you will wait I'll count them," he replied, eagerly. "Perhaps
then you can tell if I make a mistake."
"How long will it take?" she asked.
"I can do it in about four months."
"Oh, we couldn't possibly wait that long," declared the girl. "I
really think we should be going now."
"Where will you go?" he asked.
"There is only one way for us to go--through that archway into
Merryland, as you call it. We are not strong enough to pull the boat
upstream, so we must let it float where it will."
"It will be a terrible disgrace to me," said the Watch-Dog of
Merryland, in a solemn voice, "if you escape me. What will the Queen
say when she knows I have watched here three hundred years without
seeing anyone, and then allowed the first strangers who came along to
pass through the archway?"
"I do not see that she can blame you," returned Dot. "You say
yourself you would be unable to stop us if we decided not to mind
you. So the Queen can only blame us for not minding you."
"That is true," said the old man, more cheerfully.
"Want somethin' t'eat?" inquired Tot, holding out a slice of
jellycake.
"Dear me!" said the Watch-Dog, taking the cake in his hand and
looking at it with much curiosity. "What is it?"
"Eat it," said Tot; "it's good."
"But I can't eat," replied the old man. "I don't know how. I've
never eaten anything in my life."
"Not even when you were a little boy?" Tot asked, in wonder.
"Well, I've forgotten what happened when I was a little boy, it's so
long ago," returned the man. "But I certainly have no desire to eat
now, and if I had there is nothing in the Valley to devour except
stones. I suppose eating is a habit you have acquired. Why don't you
break yourself of it?"
"I get hungry," answered Tot.
"Hunger must be a habit, too," remarked the old man, "for I never
have had it since I have been in this valley. However, if you will
allow me to keep the cake, I will amuse myself by looking at it when
I'm tired of counting my whiskers."
"You are quite welcome to the cake," said Dot. "But now I must ask
you to excuse us, for it is time we started upon our journey."
"Oh, don't let me detain you," replied the Watch-dog of Merryland,
politely; "that is, if you are determined to disobey my orders."
"I fear we must," said the girl. "Is Merryland the other side of that
archway?"
"Part of it is," answered the old man. "There are Seven Valleys in
Merryland, connected by archways, for the river flows through them
all."
"And what is beyond the Seventh Valley?" asked Dot.
"No one knows except those who pass through, and those who pass
through never return to tell," he replied.
"Well, good-bye," said Dot.
"Bye!" repeated Tot, briefly.
"Good-bye," answered the Watch-Dog.
The girl took the remaining oar and pushed the boat away from the
shore with it. The little craft glided out into the river very
slowly, and drifted along with the current in the direction of the
archway.
Dot and Tot sat on the seat and watched the friendly old man until a
shadow fell upon them, and called their attention to the fact that
they were passing through the arch into the First Valley of
Merryland.