〃I　am　not　usually　careless　in　my　actions；　but　that
  whirlpool　was　so　busy　yesterday　that　I　thought　I'd　see
  what　mischief　it　was　up　to。　So　I　flew　a　little　too　near
  it　and　the　suction　of　the　air　drew　me　down　into　the
  depths　of　the　ocean。　Water　and　I　are　natural　enemies；
  and　it　would　have　conquered　me　this　time　had　not　a　bevy
  of　pretty　mermaids　come　to　my　assistance　and　dragged　me
  away　from　the　whirling　water　and　far　up　into　a　cavern；
  where　they　deserted　me。〃
  〃Why；　that's　about　the　same　thing　that　happened　to
  us；〃　cried　Trot。　〃Was　your　cavern　like　this　one？〃
  〃I　haven't　examined　this　one　yet；〃　answered　the　Ork；
  〃but　if　they　happen　to　be　alike　I　shudder　at　our　fate；
  for　the　other　one　was　a　prison；　with　no　outlet　except
  by　means　of　the　water。　　I　stayed　there　all　night；
  however；　and　this　morning　I　plunged　into　the　pool；　as
  far　down　as　I　could　go；　and　then　swam　as　hard　and　as
  far　as　I　could。　The　rocks　scraped　my　back；　now　and
  then；　and　I　barely　escaped　the　clutches　of　an　ugly　sea…
  monster；　but　by　and　by　I　came　to　the　surface　to　catch
  my　breath；　and　found　myself　here。　That's　the　whole
  story；　and　as　I　see　you　have　something　to　eat　I　entreat
  you　to　give　me　a　share　of　it。　The　truth　is；　I'm　half
  starved。〃
  With　these　words　the　Ork　squatted　down　beside　them。
  Very　reluctantly　Cap'n　Bill　drew　another　biscuit　from
  his　pocket　and　held　it　out。　The　Ork　promptly　seized　it
  in　one　of　its　front　claws　and　began　to　nibble　the
  biscuit　in　much　the　same　manner　a　parrot　might　have
  done。
  〃We　haven't　much　grub；〃　said　the　sailor…man；　〃but
  we're　willin'　to　share　it　with　a　comrade　in　distress。〃
  〃That's　right；〃　returned　the　Ork；　cocking　its　head
  sidewise　in　a　cheerful　manner；　and　then　for　a　few
  minutes　there　was　silence　while　they　all　ate　of　the
  biscuits。　After　a　while　Trot　said：
  〃I've　never　seen　or　heard　of　an　Ork　before。　Are　there
  many　of　you？〃
  〃We　are　rather　few　and　exclusive；　I　believe；〃　was　the
  reply。　〃In　the　country　where　I　was　born　we　are　the
  absolute　rulers　of　all　living　things；　from　ants　to
  elephants。〃
  〃What　country　is　that？〃　asked　Cap'n　Bill。
  〃Orkland。〃
  〃Where　does　it　lie？〃
  〃I　don't　know；　exactly。　You　see；　I　have　a　restless
  nature；　for　some　reason；　while　all　the　rest　of　my　race
  are　quiet　and　contented　Orks　and　seldom　stray　far　from
  home。　From　childhood　days　I　loved　to　fly　long　distances
  away；　although　father　often　warned　me　that　I　would　get
  into　trouble　by　so　doing。
  〃'It's　a　big　world；　Flipper；　my　son；'　he　would　say；
  'and　I've　heard　that　in　parts　of　it　live　queer　two…
  legged　creatures　called　Men；　who　war　upon　all　other
  living　things　and　would　have　little　respect　for　even　an
  Ork。'
  〃This　naturally　aroused　my　curiosity　and　after　I　had
  completed　my　education　and　left　school　I　decided　to　fly
  out　into　the　world　and　try　to　get　a　glimpse　of　the
  creatures　called　Men。　So　I　left　home　without　saying
  good…bye；　an　act　I　shall　always　regret。　Adventures　were
  many；　I　found。　I　sighted　men　several　times；　but　have
  never　before　been　so　close　to　them　as　now。　Also　I　had
  to　fight　my　way　through　the　air；　for　I　met　gigantic
  birds；　with　fluffy　feathers　all　over　them；　which
  attacked　me　fiercely。　Besides；　it　kept　me　busy　escaping
  from　floating　airships。　In　my　rambling　I　had　lost　all
  track　of　distance　or　direction；　so　that　when　I　wanted
  to　go　home　I　had　no　idea　where　my　country　was　located。
  I've　now　been　trying　to　find　it　for　several　months　and
  it　was　during　one　of　my　flights　over　the　ocean　that　I
  met　the　whirlpool　and　became　its　victim。〃
  Trot　and　Cap'n　Bill　listened　to　this　recital　with
  much　interest；　and　from　the　friendly　tone　and　harmless
  appearance　of　the　Ork　they　judged　he　was　not　likely　to
  prove　so　disagreeable　a　companion　as　at　first　they　had
  feared　he　might　be。
  The　Ork　sat　upon　its　haunches　much　as　a　cat　does；　but
  used　the　finger…like　claws　of　its　front　legs　almost　as
  cleverly　as　if　they　were　hands。　Perhaps　the　most
  curious　thing　about　the　creature　was　its　tail；　or　what
  ought　to　have　been　its　tail。　This　queer　arrangement　of
  skin；　bones　and　muscle　was　shaped　like　the　propellers
  used　on　boats　and　airships；　having　fan…like　surfaces
  and　being　pivoted　to　its　body。　Cap'n　Bill　knew
  something　of　mechanics；　and　observing　the　propeller…
  like　tail　of　the　Ork　he　said：
  〃I　s'pose　you're　a　pretty　swift　flyer？〃
  〃Yes；　indeed；　the　Orks　are　admitted　to　be　Kings　of
  the　Air。〃
  〃Your　wings　don't　seem　to　amount　to　much；〃　remarked
  Trot。
  〃Well；　they　are　not　very　big；〃　admitted　the　Ork；
  waving　the　four　hollow　skins　gently　to　and　fro；　〃but
  they　serve　to　support　my　body　in　the　air　while　I　speed
  along　by　means　of　my　tail。　Still；　taken　altogether；　I'm
  very　handsomely　formed；　don't　you　think？〃
  Trot　did　not　like　to　reply；　but　Cap'n　Bill　nodded
  gravely。　〃For　an　Ork；〃　said　he；　〃you're　a　wonder。
  I've　never　seen　one　afore；　but　I　can　imagine　you're
  as　good　as　any。〃
  That　seemed　to　please　the　creature　and　it　began
  walking　around　the　cavern；　making　its　way　easily
  up　the　slope。　while　it　was　gone；　Trot　and　Cap'n　Bill
  each　took　another　sip　from　the　water…flask；　to　wash
  down　their　breakfast。
  〃Why；　here's　a　hole　　an　exit　　an　outlet！〃
  exclaimed　the　Ork　from　above。
  〃We　know；〃　said　Trot。　〃We　found　it　last　night。〃
  〃Well；　then；　let's　be　off；〃　continued　the　Ork；　after
  sticking　its　head　into　the　black　hole　and　sniffing　once
  or　twice。　〃The　air　seems　fresh　and　sweet；　and　it　can't
  lead　us　to　any　worse　place　than　this。〃
  The　girl　and　the　sailor…man　got　up　and　climbed　to　the
  side　of　the　Ork。
  〃We'd　about　decided　to　explore　this　hole　before　you
  came；〃　explained　Cap'n　Bill；　〃but　it's　a　dangerous
  place　to　navigate　in　the　dark；　so　wait　till　I　light　a
  candle。〃
  〃What　is　a　candle？〃　inquired　the　Ork。
  〃You'll　see　in　a　minute；〃　said　Trot。
  The　old　sailor　drew　one　of　the　candles　from　his
  right…side　pocket　and　the　tin　matchbox　from　his　left…
  side　pocket。　When　he　lighted　the　match　the　Ork　gave　a
  startled　jump　and　eyed　the　flame　suspiciously；　but
  Cap'n　Bill　proceeded　to　light　the　candle　and　the　action
  interested　the　Ork　very　much。
  〃Light；〃　it　said；　somewhat　nervously；　〃is　valuable　in
  a　hole　of　this　sort。　The　candle　is　not　dangerous；　I
  hope？〃
  〃Sometimes　it　burns　your　fingers；〃　answered　Trot；
  〃but　that's　about　the　worst　it　can　do　　'cept　to　blow
  out　when　you　don't　want　it　to。〃
  Cap'n　Bill　shielded　the　flame　with　his　hand　and
  crept　into　the　hole。　It　wasn't　any　too　big　for　a　grown
  man；　but　after　he　had　crawled　a　few　feet　it　grew
  larger。　　Trot　came　close　behind　him　and　then　the
  Ork　followed。
  〃Seems　like　a　reg'lar　tunnel；〃　muttered　the　sailor…
  man；　who　was　creeping　along　awkwardly　because　of　his
  wooden　leg。　The　rocks；　too；　hurt　his　knees。
  For　nearly　half　an　hour　the　three　moved　slowly　along
  the　tunnel；　which　made　many　twists　and　turns　and
  sometimes　slanted　downward　and　sometimes　upward。
  Finally　Cap'n　Bill　stopped　short；　with　an　exclamation
  of　disappointment；　and　held　the　flickering　candle　far
  ahead　to　light　the　scene。
  〃What's　wrong？〃　demanded　Trot；　who　could　see　nothing
  because　the　sailor's　form　completely　filled　the　hole。
  〃Why；　we've　come　to　the　end　of　our　travels；　I　guess；〃
  he　replied。
  〃Is　the　hole　blocked？〃　inquired　the　Ork。
  〃No；　it's　wuss　nor　that；〃　replied　Cap'n　Bill　sadly。
  〃I'm　on　the　edge　of　a　precipice。　Wait　a　minute　an'　I'll
  move　along　and　let　you　see　for　yourselves。　Be　careful；
  Trot；　not　to　fall。〃
  Then　he　crept　forward　a　little　and　moved　to　one　side；
  holding　the　candle　so　that　the　girl　could　see　to　follow
  him。　The　Ork　came　next　and　now　all　three　knelt　on　a
  narrow　ledge　of　rock　which　dropped　straight　away　and
  left　a　huge　black　space　which　the　tiny　flame　of　the
  candle　could　not　illuminate。
  〃H…m！〃　said　the　Ork；　peering　over　the　edge；　〃this
  doesn't　look　very　promising；　I'll　admit。　But　let　me
  take　your　candle；　and　I'll　fly　down　and　see　what's
  below　us。〃
  〃Aren't　you　afraid？〃　asked　Trot。
  〃Certainly　I'm　afraid；〃　responded　the　Ork。　〃But
  if　we　intend　to　escape　we　can't　stay　on　thi