it　was　safe　and　comfortable。　When　all　this　had　been
  arranged　one　of　the　birds　asked：
  〃Where　do　you　wish　us　to　take　you？〃
  〃Why；　just　follow　the　Ork；〃　said　Cap'n　Bill。　〃He　will
  be　our　leader；　and　wherever　the　Ork　flies　you　are　to　fly；
  and　wherever　the　Ork　lands　you　are　to　land。　Is　that
  satisfactory？〃
  The　birds　declared　it　was　quite　satisfactory；　so　Cap'n
  Bill　took　counsel　with　the　Ork。
  〃On　our　way　here；〃　said　that　peculiar　creature；　〃I
  noticed　a　broad；　sandy　desert　at　the　left　of　me；　on　which
  was　no　living　thing。〃
  〃Then　we'd　better　keep　away　from　it；〃　replied　the
  sailor。
  〃Not　so；〃　insisted　the　Ork。　〃I　have　found；　on　my
  travels；　that　the　most　pleasant　countries　often　lie　in
  the　midst　of　deserts；　so　I　think　it　would　be　wise　for　us
  to　fly　over　this　desert　and　discover　what　lies　beyond　it。
  For　in　the　direction　we　came　from　lies　the　ocean；　as　we
  well　know；　and　beyond　here　is　this　strange　Land　of　Mo；
  which　we　do　not　care　to　explore。　On　one　side；　as　we　can
  see　from　this　mountain；　is　a　broad　expanse　of　plain；　and
  on　the　other　the　desert。　　For　my　part；　I　vote　for　the
  desert。〃
  〃What　do　you　say；　Trot？〃　inquired　Cap'n　Bill。
  〃It's　all　the　same　to　me；〃　she　replied。
  No　one　thought　of　asking　Button…Bright's　opinion；　so　it
  was　decided　to　fly　over　the　desert。　They　bade　good…bye　to
  the　Bumpy　Man　and　thanked　him　for　his　kindness　and
  hospitality。　Then　they　seated　themselves　in　the　swings
  one　for　each　bird　　and　told　the　Ork　to　start　away　and
  they　would　follow。
  The　whirl　of　the　Ork's　tail　astonished　the　birds　at
  first；　but　after　he　had　gone　a　short　distance　they　rose
  in　the　air；　carrying　their　passengers　easily；　and　flew
  with　strong；　regular　strokes　of　their　great　wings　in　the
  wake　of　their　leader。
  Chapter　Nine
  The　Kingdom　of　Jinxland
  Trot　rode　with　more　comfort　than　she　had　expected；
  although　the　swing　swayed　so　much　that　she　had　to　hold　on
  tight　with　both　hands。　Cap'n　Bill's　bird　followed　the
  Ork；　and　Trot　came　next；　with　Button…Bright　trailing
  behind　her。　It　was　quite　an　imposing　procession；　but
  unfortunately　there　was　no　one　to　see　it；　for　the　Ork　had
  headed　straight　for　the　great　sandy　desert　and　in　a　few
  minutes　after　starting　they　were　flying　high　over　the
  broad　waste；　where　no　living　thing　could　exist。
  The　little　girl　thought　this　would　be　a　bad　place　for
  the　birds　to　lose　strength；　or　for　the　cloth　ropes　to
  give　way；　but　although　she　could　not　help　feeling　a
  trifle　nervous　and　fidgety　she　had　confidence　in　the　huge
  and　brilliantly　plumaged　bird　that　bore　her；　as　well　as
  in　Cap'n　Bill's　knowledge　of　how　to　twist　and　fasten　a
  rope　so　it　would　hold。
  That　was　a　remarkably　big　desert。　There　was　nothing　to
  relieve　the　monotony　of　view　and　every　minute　seemed　an
  hour　and　every　hour　a　day。　Disagreeable　fumes　and　gases
  rose　from　the　sands；　which　would　have　been　deadly　to　the
  travelers　had　they　not　been　so　high　in　the　air。　As　it
  was；　Trot　was　beginning　to　feel　sick；　when　a　breath　of
  fresher　air　filled　her　nostrils　and　on　looking　ahead　she
  saw　a　great　cloud　of　pink…tinted　mist。　Even　while　she
  wondered　what　it　could　be；　the　Ork　plunged　boldly　into
  the　mist　and　the　other　birds　followed。　She　could　see
  nothing　for　a　time；　nor　could　the　bird　which　carried　her
  see　where　the　Ork　had　gone；　but　it　kept　flying　as
  sturdily　as　ever　and　in　a　few　moments　the　mist　was　passed
  and　the　girl　saw　a　most　beautiful　landscape　spread　out
  below　her；　extending　as　far　as　her　eye　could　reach。
  She　saw　bits　of　forest；　verdure　clothed　hills；　fields
  of　waving　grain；　fountains；　rivers　and　lakes；　and
  throughout　the　scene　were　scattered　groups　of　pretty
  houses　and　a　few　grand　castles　and　palaces。
  Over　all　this　delightful　landscape　　which　from　Trot's
  high　perch　seemed　like　a　magnificent　painted　picture
  was　a　rosy　glow　such　as　we　sometimes　see　in　the　west　at
  sunset。　In　this　case；　however；　it　was　not　in　the　west
  only；　but　everywhere。
  No　wonder　the　Ork　paused　to　circle　slowly　over　this
  lovely　country。　The　other　birds　followed　his　action；　all
  eyeing　the　place　with　equal　delight。　Then；　as　with　one
  accord；　the　four　formed　a　group　and　slowly　sailed
  downward。　This　brought　them　to　that　part　of　the　newly…
  discovered　land　which　bordered　on　the　desert's　edge；　but
  it　was　just　as　pretty　here　as　anywhere；　so　the　Ork　and
  the　birds　alighted　and　the　three　passengers　at　once　got
  out　of　their　swings。
  〃Oh；　Cap'n　Bill；　isn't　this　fine　an'　dandy？〃　exclaimed
  Trot　rapturously。　〃How　lucky　we　were　to　discover　this
  beautiful　country！〃
  〃The　country　seems　rather　high　class；　I'll　admit；
  Trot；〃　replied　the　old　sailor…man；　looking　around　him；
  〃but　we　don't　know；　as　yet；　what　its　people　are　like。〃
  〃No　one　could　live　in　such　a　country　without　being
  happy　and　good　　I'm　sure　of　that；〃　she　said　earnestly。
  〃Don't　you　think　so；　Button…Bright？〃
  〃I'm　not　thinking；　just　now；〃　answered　the　little　boy。
  〃It　tires　me　to　think；　and　I　never　seem　to　gain　anything
  by　it。　When　we　see　the　people　who　live　here　we　will　know
  what　they　are　like；　and　no　'mount　of　thinking　will　make
  them　any　different。〃
  〃That's　true　enough；〃　said　the　Ork。　〃But　now　I　want　to
  make　a　proposal。　While　you　are　getting　acquainted　with
  this　new　country；　which　looks　as　if　it　contains
  everything　to　make　one　happy；　I　would　like　to　fly　along　…
  …　all　by　myself　　and　see　if　I　can　find　my　home　on　the
  other　side　of　the　great　desert。　If　I　do；　I　will　stay
  there；　of　course。　But　if　I　fail　to　find　Orkland　I　will
  return　to　you　in　a　week；　to　see　if　I　can　do　anything　more
  to　assist　you。〃
  They　were　sorry　to　lose　their　queer　companion；　but
  could　offer　no　objection　to　the　plan；　so　the　Ork　bade
  them　good…bye　and　rising　swiftly　in　the　air；　he　flew　over
  the　country　and　was　soon　lost　to　view　in　the　distance。
  The　three　birds　which　had　carried　our　friends　now
  begged　permission　to　return　by　the　way　they　had　come；　to
  their　own　homes；　saying　they　were　anxious　to　show　their
  families　how　big　they　had　become。　So　Cap'n　Bill　and　Trot
  and　Button…Bright　all　thanked　them　gratefully　for　their
  assistance　and　soon　the　birds　began　their　long　flight
  toward　the　Land　of　Mo。　Being　now　left　to　themselves　in
  this　strange　land；　the　three　comrades　selected　a　pretty
  pathway　and　began　walking　along　it。　They　believed　this
  path　would　lead　them　to　a　splendid　castle　which　they
  espied　in　the　distance；　the　turrets　of　which　towered　far
  above　the　tops　of　the　trees　which　surrounded　it。　It　did
  not　seem　very　far　away；　so　they　sauntered　on　slowly；
  admiring　the　beautiful　ferns　and　flowers　that　lined　the
  pathway　and　listening　to　the　singing　of　the　birds　and　the
  soft　chirping　of　the　grasshoppers。
  Presently　the　path　wound　over　a　little　hill。　In　a
  valley　that　lay　beyond　the　hill　was　a　tiny　cottage
  surrounded　by　flower　beds　and　fruit　trees。　On　the　shady
  porch　of　the　cottage　they　saw；　as　they　approached；　a
  pleasant　faced　woman　sitting　amidst　a　group　of　children；
  to　whom　she　was　telling　stories。　The　children　quickly
  discovered　the　strangers　and　ran　toward　them　with
  exclamations　of　astonishment；　so　that　Trot　and　her
  friends　became　the　center　of　a　curious　group；　all
  chattering　excitedly。　Cap'n　Bill's　wooden　leg　seemed　to
  arouse　the　wonder　of　the　children；　as　they　could　not
  understand　why　he　had　not　two　meat　legs。　This　attention
  seemed　to　please　the　old　sailor；　who　patted　the　heads　of
  the　children　kindly　and　then；　raising　his　hat　to　the
  woman；　he　inquired：
  〃Can　you　tell　us；　madam；　just　what　country　this　is？〃
  She　stared　hard　at　all　three　of　the　strangers　as　she
  replied　briefly：　〃Jinxland。〃
  〃Oh！〃　exclaimed　Cap'n　Bill；　with　a　puzzled　look。　〃And
  where　is　Jinxland；　please？〃
  〃In　the　Quadling　Country；〃　said　she。
  〃What！〃　cried　Trot；　in　sudden　excitement。　〃Do　you　mean
  to　say　this　is　the　Quadling　Country　of　the　Land　of　Oz？〃
  〃To　be　sure　I　do；〃　the　woman　answered。　〃Every　bit　of
  land　that　is　surrounded　by　the　great　desert　is　the　Land
  of　Oz；　as　you　ought　to　know　as　well　as　I　do；　but　I'm
  sorry　to　say　that　Jinxland　is　separated　from　the　rest　of
  the　Quadling　Country　by　that　row　of　high　mountains　y