Chapter 10 No.10

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.

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.

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