"I wonder how the fishes ever go to sleep."
[Ill.u.s.tration: "She scoured the moon with polish" _Page 26_]
"That," replied the Private Secretary, "is something over which many wise men have also wondered. I have often heard the Banjo on our sea journeys express the same curiosity. Perhaps it will tell us about that."
At his suggestion the Banjo sang a little song.
HOW THE LITTLE FISHES SLEEP
I often wonder how and where The little fishes sleep; They do not need to braid their hair Before they slumber deep, But possibly each little fish Puts on a little gown And goes to bed--and Oh, I wish I knew where it lies down.
I wonder if it tumbles round And kicks the covers off And wakes at every little sound, Or--does it have a cough?
I think it would, for mamma says, When she turns down my lamp I"ll get the croup one of these days From staying in the damp.
But maybe little fishes go To sleep as you or I; Waves rock the cradle to and fro And sing a bye-lo-bye.
If they wear gowns, though--goodness me!
When washing-day is here Where do they dry things in the sea?
I wish you"d make that clear!
[Ill.u.s.tration: How the Fishes Sleep]
"Humph! The Banjo doesn"t seem to know any more about it than we do,"
said Zuzu, not fully satisfied.
"No," the Private Secretary replied; "that is true; but for some of these hard questions we may have to go to the Fairies for answer, and it is some distance yet before we get anywhere near the Fairy country."
"How far have we gone now, sir?" asked Zuzu.
"That," replied the Private Secretary, "is difficult to explain, for you must see that we do not measure distances as you do. However, I should think it would take us perhaps three or four more of what you call your hours before we are within sight of the Island of Gee-Whiz. We must first pa.s.s the Agalone Mountains. Indeed, it seems to me that I see that mountain range now beginning to appear before us."
[Ill.u.s.tration: The Goroo]
[Ill.u.s.tration]
CHAPTER VIII
THE EXPLOSION OF THE SUBMARINE EXPRESS
"We must be sure to strike the right road through the Agalone Mountains," said the Private Secretary, peering out through the gla.s.s, "because a great many boats get lost hereabouts in the long and winding path. Even were it possible for any mortal to get thus far toward our country, it would be very difficult to trace the way through the Agalone Mountains, which are very high and precipitous indeed. Moreover, to render the road even more difficult to follow, we occasionally have these mountains moved a few hundred leagues from side to side, so that not even the boldest mariner from your country could tell a thing about it if he tried to follow us."
"It is a wonder to me that no one has ever found this Island of Gee-Whiz," said the Widow Pickle.
"Believe me, madam, it is practically impossible," replied the Private Secretary. "Many have sought to discover the Island of Gee-Whiz on account of its great riches, but no one has ever yet done so. Were it not for the fact that these Twins, the Prince and Princess, have corazine and malazite hair, it is scarcely likely that you yourself would ever have seen our Island.
"But now," he resumed, "it is nearly time I should go aloft and look ahead. To me it seems that these mountains do not look so entirely familiar as they should."
"Go aloft?" inquired the Widow. "How can you go aloft? Do you mean to the surface of the sea?"
"Of course," said the Private Secretary. "I can see the Island at a much greater distance from the surface of the sea. As for going aloft, that is perfectly simple. I set this pole in the holes which run up and down through the top and bottom of the boat, like the place for a mast in a sail-boat, and I then attach the clutches of this machine here to the pole and set the engine going up and down instead of backward and forward. In that way, as you shall presently see, the boat will begin to climb up the pole, like a boy after birds" nests. But now, madam, let me request you to stand near the furnace door; and when I give the word, put in a pinch more of the green powder to keep up the steam, for it is far harder to climb straight up than it is to go straight ahead, for the boat is flat on top and not pointed as it is at the end."
As the Private Secretary spoke, he arranged the clutches of the machinery as he had said, and, to their great surprise, the boat began to climb up the pole at a rate which left no doubt that they would very soon be at the surface of the sea.
"Now," cried the Private Secretary, "put in the powder, quick!"
The Widow Pickle, in a great hurry, took a pinch of powder and cast it under the grate as she had done before. This was where she made a great mistake, which afterward brought upon her much criticism; for, instead of putting in the green powder, which belonged to the sea, in her hurry she cast in a pinch of the blue powder, which was correct for use in the air, but not in the water. As she did this, at once there was a blinding cloud of smoke and a deafening explosion, which shook the sea like a volcanic eruption. The boat flew quite to pieces, as though it had been built of cardboard. In a moment, they were blown violently into the air beyond the surface of the ocean.
[Ill.u.s.tration: The Explosion]
[Ill.u.s.tration]
CHAPTER IX
THE ARRIVAL AT THE ISLAND
As the boat was blown from under them, the pa.s.sengers thought the end had come and that they must be drowned far beneath the sea; and only the great skill and presence of mind of the Private Secretary prevented their meeting this fate. But as they were starting upward, carried by the violence of the explosion, the Private Secretary caught at the rack where the life-preservers were hanging, and so saved their lives. As they reached the surface he handed each a life-preserver, and soon they were all swimming safely on the surface of a placid green sea.
"Madam," said the Private Secretary sternly, "that we are not all killed is no fault of yours. Such carelessness deserves the utmost punishment, for now our boat is gone."
"I am innocent," cried the Widow Pickle, "for I did just what you told me to do, I am sure. I threw in the powder; and indeed it seems to me that was what made the explosion."
"Precisely," said the Private Secretary. "You put in the wrong powder.
You used the malazite instead of the corazine--I know it as well as though I had seen you do it myself."
"That is quite true," said the Widow Pickle, "but I thought--"
"It is of no consequence what you thought," said the Private Secretary.
"But, for that matter, it is of no use to argue over it now. We are here, and lucky it is we are not drowned. Happily for us, we have been blown some miles forward on our way, quite over the Agalone Mountains, and shall be able to swim the remaining distance without trouble. Yonder are the sh.o.r.es of the Island now, only about a mile away."
It was as he said. They swam after him, and soon there appeared a wide white beach, flanked with stately palms, among which they saw rising the white towers and domes of a stately city. Toward this they swam as vigorously as they might, and in course of time stepped upon the hard white sand of the beach and knew that their journey was over.
"I am very sorry that we lost the boat," said the Widow Pickle, "but I am extremely glad that we are here, for I couldn"t have swum another mile to save my life. My life-preserver belt was very tight. But what a pretty spot this is! I am sure we shall like this place very much indeed, and I am glad we came. Look, is not that some one coming down the beach to meet us?"
"That," said the Private Secretary, "is none less than his Majesty himself, the King of Gee-Whiz!"
[Ill.u.s.tration: The Naugalook]
[Ill.u.s.tration]