Kernel Cob And Little Miss Sweetclover Part 18

motheranfather, and once when we were in India a Hoodoo ..."

"A Hindoo you mean," corrected Jackie Tar.

"A Hindoo," said Kernel Cob, "showed us on a crystal ball a picture of them in the snow, digging for gold. So we thought if we got to the North Pole we would find them."

"n.o.body comes to the North Pole to dig gold," said Speed.

"Why not?" asked Sweetclover.

"Because there isn't any gold here," said the dog.

"There isn't?" asked Sweetclover.

"No," answered Speed.

"This is a funny world," said Kernel Cob, "the North Pole isn't a pole at all, and after we get here there isn't any gold mine. I wouldn't be surprised to hear that I wasn't alive."

"The nearest gold mine that I ever heard of in these parts," said Speed, "is in the Yukon."

"Where's that?" asked Kernel Cob.

"In Alaska," answered Speed.

"Is that far?" asked Sweetclover.

"Yes, it's a great distance from here, but if you like I'll take you there."

"You're very kind," said Sweetclover.

"It's a pleasure to do for people who are so good," said Speed.

So after Kernel Cob dug their names in the ice with his sword, they got on their sled and Speed started off again.

"How do you know how to go to Yukon?" asked Sweetclover.

"Oh, I've been over the ice lots and lots of times," said he.

And they travelled all day.

"I never saw such a long day," said Kernel Cob, "the sun doesn't seem to go down, but only round and round."

"That's because we are so high on the earth," said Speed. "Some nights are six months long."

But nothing could induce Kernel Cob to believe this, "For," said he, "I won't believe anything more about the world as long as I live."

And after a few days they came to a place where the ice was broken, and they had to cross by floating on huge cakes of ice, which was very exciting.

They were crossing on one of these once, and Kernel Cob and Sweetclover had gone across with Speed, when the cake of ice on which they were waiting for Jackie Tar, split suddenly, and Jackie Tar was left behind on a small piece.

In vain they tried to catch him and slowly but surely he began to drift away from them farther and farther, and all they could do was to watch him fade out of sight.

"Oh," cried Sweetclover, "we shall never see him again.

"Will he be killed?"

"I don't know," said Speed. "He's got a good chance of being picked up by a vessel, if he ever floats down south far enough."

"Oh, I hope so," cried Sweetclover, "for he is such a brave sailor and was so good to us."

And after Kernel Cob and Sweetclover had said a prayer to the fairies to take good care of Jackie Tar, they drove away in their sled and at length came to the Yukon.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

A PRAYER FOR JACKIE TAR

Do not think it very nice To travel on a cake of ice Except in Summer when it's hot; But in the Winter, when it's not And icy winds blow in my face I like an open fireplace Where I can watch the glowing flames Or play upon the floor with games.

So let us say a fervent prayer That Jackie Tar may land somewhere Beyond the sweep of wind and storm Where he may find it safe and warm.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

[Ill.u.s.tration]

CHAPTER XXII

When they reached the Yukon, they told Speed not to go near the city or wait where he was, for they had been captured so often by people they wanted to stay away from them. So Speed took them up into the hills where they made their camp.

But they hadn't been there a day when Speed was caught by a number of men, and again Kernel Cob and Sweetclover were left alone to work things out the best way they could.

Sweetclover was very much discouraged, for said she: "Now that we are here and have lost all our friends, and with no one to help us, I don't see how we are ever to find Jackie and Peggs' motheranfather."

But that only made Kernel Cob the more determined.

"I've told you a thousand times that I'll find them, and find them I will."

"Well," said Sweetclover, "I certainly hope so, but I'm sure I cannot see how it is going to be done."

"You'll see if I am not right," said Kernel Cob.

But nothing happened to raise their hopes.

So they went up into the hills in search of a scene that looked like the one that the Magician had shown them on the crystal ball in India, and they walked about all day until, tired and worn out, they crept into a hollow stump to rest.

They slept all night and in the morning they walked on.

They were pretty high up in the mountains now, and Sweetclover, who was very tired, began to cry.