"
"Better take six," advised the Ork. "It's well to
be on the safe side, and I'm sure these trees grow
nowhere else in all the world."
So Cap'n Bill gathered six of the purple berries and
with their precious fruit they returned to the shed to
big good-bye to Pessim. Perhaps they would not have
granted the surly little man this courtesy had they not
wished to use him to tie the sunbonnet around the Ork's
neck.
When Pessim learned they were about to leave him he at
first looked greatly pleased, but he suddenly recollected
that nothing ought to please him and so began to grumble
about being left alone.
"We knew it wouldn't suit you," remarked Cap'n Bill.
"It didn't suit you to have us here, and it won't suit
you to have us go away."
"That is quite true," admitted Pessim. "I haven't been
suited since I can remember; so it doesn't matter to me
in the least whether you go or stay."
He was interested in their experiment, however, and
willingly agreed to assist, although he prophesied
they would fall out of the sunbonnet on their way and
be either drowned in the ocean or crushed upon some
rocky shore.
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