"Here's a
riddle for us to guess, Trot. He dropped from the sky, he says, an'
yet he didn't come in a airship!"
"'Riddlecum, riddlecum ree;
What can the answer be?'"
Trot looked the boy over carefully. She didn't see any wings on him.
The only queer thing about him was his big umbrella. "Oh!" she said
suddenly, clapping her hands together. "I know now."
"Do you?" asked Cap'n Bill doubtfully. "Then you're some smarter ner
I am, mate."
"He sailed down with the umbrel!" she cried. "He used his umbrel as
a para--para--"
"Shoot," said Cap'n Bill. "They're called parashoots, mate; but why,
I can't say. Did you drop down in that way, my lad?" he asked the
boy.
"Yes," said Button-Bright. "That was the way."
"But how did you get up there?" asked Trot. "You had to get up in
the air before you could drop down, an'--oh, Cap'n Bill! He says
he's from Phillydelfy, which is a big city way at the other end of
America."
"Are you?" asked the sailor, surprised.
Button-Bright nodded again. "I ought to tell you my story," he said,
"and then you'd understand. But I'm afraid you won't believe me,
and--" he suddenly broke off and looked toward the white house in
the distance "--Didn't you say you lived over there?" he inquired.
"Yes," said Trot. "Won't you come home with us?"
"I'd like to," replied Button-Bright.
"All right, let's go then," said the girl, jumping up.
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