So he decided not to fight until the last moment and
meekly hobbled along the street as he was commanded to do. Trot was
also encouraged by the Witch's suggestion, for she believed in
fairies and trusted them; but Button-Bright could find no comfort in
their situation, and his face was very sad as he marched along by
Trot's side.
If they had followed the corkscrew windings of the street, it would
have been a long journey to the outer edge of the Pink Country, but
Tourmaline took a shortcut, leading them through private gardens and
even through houses, so that they followed almost a bee line to
their destination. It rained all the way and the walking was very
disagreeable, but our friends were confronting an important crisis
in their strange adventures, and with possible death at their
journey's end, they were in no hurry to arrive there.
Once free of the City they traversed the open country, and here they
often stepped into sticky, pink mud up to their ankles. Cap'n Bill's
wooden leg would often go down deep and stick fast in this mud, and
at such times he would be helpless until two of the Pinkies--who
were a strong people--pulled him out again. The parrot was getting
its feathers sadly draggled in the rain, and the poor bird soon
presented a wet and woebegone appearance.
"Soak us again,
Drown us with rain!"
it muttered in a resigned tone; and then it would turn to Trot and
moan, "The rose is red, the violet's blue, The Pinkies are a beastly
crew!"
The country was not so trim and neatly kept near the edge, for it
was evident the people did not care to go too near to the dangerous
place.
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