10. Stuck Fast

           Thedaywasnearlygonewhen,atlast,theraftwasready.

           "Itain’tsoverybig,"saidtheoldsailor,"butIdon’tweighmuch,an’you,Trot,don’tweighhalfasmuchasIdo,an’theglasspussydon’tcount."

           "Butit’ssafe,isn’tit?"inquiredthegirl.

           "Yes;it’sgoodenoughtocarryustotheislandan’backagain,an’that’saboutallwecanexpectofit."

           Sayingthis,Cap’nBillpushedtheraftintothewater,andwhenitwasafloat,steppeduponitandheldouthishandtoTrot,whoquicklyfollowedhim.TheGlassCatboardedtheraftlastofall.

           Thesailorhadcutalongpole,andhadalsowhittledaflatpaddle,andwiththeseheeasilypropelledtheraftacrosstheriver.Astheyapproachedtheisland,theWonderfulFlowerbecamemoreplainlyvisible,andtheyquicklydecidedthattheGlassCathadnotpraisedittoohighly.Thecolorsoftheflowersthatbloomedinquicksuccessionwerestrikinglybrightandbeautiful,andtheshapesoftheblossomswerevariedandcurious.Indeed,theydidnotresembleordinaryflowersatall.

           SointentlydidTrotandCap’nBillgazeupontheGoldenFlower-potthatheldtheMagicFlowerthattheyscarcelynoticedtheislanditselfuntiltheraftbeacheduponitssands.Butthenthegirlexclaimed:"Howfunnyitis,Cap’nBill,thatnothingelsegrowshereexcep’theMagicFlower."

           Thenthesailorglancedattheislandandsawthatitwasallbareground,withoutaweed,astoneorabladeofgrass.Trot,eagertoexaminetheFlowercloser,sprangfromtheraftandranupthebankuntilshereachedtheGoldenFlower-pot.