15. The Lonesome Duck

           TrotandCap’nBillstoodbeforetheMagicFlower,actuallyrootedtothespot.

           "Aren’tyouhungry,Cap’n?"askedthelittlegirl,withalongsigh,forshehadbeenstandingthereforhoursandhours.

           "Well,"repliedthesailor-man,"Iain’tsayin’asIcouldn’tEAT,Trot—ifadinnerwashandy—butIguessoldfolksdon’tgetashungryasyoungfolksdo."

           "I’mnotsure’boutthat,Cap’nBill,"shesaidthoughtfully."AgeMIGHTmakeadiff’rence,butseemstomeSIZEwouldmakeabiggerdiff’rence.Seeingyou’retwiceasbigasme,yououghttobetwiceashungry."

           "IhopeIam,"herejoined,"forIcanstanditawhilelonger.IdohopetheGlassCatwillhurry,andIhopetheWizardwon’twastetimea-comin’tous."

           TrotsighedagainandwatchedthewonderfulMagicFlower,becausetherewasnothingelsetodo.Justnowalovelygroupofpinkpeoniesbuddedandbloomed,butsoontheyfadedaway,andamassofdeepblueliliestooktheirplace.Thensomeyellowchrysanthemumsblossomedontheplant,andwhentheyhadopenedalltheirpetalsandreachedperfection,theygavewaytoalotofwhitefloralballsspottedwithcrimson—aflowerTrothadneverseenbefore.

           "ButIgetawfultiredwatchin’flowersan’flowersan’flowers,"shesaidimpatiently.

           "They’remightpretty,"observedCap’nBill.

           "Iknow;andifapersoncouldcomeandlookattheMagicFlowerjustwhenshefeltlikeit,itwouldbeafinething,buttoHAVETOstandandwatchit,whetheryouwanttoornot,isn’tsomuchfun.Iwish,Cap’nBill,thethingwouldgrowfruitforawhileinsteadofflowers.