CHAPTER 5 THE WATCH-DOG OF MERRYLAND
Of course, Dot paid no attention, during this exciting moment, to theboy's demand for food.
There would be plenty of time to eat after they were out of thetunnel and in safety.
The boat glided on as gracefully as a swan, and in a few minutes itpassed through the jagged rocks that formed the mouth of the tunneland floated into a broad, open river.
Dot and Tot quickly scrambled upon the seat and looked around them.
They were in a deep valley, shaped very much like a chopping bowl,only around the outer edge were high, peaked mountains. Not a treenor a green thing was to be seen anywhere, but the valley was thicklycovered with stones--big stones and little stones and stones of allsizes--scattered about in every direction.
Through the center of the valley ran the broad, blue river, at oneend of which was now the boat, while at the other end the childrensaw a low archway, through which the water seemed to pass into somecountry beyond.
Very slowly the boat was floating toward this archway, and Dotdecided there would be ample time to eat something from the basketbefore they had passed through the valley of stones.
"We may as well go on, Tot," she said, as she arranged the luncheon;"for this isn't a pleasant place to stop in, and we should never beable to climb over those high mountains."
"Never could," agreed Tot, as he bit into a sandwich.
"What a queer place this is," she continued, looking around them. "Idon't believe anyone has ever been here before. Let us give it aname. That's what all explorers do. We'll call it Stony Vale."
"All right," said Tot, contentedly. Then he stretched out his arm andpointed to something that was moving among the stones.
"See!" he said. "Funny man."
"Why, I really believe it is, Tot!" exclaimed the girl, lookingtoward the place. "No, it isn't a man; it's a bear."
"Bear!" repeated Tot, with wide open eyes. "Funny bear!"
Halfway up the valley they saw a shaggy-looking creature sitting upona rock. It seemed to have the form of a man, as Tot had firstdeclared; but it was covered with long, thick hair, which made Dotdecide it must be a bear.
Whatever it was, the creature was surely alive, and it had also seenthe boat, for the next moment it rose from the rock and came boundingdown to the shore of the river, leaping from stone to stone, andmoving so swiftly that its long hair streamed out behind it in thewind.
The boat was now being carried by the current directly toward theshore, and soon its front end touched softly upon the gravelly beach.At the same time the strange creature drew closer to them and satdown upon a big stone only a few feet away.
Dot and Tot had been watching it, and now saw that what they hadtaken for a bear was an old man, with whiskers and hair so long thatthey reached down to the soles of his feet, and probably would havegrown still longer had not the rough stones worn away the ends of thehair. Not a bit of his body could be seen; the flowing white haircovered him everywhere like a gown, except upon the top of his head,which was smooth and bald. So thick, indeed, was the covering thatwhen he stretched out his arms, the old man could only push his handsand wrists through the masses of hair.
The curious appearance of this strange person surprised the children,and they remained for some time staring at him without trying to saya word.
The hairy man looked at them, in return with equal interest, and wasthe first to speak, saying in a mild, sad voice:
"Strangers, who are you?"
"I'm Dot, sir," answered the girl. "Dot Freeland."
"She's Dot F'eelun'," repeated Tot.
"And this is my friend, Tot Thompson," she continued.
"I'm Tot Tompum," said Tot gravely.
"Oh," replied the man. "I'm pleased to make your acquaintance. I'mthe Watch-Dog of Merryland."
"What a queer name!" exclaimed Dot. "Why do they call you that?"
"Because I'm placed here to keep everyone from passing through thearchway that spans the river into the fair and happy valleys ofMerryland."
"How can you keep them from passing through?" asked the girl.
"Why, tell them they mustn't, of course."
"But suppose they won't mind you, what will you do then?"
The old man looked puzzled, and shook his head slowly.
"I'm sure I don't know what I could do in that case," he answered."You see, no one has ever before come here since I was commanded toguard the entrance to Merryland."
"How long have you been here?" inquired Dot.
"About three hundred years, I think; but I've lost track of the exacttime."
"Don't you ever die?" asked Tot wondering at this great age.
"I haven't died yet," answered the old man, thoughtfully.
"But you will, won't you?" persisted the boy.
"Why, I suppose so, if the Queen lets me," was the reply.
"Who is the Queen?" questioned Dot.
"She who rules Merryland," answered the man.
Then, for a few moments, there was silence, while Dot and Tot staredat the hairy old man and he stared at them.
Presently Dot broke the silence the stillness by asking, "What do youdo in this lonesome place, where you have no one to talk to?"
"Why, most of the time I watch, as it is my duty to do. And when Iget lonely, I count my whiskers."
"Oh!" said Dot. Then she inquired, curiously, "How many whiskers haveyou?"
"Well, answered the Watch-Dog of Merryland," confidentially, "thereare either eighty-seven thousand four hundred and twenty-six, or elseeighty-seven thousand four hundred and twenty-eight. Sometimes I makeit one figure and sometimes the other, so I can't really tell whichis right. I was engaged in counting my whiskers when I looked up andsaw your boat. I had then counted sixty-nine thousand three hundredand fifty-four; but I was so surprised to see you that I missed thecount, and now I shall have to begin all over again."
"I'm sorry," said Dot, sympathetically; "I'd like to know just whichis the right number."
"If you will wait I'll count them," he replied, eagerly. "Perhapsthen you can tell if I make a mistake."
"How long will it take?" she asked.
"I can do it in about four months."
"Oh, we couldn't possibly wait that long," declared the girl. "Ireally think we should be going now."
"Where will you go?" he asked.
"There is only one way for us to go--through that archway intoMerryland, as you call it. We are not strong enough to pull the boatupstream, so we must let it float where it will."
"It will be a terrible disgrace to me," said the Watch-Dog ofMerryland, in a solemn voice, "if you escape me. What will the Queensay when she knows I have watched here three hundred years withoutseeing anyone, and then allowed the first strangers who came along topass through the archway?"
"I do not see that she can blame you," returned Dot. "You sayyourself you would be unable to stop us if we decided not to mindyou. So the Queen can only blame us for not minding you."
"That is true," said the old man, more cheerfully.
"Want somethin' t'eat?" inquired Tot, holding out a slice ofjellycake.
"Dear me!" said the Watch-Dog, taking the cake in his hand andlooking at it with much curiosity. "What is it?"
"Eat it," said Tot; "it's good."
"But I can't eat," replied the old man. "I don't know how. I'venever eaten anything in my life."
"Not even when you were a little boy?" Tot asked, in wonder.
"Well, I've forgotten what happened when I was a little boy, it's solong ago," returned the man. "But I certainly have no desire to eatnow, and if I had there is nothing in the Valley to devour exceptstones. I suppose eating is a habit you have acquired. Why don't youbreak yourself of it?"
"I get hungry," answered Tot.
"Hunger must be a habit, too," remarked the old man, "for I neverhave had it since I have been in this valley. However, if you willallow me to keep the cake, I will amuse myself by looking at it whenI'm tired of co
unting my whiskers."
"You are quite welcome to the cake," said Dot. "But now I must askyou to excuse us, for it is time we started upon our journey."
"Oh, don't let me detain you," replied the Watch-dog of Merryland,politely; "that is, if you are determined to disobey my orders."
"I fear we must," said the girl. "Is Merryland the other side of thatarchway?"
"Part of it is," answered the old man. "There are Seven Valleys inMerryland, connected by archways, for the river flows through themall."
"And what is beyond the Seventh Valley?" asked Dot.
"No one knows except those who pass through, and those who passthrough never return to tell," he replied.
"Well, good-bye," said Dot.
"Bye!" repeated Tot, briefly.
"Good-bye," answered the Watch-Dog.
The girl took the remaining oar and pushed the boat away from theshore with it. The little craft glided out into the river veryslowly, and drifted along with the current in the direction of thearchway.
Dot and Tot sat on the seat and watched the friendly old man until ashadow fell upon them, and called their attention to the fact thatthey were passing through the arch into the First Valley ofMerryland.
Dot and Tot of Merryland Page 5