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〃A fat chance they would give you to say good…bye！〃 snorted
Polynesia growing impatient at last。 〃I tell you； Doctor； if you go back to
that palace tonight； for goodbys or anything else； you will stay there。
Nowthis moment is the time for you to go。〃
The truth of the old parrot's words seemed to be striking home； for the
Doctor stood silent a minute； thinking。
〃But there are the note…books；〃 he said presently： 〃I would have to go
back to fetch them。〃
〃I have them here； Doctor；〃 said I； speaking up〃 all of them。〃
Again he pondered。
〃And Long Arrow's collection；〃 he said。 〃I would have to take that also
with me。〃
〃It is here； Oh Kindly One；〃 came the Indian's deep voice from the
shadow beneath the palm。
〃But what about provisions；〃 asked the Doctor〃 food for the
journey？〃
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〃We have a week's supply with us； for our holiday；〃 said Polynesia
〃that's more than we will need。〃
For a third time the Doctor was silent and thoughtful。
〃And then there's my hat；〃 he said fretfully at last。 〃That settles it： I'll
HAVE to go back to the palace。 I can't leave without my hat。 How could I
appear in Puddleby with this crown on my head？〃
〃Here it is； Doctor；〃 said Bumpo producing the hat； old； battered and
beloved； from under his coat。 Polynesia had indeed thought of everything。
Yet even now we could see the Doctor was still trying to think up
further excuses。
〃Oh Kindly One；〃 said Long Arrow； 〃why tempt ill fortune？ Your way
is clear。 Your future and your work beckon you back to your foreign home
beyond the sea。 With you will go also what lore I too have gathered for
mankind to lands where it will be of wider use than it can ever here。 I see
the glimmerings of dawn in the eastern heaven。 Day is at hand。 Go before
your subjects are abroad。 Go before your project is discovered。 For truly I
believe that if you go not now you will linger the remainder of your days a
captive king in Popsipetel。〃
Great decisions often take no more than a moment in the making。
Against the now paling sky I saw the Doctor's figure suddenly stiffen。
Slowly he lifted the Sacred Crown from off his head and laid it on the
sands。
And when he spoke his voice was choked with tears。
〃They will find it here；〃 he murmured； 〃when they come to search for
me。 And they will know that I have gone。 。 。 。 My children； my poor
children！ I wonder will they ever understand why it was I left them。 。 。 。 I
wonder will they ever understandand forgive。〃
He took his old hat from Bumpo； then facing Long Arrow； gripped his
outstretched hand in silence。
〃You decide aright； oh Kindly One；〃 said the Indian〃though none
will miss and mourn you more than Long Arrow； the son of Golden
ArrowFarewell； and may good fortune ever lead you by the hand！〃
It was the first and only time I ever saw the Doctor weep。 Without a
word to any of us； he turned and moved down the beach into the shallow
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water of the sea。
The snail humped up its back and made an opening between its
shoulders and the edge of its shell。 The Doctor clambered up and passed
within。 We followed him； after handing up the baggage。 The opening shut
tight with a whistling suction noise。
Then turning in the direction of the East； the great creature began
moving smoothly forward； down the slope into the deeper waters。
Just as the swirling dark green surf was closing in above our heads； the
big morning sun popped his rim up over the edge of the ocean。 And
through our transparent walls of pearl we saw the watery world about us
suddenly light up with that most wondrously colorful of visions； a
daybreak beneath the sea。
The rest of the story of our homeward voyage is soon told。
Our new quarters we found very satisfactory。 Inside the spacious shell；
the snail's wide back was extremely comfortable to sit and lounge on
better than a sofa； when you once got accustomed to the damp and
clammy feeling of it。 He asked us； shortly after we started； if we wouldn't
mind taking off our boots； as the hobnails in them hurt his back as we ran
excitedly from one side to another to see the different sights。
The motion was not unpleasant； very smooth and even； in fact； but for
the landscape passing outside； you would not know； on the level going；
that you were moving at all。
I had always thought for some reason or other that the bottom of the
sea was flat。 I found that it was just as irregular and changeful as the
surface of the dry land。 We climbed over great mountain…ranges； with
peaks towering above peaks。 We threaded our way through dense forests
of tall sea…plants。 We crossed wide empty stretches of sandy mud； like
desertsso vast that you went on for a whole day with nothing ahead of
you but a dim horizon。 Sometimes the scene was moss…covered； rolling
country； green and restful to the eye like rich pastures； so that you almost
looked to see sheep cropping on these underwater downs。 And sometimes
the snail would roll us forward inside him like peas； when he suddenly
dipped downward to descend into some deep secluded valley with steeply
sloping sides。
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In these lower levels we often came upon the shadowy shapes of dead
ships； wrecked and sunk Heaven only knows how many years ago； and
passing them we would speak in hushed whispers like children seeing
monuments in churches。
Here too； in the deeper； darker waters； monstrous fishes； feeding
quietly in caves and hollows would suddenly spring up； alarmed at our
approach； and flash away into the gloom with the speed of an arrow。 While
other bolder ones； all sorts of unearthly shapes and colors； would come
right up and peer in at us through the shell。
〃I suppose they think we are a sort of sanaquarium；〃 said Bumpo〃I'd
hate to be a fish。〃