nes of verse the Bumpy Man turned again to
resume his stirring. The Ork laughed softly and Cap'n Bill whistled to
himself and Trot made up her mind that the Mountain Ear must be a
little crazy. But the Bumpy Man seemed satisfied that he had explained
his position fully and presently he placed four stone plates upon the
table and then lifted the kettle from the fire and poured some of its
contents on each of the plates. Cap'n Bill and Trot at once approached
the table, for they were hungry, but when she examined her plate the
little girl exclaimed:

"Why, it's molasses candy!"

"To be sure," returned the Bumpy Man, with a pleasant smile. "Eat it
quick, while it's hot, for it cools very quickly this winter weather."

With this he seized a stone spoon and began putting the hot molasses
candy into his mouth, while the others watched him in astonishment.

"Doesn't it burn you?" asked the girl.

"No indeed," said he. "Why don't you eat? Aren't you hungry?"

"Yes," she replied, "I am hungry. But we usually eat our candy when it
is cold and hard. We always pull molasses candy before we eat it."

"Ha, ha, ha!" laughed the Mountain Ear. "What a funny idea! Where in
the world did you come from?"

"California," she said.

"California! Pooh! there isn't any such place. I've heard of every
place in the Land of Mo, but I never before heard of California."

"It isn't in the Land of Mo," she explained.

"Then it isn't worth talking about," declared the Bumpy Man, helping
himself again from the steaming kettle, for he had been eating all the
time he talked.

"For my part," sighed Cap'n Bill, "I'd like a decent square meal, once
more, just by way of variety. In the last place there was nothing but
fruit to eat, and here it's worse, for there's nothing but candy."

"Molasses candy isn't so bad," said Trot. "Mine's nearly cool enough to
pull, already. Wait a bit, Cap'n, and you can eat it."

A little later she was able to gather the candy from the stone plate
and begin to work it back and forth with her hands. The Mountain Ear
was greatly amazed at this and watched her closely. It was really good
candy and pulled beautifully, so that Trot was soon ready to cut it
into chunks for eating.

Cap'n Bill condescended to eat one or two pieces and the Ork ate
several, but the Bumpy Man refused to try it. Trot finished the plate
of candy herself and then asked for a drink of water.

"Water?" said the Mountain Ear wonderingly. "Wha