after much sawing, chopping and splitting of logs, the teenie weenies finally finished building the raft which was to carry the little army to the wild men’s island.
“we’ve got to give the raft a trial before we get all loaded up with supplies,” said the old soldier when the work had been done. “i’ll take it on the water this afternoon and give it a good try-out.”
“quite right, quite right,” agreed the general as he sat down on a dry fern leaf. “we’ll have to send the army over in two trips. first the infantry can be taken over, then the raft can return for the artillery and some supplies.”
“will the raft carry the cannon and the two mice that pull it?” asked the doctor.
“certainly,” said the old soldier. “it even ought to hold a good-sized paving brick.”
“well, you can just bet i won’t get on that old raft until it has been thoroughly tried out,” announced tess bone as she arranged her dainty little cap and patted the red cross badge on her arm.
“that’s the way i feel about it too,” added sally guff, the other nurse with the army.
“you don’t need to worry about this raft,” laughed the old soldier. “it’s well made and every log is securely tied with strong, number forty thread.”
right after lunch the general ordered several of the soldiers to help the old soldier take the raft out for a trial trip.
with the help of the big sweep on the stern of the raft and the use of several long poles, the little men slowly pushed the craft out into the stream.
“jumping beans!” exclaimed the old soldier as the raft slid easily out into the water. “that is what i call a good—” but the old soldier never finished the sentence, for at that very moment a big frog poked his head out of the water and hopped up onto the raft.
“oooooo, a-a-a s-s-submarine!” gasped the dunce. “jump for your lives,” and he leaped head first into the deep water.
most of the teenie weenies gave one look at the ugly frog, followed the dunce into the water and swam as fast as they could for shore. the old soldier and gogo were the only men to hold their ground, and if it had not been for these brave little fellows, the frog would have captured the transport without a battle. the old soldier drew his sword and attacked the frog, while gogo struck the big fellow over the head with the boat pole. the frog, who had been attracted by the red coats of the soldiers, had hopped onto the raft in search of a meal, but he quickly slid back into the water at the first blow of the boat pole.
the soldiers who had jumped into the water were much ashamed of their behavior and they all quickly returned to the raft and finished the trial trip they had started.
“my brave lad,” said the general, grasping gogo by the hand when the raft returned from its trip, “in behalf of the teenie weenie army i want to thank you for your great bravery and i hereby promote you to first sergeant in the teenie weenie army.”
“oh, dat’s all right, general,” said gogo, much confused at the honor thrust upon him. “there’s no fool frog what’s done gonna scare me when i’s mad, and i was certainly mad at that fool frog.”
the raft proved to be thoroughly seaworthy, so the general gave orders for the men to be ready to board her just as soon as the wind and current were favorable for the trip to the wild men’s island.
