xactly far enough to be convenient to sit down for a while was the old great wreck that had been there for years and years and years.
so there was only a part of it left, pushed deep in the sand, and sand inside, because the sea had eaten away the rest. and it was pale and gray-bleached where it stood up toward the sky, but underneath dark and sodden, with long seaweed weeping off into the water—back and forth—back and forth—forever.
going up by the rocks on the other side, some strong timbers laid over made a bridge across into the broken place where her ribs showed. there were pale waves churning, flat, in and out among the rocks and below the 81bridge when they crossed over and came out on the old gray deck with the old black capstan standing in the middle of it; and everywhere around there was water. the ocean was much larger from here than it was when they were walking on the sand; so large that any ship in the whole wide world might have come sailing across it—and a fair wind blowing. the princess looked for several minutes, to see if there was coming the finest ship afloat. and there was not; but she hadn’t expected it, because she knew it was not there.
“now is it a suitable time to tell it?” asked pat.
and the princess thought it was, while they rested, sitting on the tilting deck, with the sea running in and out in the dark hollow place under it.
“you know how you feel about something that is always there,” she began; “a tree on the lawn, or a church steeple, or something you take for granted and expect to see when you look for it. you don’t look the first thing in the morning to see if it has gone away in the night.
“that was the way with major. the star people were so used to seeing him in his place that they thought very little about him.
“it was rather cloudy one morning when it was time to fade away, and it promised to be more cloudy by night. 82the star people had plans for what they wanted to do; and they waked up, quite full of their own affairs. so, though each one of them in major’s neighborhood had a feeling that something was strange and lacking, they didn’t think enough about it to realize what it was. and it wasn’t until cepheus said suddenly: ‘why, where’s major?’ that they saw that he was gone, and that was what they missed.
“‘now, what do you thuppoth pothethed him?’ said draco.
“‘i’ve no idea,’ said cassiopeia. ‘but we must find him and bring him back. we can’t let the silly old thing go wandering about, nobody knows where. perseus!’ she called. ‘you and andromeda come and help.’
“they were so interested in some scheme of their own they weren’t noticing what was going on. but as soon as they did, they were just as much concerned as anybody, ‘major gone!’ they said. ‘why, where can he be?’
“‘i thee him!’ called draco, excitedly. he had flown up to look about. now he dropped again. ‘he’th almotht to orion’th garden, and going thouth ath fatht ath ever he can!’
“‘run, perseus. you’re young,’ said cassiopeia; and off he started, with andromeda after him. she and perseus 83very easily ran faster than the other star people who followed: cepheus and cassiopeia, with draco, half flopping his wings and half running on his short crooked legs, like a dachshund’s, and after them hercules and little bear. hercules picked him up and put him on his shoulder, and came after the others—all racing down toward the southern sky, to find major and bring him back home.
“cassiopeia was not much of a runner; but hercules came up and put his hand under one arm, and cepheus put his under the other, to help her along, so they made pretty good speed; though, of course, not so good as perseus and andromeda. so they weren’t surprised, when they finally came in sight of major, to see that the young people had caught up with him, and they and orion were going along by his side.
“for major wasn’t noticing them, nor stopping to listen to their talk. he kept straight on, lifting his great paws high and throwing them out as he trotted—not as a bear usually runs, and not getting along so very fast, either.
“when he was actually in sight cassiopeia declared she couldn’t go another step without resting. so she sat down; and perseus, who saw them, came racing back with andromeda after him, of course.
84“‘guess what he thinks!’ he called, when he came within hearing distance. ‘he thinks he’s a wagon!’ cried andromeda, in the same breath.
“‘a wagon!’ said everybody.
“‘yes, he does,’ said andromeda. ‘orion ran out after him when he went by the garden, and major made him look out for the wheels. he thinks his legs are wheels, and he will run over any one who’s in the way.’
“‘did you ever hear more?’ said cepheus. ‘i’d like to know how such an idea came into his addled old head.’
“‘i’d just like to know how to put it out!’ said cassiopeia.
“‘how’ll you stop him, if you don’t?’ asked hercules. ‘he’ll keep on forever—now he’s started.’ and that was perfectly reasonable, certainly, and quite observant for a person who didn’t pretend to be bright.
“‘i can thtop him,’ said draco.
“‘how?’ asked perseus.
“‘you wait and thee. we’ll catch up with him thoon. he doethn’t go very fatht.’”
the princess stopped, and looked off, over the sea. then she looked back at the others, all waiting for her to go on.
“it’s terribly exciting, dearie,” said phyllisy.
85“then what happened?” asked the kitten.
“by this time cassiopeia was ready to go on, and they started once more. they could see that orion still talked and argued as he kept on by major’s side, with the two dogs running about them both; but major never once glanced at him or his dogs, and kept up his curious gait.
“and—do you believe?—now that they knew what his idea was, his legs did seem to make a circular motion; and they couldn’t help thinking that he did look a little like a great clumsy wagon; but they wouldn’t, one of them, have owned it to the others!
“‘now what do you think of that?’ asked orion, stopping to let them come up with him. ‘he’s started, and he may go forever!’
“‘that’s what i say,’ observed hercules.
“‘draco says he can stop him,’ said andromeda.
“‘oh, can he?’ said orion. ‘all right. go ahead. it’s more than i can do.’
“‘i’m pretty thure i can,’ said draco, as he flopped along—and they stood aside to let him pass, he took so much room; ‘but you’ll have to thtand by what i thay. it’ll take diplomathy.’
“then they all followed after to see what his diplomacy was, and how he would use it. and when he came up 86with major he didn’t stop; he didn’t even seem to notice him, but kept flopping along until all but three coils of his tail had passed him. then he stopped abruptly, as if he were very much surprised. ‘why, i thought you were a wagon,’ he said. ‘but where are your hortheth?’
“major held one foot suspended in the air for a moment, and they thought he might stop. but it was only an instant; then he went on.
“draco raised his voice higher: ‘don’t you know, you thilly, a wagon can’t go without thomething to draw it?’
“‘then how did he get here?’ asked perseus.
“‘s-s-sh!’ said every one.
“‘now he’th thpoiled everything!’ complained draco. and he flopped right down in the road—but major kept straight on.
“‘no, he hasn’t,’ said andromeda, encouragingly. ‘don’t you mind. that was fine! i know how to manage.’ then she ran on until she was a little ahead of major. and she looked at him, very hard, and stooped down and looked at his legs. then she called back, over his head:—
“‘it’s running downhill; but it will stop now. it’s beginning to go up.’
“why, i thought you were a wagon,” he said, “but where are your hortheth?”
87“sure enough, it did begin to curve up just there; and major lifted one foot—and put it down, heavily; then he swung the other around wildly—and they all crowded near, and said: ‘there! it’s stopping. it can’t run up-hill.’ and the next minute major sat down with a hard thump, not very far from the edge of the zodiac. and if you don’t believe he was a tired old bear, you try it yourself!”
the others giggled; but they believed it without interrupting. and the princess went on: “when i told you about the old man in the zodiac, i didn’t tell you this: besides his watering-pot, he has a great reputation for giving wise advice. so when the star people are in any difficulty they go and consult aquarius. or they would go; but when he once begins to talk he goes on forever; and they are so tired with it, and it is so impossible to stop him without being rude, that they are rather more likely to say to some one else, ‘why don’t you go and ask aquarius?’ than they are to go themselves.
“when major sat down hard, he was not far from aquarius’ house, and the old man came to its limit to see what was going on, but the star people pretended they didn’t see him, because they didn’t want him to begin talking.
“cassiopeia was the person who discovered that they 88were out of one trouble only to be in another. they had stepped aside a little, to be out of major’s hearing, and everybody—except cassiopeia—was saying how good it was he had stopped. draco just observed complacently, for the third time: ‘i don’t know how i happened to think of it. it theemed to come to me,’ when cassiopeia’s voice broke in on them, very cold and depressing: ‘it’s a pity it came so soon. why didn’t you turn him around first?’
“‘turn him around?’ said cepheus. ‘what for?’
“‘what is the first rule of the sky?’ asked cassiopeia, and they all recited in unison:—
“‘a place for everything; and everything in its place.’
“‘yes,’ said cassiopeia. ‘there he is,’ and she pointed to major, just sitting exactly as he dropped, ‘and there’s his place!’ and she waved her arm toward the north. ‘how are you going to get him there?’
“then they were in a pickle! major had always liked andromeda, and she tried to coax him. but he wouldn’t pay the slightest attention when she talked.”
“he thinks he’s a wagon, just the same, if he has stopped,” said phyllisy.
“of course,” said the princess. “so it was no use to 89talk to him. then they tried to push him and pull him around; but he shook them off, and even growled as no one had heard him growl before. besides that, he was naturally an extremely large bear, and being a dipper, with nothing to dip, and doing absolutely nothing else, had made him grow fat. even if he had allowed them, they could hardly have moved him all that way. and certainly not without hercules’ help. all this time he had stood aside, saying nothing, though they hadn’t noticed it, they were so busy with major himself. at last orion almost suggested setting his dogs on him. but they all said: ‘the idea! poor, dear, old major!’ and he said quickly, of course he didn’t mean it. he only said they could. nobody answered him; nobody spoke at all for as much as a minute.
“then cassiopeia sniffed. then she looked very hard at hercules, and remarked: ‘if i could do anything i wouldn’t wait to be asked.’
“‘who could?’ asked perseus.
“‘i don’t say any one could,’ said cassiopeia. ‘but if i were so strong that my hands just—er—swung, and i saw that poor old lamb, far from his home, and with not sense enough to go to it, i’d do the best i could to take him there!’
90“‘there aren’t stars enough in the sky to make me touch him!’ said hercules. ‘and it isn’t carryin’ him i mind. bless you, i could pick him up like a baby. he doesn’t weigh so much.’
“‘then why don’t you do it?’ asked cepheus.
“‘’tisn’t lucky,’ said hercules. ‘he isn’t willing; and he’s an innocent. no good ever comes of crossing an idjit. i wouldn’t lay so much as a finger on that loony bear—unless he was willing—for all you could offer! no, sir-ee!’
“then they were just about ready to give up, or take anything that offered, so they weren’t very reluctant to see old aquarius, who had been beckoning to them and waving his watering-pot for some time, and evidently had something to say. they drew near, where he could talk to them, though they groaned when they did it, for they knew he would bore them almost to death.
“‘i have been strangely unable to gain your notice, although i have made considerable effort to that end,’ he began, in his prosy way. ‘i have waved my hand—thus’ (he showed them how he had beckoned), ‘and my watering-pot—thus’ (and he showed them how he had waved the watering-pot, and hadn’t spilled a drop of water, although it had two spouts), ‘but in spite of my endeavors, i have been unable to attract your notice.’ (they 91looked at each other, and sighed.) ‘i have been thus persistent,’ he went on, ‘for your good; not for my own pleasure—although conversation with congenial persons is always most agreeable to me—’
“‘me, too,’ said draco. ‘i jutht love to talk to my friendth.’
“‘er—exactly,’ said aquarius. ‘but it was not merely to converse—agreeable as it may be to us all—all,’ he repeated, waving his watering-pot benevolently. (and they looked at each other again; and some of them changed their weight over onto the other foot.) ‘no, i had a purpose in calling you hither. i rarely act without a purpose—’
“‘what was it?’ asked perseus.
“‘i was about to mention it!’—looking at perseus reprovingly. ‘you seemed in some perplexity concerning the removal of that misguided bear to his proper place. i gather that he considers himself—and wishes to be considered—a wagon! a most surprising hallucination. it might be interesting to consider how it could have arisen?’ he looked at them, in turn, to see if they were inclined to consider it, but they were not, and stood perfectly still, without any expression in their faces, until hercules said: ‘you were going to tell us something.’
92“‘yes. i remember to have heard something that applies exactly to such a case. i am sure it will be a helpful suggestion.’
“every one looked hopeful and interested, but aquarius stopped short. they waited. then, ‘i seem to have forgotten it for the moment. but never mind—it will come—it will come—’
“‘oh, what’s the use waiting?’ muttered orion.
“‘it will come,’ went on aquarius, cheerfully. ‘it is something about wagons—and stars—i am sure it is just what is needed. ah! i have it now: “hitch your wagon to a star!”—the very thing! i knew it would come,’ and he went right on talking; but the star people were not listening. if that was the best he could do in the way of advice, they were completely discouraged.
“‘i never heard such rubbish in my life!’ said cassiopeia, under her breath. ‘nor i,’ said orion. ‘i know pretty much all there is to know about stars—and how could you hitch a wagon to one? and if you did, what then?’ they all thought that was the very silliest advice that ever was given; and there was old aquarius talking and talking—and they didn’t know how they were to escape from him, when some one said:—
“‘look at major!’
93“they all looked—even aquarius stopped with his mouth open—and, what do you think? with all their trying they couldn’t move that foolish old bear one inch. but now, when they were worried to death, and trying to think what to do next, and were leaving him alone—
“all at once he turned his great head and seemed to see for the first time where he was. then he stood up; and they held their breath to see what he would do. he stood for a moment, swaying his huge body back and forth; then he swung around until his nose pointed to the north, and started off at an even trot, never looking to the right nor to the left, just like an ordinary bear, and not in the least like a wagon or a dipper! and he didn’t stop until he reached his very own place in the sky. the star people followed him all the way on tiptoe, not daring to speak for fear he would change his mind again before he reached home. but i shouldn’t wonder if old aquarius went right on talking, though there was not a soul left to hear him; for no one thought to say ‘good-by.’
“that was a long time ago, and major still thinks he’s a dipper; but he knows it’s no use to be a wagon without horses. so he stays in his place, and the star people 94feel pretty comfortable about him. but”—the princess dropped her voice, and glanced up at the sky—“just suppose he ever finds out about automobiles!”
“o-o-o-oh!” said the others, politely horrified.
then: “he won’t,” said pat. “and i know what the other name for it is, besides dipper and great bear. you needn’t tell.”
“i know, too,” said phyllisy.
“i’d like to tell somebody,” said the princess. “come close, kitten, and let me whisper it.”
so the kitten came close, and she and the princess found her ear—warm and rosy under a great deal of troublesome hair—and the princess whispered in it until the kitten laughed. “now we all know, don’t we?” said the princess. and they all nodded.
the waves were running away from them, up the beach, a long way beyond the point of the ship where the bowsprit used to be.
the kitten knelt down and looked through a chink in the deck, at the water under it. she curved her hands each side of her eyes to shut off the sunlight so she could see more plainly, and to keep her hair from falling into them. “o-oh! it’s pretty closer,” she said.
“let me see,” said pat. the kitten let her have the 95place, and she saw for herself. she was satisfied in a minute; then she settled back on her heels. “it’ll come just so close; then it’ll go back—and not any more. what makes it do that?” she said.
“the tide,” said miss phyllisy.
“i know that,” said pat. “what makes it?”
“it’s on account of lady moon going by,” said the princess.
“that would be a different kind of star person. isn’t she?” said phyllisy.
“pretty different, and especially nice. this is the story of her: she is mother earth’s dear daughter. long ago her mother held her close in her arms; then lady moon was called away to live in starland, and had to leave her mother’s side. her dim gray robes never could be seen in that distant sky, so she carries a glowing lantern hung on her arm; and when the slide is open and mother earth sees its light, she knows where her child is wandering among the stars. then her heart longs for her, and she reaches out toward her, trying always to come a little nearer. if you listen, you’ll hear the sea sobbing, to think how far away she has gone.” the princess stopped talking, and tipped her head, listening. they listened with her, to the waves running into the old ship—and they 96truly seemed to grow sadder and sadder; not unhappy-sad, but romantic.
“that is beautiful, dearie,” said phyllisy. “it’s parable, isn’t it?”
“this is truly true,” answered the princess. “wherever the moon is, there every bit of the earth feels it, and is drawn out toward it.”
“hard rocks and all?” asked pat, as if she never would believe it.
“rocks and mountains and all,” said the princess. “but they are so stiff they don’t give very much. but the sea yields easily, and the water heaps up toward the moon, and pulls away from the shore behind it; then when the moon passes on, it flattens out again. if we were down on the sand before every bit of the hard is covered up, i could draw something to show it plainer, in about two seconds, on the way back. but there’s no time to waste.”
so, without wasting any time, they left the old wreck deep in the sand and water, with the waves running in from the ocean and hurrying by it—on to the land. and when they found a hard place, the princess drew the large round earth with the sea humping up on the side of it toward the small round moon. and she drew several moons on several sides, to show how the hump would 97follow, and make the tide; but it was all one moon—only gone along a little farther. and she said it was truly the earth that whirled in the middle, not the moon going around; but they weren’t to bother about that—and they didn’t.
