As before, Pippity
showed considerable anxiety, calmly remarking, however, as I translated
his jargon, that he would, as on the previous day, hold fast to my
shoulder with his bill. He made Grilly get down below at the same time
and hold on to my feet; and when I began to crawl and wriggle along the
best way I could, I was assisted very materially by the parrot above
and the monkey below.
Notwithstanding the perilous situation, I could not but be amused at
the ludicrous singularity of the performance.
Above stood the sure-footed bird, all gravity, pulling away at my
shoulder; below was the monkey, holding me fast by the heels, jumping
and capering as the treacherous stones rolled from under him. Of
course, in less than a minute the whole thing was over, and I was
safely landed on a good broad walk.
We arrived at the opening of the dungeon. Descend into it? Again be
lost--perhaps perish? I hesitated. I shrank from entering; and yet,
down into it I must go!
"Pippity," said I, to my trusty parrot, "we will linger here another
day. You must bring us all the food you can between this and night; and
to-morrow morning, with the first peep of dawn, be ready to go down
again, and make as many trips before noon as you can, so that we shall
be able to undertake that dark and uncertain journey with at least a
small quantity of provisions.
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