THE BOOLOOROO OF THE BLUES

CHAPTER 5





Cap'n Bill suspected that these remarks were addressed to him, but
he couldn't move just then because the seat was across him, and a
boy and girl were sprawling on the seat. As the Magic Umbrella was
now as motionless as any ordinary umbrella might be, Button-Bright
first released the catch and closed it up, after which he unhooked
the crooked handle from the rope and rose to his feet. Trot had
managed by this time to stand up, and she pulled the board off from
Cap'n Bill. All this time the shrill, excited voice was loudly
complaining because the sailor was on his feet, and Trot looked to
see who was making the protest, while Cap'n Bill rolled over and got
on his hands and knees so he could pull his meat leg and his wooden
leg into an upright position, which wasn't a very easy thing to do.

Button-Bright and Trot were staring with all their might at the
queerest person they had ever seen. They decided it must be a man
because he had two long legs, a body as round as a ball, a neck like
an ostrich, and a comical little head set on the top of it. But the
most curious thing about him was his skin, which was of a lovely
sky-blue tint. His eyes were also sky-blue, and his hair, which was
trained straight up and ended in a curl at the top of his head, was
likewise blue in color and matched his skin and his eyes. He wore
tight-fitting clothes made of sky-blue silk, with a broad blue