go together at morning!"

So, when day began to break, Thumb and Thimble hastened away and hid
themselves in the Ukka-trees till Nod should come out to them. Nod
busied himself, and baked his last feast with his master. He broiled him
some bones--they were little else--of the Jack-All the sailor had shot
in the moonlight. And when Battle--strange and solitary as he seemed to
Nod now, after talking with and looking on his brothers--when Battle
opened the door and came out, Nod told him as best he could, in the few
words of his English, of Immanala and her hunting-dogs, and of his
brothers. And he told him that he must leave him now, and go on his
travels again. Battle listened, scratching his head, and with a patient,
perplexed grin on his face, but he could understand only very little of
what Nod meant. For even a Mulla-mulgar, though he can repeat like a
child, or like a parrot, by rote, has small brains for really learning
another language, so that it may be a telling picture of his thoughts.
Indeed, Battle thought that poor Nod had fallen a little crazy with the
cold. He fondled him and scratched his head--this Prince of Tishnar--as
if he were at his hearth at home, and Nod his country cat. But at least
he knew that the little Mulgar wished to leave him, and he made no
hindrance except his own sadness to his going. He gave him out of his
own pocket a silver groat with a hole in it, and a large piece of fine
looking-glass, besides the necklet of clear blue Bamba-beads, and three
rings of copper. He gave him, too, one leaf of his little fat book, and
in this Nod wrapped his Wonderstone. Nor even in his kindness did Battle
say the least word about his big coat and Ephelanto-belt and his Fulby's
hairy hat--all which things he supposed (Mulgars being by nature thieves
and robbers in his mind) Nod's brothers had stolen.

"Good-bye, my son," he said. "'Bravely, ole sailor, take your lot!'
There, there; I make no dwelling on fine words. Good-bye, and don't
forget your larnin'. There's many a full-growed Christian Battle's come
acrost in his seafarin'--but there, flattery butters no parsnips.
Good-bye, once more, Mulgar _mio_, and thankee kindly."

Nod raised his hands above his head. "Oomgar, Oomgar," he said, with
eyes shut and trembling lips, "ah-mi, ah-mi; sulani, ghar magleer."
Then, with a heavy heart, he turned away, and without looking back ran
scampering as fast as he could to the five Ukka-trees. His brothers had