ed. "He must 'a' dropped from the sky, Cap'n Bill!" she
exclaimed.

Button-Bright nodded very seriously. "That's it," he said.

"Oh, a airship, eh?" cried Cap'n Bill in surprise. "I've hearn tell o'
them sky keeridges; someth'n' like flyin' autymob'ls, ain't they?"

"I don't know," said Button-Bright. "I've never seen one."

Both Trot and Cap'n Bill now looked at the boy in astonishment. "Now
then, lemme think a minute," said the sailor reflectively. "Here's a
riddle for us to guess, Trot. He dropped from the sky, he says, an' yet
he didn't come in a airship!"

"'Riddlecum, riddlecum ree;
What can the answer be?'"

Trot looked the boy over carefully. She didn't see any wings on him.
The only queer thing about him was his big umbrella. "Oh!" she said
suddenly, clapping her hands together. "I know now."

"Do you?" asked Cap'n Bill doubtfully. "Then you're some smarter ner I
am, mate."

"He sailed down with the umbrel!" she cried. "He used his umbrel as a
para--para--"

"Shoot," said Cap'n Bill. "They're called parashoots, mate; but why, I
can't say. Did you drop down in that way, my lad?" he asked the boy.

"Yes," said Button-Bright. "That was the way."

"But how did you get up there?" asked Trot. "You had to get up in the
air before you could drop down, an'--oh, Cap'n Bill! He says he's from
Phillydelfy, which is a big city way at the other end of America."

"Are you?" asked the sailor, surprised.

Button-Bright nodded again. "I ought to tell you my story," he said,
"and then you'd understand. But I'm afraid you won't believe me, and--"
he suddenly broke off and looked toward the white house in the distance
"--Didn't you say you lived over there?" he inquired.

"Yes," said Trot. "Won't you come home with us?"

"I'd like to," replied Button-Bright.

"All right, let's go then," said the girl, jumping up.

The three walked silently along the path. The old sailorman had
refilled his pipe and lighted it again, and he smoked thoughtfully as
he pegged along beside the children. "Know anyone around here?" he
asked Button-Bright.

"No one but you two," said the boy, following after Trot, with his
umbrella tucked carefully underneath his arm.

"And you don't know us very well," remarked Cap'n Bill. "Seems to me
you're pretty young to be travelin' so far from home an' among
strangers. But I won't say anything more till we've heard your story.
Then, if you need my advice, or Trot's advice--she's a wise li