mn sayings, and here was an excuse for him to get away from
the Yip Country. So he said to Cayke the Cookie Cook:

"_I_ will go with you, my good woman," which greatly pleased Cayke
because she felt the Frogman could be of much assistance to her in her
search.

But now, since the mighty Frogman had decided to undertake the journey,
several of the Yips who were young and daring at once made up their
minds to go along; so the next morning after breakfast the Frogman and
Cayke the Cookie Cook and nine of the Yips started to slide down the
side of the mountain. The bramble-bushes and cactus plants were very
prickly and uncomfortable to the touch, so the Frogman commanded the
Yips to go first and break a path, so that when he followed them he
would not tear his splendid clothes. Cayke, too, was wearing her best
dress, and was likewise afraid of the thorns and prickers, so she kept
behind the Frogman.

They made rather slow progress and night overtook them before they were
halfway down the mountain side, so they found a cave in which they
sought shelter until morning. Cayke had brought along a basket full of
her famous cookies, so they all had plenty to eat.

On the second day the Yips began to wish they had not embarked on this
adventure. They grumbled a good deal at having to cut away the thorns to
make the path for the Frogman and the Cookie Cook, for their own
clothing suffered many tears, while Cayke and the Frogman traveled
safely and in comfort.

"If it is true that anyone came to our country to steal your diamond
dishpan," said one of the Yips to Cayke, "it must have been a bird, for
no person in the form of a man, woman or child could have climbed
through these bushes and back again."

"And, allowing he could have done so," said another Yip, "the
diamond-studded gold dishpan would not have repaid him for his troubles
and his tribulations."

"For my part," remarked a third Yip, "I would rather go back home and
dig and polish some more diamonds, and mine some more gold, and make
you another dishpan, than be scratched from head to heel by these
dreadful bushes. Even now, if my mother saw me, she would not know I am
her son."

Cayke paid no heed to these mutterings, nor did the Frogman. Although
their journey was slow it was being made easy for them by the Yips, so
they had nothing to complain of and no desire to turn back.

Quite near to the bottom of the great hill they came upon a deep gulf,
the sides of w