Chapter Two

by Ruth Stiles Gannett

　　MY FATHER RUNS AWAY

　　"Wild Island is practically cut in two by a very wide and muddyriver," continued the cat. "This river begins near one end of theisland and flows into the ocean at the other. Now the animals thereare very lazy, and they used to hate having to go all the way aroundthe beginning of this river to get to the other side of the island.It made visiting inconvenient and mail deliveries slow, particularlyduring the Christmas rush. Crocodiles could have carried passengersand mail across the river, but crocodiles are very moody, and not theleast bit dependable, and are always looking for something to eat.They don't care if the animals have to walk around the river, sothat's just what the animals did for many years."

　　"But what does all this have to do with airplanes?" asked my father,who thought the cat was taking an awfully long time to explain.

　　"Be patient, Elmer," said the cat, and she went on with the story."One day about four months before I arrived on Wild Island a babydragon fell from a low-flying cloud onto the bank of the river. He wastoo young to fly very well, and besides, he had bruised one wing quitebadly, so he couldn't get back to his cloud. The animals found himsoon afterwards and everybody said, 'Why, this is just exactly whatwe've needed all these years!' They tied a big rope around his neckand waited for the wing to get well. This was going to end all theircrossing-the-river troubles."