Toto, of
course, slept beside his little mistress.
The Scarecrow, Scraps and the Pumpkinhead
were tireless and had no need to sleep, so they
sat up and talked together all night; but they
stayed outside the house, under the bright stars,
and talked in low tones so as not to disturb the
sleepers. During the conversation the Scarecrow
explained their quest for a dark well, and asked
Jack's advice where to find it.
The Pumpkinhead considered the matter gravely.
"That is going to be a difficult task," said he,
"and if I were you I'd take any ordinary well
and enclose it, so as to make it dark."
"I fear that wouldn't do," replied the
Scarecrow. "The well must be naturally dark, and
the water must never have seen the light of day,
for otherwise the magic charm might not work at
all."
"How much of the water do you need?" asked Jack.
"A gill."
"How much is a gill?"
"Why--a gill is a gill, of course," answered
the Scarecrow, who did not wish to display his
ignorance.
"I know!" cried Scraps. "Jack and Jill went up
the hill to fetch--"
"No, no; that's wrong," interrupted the
Scarecrow. "There are two kinds of gills, I think;
one is a girl, and the other is--"
"A gillyflower," said Jack.
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