“Now, then,” cried he, “I’m off duty till to-morrow! So, if you don’t mind, I’ll come up there to your shoulder and conduct you wherever you may care to go.”
“Do so, by all means,” answered Diggeldy Dan; and soon the other was perched on the folds of his ruff.
“Of course,” began Beader, as he unbuttoned the top of his rather tight-fitting coat, “you must understand that this particular town is only one of several here in the valley. There is Stubbleton where the Fielders live and that’s over in that direction. And there is Nightsville, where most of the Muskers make their home. It’s back yonder at the edge of the pond. Then there’s Dorton—that’s the Dormice settlement and it lies well in among the trees. But it is here that we hold most of our gatherings. I do wish you had been with us last evening. There was a most exciting drill between the Jumping Dragoons and the Nightsville Musketeers. We beat them all hollow at marching but we couldn’t put up our tents quite as fast as they.”
“It must have been great sport,” said Dan, “I wish there was something for us to see to-night.”
“Goodness, I wish so too,” answered Beader. “If it were only Clock Night. But it isn’t for this is but the Day Before.”
“The day before,” repeated Dan, “the day before what?”
“The Day Before Clock Night. You see we of the Valley of Tick Tock have only two kinds of days. There is the Day Before Clock Night and Clock Night Day; then it becomes the Day Before Clock Night again; and so on—over and over and over again.”
“But why do you give them such curious names?”
“Why because—but listen! What is that?” and Beader stood up and put his head to one side. “Why, of course!” he exclaimed. “It’s the voices of the Fielders. They must be out harvesting. If you’ve never been to a moonlight harvest bee I know you’ll enjoy it. So come, let’s get over to the wheat field as fast as we can.”
Off they went, taking another path which led in a direction opposite from that by which they had entered the town. Soon they were at the edge of the field. As they neared it Dan’s guide had leaped to the ground and gone on in advance.