The cockchafer did not go away an inch, but buzzed closer to Jerry's head than before. "Buz-z-z," he hummed; "nine times, Jerry, nine times, nine times, nine times, nine times—"
All at once, the cockchafer's meaning entered Jerry's head, which was hardly to be wondered at, considering how close his head was at that moment to the cockchafer.
"Of course it's nine times!" he cried. "Why didn't I think of that before?" Then he turned round and dragged his kite all the way back to the school, where Chubby still sat sighing over her sum.
"It goes nine times exactly, Chubby," he told her through the window; "so now you can come and help me to carry this great big kite."
"Where are we going, Jerry?" asked Chubby, when she had finished her sum and joined him.
"We are going out into the world, to discover the reason why my kite won't fly," answered Jerry; and between them they picked up the biggest kite in the village and carried it out into the world.
"How are we going to discover why your kite won't fly?" asked Chubby, when they had walked a good way. She had had no tea, to tell the truth, and was beginning to feel remarkably hungry.
"We will ask everybody we meet," said Jerry, who had had his tea and was therefore not at all hungry. "There is sure to be some one in the world who can tell us, and we will not rest until we find him."
"We haven't met anybody yet," remarked Chubby, rather dolefully. "How long do you think we shall have to go on walking before we find the right person?"
"Perhaps for years and years," answered Jerry, cheerfully. "But if we are quick, we may meet him sooner than that."