And, in a few minutes, they saw it again, but this time it was very much nearer and bigger and the sun made it look very smooth.
"It's a whale!" said Sweetclover.
"Who cares," said he, and drew his sword.
And the turtle, for it was a turtle and not a whale at all, came towards them and it was very large, nearly as big around as an acre. And when it got very near to the boat, its head came up out of its shell and the little shoe boat shook with the waves it made.
And the turtle was just about to snap the boat in its mouth when Kernel Cob swung his sword and with one mighty stroke cut off its head.
"Ha, ha!" cried Kernel Cob, but, receiving no reply from Sweetclover, he looked about and found she had fainted.
He found also that the boat was leaking badly from a crack in the side made, no doubt, by the turtle.
Quickly, he lifted Sweetclover and carried her aboard the back of the turtle and laid her gently down, for the shoe was sinking and he was no sooner out of it than it turned over on its side.
"Not a minute too soon," muttered Kernel Cob, "and now to revive Sweetclover." This he soon did and she opened her eyes and looked about in wonder.
"Where are we?" she asked.