Smaly standing; on the Point of his Toes
So during three days the young girls were busy making the stairs by which they would mount to freedom. During the siesta on the third day Smaly and Redy made trial of these stairs and found them perfectly firm. It was then that Smaly climbed into the dead tree which Redy had pointed out to him, and tied to it the big red handkerchief which was to be the signal to Djorak.
Smaly and Redy were both of them certain that Djorak was in his right mind once more, for during the three days the sugar-cane prison had not budged; but stayed still as if awaiting their signal, and directly the red flag fluttered in the breeze Redy cried out:
"Look, look, the prison is coming."
"Of course it is," said Smaly, as though he had never had any doubts.
And indeed the prison was rushing furiously towards them.
Smaly stayed up in the tree to watch, but Redy had her attention distracted by the Red Flying-Fish, which was sitting watching her.
Suddenly the fish flew away; but it soon reappeared followed by a great flock of other fish. Each fish carried something good, tarts or cakes or fruits. The Red Flying-Fish carried a large hat and mantle in its claws. The fish all deposited their offerings at the feet of Redy, and from his tree Smaly looked on with great pleasure.
Towards evening the forest of sugar-canes came crashing into the three little gardens. Kisika, Laptitza, and Fritilla ran up their stairways and fell into Redy's arms; but Smaly was not going to waste any time on sentiment, to which he felt he could give way later. He ran down the centre staircase, seized one of the boxes of Soy which the Chief Contractor had given to the young girls, presented the other two to Djorak, and then, without waiting to listen to the Prisoner's exclamations of joy, bade him follow him.