“Count the ants,” said Billy with a sudden inspiration, and the Equator troubled him no more.
Billy was delighted. The Equator’s lips moved rapidly for some minutes, and Billy slipped quietly down into the crater to find Nimbus and the Evening Star to tell them to hurry and make their escape.
He wandered about blindly for some little time, then stopped bewildered.
The crater forked in many directions. It seemed hopeless to explore any one of them because his friends might have taken another.
At last he determined to make sure that when they did come back they would have no trouble in escaping.
Returning to the mouth of the crater he saw the Equator still fast asleep.
Billy’s hands went to his pockets, and when they came out they brought a quantity of fish-line, which he always carried for emergencies.
He deftly tied the line to a huge stone, making sure that the knot Was fast, and then very cautiously slipped it through the center of the Equator, making a loose knot, but one that would be reasonably sure to hold him. He doubled and redoubled the string, and when the job was done stood back and surveyed it with considerable pride.
Then, assured that the Equator was at his mercy, he began to hope for him to wake up so that he could enjoy his triumph. He even coughed once or twice in the hope of awakening his captive, but the Equator was very tired and it seemed impossible to arouse him.
At last, unable longer to restrain his impulse, Billy took a sharp stick and poked the Equator smartly once, twice, three times.