But the ocean was not like his jungle river, as he very soon found. It was much deeper, and there did not seem, at least, in the part where he was, to be any grass or other roots.
“I guess I’d better not sink any deeper,” thought Chunky, after a bit. “I can’t find any place on which to stand. I’ll go up and get some air. I need it.”
So he swam toward the top, and when he stuck his head out of the water, to take a breath and to look around, he could see nothing except big waves, ever so much bigger than any he had seen in his river.
“Well, now that I am off that floating house, and out of my cage, now that I can do as I please,” thought Chunky to himself, as he swam along with just his nose and eyes out of water, “I guess I’ll go on shore and back to my jungle. I’m free now, and I won’t go to the circus. I’ll go back home.”
Ah, Chunky little knew all that was going to happen to him, and the adventures he was to have!
CHAPTER X
CHUNKY IN THE CIRCUS
Chunky began to feel quite happy again. He felt that these were more like the times when he had been in the jungle. But he did not open his mouth to smile or to laugh, and there was a very good reason for this. If he had opened his mouth, as he was swimming in the stormy ocean, he would have swallowed a lot of salty water, and he did not want to do that. So he kept his mouth closed tightly, and his nose holes also, whenever a wave broke over him, which often happened.
“Yes, I’ll swim back to shore and go to my jungle again,” thought Chunky to himself. “I guess I don’t want to be in a circus, even if Tum Tum said it was so jolly. I’m glad my cage fell and broke so I could get out.”