THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WELL

Chapter 11 – page 2

The sides of the mountains were almost blinding in the sun and did look quite slippery, just as Marshie 459 had said. People went up and slid right back down. The smell of Peppermint was so overwhelming it almost made you gag, choke and sputter. They rode to the right and then to the left, looking and looking for an entrance. On the right side they came to a nice area of the feet, toes and ankles of the Peppermints, where lichen and moss grew. Here was another small cave with a stream running out with clear, clean fresh water. The horses drank and so did G & J. Tufts of a reed type grass grew in the rock crevices with dangling moss and lichen climbing the mountain where the sun seldom shone.

G asked the Chips if this would be a good place for them to stay. While the horses drank, all the Chips crawled down and scuttled over in between the toes of the mountains. Only the "squished one that was alive again" spoke. "We have come to this new land to inhabit, dwell, and be keepers and caretakers. We have brought seeds. (Little did G & J know, but the Chips had pouches under their bellies and this is where they carried the seeds.) We will work hard and plant papaya, banana shoots, and mango trees and even avocados. I saved some avacado pits that da Muff was chewing on; you will see. We will make a paradise out of this white sandy place with the red river. Come back again and you will see. For now, we will become mountain cave-dwellers, feet, toe and ankle dwellers until we also have a big, large, humongous mango tree to live in. And we will name this place Granma's End. And our lead Chip will be called J, in His Majesty's honor." All the Chips humbly bowed and courtsied in their best tarantula form.