1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411
412
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
421
422
423
424
425
426
427
428
429
430
431
432
433
434
435
436
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456
457
458
459
460
461
462
463
464
465
466
467
468
469
470
471
472
473
474
475
476
477
478
479
480
481
482
483
484
485
486
487
488
489
490
491
492
493
494
495
496
497
498
499
500
501
502
503
504
505
506
507
508
509
510
511
512
513
514
515
516
517
518
519
520
521
522
523
524
525
526
527
528
529
530
531
532
533
534
535
536
537
538
539
540
541
542
543
544
545
546
547
548
549
550
551
552
553
554
555
556
557
558
559
560
561
562
563
564
565
566
567
568
569
570
571
572
573
574
575
576
577
578
579
580
581
582
583
584
585
586
587
588
589
590
591
592
593
594
595
596
597
598
599
600
601
602
603
604
605
606
607
608
609
610
611
612
613
614
615
616
617
618
619
620
621
622
623
624
625
626
627
628
629
630
631
632
633
634
635
636
637
638
639
640
641
642
643
644
645
646
647
648
649
650
651
652
653
654
655
656
657
658
659
660
661
662
663
664
665
666
667
668
669
670
671
672
673
674
675
676
677
678
679
680
681
682
683
684
685
686
687
688
689
690
691
692
693
694
695
696
697
698
699
700
701
702
703
704
705
706
707
708
709
710
711
712
713
714
715
716
717
718
719
720
721
722
723
724
725
726
727
728
729
730
731
732
733
734
735
736
737
738
739
740
741
742
743
744
745
746
747
748
749
750
751
752
753
754
755
756
757
758
759
760
761
762
763
764
765
766
767
768
769
770
771
772
773
774
775
776
777
778
779
780
781
782
783
784
785
786
787
788
789
790
791
792
793
794
795
796
797
798
799
800
801
802
803
804
805
806
807
808
809
810
811
812
813
814
815
816
817
818
819
820
821
822
823
824
825
826
827
828
829
830
831
832
833
834
835
836
837
838
839
840
841
842
843
844
845
846
847
848
849
850
851
852
853
854
855
856
857
858
859
860
861
862
863
864
865
866
867
868
869
870
871
872
873
874
875
876
877
878
879
880
881
882
883
884
885
886
887
888
889
890
891
892
893
894
895
896
897
898
899
900
901
902
903
904
905
906
907
908
909
910
911
912
913
914
915
916
917
918
919
920
921
922
923
924
925
926
927
928
929
930
931
932
933
934
935
936
937
938
939
940
941
942
943
944
945
946
947
948
949
950
951
952
953
954
955
956
957
958
959
960
961
962
963
964
965
966
967
968
969
970
971
972
973
974
975
976
977
978
979
980
981
982
983
984
985
986
987
988
989
990
991
992
993
994
995
996
997
998
999
1000
1001
1002
1003
1004
1005
1006
1007
1008
1009
1010
1011
1012
1013
1014
1015
1016
1017
1018
1019
1020
1021
1022
1023
1024
1025
1026
1027
1028
1029
1030
1031
1032
1033
1034
1035
1036
1037
1038
1039
1040
1041
1042
1043
1044
1045
1046
1047
1048
1049
1050
1051
1052
1053
1054
1055
1056
1057
1058
1059
1060
1061
1062
1063
1064
1065
1066
1067
1068
1069
1070
1071
1072
1073
1074
1075
1076
1077
1078
1079
1080
1081
1082
1083
1084
1085
1086
1087
1088
1089
1090
1091
1092
1093
1094
1095
1096
1097
1098
1099
1100
1101
1102
1103
1104
1105
1106
1107
1108
1109
1110
1111
1112
1113
1114
1115
1116
1117
1118
1119
1120
1121
1122
1123
1124
1125
1126
1127
1128
1129
1130
1131
1132
1133
1134
1135
1136
1137
1138
1139
1140
1141
1142
1143
1144
1145
1146
1147
1148
1149
1150
1151
1152
1153
1154
1155
1156
1157
1158
1159
1160
1161
1162
1163
1164
1165
1166
1167
1168
1169
1170
1171
1172
1173
1174
1175
1176
1177
1178
1179
1180
1181
1182
1183
1184
1185
1186
1187
1188
1189
1190
1191
1192
1193
1194
1195
1196
1197
1198
1199
1200
1201
1202
1203
1204
1205
1206
1207
1208
1209
1210
1211
1212
1213
1214
1215
1216
1217
1218
1219
1220
1221
1222
1223
1224
1225
1226
1227
1228
1229
1230
1231
1232
1233
1234
1235
1236
1237
1238
1239
1240
1241
1242
1243
1244
1245
1246
1247
1248
1249
1250
1251
1252
1253
1254
1255
1256
1257
1258
1259
1260
1261
1262
1263
1264
1265
1266
1267
1268
1269
1270
1271
1272
1273
1274
1275
1276
1277
1278
1279
1280
1281
1282
1283
1284
1285
1286
1287
1288
1289
1290
1291
1292
1293
1294
1295
1296
1297
1298
1299
1300
1301
1302
1303
1304
1305
1306
1307
1308
1309
1310
1311
1312
1313
1314
1315
1316
1317
1318
1319
1320
1321
1322
1323
1324
1325
1326
1327
1328
1329
1330
1331
1332
1333
1334
1335
1336
1337
1338
1339
1340
1341
1342
1343
1344
1345
1346
1347
1348
1349
1350
1351
1352
1353
1354
1355
1356
1357
1358
1359
1360
1361
1362
1363
1364
1365
1366
1367
1368
1369
1370
1371
1372
1373
1374
1375
1376
1377
1378
1379
1380
1381
1382
1383
1384
1385
1386
1387
1388
1389
1390
1391
1392
1393
1394
1395
1396
1397
1398
1399
1400
1401
1402
1403
1404
1405
1406
1407
1408
1409
1410
1411
1412
1413
1414
1415
1416
1417
1418
1419
1420
1421
1422
1423
1424
1425
1426
1427
1428
1429
1430
1431
1432
1433
1434
1435
1436
1437
1438
1439
1440
1441
1442
1443
1444
1445
1446
1447
1448
1449
1450
1451
1452
1453
1454
1455
1456
1457
1458
1459
1460
1461
1462
1463
1464
1465
1466
1467
1468
1469
1470
1471
1472
1473
1474
1475
1476
1477
1478
1479
1480
1481
1482
1483
1484
1485
1486
1487
1488
1489
1490
1491
1492
1493
1494
1495
1496
1497
1498
1499
1500
1501
1502
1503
1504
1505
1506
1507
1508
1509
1510
1511
1512
1513
1514
1515
1516
1517
1518
1519
1520
1521
1522
1523
1524
1525
1526
1527
1528
1529
1530
1531
1532
1533
1534
1535
1536
1537
1538
1539
1540
1541
1542
1543
1544
1545
1546
1547
1548
1549
1550
1551
1552
1553
1554
1555
1556
1557
1558
1559
1560
1561
1562
1563
1564
1565
1566
1567
1568
1569
1570
1571
1572
1573
1574
1575
1576
1577
1578
1579
1580
1581
1582
1583
1584
1585
1586
1587
1588
1589
1590
1591
1592
1593
1594
1595
1596
1597
1598
1599
1600
1601
1602
1603
1604
1605
1606
1607
1608
1609
1610
1611
1612
1613
1614
1615
1616
1617
1618
1619
1620
1621
1622
1623
1624
1625
1626
1627
1628
1629
1630
1631
1632
1633
1634
1635
1636
1637
1638
1639
1640
1641
1642
1643
1644
1645
1646
1647
1648
1649
1650
1651
1652
1653
1654
1655
1656
1657
1658
1659
1660
1661
1662
1663
1664
1665
1666
1667
1668
1669
1670
1671
1672
1673
1674
1675
1676
1677
1678
1679
1680
1681
1682
1683
1684
1685
1686
1687
1688
1689
1690
1691
1692
1693
1694
1695
1696
1697
1698
1699
1700
1701
1702
1703
1704
1705
1706
1707
1708
1709
1710
1711
1712
1713
1714
1715
1716
1717
1718
1719
1720
1721
1722
1723
1724
1725
1726
1727
1728
1729
1730
1731
1732
1733
1734
1735
1736
1737
1738
1739
1740
1741
1742
1743
1744
1745
1746
1747
1748
1749
1750
1751
1752
1753
1754
1755
1756
1757
1758
1759
1760
1761
1762
1763
1764
1765
1766
1767
1768
1769
1770
1771
1772
1773
1774
1775
1776
1777
1778
1779
1780
1781
1782
1783
1784
1785
1786
1787
1788
1789
1790
1791
1792
1793
1794
1795
1796
1797
1798
1799
1800
1801
1802
1803
1804
1805
1806
1807
1808
1809
1810
1811
1812
1813
1814
1815
1816
1817
1818
1819
1820
1821
1822
1823
1824
1825
1826
1827
1828
1829
1830
1831
1832
1833
1834
1835
1836
1837
1838
1839
1840
1841
1842
1843
1844
1845
1846
1847
1848
1849
1850
1851
1852
1853
1854
1855
1856
1857
1858
1859
1860
1861
1862
1863
1864
1865
1866
1867
1868
1869
1870
1871
1872
1873
1874
1875
1876
1877
1878
1879
1880
1881
1882
1883
1884
1885
1886
1887
1888
1889
1890
1891
1892
1893
1894
1895
1896
1897
1898
1899
1900
1901
1902
1903
1904
1905
1906
1907
1908
1909
1910
1911
1912
1913
1914
1915
1916
1917
1918
1919
1920
1921
1922
1923
1924
1925
1926
1927
1928
1929
1930
1931
1932
1933
1934
1935
1936
1937
1938
1939
1940
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945
1946
1947
1948
1949
1950
1951
1952
1953
1954
1955
1956
1957
1958
1959
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
2028
2029
2030
2031
2032
2033
2034
2035
2036
2037
2038
2039
2040
2041
2042
2043
2044
2045
2046
2047
2048
2049
2050
2051
2052
2053
2054
2055
2056
2057
2058
2059
2060
2061
2062
2063
2064
2065
2066
2067
2068
2069
2070
2071
2072
2073
2074
2075
2076
2077
2078
2079
2080
2081
2082
2083
2084
2085
2086
2087
2088
2089
2090
2091
2092
2093
2094
2095
2096
2097
2098
2099
2100
2101
2102
2103
2104
2105
2106
2107
2108
2109
2110
2111
2112
2113
2114
2115
2116
2117
2118
2119
2120
2121
2122
2123
2124
2125
2126
2127
2128
2129
2130
2131
2132
2133
2134
2135
2136
2137
2138
2139
2140
2141
2142
2143
2144
2145
2146
2147
2148
2149
2150
2151
2152
2153
2154
2155
2156
2157
2158
2159
2160
2161
2162
2163
2164
2165
2166
2167
2168
2169
2170
2171
2172
2173
2174
2175
2176
2177
2178
2179
2180
2181
2182
2183
2184
2185
2186
2187
2188
2189
2190
2191
2192
2193
2194
2195
2196
2197
2198
2199
2200
2201
2202
2203
2204
2205
2206
2207
2208
2209
2210
2211
2212
2213
2214
2215
2216
2217
2218
2219
2220
2221
2222
2223
2224
2225
2226
2227
2228
2229
2230
2231
2232
2233
2234
2235
2236
2237
2238
2239
2240
2241
2242
2243
2244
2245
2246
2247
2248
2249
2250
2251
2252
2253
2254
2255
2256
2257
2258
2259
2260
2261
2262
2263
2264
2265
2266
2267
2268
2269
2270
2271
2272
2273
2274
2275
2276
2277
2278
2279
2280
2281
2282
2283
2284
2285
2286
2287
2288
2289
2290
2291
2292
2293
2294
2295
2296
2297
2298
2299
2300
2301
2302
2303
2304
2305
2306
2307
2308
2309
2310
2311
2312
2313
2314
2315
2316
2317
2318
2319
2320
2321
2322
2323
2324
2325
2326
2327
2328
2329
2330
2331
2332
2333
2334
2335
2336
2337
2338
2339
2340
2341
2342
2343
2344
2345
2346
2347
2348
2349
2350
2351
2352
2353
2354
2355
2356
2357
2358
2359
2360
2361
2362
2363
2364
2365
2366
2367
2368
2369
2370
2371
2372
2373
2374
2375
2376
2377
2378
2379
2380
2381
2382
2383
2384
2385
2386
2387
2388
2389
2390
2391
2392
2393
2394
2395
2396
2397
2398
2399
2400
2401
2402
2403
2404
2405
2406
2407
2408
2409
2410
2411
2412
2413
2414
2415
2416
2417
2418
2419
2420
2421
2422
2423
2424
2425
2426
2427
2428
2429
2430
2431
2432
2433
2434
2435
2436
2437
2438
2439
2440
2441
2442
2443
2444
2445
2446
2447
2448
2449
2450
2451
2452
2453
2454
2455
2456
2457
2458
2459
2460
2461
2462
2463
2464
2465
2466
2467
2468
2469
2470
2471
2472
2473
2474
2475
2476
2477
2478
2479
2480
2481
2482
2483
2484
2485
2486
2487
2488
2489
2490
2491
2492
2493
2494
2495
2496
2497
2498
2499
2500
2501
2502
2503
2504
2505
2506
2507
2508
2509
2510
2511
2512
2513
2514
2515
2516
2517
2518
2519
2520
2521
2522
2523
2524
2525
2526
2527
2528
2529
2530
2531
2532
2533
2534
2535
2536
2537
2538
2539
2540
2541
2542
2543
2544
2545
2546
2547
2548
2549
2550
2551
2552
2553
2554
2555
2556
2557
2558
2559
2560
2561
2562
2563
2564
2565
2566
2567
2568
2569
2570
2571
2572
2573
2574
2575
2576
2577
2578
2579
2580
2581
2582
2583
2584
2585
2586
2587
2588
2589
2590
2591
2592
2593
2594
2595
2596
2597
2598
2599
2600
2601
2602
2603
2604
2605
2606
2607
2608
2609
2610
2611
2612
2613
2614
2615
2616
2617
2618
2619
2620
2621
2622
2623
2624
2625
2626
2627
2628
2629
2630
2631
2632
2633
2634
2635
2636
2637
2638
2639
2640
2641
2642
2643
2644
2645
2646
2647
2648
2649
2650
2651
2652
2653
2654
2655
2656
2657
2658
2659
2660
2661
2662
2663
2664
2665
2666
2667
2668
2669
2670
2671
2672
2673
2674
2675
2676
2677
2678
2679
2680
2681
2682
2683
2684
2685
2686
2687
2688
2689
2690
2691
2692
2693
2694
2695
2696
2697
2698
2699
2700
2701
2702
2703
2704
2705
2706
2707
2708
2709
2710
2711
2712
2713
2714
2715
2716
2717
2718
2719
2720
2721
2722
2723
2724
2725
2726
2727
2728
2729
2730
2731
2732
2733
2734
2735
2736
2737
2738
2739
2740
2741
2742
2743
2744
2745
2746
2747
2748
2749
2750
2751
2752
2753
2754
2755
2756
2757
2758
2759
2760
2761
2762
2763
2764
2765
2766
2767
2768
2769
2770
2771
2772
2773
2774
2775
2776
2777
2778
2779
2780
2781
2782
2783
2784
2785
2786
2787
2788
2789
2790
2791
2792
2793
2794
2795
2796
2797
2798
2799
2800
2801
2802
2803
2804
2805
2806
2807
2808
2809
2810
2811
2812
2813
2814
2815
2816
2817
2818
2819
2820
2821
2822
2823
2824
2825
2826
2827
2828
2829
2830
2831
2832
2833
2834
2835
2836
2837
2838
2839
2840
2841
2842
2843
2844
2845
2846
2847
2848
2849
2850
2851
2852
2853
2854
2855
2856
2857
2858
2859
2860
2861
2862
2863
2864
2865
2866
2867
2868
2869
2870
2871
2872
2873
2874
2875
2876
2877
2878
2879
2880
2881
2882
2883
2884
2885
2886
2887
2888
2889
2890
2891
2892
2893
2894
2895
2896
2897
2898
2899
2900
2901
2902
2903
2904
2905
2906
2907
2908
2909
2910
2911
2912
2913
2914
2915
2916
2917
2918
2919
2920
2921
2922
2923
2924
2925
2926
2927
2928
2929
2930
2931
2932
2933
2934
2935
2936
2937
2938
2939
2940
2941
2942
2943
2944
2945
2946
2947
2948
2949
2950
2951
2952
2953
2954
2955
2956
2957
2958
2959
2960
2961
2962
2963
2964
2965
2966
2967
2968
2969
2970
2971
2972
2973
2974
2975
2976
2977
2978
2979
2980
2981
2982
2983
2984
2985
2986
2987
2988
2989
2990
2991
2992
2993
2994
2995
2996
2997
2998
2999
3000
3001
3002
3003
3004
3005
3006
3007
3008
3009
3010
3011
3012
3013
3014
3015
3016
3017
3018
3019
3020
3021
3022
3023
3024
3025
3026
3027
3028
3029
3030
3031
3032
3033
3034
3035
3036
3037
3038
3039
3040
3041
3042
3043
3044
3045
3046
3047
3048
3049
3050
3051
3052
3053
3054
3055
3056
3057
3058
3059
3060
3061
3062
3063
3064
3065
3066
3067
3068
3069
3070
3071
3072
3073
3074
3075
3076
3077
3078
3079
3080
3081
3082
3083
3084
3085
3086
3087
3088
3089
3090
3091
3092
3093
3094
3095
3096
3097
3098
3099
3100
3101
3102
3103
3104
3105
3106
3107
3108
3109
3110
3111
3112
3113
3114
3115
3116
3117
3118
3119
3120
3121
3122
3123
3124
3125
3126
3127
3128
3129
3130
3131
3132
3133
3134
3135
3136
3137
3138
3139
3140
3141
3142
3143
3144
3145
3146
3147
3148
3149
3150
3151
3152
3153
3154
3155
3156
3157
3158
3159
3160
3161
3162
3163
3164
3165
3166
3167
3168
3169
3170
3171
3172
3173
3174
3175
3176
3177
3178
3179
3180
3181
3182
3183
3184
3185
3186
3187
3188
3189
3190
3191
3192
3193
3194
3195
3196
3197
3198
3199
3200
3201
3202
3203
3204
3205
3206
3207
3208
3209
3210
3211
3212
3213
3214
3215
3216
3217
3218
3219
3220
3221
3222
3223
3224
3225
3226
3227
3228
3229
3230
3231
3232
3233
3234
3235
3236
3237
3238
3239
3240
3241
3242
3243
3244
3245
3246
3247
3248
3249
3250
3251
3252
3253
3254
3255
3256
3257
3258
3259
3260
3261
3262
3263
3264
3265
3266
3267
3268
3269
3270
3271
3272
3273
3274
3275
3276
3277
3278
3279
3280
3281
3282
3283
3284
3285
3286
3287
3288
3289
3290
3291
3292
3293
3294
3295
3296
3297
3298
3299
3300
3301
3302
3303
3304
3305
3306
3307
3308
3309
3310
3311
3312
3313
3314
3315
3316
3317
3318
3319
3320
3321
3322
3323
3324
3325
3326
3327
3328
3329
3330
3331
3332
3333
3334
3335
3336
3337
3338
3339
3340
3341
3342
3343
3344
3345
3346
3347
3348
3349
3350
3351
3352
3353
3354
3355
3356
3357
3358
3359
3360
3361
3362
3363
3364
3365
3366
3367
3368
3369
3370
3371
3372
3373
3374
3375
3376
3377
3378
3379
3380
3381
3382
3383
3384
3385
3386
3387
3388
3389
3390
3391
3392
3393
3394
3395
3396
3397
3398
3399
3400
3401
3402
3403
3404
3405
3406
3407
3408
3409
3410
3411
3412
3413
3414
3415
3416
3417
3418
3419
3420
3421
3422
3423
3424
3425
3426
3427
3428
3429
3430
3431
3432
3433
3434
3435
3436
3437
3438
3439
3440
3441
3442
3443
3444
3445
3446
3447
3448
3449
3450
3451
3452
3453
3454
3455
3456
3457
3458
3459
3460
3461
3462
3463
3464
3465
3466
3467
3468
3469
3470
3471
3472
3473
3474
3475
3476
3477
3478
3479
3480
3481
3482
3483
3484
3485
3486
3487
3488
3489
3490
3491
3492
3493
3494
3495
3496
3497
3498
3499
3500
3501
3502
3503
3504
3505
3506
3507
3508
3509
3510
3511
3512
3513
3514
3515
3516
3517
3518
3519
3520
3521
3522
3523
3524
3525
3526
3527
3528
3529
3530
3531
3532
3533
3534
3535
3536
3537
3538
3539
3540
3541
3542
3543
3544
3545
3546
3547
3548
3549
3550
3551
3552
3553
3554
3555
3556
3557
3558
3559
3560
3561
3562
3563
3564
3565
3566
3567
3568
3569
3570
3571
3572
3573
3574
3575
3576
3577
3578
3579
3580
3581
3582
3583
3584
3585
3586
3587
3588
3589
3590
3591
3592
3593
3594
3595
3596
3597
3598
3599
3600
3601
3602
3603
3604
3605
3606
3607
3608
3609
3610
3611
3612
3613
3614
3615
3616
3617
3618
3619
3620
3621
3622
3623
3624
3625
3626
3627
3628
3629
3630
3631
3632
3633
3634
3635
3636
3637
3638
3639
3640
3641
3642
3643
3644
3645
3646
3647
3648
3649
3650
3651
3652
3653
3654
3655
3656
3657
3658
3659
3660
3661
3662
3663
3664
3665
3666
3667
3668
3669
3670
3671
3672
3673
3674
3675
3676
3677
3678
3679
3680
3681
3682
3683
3684
3685
3686
3687
3688
3689
3690
3691
3692
3693
3694
3695
3696
3697
3698
3699
3700
3701
3702
3703
3704
3705
3706
3707
3708
3709
3710
3711
3712
3713
3714
3715
3716
3717
3718
3719
3720
3721
3722
3723
3724
3725
3726
3727
3728
3729
3730
3731
3732
3733
3734
3735
3736
3737
3738
3739
3740
3741
3742
3743
3744
3745
3746
3747
3748
3749
3750
3751
3752
3753
3754
3755
3756
3757
3758
3759
3760
3761
3762
3763
3764
3765
3766
3767
3768
3769
3770
3771
3772
3773
3774
3775
3776
3777
3778
3779
3780
3781
3782
3783
3784
3785
3786
3787
3788
3789
3790
3791
3792
3793
3794
3795
3796
3797
3798
3799
3800
3801
3802
3803
3804
3805
3806
3807
3808
3809
3810
3811
3812
3813
3814
3815
3816
3817
3818
3819
3820
3821
3822
3823
3824
3825
3826
3827
3828
3829
3830
3831
3832
3833
3834
3835
3836
3837
3838
3839
3840
3841
3842
3843
3844
3845
3846
3847
3848
3849
3850
3851
3852
3853
3854
3855
3856
3857
3858
3859
3860
3861
3862
3863
3864
3865
3866
3867
3868
3869
3870
3871
3872
3873
3874
3875
3876
3877
3878
3879
3880
3881
3882
3883
3884
3885
3886
3887
3888
3889
3890
3891
3892
3893
3894
3895
3896
3897
3898
3899
3900
3901
3902
3903
3904
3905
3906
3907
3908
3909
3910
3911
3912
3913
3914
3915
3916
3917
3918
3919
3920
3921
3922
3923
3924
3925
3926
3927
3928
3929
3930
3931
3932
3933
3934
3935
3936
3937
3938
3939
3940
3941
3942
3943
3944
3945
3946
3947
3948
3949
3950
3951
3952
3953
3954
3955
3956
3957
3958
3959
3960
3961
3962
3963
3964
3965
3966
3967
3968
3969
3970
3971
3972
3973
3974
3975
3976
3977
3978
3979
3980
3981
3982
3983
3984
3985
3986
3987
3988
3989
3990
3991
3992
3993
3994
3995
3996
3997
3998
3999
4000
4001
4002
4003
4004
4005
4006
4007
4008
4009
4010
4011
4012
4013
4014
4015
4016
4017
4018
4019
4020
4021
4022
4023
4024
4025
4026
4027
4028
4029
4030
4031
4032
4033
4034
4035
4036
4037
4038
4039
4040
4041
4042
4043
4044
4045
4046
4047
4048
4049
4050
4051
4052
4053
4054
4055
4056
4057
4058
4059
4060
4061
4062
4063
4064
4065
4066
4067
4068
4069
4070
4071
4072
4073
4074
4075
4076
4077
4078
4079
4080
4081
4082
4083
4084
4085
4086
4087
4088
4089
4090
4091
4092
4093
4094
4095
4096
4097
4098
4099
4100
4101
4102
4103
4104
4105
4106
4107
4108
4109
4110
4111
4112
4113
4114
4115
4116
4117
4118
4119
4120
4121
4122
4123
4124
4125
4126
4127
4128
4129
4130
4131
4132
4133
4134
4135
4136
4137
4138
4139
4140
4141
4142
4143
4144
4145
4146
4147
4148
4149
4150
4151
4152
4153
4154
4155
4156
4157
4158
4159
4160
4161
4162
4163
4164
4165
4166
4167
4168
4169
4170
4171
4172
4173
4174
4175
4176
4177
4178
4179
4180
4181
4182
4183
4184
4185
4186
4187
4188
4189
4190
4191
4192
4193
4194
4195
4196
4197
4198
4199
4200
4201
4202
4203
4204
4205
4206
4207
4208
4209
4210
4211
4212
4213
4214
4215
4216
4217
4218
4219
4220
4221
4222
4223
4224
4225
4226
4227
4228
4229
4230
4231
4232
4233
4234
4235
4236
4237
4238
4239
4240
4241
4242
4243
4244
4245
4246
4247
4248
4249
4250
4251
4252
4253
4254
4255
4256
4257
4258
4259
4260
4261
4262
4263
4264
4265
4266
4267
4268
4269
4270
4271
4272
4273
4274
4275
4276
4277
4278
4279
4280
4281
4282
4283
4284
4285
4286
4287
4288
4289
4290
4291
4292
4293
4294
4295
4296
4297
4298
4299
4300
4301
4302
4303
4304
4305
4306
4307
4308
4309
4310
4311
4312
4313
4314
4315
4316
4317
4318
4319
4320
4321
4322
4323
4324
4325
4326
4327
4328
4329
4330
4331
4332
4333
4334
4335
4336
4337
4338
4339
4340
4341
4342
4343
4344
4345
4346
4347
4348
4349
4350
4351
4352
4353
4354
4355
4356
4357
4358
4359
4360
4361
4362
4363
4364
4365
4366
4367
4368
4369
4370
4371
4372
4373
4374
4375
4376
4377
4378
4379
4380
4381
4382
4383
4384
4385
4386
4387
4388
4389
4390
4391
4392
4393
4394
4395
4396
4397
4398
4399
4400
4401
4402
4403
4404
4405
4406
4407
4408
4409
4410
4411
4412
4413
4414
4415
4416
4417
4418
4419
4420
4421
4422
4423
4424
4425
4426
4427
4428
4429
4430
4431
4432
4433
4434
4435
4436
4437
4438
4439
4440
4441
4442
4443
4444
4445
4446
4447
4448
4449
4450
4451
4452
4453
4454
4455
4456
4457
4458
4459
4460
4461
4462
4463
4464
4465
4466
4467
4468
4469
4470
4471
4472
4473
4474
4475
4476
4477
4478
4479
4480
4481
4482
4483
4484
4485
4486
4487
4488
4489
4490
4491
4492
4493
4494
4495
4496
4497
4498
4499
4500
4501
4502
4503
4504
4505
4506
4507
4508
4509
4510
4511
4512
4513
4514
4515
4516
4517
4518
4519
4520
4521
4522
4523
4524
4525
4526
4527
4528
4529
4530
4531
4532
4533
4534
4535
4536
4537
4538
4539
4540
4541
4542
4543
4544
4545
4546
4547
4548
4549
4550
4551
4552
4553
4554
4555
4556
4557
4558
4559
4560
4561
4562
4563
4564
4565
4566
4567
4568
4569
4570
4571
4572
4573
4574
4575
4576
4577
4578
4579
4580
4581
4582
4583
4584
4585
4586
4587
4588
4589
4590
4591
4592
4593
4594
4595
4596
4597
4598
4599
4600
4601
4602
4603
4604
4605
4606
4607
4608
4609
4610
4611
4612
4613
4614
4615
4616
4617
4618
4619
4620
4621
4622
4623
4624
4625
4626
4627
4628
4629
4630
4631
4632
4633
4634
4635
4636
4637
4638
4639
4640
4641
4642
4643
4644
4645
4646
4647
4648
4649
4650
4651
4652
4653
4654
4655
4656
4657
4658
4659
4660
4661
4662
4663
4664
4665
4666
4667
4668
4669
4670
4671
4672
4673
4674
4675
4676
4677
4678
4679
4680
4681
4682
4683
4684
4685
4686
4687
4688
4689
4690
4691
4692
4693
4694
4695
4696
4697
4698
4699
4700
4701
4702
4703
4704
4705
4706
4707
4708
4709
4710
4711
4712
4713
4714
4715
4716
4717
4718
4719
4720
4721
4722
4723
4724
4725
4726
4727
4728
4729
4730
4731
4732
4733
4734
4735
4736
4737
4738
4739
4740
4741
4742
4743
4744
4745
4746
4747
4748
4749
4750
4751
4752
4753
4754
4755
4756
4757
4758
4759
4760
4761
4762
4763
4764
4765
4766
4767
4768
4769
4770
4771
4772
4773
4774
4775
4776
4777
4778
4779
4780
4781
4782
4783
4784
4785
4786
4787
4788
4789
4790
4791
4792
4793
4794
4795
4796
4797
4798
4799
4800
4801
4802
4803
4804
4805
4806
4807
4808
4809
4810
4811
4812
4813
4814
4815
4816
4817
4818
4819
4820
4821
4822
4823
4824
4825
4826
4827
4828
4829
4830
4831
4832
4833
4834
4835
4836
4837
4838
4839
4840
4841
4842
4843
4844
4845
4846
4847
4848
4849
4850
4851
4852
4853
4854
4855
4856
4857
4858
4859
4860
4861
4862
4863
4864
4865
4866
4867
4868
4869
4870
4871
4872
4873
4874
4875
4876
4877
4878
4879
4880
4881
4882
4883
4884
4885
4886
4887
4888
4889
4890
4891
4892
4893
4894
4895
4896
4897
4898
4899
4900
4901
4902
4903
4904
4905
4906
4907
4908
4909
4910
4911
4912
4913
4914
4915
4916
4917
4918
4919
4920
4921
4922
4923
4924
4925
4926
4927
4928
4929
4930
4931
4932
4933
4934
4935
4936
4937
4938
4939
4940
4941
4942
4943
4944
4945
4946
4947
4948
4949
4950
4951
4952
4953
4954
4955
4956
4957
4958
4959
4960
4961
4962
4963
4964
4965
4966
4967
4968
4969
4970
4971
4972
4973
4974
4975
4976
4977
4978
4979
4980
4981
4982
4983
4984
4985
4986
4987
4988
4989
4990
4991
4992
4993
4994
4995
4996
4997
4998
4999
5000
5001
5002
5003
5004
5005
5006
5007
5008
5009
5010
5011
5012
5013
5014
5015
5016
5017
5018
5019
5020
5021
5022
5023
5024
5025
5026
5027
5028
5029
5030
5031
5032
5033
5034
5035
5036
5037
5038
5039
5040
5041
5042
5043
5044
5045
5046
5047
5048
5049
5050
5051
5052
5053
5054
5055
5056
5057
5058
5059
5060
5061
5062
5063
5064
5065
5066
5067
5068
5069
5070
5071
5072
5073
5074
5075
5076
5077
5078
5079
5080
5081
5082
5083
5084
5085
5086
5087
5088
5089
5090
5091
5092
5093
5094
5095
5096
5097
5098
5099
5100
5101
5102
5103
5104
5105
5106
5107
5108
5109
5110
5111
5112
5113
5114
5115
5116
5117
5118
5119
5120
5121
5122
5123
5124
5125
5126
5127
5128
5129
5130
5131
5132
5133
5134
5135
5136
5137
5138
5139
5140
5141
5142
5143
5144
5145
5146
5147
5148
5149
5150
5151
5152
5153
5154
5155
5156
5157
5158
5159
5160
5161
5162
5163
5164
5165
5166
5167
5168
5169
5170
5171
5172
5173
5174
5175
5176
5177
5178
5179
5180
5181
5182
5183
5184
5185
5186
5187
5188
5189
5190
5191
5192
5193
5194
5195
5196
5197
5198
5199
5200
5201
5202
5203
5204
5205
5206
5207
5208
5209
5210
5211
5212
5213
5214
5215
5216
5217
5218
5219
5220
5221
5222
5223
5224
5225
5226
5227
5228
5229
5230
5231
5232
5233
5234
5235
5236
5237
5238
5239
5240
5241
5242
5243
5244
5245
5246
5247
5248
5249
5250
5251
5252
5253
5254
5255
5256
5257
5258
5259
5260
5261
5262
5263
5264
5265
5266
5267
5268
5269
5270
5271
5272
5273
5274
5275
5276
5277
5278
5279
5280
5281
5282
5283
5284
5285
5286
5287
5288
5289
5290
5291
5292
5293
5294
5295
5296
5297
5298
5299
5300
5301
5302
5303
5304
5305
5306
5307
5308
5309
5310
5311
5312
5313
5314
5315
5316
5317
5318
5319
5320
5321
5322
5323
5324
5325
5326
5327
5328
5329
5330
5331
5332
5333
5334
5335
5336
5337
5338
5339
5340
5341
5342
5343
5344
5345
5346
5347
5348
5349
5350
5351
5352
5353
5354
5355
5356
5357
5358
5359
5360
5361
5362
5363
5364
5365
5366
5367
5368
5369
5370
5371
5372
5373
5374
5375
5376
5377
5378
5379
5380
5381
5382
5383
5384
5385
5386
5387
5388
5389
5390
5391
5392
5393
5394
5395
5396
5397
5398
5399
5400
5401
5402
5403
5404
5405
5406
5407
5408
5409
5410
5411
5412
5413
5414
5415
5416
5417
5418
5419
5420
5421
5422
5423
5424
5425
5426
5427
5428
5429
5430
5431
5432
5433
5434
5435
5436
5437
5438
5439
5440
5441
5442
5443
5444
5445
5446
5447
5448
5449
5450
5451
5452
5453
5454
5455
5456
5457
5458
5459
5460
5461
5462
5463
5464
5465
5466
5467
5468
5469
5470
5471
5472
5473
5474
5475
5476
5477
5478
5479
5480
5481
5482
5483
5484
5485
5486
5487
5488
5489
5490
5491
5492
5493
5494
5495
5496
5497
5498
5499
5500
5501
5502
5503
5504
5505
5506
5507
5508
5509
5510
5511
5512
5513
5514
5515
5516
5517
5518
5519
5520
5521
5522
5523
5524
5525
5526
5527
5528
5529
5530
5531
5532
5533
5534
5535
5536
5537
5538
5539
5540
5541
5542
5543
5544
5545
5546
5547
5548
5549
5550
5551
5552
5553
5554
5555
5556
5557
5558
5559
5560
5561
5562
5563
5564
5565
5566
5567
5568
5569
5570
5571
5572
5573
5574
5575
5576
5577
5578
5579
5580
5581
5582
5583
5584
5585
5586
5587
5588
5589
5590
5591
5592
5593
5594
5595
5596
5597
5598
5599
5600
5601
5602
5603
5604
5605
5606
5607
5608
5609
5610
5611
5612
5613
5614
5615
5616
5617
5618
5619
5620
5621
5622
5623
5624
5625
5626
5627
5628
5629
5630
5631
5632
5633
5634
5635
5636
5637
5638
5639
5640
5641
5642
5643
5644
5645
5646
5647
5648
5649
5650
5651
5652
5653
5654
5655
5656
5657
5658
5659
5660
5661
5662
5663
5664
5665
5666
5667
5668
5669
5670
5671
5672
5673
5674
5675
5676
5677
5678
5679
5680
5681
5682
5683
5684
5685
5686
5687
5688
5689
5690
5691
5692
5693
5694
5695
5696
5697
5698
5699
5700
5701
5702
5703
5704
5705
5706
5707
5708
5709
5710
5711
5712
5713
5714
5715
5716
5717
5718
5719
5720
5721
5722
5723
5724
5725
5726
5727
5728
5729
5730
5731
5732
5733
5734
5735
5736
5737
5738
5739
5740
5741
5742
5743
5744
5745
5746
5747
5748
5749
5750
5751
5752
5753
5754
5755
5756
5757
5758
5759
5760
5761
5762
5763
5764
5765
5766
5767
5768
5769
5770
5771
5772
5773
5774
5775
5776
5777
5778
5779
5780
5781
5782
5783
5784
5785
5786
5787
5788
5789
5790
5791
5792
5793
5794
5795
5796
5797
5798
5799
5800
5801
5802
5803
5804
5805
5806
5807
5808
5809
5810
5811
5812
5813
5814
5815
5816
5817
5818
5819
5820
5821
5822
5823
5824
5825
5826
5827
5828
5829
5830
5831
5832
5833
5834
5835
5836
5837
5838
5839
5840
5841
5842
5843
5844
5845
5846
5847
5848
5849
5850
5851
5852
5853
5854
5855
5856
5857
5858
5859
5860
5861
5862
5863
5864
5865
5866
5867
5868
5869
5870
5871
5872
5873
5874
5875
5876
5877
5878
5879
5880
5881
5882
5883
5884
5885
5886
5887
5888
5889
5890
5891
5892
5893
5894
5895
5896
5897
5898
5899
5900
5901
5902
5903
5904
5905
5906
5907
5908
5909
5910
5911
5912
5913
5914
5915
5916
5917
5918
5919
5920
5921
5922
5923
5924
5925
5926
5927
5928
5929
5930
5931
5932
5933
5934
5935
5936
5937
5938
5939
5940
5941
5942
5943
5944
5945
5946
5947
5948
5949
5950
5951
5952
5953
5954
5955
5956
5957
5958
5959
5960
5961
5962
5963
5964
5965
5966
5967
5968
5969
5970
5971
5972
5973
5974
5975
5976
5977
5978
5979
5980
5981
5982
5983
5984
5985
5986
5987
5988
5989
5990
5991
5992
5993
5994
5995
5996
5997
5998
5999
6000
6001
6002
6003
6004
6005
6006
6007
6008
6009
6010
6011
6012
6013
6014
6015
6016
6017
6018
6019
6020
6021
6022
6023
6024
6025
6026
6027
6028
6029
6030
6031
6032
6033
6034
6035
6036
6037
6038
6039
6040
6041
6042
6043
6044
6045
6046
6047
6048
6049
6050
6051
6052
6053
6054
6055
6056
6057
6058
6059
6060
6061
6062
6063
6064
6065
6066
6067
6068
6069
6070
6071
6072
6073
6074
6075
6076
6077
6078
6079
6080
6081
6082
6083
6084
6085
6086
6087
6088
6089
6090
6091
6092
6093
6094
6095
6096
6097
6098
6099
6100
6101
6102
6103
6104
6105
6106
6107
6108
6109
6110
6111
6112
6113
6114
6115
6116
6117
6118
6119
6120
6121
6122
6123
6124
6125
6126
6127
6128
6129
6130
6131
6132
6133
6134
6135
6136
6137
6138
6139
6140
6141
6142
6143
6144
6145
6146
6147
6148
6149
6150
6151
6152
6153
6154
6155
6156
6157
6158
6159
6160
6161
6162
6163
6164
6165
6166
6167
6168
6169
6170
6171
6172
6173
6174
6175
6176
6177
6178
6179
6180
6181
6182
6183
6184
6185
6186
6187
6188
6189
6190
6191
6192
6193
6194
6195
6196
6197
6198
6199
6200
6201
6202
6203
6204
6205
6206
6207
6208
6209
6210
6211
6212
6213
6214
6215
6216
6217
6218
6219
6220
6221
6222
6223
6224
6225
6226
6227
6228
6229
6230
6231
6232
6233
6234
6235
6236
6237
6238
6239
6240
6241
6242
6243
6244
6245
6246
6247
6248
6249
6250
6251
6252
6253
6254
6255
6256
6257
6258
6259
6260
6261
6262
6263
6264
6265
6266
6267
6268
6269
6270
6271
6272
6273
6274
6275
6276
6277
6278
6279
6280
6281
6282
6283
6284
6285
6286
6287
6288
6289
6290
6291
6292
6293
6294
6295
6296
6297
6298
6299
6300
6301
6302
6303
6304
6305
6306
6307
6308
6309
6310
6311
6312
6313
6314
6315
6316
6317
6318
6319
6320
6321
6322
6323
6324
6325
6326
6327
6328
6329
6330
6331
6332
6333
6334
6335
6336
6337
6338
6339
6340
6341
6342
6343
6344
6345
6346
6347
6348
6349
6350
6351
6352
6353
6354
6355
6356
6357
6358
6359
6360
6361
6362
6363
6364
6365
6366
6367
6368
6369
6370
6371
6372
6373
6374
6375
6376
6377
6378
6379
6380
6381
6382
6383
6384
6385
6386
6387
6388
6389
6390
6391
6392
6393
6394
6395
6396
6397
6398
6399
6400
6401
6402
6403
6404
6405
6406
6407
6408
6409
6410
6411
6412
6413
6414
6415
6416
6417
6418
6419
6420
6421
6422
6423
6424
6425
6426
6427
6428
6429
6430
6431
6432
6433
6434
6435
6436
6437
6438
6439
6440
6441
6442
6443
6444
6445
6446
6447
6448
6449
6450
6451
6452
6453
6454
6455
6456
6457
6458
6459
6460
6461
6462
6463
6464
6465
6466
6467
6468
6469
6470
6471
6472
6473
6474
6475
6476
6477
6478
6479
6480
6481
6482
6483
6484
6485
6486
6487
6488
6489
6490
6491
6492
6493
6494
6495
6496
6497
6498
6499
6500
6501
6502
6503
6504
6505
6506
6507
6508
6509
6510
6511
6512
6513
6514
6515
6516
6517
6518
6519
6520
6521
6522
|
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd">
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=UTF-8" />
<meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" />
<title>Kabumpo in Oz, by Capwell Wyckoff: a Project Gutenberg eBook</title>
<meta name="author" content="Ruth Plumly Thompson" />
<meta name="pss.pubdate" content="1922" />
<link rel="schema.DC" href="http://dublincore.org/documents/1998/09/dces/" />
<meta name="DC.Title" content="Kabumpo in Oz" />
<meta name="DC.Language" content="en" />
<meta name="DC.Format" content="text/html" />
<meta name="DC.Created" content="1922" />
<meta name="DC.Creator" content="Ruth Plumly Thompson" />
<style type="text/css">
xbody, table.twocol tr td { margin-left:2em; margin-right:2em; } /* BODY */
h1, h2, h3, h5, h6, .titlepg p { text-align:center; clear:right; } /* HEADINGS */
h1 { margin-top:3em; margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto; max-width:15em; }
.box h1, .box h2 { margin-top:.5em; }
h3 { margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:1.5em; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto; max-width: 17em; }
h2 { margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:0em; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto; max-width: 17em; }
h6 { font-size:100%; font-style:italic; }
h6.var { font-size:80%; font-style:normal; }
.titlepg { margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto; border-style:double; clear:both; }
/* == BOXES == */
.dbox { border-style:double; }
div.box, .dbox { margin-right:auto; margin-left:auto; max-width:25em;}
.nbox { margin-right:auto; margin-left:auto; max-width:18em;}
div.box, div.subbox, div.nbox { border-style:solid; border-width:1px; margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:2em; }
div.subbox { margin:.2em; }
div.box dl dd, div.subbox dl dd, div.nbox dl dd {margin-left:2em; font-size:90%; }
div.box dl dt, div.subbox dl dt, div.nbox dl dt {margin-left:1em; }
div.box p {margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; }
h4 { font-size:80%; text-align:center; clear:right; }
span.chaptertitle { font-style:normal; display:block; text-align:center; font-size:150%; }
p { text-indent:1em; }
p.pnindent { text-indent:0; }
p, blockquote, li { text-align:justify; margin-right:auto; margin-left:auto; } /* PARAGRAPHS */
p.bq, blockquote { margin-left:2em; margin-right:2em; margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:2em; }
div.verse { font-size:100%; }
p.indent {text-indent:2em; text-align:left; }
p.tb, p.tbcenter { margin-top:2em; }
span.pb, div.pb, dt.pb, p.pb /* PAGE BREAKS */
{ text-align:right; float:right; margin-right:0em; clear:right; }
div.pb { display:inline; }
.pb, dt.pb, dl.toc dt.pb, dl.tocl dt.pb, .index dt.pb { text-align:right; float:right; margin-left: 1.5em;
margin-top:.5em; margin-bottom:.5em; display:inline; text-indent:0;
font-size:80%; font-style:normal; font-weight:bold;
color:gray; border:1px solid gray;padding:1px 3px; }
div.index .pb { display:block; }
.bq div.pb, .bq span.pb { font-size:90%; margin-right:2em; }
div.img, body a img, .imgcenter {text-align:center; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto; margin-top:2em; clear:both; }
sup, a.fn { font-size:75%; vertical-align:100%; line-height:50%; font-weight:normal; }
.caption { text-align:center; margin-top:0; text-indent:0; }
.center, .tbcenter { text-align:center; clear:both; text-indent:0; } /* TEXTUAL MARKUP */
table.center { clear:both; margin-right:auto; margin-left:auto; }
.small { font-size:80%; }
.smaller { font-size:66%; }
.smallest { font-size:50%; }
.larger, .xlarge { font-size:150%; }
.large { font-size:125%; }
.gs { letter-spacing:.5em; font-weight:bold; }
.gs3 { letter-spacing:1.5em; }
.gslarge { letter-spacing:.3em; font-size:110%; }
.sc { font-variant:small-caps; font-style: normal; }
.sc i { font-variant:normal; }
.rubric { color: red; }
hr { width:40%; margin-left:30%; }
.shorthr { width:20%; }
.jl { text-align:left; }
span.jl { float:left; }
.jr, .jr1 { text-align:right; }
span.jr, span.jr1, span.center, span.jl { display:block; }
.jr1 { margin-right:2em; }
.ind1 { text-align:left; margin-left:2em; }
.u { text-decoration:underline; }
table.center { border-style: groove; }
table.center, table.hymntab { clear:both; margin-right:auto; margin-left:auto; }
dd.t { text-align:left; margin-left: 5.5em; }
span.date, span.author { text-align:right; font-variant:small-caps; display:block; margin-right:1em; }
span.center { text-align:center; display:block; }
span.hst { margin-left:1.5em; }
.biblio dt { margin-top:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em; }
.biblio dd { font-size:90%; }
/* INDEX (.INDEX) */
/* FOOTNOTE BLOCKS */
div.notes p { margin-left:1em; text-indent:-1em; text-align:justify; max-width:25em; }
.fnblock { margin-top:2em; margin-right:auto; margin-left:auto; max-width:25em; }
.fndef { text-align:justify; margin-top:1.5em; margin-left:1.5em; text-indent:-1.5em; }
.fndef p.fncont, .fndef dl { margin-left:0em; text-indent:0em; }
.fndef p.fnbq, .fndef dl { margin-left:1em; text-indent:0em; }
.lnum { text-align:right; float:right; margin-left:.5em; /* POETRY LINE NUMBER */
display:inline; }
.hymn { text-align:left; } /* HYMN AND VERSE: HTML */
.verse { text-align:left; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:0em; }
p.t0, p.l, .t0, .l, div.l, l { margin-left:4em; text-indent:-3em; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0; text-align:left; }
p.tw, div.tw, .tw { margin-left:1em; text-indent:-1em; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0; text-align:left; }
p.t, div.t, .t { margin-left:5em; text-indent:-3em; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0; text-align:left; }
p.t2, div.t2, .t2 { margin-left:6em; text-indent:-3em; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0; text-align:left; }
p.t3, div.t3, .t3 { margin-left:7em; text-indent:-3em; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0; text-align:left; }
p.t4, div.t4, .t4 { margin-left:8em; text-indent:-3em; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0; text-align:left; }
p.t5, div.t5, .t5 { margin-left:9em; text-indent:-3em; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0; text-align:left; }
p.t6, div.t6, .t6 { margin-left:10em; text-indent:-3em; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0; text-align:left; }
p.t7, div.t7, .t7 { margin-left:11em;text-indent:-3em; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0; text-align:left; }
p.t8, div.t8, .t8 { margin-left:12em;text-indent:-3em; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0; text-align:left; }
p.t9, div.t9, .t9 { margin-left:13em;text-indent:-3em; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0; text-align:left; }
p.t10,div.t10,.t10 { margin-left:14em;text-indent:-3em; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0; text-align:left; }
p.t11,div.t11,.t11 { margin-left:15em;text-indent:-3em; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0; text-align:left; }
p.t12,div.t12,.t12 { margin-left:16em;text-indent:-3em; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0; text-align:left; }
p.t13,div.t13,.t13 { margin-left:17em;text-indent:-3em; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0; text-align:left; }
p.t14,div.t14,.t14 { margin-left:18em;text-indent:-3em; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0; text-align:left; }
p.t15,div.t15,.t15 { margin-left:19em;text-indent:-3em; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0; text-align:left; }
/* CONTENTS (.TOC) */
.toc dt.center { text-align:center; clear:both; margin-top:3em; margin-bottom:1em; }
.toc dt { text-align:right; clear:left;
margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto; max-width:25em; }
.toc dt.jr { text-align:right; }
.toc dt.smaller { max-width:25em; }
.toc dd { text-align:right; clear:both; margin-left:2em; }
.toc dd.t { text-align:right; clear:both; margin-left:4em; text-indent:0em; }
.toc dt a, .toc dd a { text-align:left; clear:right; float:left; font-variant:small-caps; }
.toc dt.sc { text-align:right; clear:both; font-variant:small-caps; }
.toc dt.scl { text-align:left; clear:both; font-variant:small-caps; }
.toc dt.sct { text-align:right; clear:both; font-variant:small-caps; margin-left:1em; }
.toc dt.jl { text-align:left; clear:both; font-variant:normal; }
.toc dt.scc { text-align:center; clear:both; font-variant:small-caps; }
.toc dt span.lj { text-align:left; display:block; float:left; }
.toc dt.jr { font-style:normal; }
.toc dt a span.cn, .toc dt span.cn, dt span.cn { width:3.5em; text-align:right; margin-right:.7em; float:left; }
dt .large {font-weight:bold; }
div.bcat dl dd { margin-left:4em; max-width:21em; }
div.bcat dl dt { text-indent:-2em; margin-left:2em; }
.clear { clear:both; }
.htab { margin-left:8em; }
/* MAXWIDTH FOR JUVENILE BOOKS */
p, blockquote, li, dd, dt, div.bcat, pre { text-align:justify; margin-right:auto; margin-left:auto; }
p, li, dd, dt, div.bcat, pre.internal dl { max-width:25em; margin-right:auto; margin-left:auto; }
blockquote { max-width:23em; }
div.verse { max-width:25em; margin-right:auto; margin-left:auto; }
div.bq { margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto; max-width:23em; }
/* book advertisements */
p.bkad {font-size:125%; font-weight:bold; margin-top:2em; max-width:20em; margin-right:auto; margin-left:auto; }
p.bkpr {font-size:90%; }
p.bkrv { }
dl.blist dt { margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em; }
dl.blist, dl.biblio { margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto; max-width:25em; }
dl.int dt.center { text-align:center; margin-right:auto; margin-left:auto; }
</style>
</head>
<body>
<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 53765 ***</div>
<div class="img">
<img id="coverpage" src="images/cover.jpg" alt="Kabumpo in Oz" width="500" height="731" />
</div>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_001.jpg" alt="This Book Belongs to" width="500" height="525" />
</div>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_003.jpg" alt="PRINCESS DOROTHY" width="500" height="605" />
</div>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_006.jpg" alt="Kabumpo, the Elegant Elephant swayed along grandly after the Prince—Page 18" width="568" height="800" />
<p class="caption"><span class="sc">Kabumpo, the Elegant Elephant swayed along grandly after the Prince</span>—<i>Page 18</i></p>
</div>
<div class="box">
<h1>KABUMPO
<br />IN OZ</h1>
<p class="center"><span class="smaller">BY</span>
<br />RUTH PLUMLY THOMPSON
<br /><span class="small"><i>Founded on and continuing the Famous Oz Stories</i></span>
<br /><span class="smaller">BY</span>
<br />L. FRANK BAUM
<br /><span class="small">“Royal Historian of Oz”</span></p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_007.jpg" alt="Publisher logo" width="300" height="136" />
</div>
<p class="center"><span class="smaller">Illustrated by</span>
<br /><span class="small">JOHN R. NEILL</span></p>
<p class="center">The Reilly & Lee Co.
<br /><span class="small">Chicago</span></p>
</div>
<p class="tbcenter"><span class="small"><i>Printed in the United States of America</i>
<br />Copyright, 1922
<br />By
<br />The Reilly & Lee Co.</span></p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_009.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="600" height="198" />
</div>
<p class="pnindent">Dear Children:</p>
<p>Do you like Elephants? Do you believe in Giants? And do you
love all the jolly people of the Wonderful Land of Oz?</p>
<p>Well, then you’ll want to hear about the latest happenings in
that delightful Kingdom. All are set forth in true Oz fashion in
“Kabumpo in Oz,” the fifteenth Oz book.</p>
<p>Kabumpo is an Elegant Elephant. He is very old and wise, and
has a kindly heart, as have all the Oz folks. In the new book you’ll
meet Prince Pompa, and Peg Amy, a charming Wooden Doll.
There are new countries, strange adventures and the most surprising
Box of Magic you have ever heard of. Ruggedo, the wicked
old Gnome King, does a lot of mischief with this before Princess
Ozma can stop him.</p>
<p>Of course Dorothy, the Scarecrow, Scraps, Glinda the Good,
Tik-Tok, and other old friends all are alive and busy in the new
book. I am just back from the Emerald City with the best of Oz
wishes for everybody, <i>but especially for you</i>.</p>
<p><span class="jr"><span class="sc">Ruth Plumly Thompson.</span></span></p>
<div class="verse">
<p class="t0"><span class="small">Philadelphia,</span></p>
<p class="t"><span class="small">Spring of 1922.</span></p>
</div>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_010.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="600" height="361" />
</div>
<p class="tbcenter">This book is dedicated with
<br />all of my heart
<br /><span class="sc">To Janet</span>
<br />My littlest sister but biggest assistor
<br /><span class="jr"><span class="sc">Ruth Plumly Thompson</span></span></p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_011.jpg" alt="LIST OF CHAPTERS" width="600" height="239" />
</div>
<h2>LIST OF CHAPTERS</h2>
<dl class="toc">
<dt class="jr">Page</dt>
<dt><span class="cn">1 </span><a href="#c1">The Exploding Birthday Cake</a> 15</dt>
<dt><span class="cn">2 </span><a href="#c2">Picking a Proper Princess</a> 30</dt>
<dt><span class="cn">3 </span><a href="#c3">Kabumpo and Pompa Disappear</a> 44</dt>
<dt><span class="cn">4 </span><a href="#c4">The Curious Cottabus Appears</a> 50</dt>
<dt><span class="cn">5 </span><a href="#c5">In the City of The Figure Heads</a> 62</dt>
<dt><span class="cn">6 </span><a href="#c6">Ruggedo’s History In Six Rocks</a> 78</dt>
<dt><span class="cn">7 </span><a href="#c7">Sir Hokus And The Giants</a> 95</dt>
<dt><span class="cn">8 </span><a href="#c8">Woe in the Emerald City</a> 105</dt>
<dt><span class="cn">9 </span><a href="#c9">Mixed Magic Makes Mischief</a> 114</dt>
<dt><span class="cn">10 </span><a href="#c10">Peg and Wag to the Rescue</a> 132</dt>
<dt><span class="cn">11 </span><a href="#c11">The King of the Illumi Nation</a> 145</dt>
<dt><span class="cn">12 </span><a href="#c12">The Delicious Sea of Soup</a> 160</dt>
<dt><span class="cn">13 </span><a href="#c13">On the Road to Ev</a> 174</dt>
<dt><span class="cn">14 </span><a href="#c14">Terror in Ozma’s Palace</a> 188</dt>
<dt><span class="cn">15 </span><a href="#c15">The Sand Man Takes a Hand</a> 205</dt>
<dt><span class="cn">16 </span><a href="#c16">Kabumpo Vanquishes The Twigs</a> 211</dt>
<dt><span class="cn">17 </span><a href="#c17">Meeting the Runaway Country</a> 226</dt>
<dt><span class="cn">18 </span><a href="#c18">Prince Pompadore Proposes</a> 240</dt>
<dt><span class="cn">19 </span><a href="#c19">Ozma Takes Things in Hand</a> 255</dt>
<dt><span class="cn">20 </span><a href="#c20">The Proper Princess is Found</a> 267</dt>
<dt><span class="cn">21 </span><a href="#c21">How It All Came About</a> 281</dt>
<dt><span class="cn">22 </span><a href="#c22">Ruggedo’s Last Rock</a> 292</dt>
</dl>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_012.jpg" alt="Princess Ozma, of Oz" width="500" height="770" />
</div>
<div class="pb" id="Page_15">15</div>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_013.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="500" height="481" />
</div>
<h2 id="c1"><span class="smaller">Chapter 1</span>
<br />The Exploding Birthday Cake</h2>
<p>“The cake, you chattering Chittimong! Where is the
cake? Stirem, Friem, Hashem, <i>where</i> is the
cake?” cried Eejabo, chief footman in the palace of
Pumperdink, bouncing into the royal pantry.</p>
<p>The three cooks, too astonished for speech, and with
staring eyes, pointed to the center table. The great,
gorgeous birthday cake was gone, though not two seconds
before it had been placed on the table by Hashem
himself.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_16">16</div>
<p>“It was my m-m-asterpiece,” sobbed Hashem, tearing
off his cap and throwing his apron over his head.</p>
<p>“Help! Robbers! Thieves!” cried Stirem and
Friem, running to the window.</p>
<p>Here <i>was</i> a howdedo. The trumpets blowing for the
celebration to begin and the best part of the celebration
gone!</p>
<p>“We’ll all be dipped for this!” wailed Eejabo, flinging
open the second best china closet so violently that
three silver cups and a pewter mug tumbled out. Just
then there was a scream from Hashem, who had
removed the apron from his head. “Look!” he shrieked.
“There it is!”</p>
<p>Back to the table rushed the other three, Stirem and
Friem rubbing their eyes and Eejabo his head where
the cups had bumped him severely. Upon the table
stood the royal cake, as pink and perfect as ever.</p>
<p>“It was there all the time, mince my eyebrows!”
spluttered Hashem in an injured voice. “Called me a
Chittimong, did you?” Grasping a big wooden spoon
he ran angrily at Eejabo.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_17">17</div>
<p>“Was it gone or wasn’t it?” cried Eejabo, appealing
to the others and hastily catching up a bread knife to
defend himself. Instantly there arose a babble.</p>
<p>“It was!”</p>
<p>“It wasn’t!”</p>
<p>“Was!” Rap, bang, <i>clatter</i>. In a minute they were
in a furious argument, not only with words but with
spoons, forks and bowls. And dear knows what would
have become of the cake had not a bell rung loudly
and the second footman poked his head through the
door.</p>
<p>“The cake! Where is the cake?” he wheezed importantly.</p>
<p>So Eejabo, dodging three cups and a salt cellar,
seized the great silver platter and dashed into the great
banquet hall. One pink coat tail was missing and his
wig was somewhat elevated over the left ear from the
lump raised by the pewter mug, but he summoned
what dignity he could and joined the grand procession
of footmen who were bearing gold and silver dishes
filled with goodies for the birthday feast of Prince
Pompadore of Pumperdink.</p>
<p>The royal guests were already assembled and just as
Eejabo entered, the pages blew a shrill blast upon their
silver trumpets and the Prime Pumper stepped forward
to announce their Majesties.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_18">18</div>
<p>“Oyez! Oyez!” shouted the Prime Pumper, pounding
on the floor with his silver staff, while the guests
politely inclined their heads just as if they had not
heard the same announcement dozens of times before:</p>
<p>“Oyez! Oyez!</p>
<div class="verse">
<p class="t0">“Pompus the Proud</p>
<p class="t0">And Pozy Pink,</p>
<p class="t0">King and Queen</p>
<p class="t0">Of Pumperdink—</p>
<p class="t0">Way for the King</p>
<p class="t0">And clear the floor,</p>
<p class="t0">Way for our good</p>
<p class="t0">Prince Pompadore.</p>
<p class="t0">Way for the Elegant</p>
<p class="t0">Elephant—Way</p>
<p class="t0">For the King and</p>
<p class="t0">The Queen and the</p>
<p class="t0">Prince, I say!”</p>
</div>
<p>So everybody <i>wayed</i>, which is to say they bowed, and
down the center of the room swept Pompus, very fat
and gorgeous in his purple robes and jeweled crown,
and Pozy Pink, very stately and queenlike in her
ermine cloak, and Prince Pompadore very straight and
handsome! In fact, they looked exactly as a good old-fashioned
royal family should.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_19">19</div>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_017.jpg" alt="Pumperdink" width="500" height="777" />
</div>
<div class="pb" id="Page_20">20</div>
<p>But Kabumpo, who swayed along grandly after the
Prince—few royal families could boast of so royal and
elegant an elephant! He was huge and gray. On his
head he wore jeweled bands and a jeweled court robe
billowed out majestically as he walked. His little eyes
twinkled merrily and his big ears flapped so sociably,
that just to look at him put one in a good humor.
Kabumpo was the only elephant in Pumperdink, or in
any Kingdom near Pumperdink, so no wonder he was
a prime favorite at Court. He had been given to the
King at Pompa’s christening by a friendly stranger
and since then had enjoyed every luxury and advantage.
He was not only treated as a member of the royal
family, but was always addressed as <i>Sir</i> by all of the
palace servants.</p>
<p>“He lends an air of elegance to our Court,” the King
was fond of saying, and the Elegant Elephant he
surely had become. Now an Elegant Elephant at
Court might seem strange in a regular up-to-date
country, but Pumperdink is not at all regular nor up
to date. It is a cozy, old-fashioned Kingdom, ’way up
in the northern part of the Gilliken country of Oz; old-fashioned
enough to wear knee breeches and have a
King and cozy enough to still enjoy birthday parties
and candy pulls.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_21">21</div>
<p>If Pompus, the King, was a bit proud who could
blame him? His Queen was the loveliest, his son the
most charming and his elephant the most elegant and
unusual for twenty Kingdoms round about. And
Pompus, for all his pride, had a very simple way of
ruling. When the Pumperdinkians did right they
were rewarded; when they did wrong they were
dipped.</p>
<p>In the very center of the courtyard there is a great
stone well with a huge stone bucket. Into this Pumperdink
well all offenders and law breakers were lowered.
Its waters were dark blue and as the color stuck to one
for several days the inhabitants of Pumperdink were
careful to behave well, so that the Chief Dipper, who
turned the wheel that raised and lowered the bucket,
often had days at a time with nothing to do. This time
he spent in writing poetry, and as Prince Pompadore
took the place of honor at the head of the table the
Chief Dipper rose from his humble place at the foot
and with a moist flourish burst forth:</p>
<div class="verse">
<p class="t0">“Oh, Pompadore of Pumperdink,</p>
<p class="t0">Of all perfection you’re the pink;</p>
<p class="t2">Your praises now I utter!</p>
<p class="t0">Your eyes are clear as apple sauce,</p>
<p class="t0">Your head the best I’ve come across;</p>
<p class="t2">Your heart is soft as butter.”</p>
</div>
<div class="pb" id="Page_22">22</div>
<p>“Very good,” said the King, and the Chief Dipper
sat down, blushing with pride and confusion. Prince
Pompadore bowed and the rest of the party clapped
tremendously.</p>
<p>“Sounds like a dipper full of nonsense to me,”
wheezed Kabumpo, who stood directly back of Prince
Pompadore’s throne, leisurely consuming a bale of
hay placed on the floor beside him. It may surprise
you to know that all the animals in Oz can talk, but
such is the case, and Pumperdink being in the fairy
country of Oz, Kabumpo could talk as well as any man
and better than most.</p>
<p>“Eyes like apple sauce—heart of butter! Ho-ho, kerrumph!”
The Elegant Elephant laughed so hard he
shook all over; then slyly reaching over the Prime
Pumper’s shoulder, he snatched his glass of pink lemonade
and emptied it down his great throat, setting the
tumbler back before the old fellow turned his head.</p>
<p>“Did you call, Sir?” asked Eejabo, hurrying over.
He had mistaken Kabumpo’s laugh for a command.</p>
<p>“Yes; why did you not give his Excellency lemonade?”
demanded the Elegant Elephant sternly.</p>
<p>“I did; he must have drunk it, Sir!” stuttered
Eejabo.</p>
<p>“Drunk it!” cried the Prime Pumper, pounding on
the table indignantly. “I never had any!”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_23">23</div>
<p>“Fetch him a glass at once,” rumbled Kabumpo,
waving his trunk, and Eejabo, too wise to argue with
a member of the royal family, brought another glass
of lemonade. But no sooner had he done so than the
mischievous elephant stole that, next the Prime Pumper’s
plate and roll, and all so quickly, no one but Prince
Pompadore knew what was happening and poor
Eejabo was kept running backwards and forwards till
his wig stood on end with confusion and rage.</p>
<p>All of this was very amusing to the Prince, and
helped him to listen pleasantly to the fifteen long
birthday speeches addressed to him by members of
the Royal Guard. But if the speeches were dull, the
dinner was not. The fiddlers fiddled so merrily, and
the chief cook Hashem had so outdone himself in the
preparation of new and delicious dainties, that by ice-cream-and-cake
time everyone was in a high good
humor.</p>
<p>“The cake, my good Eejabo! Fetch forth the cake!”
commanded King Pompus, beaming fondly upon his
son. Nervously Eejabo stepped to the side table and
lighted the eighteen tall birthday candles. A cake
that had disappeared once might easily do so again,
and Eejabo was anxious to have it cut and out of the
way—out of <i>his</i> way at least.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_24">24</div>
<p>Hashem, looking through a tiny crack in the door,
almost burst with pride as his gorgeous pink masterpiece
was set down before the Prince.</p>
<p>“Many happy returns of your eighteenth birthday!”
cried the Courtiers, jumping to their feet and waving
their napkins enthusiastically.</p>
<p>“Thank you! Thank you!” chuckled Pompadore,
bowing low. “I feel that this is but one of many more
to come!” Which may sound strange, but Pumperdink
being in Oz, one may have as many eighteenth
birthdays as one cares to have. This was Pompa’s
tenth and while the courtiers drank his health the
Prince made ready to blow out the birthday candles.</p>
<p>“That’s right, blow ’em all out at once!” cried the
King. So Pompa puffed out his cheeks and blew with
all his might. But not a candle flickered. Then he
tried again. Indeed, he puffed and blew until he was
a regular royal purple, but nary a candle flame so
much as wavered.</p>
<p>“Stubbornest candles I ever saw!” blustered King
Pompus. Then <i>he</i> puffed out his cheeks and blew like
a porpoise; so did Queen Pozy and the Prime Pumper;
so did everybody. They blew until every dish upon
the table skipped and they all sank back exhausted in
their chairs, but the candles burned as merrily as ever.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_25">25</div>
<p>Then Kabumpo took a hand—or rather a trunk.
He had been watching the proceedings with his
twinkling little eyes. Now he took a tremendous
breath, pointed his trunk straight at the cake and
blew with all his strength.</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_023.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="600" height="408" />
</div>
<p>Every candle went out—but <i>stars</i>! As they did, the
great pink cake exploded with such force that half the
Courtiers were flung under the table and the rest
knocked unconscious by flying fragments of icing,
tumblers and plates.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_26">26</div>
<p>“<i>Treason!</i>” screamed Pompus, the first to recover
from the shock. “Who dared put gunpowder in the
cake?” Brushing the icing from his nose, he glared
around angrily. The first person to catch his eye was
Hashem, the cook, who stood trembling in the doorway.</p>
<p>“<i>Dip him!</i>” shouted the King furiously. And the
Chief Dipper, only too glad of an excuse to escape,
seized poor Hashem. “<i>And him!</i>” ordered the King,
as Eejabo tried to sidle out of the room. “<i>And them!</i>”
as all the other footmen started to run. Forming his
victims in a line the Chief Dipper marched them
sternly from the banquet hall.</p>
<p>“Oyez! Oyez Everybody shall be dipped!” mumbled
the Prime Pumper, feebly raising his head.</p>
<p>“Oh, no! Oh, no! Nothing of the sort!” snapped
the King, fanning poor Queen Pozy Pink with a plate.
She had fainted dead away.</p>
<p>“What is the meaning of this outrage?” shouted
Pompus, his anger rising again.</p>
<p>“How should I know?” wheezed Kabumpo, dragging
Prince Pompadore from beneath the table and
pouring a jug of cream over his head.</p>
<p>“Something hit me,” moaned the Prince, opening
his eyes.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_27">27</div>
<p>“Of course it did!” said Kabumpo. “The cake hit
you. Made a great hit with us all—that cake!” The
Elegant Elephant looked ruefully at his silk robe of
state, which was hopelessly smeared with icing; then
put his trunk to his head, for something hard had
struck him between the eyes. He felt about the floor
and found a round shiny object which he was about to
show the King when Pompus pounced upon a tall
scroll sitting upright in his tumbler. In the confusion
of the moment it had escaped his attention.</p>
<p>“Perhaps this will explain,” spluttered the King,
breaking the seal. Queen Pozy Pink opened her eyes
with a sigh, and the Courtiers, crawling out from
beneath the table, looked up anxiously, for everyone
was still dazed from the tremendous explosion. Pompus
read the scroll to himself with popping eyes and
then began to dance up and down in a frenzy.</p>
<p>“What is it? What is it?” cried the Queen, trying
to read over his shoulder. Then she gave a well-bred
scream and fainted away in the arms of General
Quakes, who had come up behind her.</p>
<p>By this time the Prime Pumper had recovered sufficiently
to remember that reading scrolls and court
papers was his business. Somewhat unsteadily he
walked over and took the scroll from the King.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_28">28</div>
<p>“Oyez! Oyez!” he faltered, pounding on the table.</p>
<p>“Oh, never mind that!” rumbled Kabumpo, flagging
his ears. “Let’s hear what it says!”</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_026.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="600" height="452" />
</div>
<p>“Know ye,” began the old man in a high, shaky
voice, “know ye that unless ye Prince of ye ancient
and honorable Kingdom of Pumperdink wed ye Proper
Fairy Princess in ye proper span of time ye Kingdom
of Pumperdink shall disappear forever and <i>even longer</i>
from ye Gilliken country of Oz.
<span class="jr"><i>J. G.</i>”</span></p>
<p>“What?” screamed Pompadore, bounding to his feet.
“Me? But I don’t <i>want</i> to marry!”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_29">29</div>
<p>“You’ll have to,” groaned the King, with a wave at
the scroll. The Courtiers sat staring at one another
in dazed disbelief. From the courtyard came the
splash and splutter of the luckless footmen and the
dismal creaking of the stone bucket.</p>
<p>“Oh!” wailed Pompa, throwing up his hands. “This
is the worst eighteenth birthday I’ve ever had. I’ll
never have another as long as I live!”</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_027.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="505" height="400" />
</div>
<div class="pb" id="Page_30">30</div>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_028.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="500" height="539" />
</div>
<h2 id="c2"><span class="smaller">Chapter 2</span>
<br />Picking a Proper Princess</h2>
<p>“What shall we do first?” groaned the King,
holding his head with both hands. “Let me
think!”</p>
<p>“Right,” said Kabumpo. “Think by all means.”</p>
<p>So the great hall was cleared and the King, with the
mysterious scroll spread out before him, thought and
thought and <i>thought</i>. But he did not make much
<span class="pb" id="Page_31">31</span>
headway, for, as he explained over and over to Queen
Pozy, who—with Pompadore, the Elegant Elephant
and the Prime Pumper—had remained to help him,
“How is one to know where to find the Proper Princess,
and how is one to know the proper time for
Pompa to wed her?”</p>
<p>Who was J.G.? How did the scroll get in the cake?</p>
<p>The more the King thought about these questions,
the more wrinkled his forehead became.</p>
<p>“Why! We’re liable to wake up any morning and
find ourselves gone,” he announced gloomily. “How
does it feel to disappear, I wonder?”</p>
<p>“I suppose it would give one rather a gone feeling,
but I don’t believe it would hurt—much!” volunteered
Kabumpo, glancing uneasily over his shoulder.</p>
<p>“Perhaps not, but it would not get us anywhere. My
idea is to marry the Prince at once to a Proper Princess,”
put in the Prime Pumper, “and avoid all this
disappearing.”</p>
<p>“You’re in a great hurry to marry me off, aren’t
you,” said Pompadore sulkily. “For my part, I don’t
want to marry at all!”</p>
<p>“Well, that’s very selfish of you, Pompa,” said the
King in a grieved voice. “Do you want your poor old
father to disappear?”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_32">32</div>
<p>“Not only your poor old father,” choked the Prime
Pumper, rolling up his eyes. “How about me?”</p>
<p>“Oh, you—<i>you</i> can disappear any time you want,”
said the Prince unfeelingly.</p>
<p>“It all started with that wretched cake,” sighed the
Queen. “I am positive the scroll flew out of the cake
when it exploded.”</p>
<p>“Of course it did!” cried Pompus. “Let us send for
the cook and question him.”</p>
<p>So Hashem, very wet and blue from his dip, was
brought before the King.</p>
<p>“A fine cook you are!” roared Pompus, “mixing gun
powder and scrolls in a birthday cake.”</p>
<p>“But I didn’t,” wailed Hashem, falling on his knees.
“Only eggs, your Highness—very best eggs—sugar,
flour, spice and—”</p>
<p>“Bombshells!” cried the King angrily.</p>
<p>“The cake disappeared <i>before</i> the party, your
Majesty!” cried Eejabo.</p>
<p>Everyone jumped at the sudden interruption, and
Eejabo, who had crept in unnoticed, stepped before
the throne.</p>
<p>“Disappeared,” continued Eejabo hoarsely, dripping
blue water all over the royal rugs. “One minute
there it was on the pantry table. Next minute—<i>gone!</i>”
croaked Eejabo, flinging up his hands and
shrugging his shoulders.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_33">33</div>
<p>“Then, before a fellow could turn around, it was
back. ’Tweren’t our fault if magic got mixed into it,
and here we have been dipped for nothing!”</p>
<p>“Well, why didn’t you say so before!” asked the
King in exasperation.</p>
<p>“Fine chance I had to say anything!” sniffed
Eejabo, wringing out his lace ruffles.</p>
<p>“Eh—rr—you may have the day off, my good man,”
said Pompus, with an apologetic cough—“And <i>you</i>
also,” with a wave at Hashem. Very stiffly the two
walked to the door.</p>
<p>“It’s an off day for us, all right,” said Eejabo ungraciously,
and without so much as a bow the two disappeared.</p>
<p>“I fear you were a bit hasty, my love,” murmured
Queen Pozy, looking after them with a troubled little
frown.</p>
<p>“Well, who wouldn’t be!” cried Pompus, ruffling
up his hair. “Here we are liable to disappear any
minute and all you do is to stand around and criticize
me. <i>Begone!</i>” he puffed angrily, as a page stuck his
head in the door.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_34">34</div>
<p>“No use shouting at people to begone,” said the Elegant
Elephant testily. “We’ll all begone soon
enough.”</p>
<p>At this Queen Pozy began to weep into her silk
handkerchief, which sight so affected Prince Pompadore
that he rushed forward and embraced her tenderly.</p>
<p>“I’ll marry!” cried the Prince impulsively. “I’ll do
anything! The trouble is there aren’t any Fairy Princesses
around here!”</p>
<p>“There must be,” said the King.</p>
<p>“There is—There are!” screamed the Prime
Pumper, bouncing up suddenly. “Oyez, Oyez! Has
your Majesty forgotten Faleero, royal Princess of Follensby
forest?”</p>
<p>“Why, of course!” The King snapped his fingers
joyfully. “Everyone says Faleero is a Fairy Princess.
She must be the proper one!”</p>
<p>“Fa—<i>leero</i>!” trumpeted the Elegant Elephant, sitting
down with a terrific thud. “That awful old creature!
You ought to be ashamed of yourself!”</p>
<p>“Silence!” thundered the King.</p>
<p>“Nonsense!” trumpeted Kabumpo. “She’s a thousand
years old and as ugly as a stone Lukoogoo. Don’t
you marry her, Pompa.”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_35">35</div>
<p>“I command him to marry her!” cried the King
opening his eyes very wide and bending forward.</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_033.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="600" height="419" />
</div>
<p>“Faleero?” gasped the Prince, scarcely believing
his ears. No wonder Pompadore was shocked.
Faleero, although a Princess in her own right and of
royal fairy descent, was so unattractive that in all her
thousand years of life no one had wished to marry
her. She lived in a small hut in the great forest kingdom
next to Pumperdink and did nothing all day but
gather faggots. Her face was long and lean, her hair
thin and black and her nose so large that it made you
think of a cauliflower.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_36">36</div>
<p>“Ugh!” groaned Prince Pompadore, falling back on
Kabumpo for support.</p>
<p>“Well, she’s a Princess and a fairy—the only one in
any Kingdom. I don’t see why you want to be so
fussy!” said the King fretfully.</p>
<p>“Shall I tell her Royal Highness of the great good
fortune that has befallen her?” asked the Prime
Pumper, starting for the door.</p>
<p>“Do so at once,” snapped Pompus. Just then he
gave a scream of fright and pain, for a round shiny
object had flown through the air and struck him on
the head. “What was that?”</p>
<p>The Prime Pumper looked suspiciously at the Elegant
Elephant. Kabumpo glared back.</p>
<p>“A—a warning!” stuttered the Prime Pumper,
afraid to say that Kabumpo had flung the offending
missile. “A warning, your Majesty!”</p>
<p>“It’s nothing of the kind,” said the King angrily.
“You’re getting old, Pumper and stupid. It’s—why
it’s a door knob! Who <i>dares</i> to hit me with a door
knob?”</p>
<p>“It hit me once,” mumbled Kabumpo, shifting uneasily
from one foot to the other three. “How does it
strike you?”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_37">37</div>
<p>“As an outrageous piece of impertinence!” spluttered
Pompus, turning as red as a turkey cock.</p>
<p>“Perhaps it has something to do with the scroll,”
suggested Queen Pozy, taking it from the King.
“See! It is gold and all the door knobs in the palace
are ivory. And look! Here are some initials!”</p>
<p>Sure enough! It was gold and in the very centre
were the initials P. A.</p>
<p>Just at this interesting juncture the page, who had
been poking his head in the door every few minutes,
gathered his courage together and rushed up to the
King.</p>
<p>“Pardon, Most High Highness, but General Quakes
bade me say that this mirror was found under the window,”
stuttered the page, and before Pompus had an
opportunity to cry “Begone!” or “Dip him!” the little
fellow made a dash for the door and disappeared.</p>
<p>“It grows more puzzling every minute,” wailed the
King, looking from the door knob to the mirror and
from the mirror to the scroll.</p>
<p>“If you take my advice you’ll have this marriage
performed at once,” said the Prime Pumper in a trembling
voice.</p>
<p>“I believe I will!” sighed Pompus, rubbing the
bump on his head. “Go and fetch the Princess Faleero
and you, Pompa, prepare for your wedding.”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_38">38</div>
<p>“But Father!” began the Prince.</p>
<p>“Not another word or you’ll be dipped!” rumbled
the King of Pumperdink. “I’m not going to have my
kingdom disappearing if I can help it!”</p>
<p>“You mean if <i>I</i> can help it,” muttered Pompadore
gloomily.</p>
<p>“This is ridiculous!” stormed the Elegant Elephant,
as the Prime Pumper rushed importantly out of the
room. “Don’t you know that this country of ours is
only a small part of the great Kingdom of Oz? There
must be hundreds of Princesses for Pompadore to
choose from. Why should he not wed Ozma, the princess
of us all? Haven’t you read any Oz history?
Have you never heard of the wonderful Emerald City?
Let Pompadore start out at once. I, myself, will
accompany him, and if Ozma refuses to marry him—well”—the
Elegant Elephant drew himself up—“I
will carry her off—that’s all!”</p>
<p>“It’s a long way to the Emerald City,” mused Queen
Pozy, “but still—”</p>
<p>“Yes, and what is to become of us in the meantime
pray? While you are wandering all over Oz we can
disappear I suppose! No Sir! Not one step do you go
out of Pumperdink. Faleero is the Proper Princess
and Pompadore shall marry her!” said Pompus.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_39">39</div>
<p>“You’re talking through your crown,” wheezed
Kabumpo. “How about the door knob and mirror?
They came out of the cake as well as the scroll. What
are you going to do about them? Let’s have a look at
that mirror.”</p>
<p>“Just a common gold mirror,” fumed Pompus, holding
it up for the Elegant Elephant to see.</p>
<p>“What’s the matter?” as Kabumpo gave a snort.</p>
<p>On the face of the mirror, as Kabumpo looked in,
two words appeared:</p>
<div class="box">
<p class="center">Elegant Elephant.</p>
</div>
<p>And when Pompus snatched the mirror, above his
reflection stood the words:</p>
<div class="box">
<p class="center">Fat Old King.</p>
</div>
<p>Then Queen Pozy peeped into the mirror, which
promptly flashed:</p>
<div class="box">
<p class="center">Lovely Queen.</p>
</div>
<div class="pb" id="Page_40">40</div>
<p>“Why, it’s telling the truth!” screamed Pompa,
looking over his mother’s shoulder. At this the words
“Charming Prince” formed quickly in the glass.</p>
<p>The Prince grinned at his father, who was now
quite beside himself with rage.</p>
<p>“You think I’m fat and old, do you!” snorted the
King, flinging the gold mirror face down on the table.
“This is a nice day, I must say! Scrolls, door knobs,
mirrors and insults!”</p>
<p>“But what can P. A. stand for?” mused Queen Pozy
thoughtfully.</p>
<p>“Plain enough,” chuckled Kabumpo, maliciously.
“It stands for perfectly awful!”</p>
<p>“Who’s perfectly awful?” asked Pompus suspiciously.</p>
<p>“Why, Faleero,” sniffed the Elegant Elephant.
“That’s plain enough to everybody!”</p>
<p>“Dip him!” shrieked Pompus. “I’ve had enough of
this! <i>Dip him</i>—do you hear?”</p>
<p>“That,” yawned Kabumpo, straightening his silk
robe, “is impossible!” And, considering his size it
was. But just that minute the Prime Pumper returned
and in his interest to hear what the Princess
Faleero had said the King forgot about dipping Kabumpo.</p>
<p>The courier from the Princess stepped forward.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_41">41</div>
<p>“Her Highness,” puffed the Prime Pumper, who
had run all the way, “Her Highness accepts Prince
Pompadore with pleasure and will marry him to-morrow
morning.”</p>
<p>Prince Pompadore gave a dismal groan.</p>
<p>“Fine!” cried the King, rubbing his hands together.
“Let everything be made ready for the ceremony, and
in the meantime”—Pompus glared about fiercely—“I
forbid anyone’s disappearing. I am still the King!
Set a guard around the castle, Pumper, to watch for
any signs of disappearance, and if so much as a fence
paling disappears”—he drew himself up—“notify me
<i>at once</i>!” Then turning to the throne Pompus gave
his arm to Queen Pozy and together they started for
the garden.</p>
<p>“Do you mean to say you are going to pay no attention
to the mirror or door knob?” cried Kabumpo,
planting himself in the King’s path.</p>
<p>“Go away,” said Pompus crossly.</p>
<p>“Oyez! Oyez! Way for their Majesties!” cried the
Prime Pumper, running ahead with his silver staff,
and the royal couple swept out of the banquet hall.</p>
<p>“Never mind, Kabumpo,” said the Prince, flinging
his arm affectionately around the Elegant Elephant’s
trunk, “I dare say Faleero has her good points—and
we cannot let the old Kingdom disappear, you know!”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_42">42</div>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_040.jpg" alt="“Flinging his arms affectionately around the Elegant Elephant’s trunk”" width="500" height="746" />
<p class="caption">“<span class="sc">Flinging his arms affectionately around the Elegant Elephant’s trunk</span>”</p>
</div>
<div class="pb" id="Page_43">43</div>
<p>“Fiddlesticks!” choked Kabumpo. “She’ll make a
door mat of you, Pompa—Prince Pompadormat—that’s
what you’ll be! Let’s run away!” he proposed,
his little eyes twinkling anxiously.</p>
<p>“I couldn’t do that and let the Kingdom disappear,
it wouldn’t be right,” sighed the Prince, and sadly he
followed his parents into the royal gardens.</p>
<p>“The King’s a Gooch!” gulped the Elegant Elephant
unhappily. Then, all at once he flung up his
trunk. “Somebody’s going to disappear around here,”
he wheezed darkly, “that’s certain!” With a mighty
rustling of his silk robe, Kabumpo hurried off to his
own royal quarters in the palace.</p>
<p>Left alone, Prince Pompa threw himself down at
the foot of the throne, and gazed sadly into space.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_44">44</div>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_042.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="500" height="532" />
</div>
<h2 id="c3"><span class="smaller">Chapter 3</span>
<br />Kabumpo and Pompa Disappear</h2>
<p>Once in his own apartment, Kabumpo pulled the
bell rope furiously.</p>
<p>“My pearls and my purple plush robe! Bring them
at once!” he puffed when his personal attendant appeared
in the doorway.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_45">45</div>
<p>“Yes, Sir! Are you going out, Sir?” murmured the
little Pumperdinkian, hastening to a great chest in the
corner of the big marble room, to get out of the robe.</p>
<p>“Not unless disappearing is going out,” said Kabumpo
more mildly, for he was quite fond of this little
man who waited on him. “But I’m liable to disappear
any minute. So are you. So is everybody, and I, for
my part, wish to do the thing well and disappear with
as much elegance as possible. Have you heard about
the magic scroll, Spezzle?”</p>
<p>“Yes, Sir!” quavered Spezzle, mounting a ladder to
adjust the Elegant Elephant’s pearls and gorgeous
robe of state. “Yes, Sir, and my head’s going round
and round like—”</p>
<p>“Like what?” asked Kabumpo, looking approvingly
at his reflection in the long mirror.</p>
<p>“I can’t rightly say, Sir,” sighed Spezzle. “This
disappearing has me that mixed up I don’t know what
I’m doing.”</p>
<p>“Well, don’t start by losing your head,” chuckled
Kabumpo. “There—that will do very well.” He
lifted the little man down from the ladder.</p>
<p>“Good-bye, Spezzle. If you should disappear before
I should see you again, try to do it in style.”</p>
<p>“Yes, Sir!” gulped Spezzle. Then taking out a
bright red handkerchief he blew his nose violently and
rushed out of the room.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_46">46</div>
<p>Kabumpo walked up and down before the mirror,
surveying himself from all angles. A very gorgeous
appearance he presented, in his purple plush robe of
state, all embroidered in silver, and his head bands
of shining pearls. In the left side of his robe there
was a deep pocket. Into this the Elegant Elephant
slipped all the jewels he possessed, taking them from
a drawer in the chest.</p>
<p>“I must get that gold door knob,” he rumbled
thoughtfully. “And the mirror.” Noiselessly (for all
his tremendous size, Kabumpo could move without a
sound) he made his way back to the banquet hall and
loomed up suddenly behind the Prime Pumper. The
old fellow was staring with popping eyes into the gold
mirror.</p>
<p>“Ho, Ho!” roared Kabumpo. “Ho, Ho! Kerumph!”</p>
<p>No wonder! Above the shocked reflection of the
foolish statesman stood the words “Old Goose!”</p>
<p>“A truthful mirror, indeed,” wheezed the Elegant
Elephant.</p>
<p>“Heh? What?” stuttered the Prime Pumper, slapping
the mirror down on the table in a hurry.
“Where’d you come from? What are you all dressed
up for?”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_47">47</div>
<p>“For my disappearance,” said Kabumpo, sweeping
the door knob and mirror into his pocket. “I’m getting
ready to disappear. How do I look?”</p>
<p>Before the Prime Pumper had time to answer, the
Elegant Elephant was gone.</p>
<p>Back in his own room, Kabumpo paced impatiently
up and down, waiting for night. “I do not see how
she could refuse us,” he mumbled every now and then
to himself.</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_045.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="580" height="500" />
</div>
<div class="pb" id="Page_48">48</div>
<p>That was an anxious afternoon and evening in the
palace of Pumperdink. Every few minutes the Courtiers
felt themselves nervously to see if they were still
there. The servants went about on tip-toe, looking
fearfully over their shoulders for the first signs of disappearance.
As it grew darker the gates and windows
were securely barred and not a candle was
lighted. “The less the castle shows, the less likely it
is to disappear,” reasoned the King.</p>
<p>The darkness suited Kabumpo. He waited until
everyone in the palace had retired, and a full hour
longer. Then he stepped softly down the passage to
the Prince’s apartment. Pompadore, without undressing
had flung himself upon a couch and fallen into an
uneasy slumber.</p>
<p>Without making a sound, Kabumpo took the Prince’s
crown from a dressing cabinet, slipped it carefully
into the pocket of his robe, and then carefully lifted
the sleeping Prince in his curling trunk and started
cautiously down the great hall. Setting him gently
on the floor as he reached the palace doors, he pushed
back the golden bolts and stepped out into the garden.</p>
<p>The voices of the watchmen calling to each other
from the great wall came faintly through the darkness,
but the Elegant Elephant hurried to a secret
unguarded entrance known only to himself and Pompadore
and passed like a great shadow through the
swinging gates. Once outside, he swung the sleeping
Prince to his broad back and ran swiftly and silently
through the night.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_49">49</div>
<p>“What are we doing?” murmured the Prince drowsily
in his sleep.</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_047.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="600" height="395" />
</div>
<p>“Disappearing,” chuckled Kabumpo under his
breath. “Disappearing from Pumperdink, my lad.”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_50">50</div>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_048.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="500" height="535" />
</div>
<h2 id="c4"><span class="smaller">Chapter 4</span>
<br />The Curious Cottabus Appears</h2>
<p>“Ouch!” Prince Pompadore stirred uneasily and
rolled over. “Ouch!” he groaned again, giving
his pillow a fretful thump. “Ouch!” This time his
eyes flew wide open, for his knuckles were tingling
with pain.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_51">51</div>
<p>“A rock!” gasped the Prince, sitting up indignantly.
“A rock under my head! No wonder it aches! Great
Gillikens! Where am I?” He stared about wildly.
There was not a familiar object in sight. Indeed he
was in a dim, deep forest, and from the distance came
the sound of someone sawing wood.</p>
<p>“Oh! Oh! I know!” muttered the Prince, rubbing
his head miserably. “It’s that wretched scroll. I’ve
disappeared and this is the place I’ve disappeared to.”
Stiffly he got to his feet and started to walk in the
direction of the sawing, but had only gone a few steps
before he gave a cry of joy, for there, leaning up
against a tree, snoring like twenty wood-cutters at
work, was Kabumpo.</p>
<p>“Wake up!” cried Pompadore, pounding him with
all his might. “Wake up, Kabumpo. We’ve disappeared!”</p>
<p>“Have we?” yawned the Elegant Elephant, opening
one eye. “You don’t say? Hah, Hoh, Hum!” With
a tremendous yawn he opened the other eye and began
to chuckle and shake all over.</p>
<p>“We stole a march on ’em, Pompa. I’d like to see
the King’s face when he finds us gone. Old Pumper
will be Oyezing all over the palace. He’ll think we’ve
disappeared by magic.”</p>
<p>“Well, didn’t we?” asked Pompadore in amazement.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_52">52</div>
<p>“Not unless you call <i>me</i> magic. I carried you off in
the night. Did you suppose old Kabumpo was going
to stand quietly by while they married you to a faggotty
old fairy like Faleero? Not much,” wheezed the
Elegant Elephant. “I have other plans for you, little
one!”</p>
<p>“But this is terrible!” cried the Prince, catching
hold of a tree. “Here you have left my poor old
father, my lovely mother, and the whole Kingdom of
Pumperdink to disappear. We’ll have to go right
straight back—right straight back to Pumperdink.
Do you hear?”</p>
<p>“Do have a little sense!” Kabumpo shook himself
crossly. “You can’t save them by going back. The
thing to do is to go forward, find the Proper Princess
and marry her. No scroll magic takes effect for seven
days, anyway!”</p>
<p>“How do you know?” asked Pompa anxiously.</p>
<p>“Read it in a witch book,” answered Kabumpo
promptly. “Now, that gives us plenty of time to go to
the Emerald City and present ourselves to the lovely
ruler of Oz. There’s a Proper Princess for you,
Pompa!”</p>
<p>“But suppose she refuses me,” said the Prince uncertainly.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_53">53</div>
<p>“You’re very handsome, Pompa, my boy.” The Elegant
Elephant gave the Prince a playful poke with
his trunk. “I’ve brought all my jewels as gifts and
the magic mirror and door knob as well. If she
refuses you and the worst comes to the worst”—Kabumpo
cleared his throat gravely—“well—just
leave it to me!”</p>
<p>After a bit more coaxing and after eating the breakfast
Kabumpo had thoughtfully brought along, Pompa
allowed the Elegant Elephant to lift him on his head
and off they set at Kabumpo’s best speed for the
Emerald City of Oz.</p>
<p>Neither the Prince nor the Elegant Elephant had
ever been out of Pumperdink, but Kabumpo had found
an old map of Oz in the palace library. According to
this map, the Emerald City lay directly to the South of
their own country. “So all we have to do is to keep
going South,” chuckled Kabumpo softly. Pompadore
nodded, but he was trying to recall the exact words of
the mysterious scroll:</p>
<p>“Know Ye, that unless ye Prince of ye ancient and
honorable Kingdom of Pumperdink shall wed ye
Proper Fairy Princess in ye proper span of time ye
Kingdom of Pumperdink shall disappear forever and
even longer from ye Gilliken Country of Oz. <i>J. G.</i>”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_54">54</div>
<p>Pompadore repeated the words solemnly; then fell
a-thinking of all he had heard of Ozma of Oz, the loveliest
little fairy imaginable.</p>
<p>“She wouldn’t want one of her Kingdom to disappear,”
reflected Pompadore sagely. Now, as it happened,
Ozma did not even know of the existence of
Pumperdink. Oz is so large and inhabited by so many
strange and singular peoples that although fourteen
books of history have been written about it, only half
the story has been told. There are no Oz railway or
steamship lines and traveling is tedious and slow,
owing to the magic nature of the land itself, its many
mountains and fairy forests, so that Pumperdink, like
many of the small Kingdoms on the outskirts of Oz,
has never been explored by Ozma.</p>
<p>Oz itself is a huge oblong country divided into four
parts, the North being the purple Gilliken country, the
East the blue Munchkin country, the South the red
lands of the Quadlings, and the West the pleasant yellow
country of the Winkies. In the very center of Oz,
as almost every boy and girl knows, is the wonderful
Emerald City, and in its gorgeous green palace lives
Ozma, the lovely little Fairy Princess, whom Kabumpo
wanted Pompadore to marry.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_55">55</div>
<p>“Do you know,” mused the Prince, after they had
traveled some time through the dim forest, “I believe
that gold mirror has a lot to do with all this. I believe
it was put in the cake to help me find the Proper Princess.”</p>
<p>“Where would you find a more Proper Princess than
Ozma?” puffed Kabumpo indignantly. “Ozma is the
one—depend upon it!”</p>
<p>“Just the same,” said Pompa firmly, “I’m going to
try every Princess we meet!”</p>
<p>“Do you expect to find ’em running wild in the
woods?” snorted Kabumpo, who didn’t like to be contradicted.</p>
<p>“You never can tell.” The Prince of Pumperdink
settled back comfortably. Now that they were really
started, he was finding traveling extremely interesting.
“I should have done this long ago,” murmured
the Prince to himself. “Every Prince should go on a
journey of adventure.”</p>
<p>“How long will it take us to reach the Emerald
City?” he asked presently.</p>
<p>“Two days, if nothing happens,” answered Kabumpo.
“Say—what’s that?” He stopped short and
spread his ears till they looked like sails. The underbrush
at the right was crackling from the springs of
some large animal, and next minute a hoarse voice
roared:</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_56">56</div>
<div class="verse">
<p class="t0">“I want to know</p>
<p class="t">The which and what,</p>
<p class="t0">The where and how and why?</p>
<p class="t">A curious, luxurious</p>
<p class="t0">Old Cottabus am I!</p>
</div>
<div class="verse">
<p class="t0">I want to know the</p>
<p class="t">When and who,</p>
<p class="t0">The whatfor and whyso, Sir!</p>
<p class="t">So please attend, there is no end</p>
<p class="t0">To things I want to know, Sir!”</p>
</div>
<p>“Aha!” exulted the voice triumphantly. “There you
are!” And a great round head was thrust out, almost
in Kabumpo’s face. “Oh! I’m going to enjoy this.
Don’t move!”</p>
<p>Kabumpo was too astonished to move, and the next
instant the Cottabus had flounced out of the bushes
and settled itself directly in front of the two travelers.
It was large as a pony, but shaped like a great overfed
cat. Its eyes bulged unpleasantly and the end of its
tail ended in a large fan.</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_055.jpg" alt="The Cottabus was as large as a pony, but shaped like a great overfed cat" width="575" height="800" />
<p class="caption"><span class="sc">The Cottabus was as large as a pony, but shaped like a great overfed cat</span></p>
</div>
<p>“Well,” grunted Kabumpo after the strange creature
had regarded them for a full minute without
blinking.</p>
<p>“Well, what?” it asked, beginning to fan itself
sulkily. “You act as if you had never seen a Cottabus
before.”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_57">57</div>
<p>“We never have,” admitted Pompa, peering over
Kabumpo’s head and secretly wishing he had brought
along his jeweled sword.</p>
<p>“Why haven’t you?” asked the Cottabus, rolling up
its eyes. “How frightfully ignorant!” It closed its
fan tail with a snap and looked up at them disapprovingly.
“Will you kindly tell me who you are, where
you came from, when you came, what you are going
for, how you are going to get it, why you are going
and what you are going to do when you do get it!”</p>
<p>“I don’t see why we should tell you all that,” grumbled
Kabumpo. “It's none of your affair.”</p>
<p>“Wrong!” shrieked the creature hysterically. “It
is the business of a Cottabus to find out everything. I
live on other people’s affairs, and unless”—here it
paused, took a large handkerchief out of a pocket in its
fur and began to wipe its eyes—“unless a Cottabus
asks fifty questions a day it curls up in its porch rocker
and d-d-dies, and this is my fifth questionless day.”</p>
<p>“Curl up and die, then,” said Kabumpo gruffly.
But the kind-hearted Prince felt sorry for the foolish
creature.</p>
<p>“If we answer your questions, will you answer
ours?”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_58">58</div>
<p>“I’ll try,” sniffed the Curious Cottabus, and leaning
over it dragged a rocking chair out of the bushes and
seated itself comfortably.</p>
<p>“Well, then,” began Pompa, “this is the Elegant
Elephant and I am a Prince. We came from Pumperdink
because our Kingdom was threatened with disappearance
unless I marry a Proper Princess.”</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_058.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="600" height="405" />
</div>
<p>“Yes,” murmured the Cottabus, rocking violently.
“Yes, yes!”</p>
<p>“And we are going to the Emerald City to ask Princess
Ozma for her hand,” continued the Prince.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_59">59</div>
<p>“How do you know she is the one? When did this
happen? Who brought the message? What are you
going to do if Ozma refuses you?” asked the Cottabus,
leaning forward breathlessly.</p>
<p>“Are you going to stand talking to this ridiculous
creature all day?” grumbled Kabumpo. But Pompadore,
perhaps because he was so young, felt flattered
that even a curious old Cottabus should take such an
interest in his affairs. So beginning at the very beginning
he told the whole story of his birthday party.</p>
<p>“Yes, yes,” gulped the Cottabus wildly each time
the Prince paused for breath. “Yes, yes,” fluttering
its fan excitedly. When Pompadore had finished the
Cottabus leaned back, closed its eyes and put both
paws on the arms of the rocker. “I never heard anything
more curious in my life,” said the curious one.
“This will keep me amused for three days!”</p>
<p>“Of course—that’s what we’re here for—to amuse
you!” said Kabumpo scornfully. “Let's be going,
Pompa!”</p>
<p>“Perhaps the Curious Cottabus can tell us something
of the country ahead. Are there any Princesses
living ’round here?” the Prince asked eagerly.</p>
<p>“Never heard of any,” said the Cottabus, opening its
eyes. “Can you multiply—add—divide and subtract?
Are you good at fractions, Prince?”</p>
<p>“Not very,” admitted Pompadore, looking mystified.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_60">60</div>
<p>“Then you won’t make much headway,” sighed the
Cottabus, shaking its head solemnly. “Now, don’t ask
me why,” it added lugubriously, dragging its rocker
back into the brush, and while Kabumpo and Pompa
stared in amazement it wriggled away into the bushes.</p>
<p>“Come on,” cried Kabumpo with a contemptuous
grunt, but he had only gone a few steps when the
Curious Cottabus stuck its head out of an opening in
the trees just ahead. “When are you coming back?”
it asked, twitching its nose anxiously.</p>
<p>“Never!” trumpeted Kabumpo, increasing his
speed. Again the Cottabus disappeared, only to reappear
at the first turn in the road.</p>
<p>“Did you say the door knob hit you on the head?”
it asked pleadingly.</p>
<p>Kabumpo gave a snort of anger and rushed along so
fast that Pompa had to hang on for dear life.</p>
<p>“Guess we’ve left him behind this time,” spluttered
the Elegant Elephant, after he had run almost a mile.</p>
<p>But at that minute there was a wheeze from the
underbrush and the head of the Cottabus was thrust
out. Its tongue was hanging out and it was panting
with exhaustion. “How old are you?” it gasped rolling
its eyes pitifully. “Who was your grandfather on
your father’s side, and was he bald?”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_61">61</div>
<p>“Kerumberty Bumpus!” raged the Elegant Elephant,
flouncing to the other side of the road.</p>
<p>“But why was the door knob in the cake?” gulped
the Cottabus, two tears trickling off its nose.</p>
<p>“How should we know,” said Pompa coldly.</p>
<p>“Then just tell me the date of your birth,” wailed
the Cottabus, two tears trickling off its nose.</p>
<p>“No! No!” screamed Kabumpo, and this time he
ran so fast that the tearful voice of the Cottabus became
fainter and fainter and finally died away altogether.</p>
<p>“Provokingest creature I’ve ever met,” grumbled
the Elegant Elephant, and this time Pompa agreed
with him.</p>
<p>“Isn’t it almost lunch time?” asked the Prince. He
was beginning to feel terribly hungry.</p>
<p>“And aren’t there any villages or cities between here
and the Emerald City?” Pompa spoke again.</p>
<p>“Don’t know,” wheezed Kabumpo, swinging ahead.</p>
<p>“Oh! There’s a flag!” cried Pompa suddenly. “It’s
flying above the tree tops just ahead.”</p>
<p>And so it was—a huge, flapping black flag covered
with hundreds of figures and signs.</p>
<p>“Hurry up, Kabumpo,” urged the Prince. “This
looks interesting.”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_62">62</div>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_062.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="500" height="536" />
</div>
<h2 id="c5"><span class="smaller">Chapter 5</span>
<br />In The City of The Figure Heads</h2>
<p>“It reminds me of something disagreeable,” answered
Kabumpo, as he eyed the flag. Nevertheless
he quickened his steps and in a moment they came
to a clearing in the forest, surrounded by a tall black
picket fence. The only thing visible above the fence
was the strange black flag, and as the forest on either
side was too dense to penetrate and there seemed to
be no way around, Kabumpo thumped loudly on the
center gate.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_63">63</div>
<p>It was flung open at once, so suddenly that
Kabumpo, who had his head pressed against the bars,
fell on his knees and shot Pompadore clear over his
head. Altogether it was a very undignified entrance.</p>
<p>“Oh! Oh! Now we shall have some fun!” screamed
a high, thin voice, and immediately the cry was taken
up by hundreds of other voices. A perfect swarm of
strange creatures surrounded the two travelers. The
Elegant Elephant took one look, put back his ears and
snatched Pompa from the paving stones.</p>
<p>“Stop that!” he rumbled threateningly. “Who are
you anyway?” The crowd paid no attention to the
Elegant Elephant’s question, but continued to dance
up and down and scream with glee. Clutching Kabumpo’s
ear, Pompa peered down with many misgivings.
They were entirely surrounded by thin, spry
little people, who had figures instead of heads, and the
fours, eights, sevens and ciphers bobbing up and down
made it terribly confusing.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_64">64</div>
<p>“Let’s go!” said Pompa, who was growing dizzier
every minute. But the Figure Heads were wedged so
closely around them Kabumpo could not move and
they were shouting so lustily that the Elegant Elephant’s
voice was drowned in the hubbub. Finally,
Kabumpo’s eyes began to snap angrily and, taking a
deep breath, he threw up his trunk and trumpeted like
fifty ferry-boat whistles. The effect was immediate
and astonishing. Half of the Figure Heads fell on
their faces, and the other half fell on their backs and
stared vacantly up at the sky.</p>
<p>“Conduct us to your Ruler!” roared Kabumpo, in
the dead silence that followed.</p>
<p>“How’d you know we had a Ruler?” asked a Seven,
getting cautiously to its feet.</p>
<p>“Most countries have,” said the Elegant Elephant
shortly.</p>
<p>“He’s got no right to order us around,” said a Six,
sitting up and jerking its thumb at Kabumpo.</p>
<p>“Yes—but!” Seven frowned at Six and put his
hands over his ears. “This way,” he said gruffly, and
Kabumpo, stepping carefully, for many of the Figure
Heads were still on their backs, followed Seven.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_65">65</div>
<p>If the inhabitants of this strange city were queer,
their city was even more so. The air was dry and
choky and the houses were dull, oblong affairs, set in
rows and rows with never a garden in sight. Each
street had a large signpost on the corner, but they
were not like the signs one usually sees in cities.
For these were <i>plus</i> and <i>minus</i> signs with here and
there a <i>long division</i> sign.</p>
<p>“I suppose everything in this street’s divided up,”
mumbled Pompadore, looking up at a division sign
curiously.</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_065.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="600" height="412" />
</div>
<p>“Hope they don’t subtract any of our belongings,”
whispered Kabumpo, as they turned into Minus Alley.
“Look, Pompa, at the houses. Ever see anything like
’em before?”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_66">66</div>
<p>“They remind me of something disagreeable,”
mused the Prince. “Why, they’re <i>books</i>, Kabumpo,
great big arithmetic books!” Pompa pointed at one.</p>
<p>“You mean they are shaped like books,” said the
Elegant Elephant. “I never saw books with windows
and doors!”</p>
<p>“A lot you know!” said Seven, looking back scornfully,
but Kabumpo was too interested to care. Out of
the windows of the big book houses leaped hundreds
of the little Figure Heads, and they laughed and
jeered at Pompa and Kabumpo.</p>
<p>“Ho! Ho!” yelled one, leaning out so far it nearly
fell on its Eight. “Wait till the Count sees ’em. He’ll
make an example of ’em!”</p>
<p>“What an awful country,” whispered Pompadore,
ducking just in time, as a Four snatched at his hair
from an open window. But just then they turned a
corner and entered a large gloomy court. Sitting on a
square and solid wood throne, surrounded by a guard
of Figure Heads, sat the Giant Ruler of this strange
city.</p>
<p>“What have you got there, Seven?” roared the
Ruler.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_67">67</div>
<p>“I am the Elegant Elephant and this is the Prince
of Pumperdink,” announced Kabumpo before Seven
could answer. Pompadore, himself, could say nothing
for he had never before been addressed by a wooden
Ruler in his life. And that is exactly what the King
of the Figure Heads was—an ordinary school ruler,
twice as large as a man, with arms and legs and a great
square head set atop of his thin flat body.</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_067.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="600" height="424" />
</div>
<p>“I don’t care a rap <i>who</i> you are. I want to know
<i>what</i> you are?” said the Ruler.</p>
<p>“We are travelers,” spoke up Pompa, swallowing
hard—“travelers in search of a Proper Princess.”</p>
<p>“Well, you won’t find any here,” grunted the Ruler
shortly. “We don’t believe in ’em!”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_68">68</div>
<p>“Would you mind telling me the name of your Kingdom,”
asked Pompa, somewhat cast down by these
words.</p>
<p>“You have no heads,” announced the Ruler calmly,
“or you would have known that this is Rith Metic. <i>I</i>,”
he hammered himself upon the wooden chest—“I am
its Ruler and every inch a King—King of the Figure
Heads,” he added, glaring around as if he expected
someone to contradict him.</p>
<p>“All right! All right!” wheezed Kabumpo, bowing
his head twice. “I knew twelve inches made a foot
rule, but I never knew they made a King Rule. But
could you give us some luncheon and allow us to pass
peaceably through your Kingdom?”</p>
<p>“Pass through!” exclaimed the King, standing up
indignantly. “We don’t pass anyone through here.
You’ve got to work your way through. Pass through,
indeed! And when you’ve worked your way through
we’ll put you in a problem and make an example of
you.”</p>
<p>“They’ll make a very good example, your Majesty,”
said a tall thin individual standing next to the Ruler.
He eyed the two cunningly. “If a thin Prince sets out
on a fat elephant to find a Proper Princess, how many
yards of fringe will the elephant lose from his robe and
how bald will the Prince be at the end of the journey?
I don’t believe anyone could figure that out,” he murmured
gleefully.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_69">69</div>
<p>“It might be done by subtraction,” said the King,
looking at the two critically.</p>
<p>“Great hay stacks!” rumbled Kabumpo, glaring
over his shoulder to see if he had lost any fringe so far.
“What have we gotten into?”</p>
<p>“Bald!” gulped Pompa, rubbing his head. “Do you
mean to say you take poor innocent travelers and
make them into arithmetic problems?”</p>
<p>“Why not?” said the thin one, who looked exactly
like a giant lead pencil. “And please address me as
Count, after this—Count It Up is my name. What’s
the matter with living in a problem, my boy? Life is
a problem, after all, and you will get used to it in time.
I’ll try to assign you to a comfortable book and you’ll
find book-keeping a lot more simple than house-keeping.
This way, please!”</p>
<p>“Please go,” yawned the Ruler, waving his hand.
“The Count will take you in charge now.” And so
dazed was the Elegant Elephant by all this strange
reasoning that he tamely followed the lead pencil person.</p>
<p>“Good-bye!” shouted the Ruler hoarsely. “Start
them on simple additions,” he said as they moved off.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_70">70</div>
<p>The street ahead was filled with Figure Heads and
as Kabumpo paused they began forming themselves
into sums. The first row sat down, the next knelt
behind them, the third stood up, the fourth nimbly
leaped upon the shoulders of the third, and so on,
until a long addition confronted the travelers.</p>
<p>“Now,” said Count It Up in his blunt way, “as you
haven’t figures for heads, let us see if you have heads
for figures.” Kabumpo pushed back his pearl headdress
and drops of perspiration began to run down his
trunk. Prince Pompa, lying flat on Kabumpo’s head,
started to add up the first line of figures.</p>
<p>“Eighty-three,” he announced anxiously.</p>
<p>“Say three and eight to carry,” snapped Count It
Up. “Here, Three!” A Three stepped out of the
crowd and placed itself under the line. “I’ve got to be
carried!” cried Eight, looking sulkily at Pompa.</p>
<p>“Carried!” snorted Kabumpo, snatching Eight into
the air. “Well, I’ll attend to you. You do the adding,
Pompa, and I’ll do the carrying.”</p>
<p>He landed the Eight head down at the bottom of the
line of Figure Heads and swung his trunk carelessly
while he waited for his next victim. So, slowly and
painfully, Pompa counted up the long lines and Kabumpo
carried and if they made the slightest mistake
the Figure Heads shouted with scorn and danced
about till the confusion was terrible. When an example
was finished, the Figure Heads in it marched
away but another would immediately form lines ahead
so that it took them a whole hour to go two blocks.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_71">71</div>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_071.jpg" alt="Slowly and Painfully Pompa Counted up the Long Lines" width="500" height="707" />
<p class="caption"><span class="sc">Slowly and Painfully Pompa Counted up the Long Lines</span></p>
</div>
<div class="pb" id="Page_72">72</div>
<p>“Oh!” groaned Pompa at last, “We’ll never get
through this, Kabumpo. Look at those awful fractions
ahead! Can’t I skip fractions?” he asked looking
pleadingly at Count It Up.</p>
<p>“Certainly not!” said the pencilly man stroking his
shiny hair, which was straight and black and grew up
into a sharp point. “You shall skip nothing!”</p>
<p>“That gives me an idea,” whispered Kabumpo huskily.
“Why shouldn’t we skip altogether? We’re
bigger than they are. Why—”</p>
<p>“How are you getting on?” At the sound of that
hoarse, familiar voice both the Prince and Kabumpo
jumped.</p>
<p>“You don’t mind me asking, I hope?” Clinging to
the high picket fence and looking anxiously through
the bars was the Curious Cottabus.</p>
<p>“Have you found the Greatest Common Divisor
yet?”</p>
<p>“Who’s he?” asked the Elegant Elephant suspiciously.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_73">73</div>
<p>“Isn’t there any way out of Rith Metic but this?”
wailed Pompa, looking at the Cottabus pleadingly.
He was too tired to mind being questioned.</p>
<p>The curious beast was delighted to have this new
opportunity to talk to the travelers.</p>
<p>“Will you answer a few questions if I tell you?”
asked the Cottabus, raising itself with great difficulty
and looking over the palings.</p>
<p>“Yes—yes—anything,” promised Pompa.</p>
<p>“Do you care for strawberry tarts?” asked the Cottabus,
twitching its nose very rapidly.</p>
<p>“Of course,” said the Prince. “Oh! Do hurry. Count
It Up will be back in a moment!” He had run ahead to
arrange a new problem and the rest of the Figure
Heads paid no attention to the queer creature clinging
to the palings.</p>
<p>“Are you going to invite the Scarecrow to your wedding?”
gulped the Cottabus.</p>
<p>“I don’t know any Scarecrow,” said Pompa, “so
how could I?”</p>
<p>“Are you fond of that old elephant?” The Cottabus
waved at Kabumpo, who stamped first one foot then
another and fairly snorted with rage.</p>
<p>“All right,” sighed the Curious Cottabus, “that
makes my fifty questions.”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_74">74</div>
<p>Hanging on to the fence with one paw it waved the
other backward and forward as it chanted:</p>
<div class="verse">
<p class="t0">“How many tics in Rith Metic?</p>
<p class="t0">Tell me that and tell me quick!</p>
<p class="t0">But if you can’t it’s not my fault,</p>
<p class="t0">So simply turn a wintersault!”</p>
</div>
<p>The head of the Cottabus disappeared.</p>
<p>“Now isn’t that provoking,” gulped the Prince.
“After it promised to help us, too!”</p>
<p>“I meant summersault,” wheezed the Cottabus, reappearing
suddenly—</p>
<div class="verse">
<p class="t0">“And if you can’t it’s not your fault,</p>
<p class="t0">So simply turn a summersault!”</p>
</div>
<p class="pnindent">it recited dolefully, and losing its balance fell off the
fence and landed with a thud on the ground below.</p>
<p>“Here! Hurry along!” scolded Count It Up, prodding
Kabumpo with a sharp pencil. “The next is a
nice little problem in fractions.”</p>
<p>“I wonder if it meant anything?” mused Pompadore,
as Kabumpo approached the new problem. “’If
you can’t its not your fault, so simply turn a summersault.’
Anyway it wouldn’t hurt to try. Stop a minute,
Kabumpo!”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_75">75</div>
<p>Sliding down the Elegant Elephant’s trunk, the
Prince put his head on the ground and very carefully
and deliberately turned a somersault. At his first
motion Count It Up gave a deafening scream, fell on
his head and broke off his point, while the Figure
Heads began to run in every direction.</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_077.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="600" height="320" />
</div>
<div class="pb" id="Page_76">76</div>
<p>“Do it again! Do it again!” cried Kabumpo joyfully.
So Pompa turned another somersault and
another, and another, and <i>another</i>, till not a Figure
Head was in sight. Even the Figure Heads at the windows
of the houses tumbled out and dashed madly
around the corner. Before they could return, Kabumpo
snatched up Pompa and tore through the deserted
streets of Rith Metic till he came to the black
iron gate at the other end of the city. Butting it open
with his head, the Elegant Elephant dashed through
and never stopped running till he was miles away from
there.</p>
<p>“Have to rest a bit and eat some leaves,” puffed
Kabumpo, at last slowing down. “Whe—w!”</p>
<p>“Wish I could eat leaves,” sighed the Prince, as
Kabumpo began lunching off the tree tops. “But,
never mind, we’re out of Rith Metic! Wasn’t it lucky
that Cottabus followed us? I never would have
thought of getting out of sums by somersaulting.
Would you?”</p>
<p>“Only sensible thing it ever said, probably,” answered
the Elegant Elephant, with his mouth full of
leaves. “There’s a lot more to be learned by traveling
than by studying, my boy. Somersaults for
sums—let’s always remember that!”</p>
<p>Pompa did not answer. He slid down Kabumpo’s
trunk and began hunting anxiously around for something
to eat. Not far away he found a large nut tree
and, gathering a handful of nuts, he sat down and
began to crack them on a white marble slab near by.
Next instant Kabumpo heard a thud and a muffled cry.</p>
<p>The Prince of Pumperdink had vanished, as if by
magic.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_77">77</div>
<p>“Where are you?” screamed the Elegant Elephant,
pounding through the brush. “Pompa! Pompa!
He’s disappeared,” gasped Kabumpo, rushing over to
the marble slab. There was not a sign of the Royal
Prince of Pumperdink anywhere, but carved carefully
on the white stone were these words:</p>
<div class="box">
<p class="center">Please Knock Before You Fall In.</p>
</div>
<p>“Fall in!” snorted Kabumpo, his eyes rolling wildly.
“Great Gooch!”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_78">78</div>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_080.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="500" height="519" />
</div>
<h2 id="c6"><span class="smaller">Chapter 6</span>
<br />Ruggedo’s History In Six Rocks</h2>
<p>On the same night that Prince Pompa and Kabumpo
had disappeared from Pumperdink, a little
gray gnome crouched in a deep chamber, tunneled
under the Emerald City, laboriously carving letters on
a big rock. It was Ruggedo, the old Gnome King,
carving and grumbling and grumbling and carving,
and pausing every few minutes to light his pipe with
a hot coal which he kept in his pocket for that purpose.
A big emerald lamp cast a green glow over the
strange cavern and made the gnome look like a bad
green goblin, which he was.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_79">79</div>
<p>“Wag!” screamed the gnome, suddenly throwing
down his chisel. “Where are you, you long-eared villain?”
There was a slight stir at the back of the cave
and a rabbit, of about the same size as the gnome, shuffled
slowly forward.</p>
<p>“What you want?” he asked, rubbing one eye with
his paw.</p>
<p>“Bring me a cup of melted mud, idiot!” roared the
gnome, pounding on the rock. “And serve it to me
on my throne at once!”</p>
<p>“Now, see here,” the rabbit twitched his nose rapidly,
“I’ll get you a cup of melted mud, but don’t you
call me an idiot. I don’t mind working for one, nor
digging for one and listening to his foolishness, but
nobody can call me an idiot—not even a make-believe
King!”</p>
<p>“Oh, you make me tired!” fumed the gnome.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_80">80</div>
<p>“Then go to sleep,” advised the rabbit with a yawn.
“What’s the use of trying to pretend you’re a King,
Rug? Ho, ho! King over one wooden doll, six rocks
and twenty-seven sofa cushions! You may have been
a King once, but now you’re just a plain gnome and
nothing else, and if you go and sit quietly in your plain
rocking chair I’ll bring you a cup of plain mud.”</p>
<p>With a chuckle, the rabbit retired, and Ruggedo,
spluttering with fury, flounced into a doll’s broken
rocker that was set in the exact center of the cave.</p>
<p>“Here I give that rabbit everything I steal and he
won’t even allow me the little luxury of calling him an
idiot or of pulling his ears. How can I pretend to be
a King without an ear to pull?” grumbled the gnome.</p>
<p>“What are you grinning at?” Bouncing out of his
chair, Ruggedo flew at a merry-faced wooden doll who
sat propped up against the wall and shook her till her
head turned round backwards and her arms and legs
flew every which way. Then he hurled her violently
into a corner. Quite out of breath he sank back in his
chair and stared angrily about.</p>
<p>When Wag returned the gnome snatched the tin cup
of melted mud and tossed it down with one gulp. Then,
flinging the cup at the doll, he went back to work.</p>
<p>The rabbit shook his head mournfully and, picking
up the wooden doll, straightened her out and placed
her on a cushion. Then, yawning again, he lit a candle
and started for the passage at the back of the cave.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_81">81</div>
<p>“How are you getting on?” he asked, pausing to
look over the gnome’s shoulder with a grin.</p>
<p>“Fine!” answered Ruggedo, forgetting to scowl.
“I’m up to the sixth rock and expect to finish to-night.”</p>
<p>“Who do you think will read it?” asked the rabbit,
putting back both ears and stroking his whiskers.
Then he gave a great spring, just escaped the chisel
Ruggedo had flung at his head, and pattered away into
the darkness. For several minutes the gnome danced
up and down with fury. Then, as there was no one
to pinch or shake, he started to work harder than ever
on the sixth rock of his history. There were six of
the great stones set in a row on one side of the cavern
and the carving on them had taken the old gnome
King the best part of two years. The letters were
crooked and roughly chiseled, but quite readable. On
the first rock he had carved:</p>
<div class="box">
<p class="center">History of Ruggedo in Six Rocks</p>
<p class="center">Ruggedo the Rough—King of the Gnomes</p>
<p class="pnindent">One time Metal Monarch, at other times a
Limoneag, a goose, a nut, and now a common
gnome by order of
<span class="jr"><i>Ozma of Oz.</i></span></p>
</div>
<div class="pb" id="Page_82">82</div>
<p>The second rock told of Ruggedo’s magnificent
Kingdom under the mountains of Ev, of the thousands
of gnomes he had ruled and the great treasure of precious
gems he had possessed, in those good old days
before he was banished from his dominions.</p>
<p>The third rock told of his transformation of the
Queen of Ev and her children into ornaments for his
palace and of their rescue by a party from Oz, through
the cleverness of Billina, a yellow hen. It told of the
loss of his Magic Belt which was captured at this same
time by Dorothy, a little girl from Kansas.</p>
<p>The fourth rock related how Ruggedo had tried to
conquer Oz and recover his belt; how all of his plans
failed and how he tumbled into the Fountain of Oblivion
and forgot all about his campaign.</p>
<p>The fifth rock had taken Ruggedo the longest to
carve, for it gave the story of his banishment by the
Great Jinn Titihoochoo. You have probably read this
story yourself. How Tik Tok, Betsy Bobbin, Shaggyman
and Polychrome, trying to find Shaggy’s brother,
hidden in the Gnome King’s metal forest, were thrown
down a long tube to the other side of the world, and
how the owner of the tube sent Quox, the dragon, to
punish Ruggedo by banishment from his Kingdom and
how Kaliko was made King of the Gnomes.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_83">83</div>
<p>The sixth rock told of Ruggedo’s last attempt to capture
Oz. Meeting Kiki Aru, a Highup boy who knew
a magic transformation word, Ruggedo suggested that
they change themselves to Limoneags—queer beasts
with lion heads, monkey tails and eagle wings—get all
the beasts of Oz to help and march on the Emerald
City. But this plan failed, too. Kiki lost his temper
and changed Ruggedo to a goose, the Wizard of
Oz discovered the magic word and changed both the
conspirators to nuts. Later on they were changed back
to their normal shapes, but again Ruggedo was
plunged into the Fountain of Oblivion and again forgot
his wicked plans. This ended the rock history, except
for a short sentence stating that Ruggedo now lived in
the Emerald City.</p>
<p>But the magic of the Fountain of Oblivion had soon
worn off and it was not long before Ruggedo began to
remember his past wickedness. That is why he decided
to carve his life story in rock, so that it would
be handy should he ever fall into the forgetful fountain
again. And it had taken six rocks to tell all of
his adventures. He had not carved these stories just
as they had happened, nor ever called himself wicked,
but he had told most of the facts, leaving out the parts
most unflattering to himself. And now it was finished—his
whole history in six rocks. Throwing down his
chisel for the last time, Ruggedo straightened up and
regarded his work with glowing pride.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_84">84</div>
<p>“I don’t believe there’s another history like this in
all Oz,” puffed the gnome, tugging at his silver beard.</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_086.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="600" height="418" />
</div>
<p>“It’s a good thing,” chuckled Wag, who had come
back to eat a carrot. “Oz would not be a very happy
place if there were many folks like you.”</p>
<p>He seated himself quietly on the first rock of Ruggedo’s
history, and began nibbling his carrot.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_85">85</div>
<p>“Get up! How dare you sit on my history?” Ruggedo
stamped his foot and started threateningly toward
Wag.</p>
<p>“All right,” said the rabbit, “it’s too hard, anyway.”</p>
<p>“Of course it’s hard,” stormed Ruggedo. “I’ve had
a hard life; hard as those rocks. Everybody’s been
against me from the very start, and all because I’m so
little,” he finished bitterly.</p>
<p>“No, because you are so wicked,” said the rabbit
calmly. “Now, don’t throw your pipe at me, for you
know it’s the truth.”</p>
<p>Ruggedo glared at the rabbit for a minute, then
rushed over to the wooden doll, and began shaking her
furiously. He always vented his rage on the wooden
doll.</p>
<p>“Stop that,” screamed Wag, “or I’ll leave upon the
spot. You ought to be ashamed of yourself. You old
scrabble-scratch.”</p>
<p>“She’s not alive,” snapped Ruggedo sulkily.</p>
<p>“How do you know?” retorted the rabbit. “Anyway,
she’s a jolly creature. I’m not going to have her
banged around. Here you’ve taken her away from her
little mother, and she hasn’t even anyone to rock her
to sleep.”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_86">86</div>
<p>“I’ll rock her to sleep,” screamed Ruggedo, maliciously.
And flinging the doll on the floor he began
hurling small rocks at the helpless little figure.</p>
<p>Scrambling to his feet, Wag rescued the wooden doll
again, and Ruggedo, who really was afraid the rabbit
would leave him, subsided into his rocking chair. Then
reaching up to a small shelf over his head, he pulled
down an accordion. At the first doleful wheeze Wag
gave a great hop, dropped Peg and disappeared into
his room in the farthest corner of the cave.</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_088.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="600" height="424" />
</div>
<div class="pb" id="Page_87">87</div>
<p>After his last attempt to capture Oz, the gnome had
been given a small cottage to live in, just outside the
Emerald City. But Ruggedo could not bear life above
ground. The sunlight hurt his eyes, and the contented,
happy faces of the people hurt his feelings, for
he was exactly what Wag had called him—an old
scrabble-scratch. So, while he pretended to live in the
little cottage, according to Ozma’s orders, he really
spent most of his time in this deep, dark cave. He
entered it by a secret passage, opening from his cellar.</p>
<p>Digging the long passage had been the hardest work
Ruggedo had ever done in his bad little life. While
toiling one day, he had bumped into the underground
burrow of Wag, a wandering rabbit of Oz, and after a
deal of bargaining, the rabbit had agreed to help him.
Wag was to receive a ruby a month for his services,
for the gnome still had a large bag of precious stones,
which he had brought from the old Kingdom. After
the bargain with Wag was made, the passage progressed
rapidly, for the rabbit was an expert digger.</p>
<p>It was Ruggedo’s idea to tunnel himself out a secret
chamber, directly under Ozma’s palace, and there
establish a kingdom of his own. But when they had
almost reached the spot, the earth began to crumble
away, and a few strokes of Ruggedo’s spade revealed
a great dark cavern, already tunneled by someone
else. It was huge and the exact shape of the royal
palace. This Ruggedo discovered by careful measurement,
and also that it was directly beneath the gorgeous
green edifice, so that the footsteps of the
servants could be heard faintly, pattering to and fro.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_88">88</div>
<p>This dark, underground retreat suited the former
Gnome King exactly and, without stopping to wonder
to whom it had belonged, Ruggedo gleefully took possession.
For almost two years he had lived here without
anyone suspecting it, but so far his kingdom had
not progressed very well. Wag had tried to coax some
of his rabbit relations to serve the old gnome as subjects,
but Ruggedo, besides his terrible temper, had a
mean habit of pulling their ears, so that the whole
crew had deserted the first week. He had pulled
Wag’s ears once, but the rabbit tore out a pawful of
his whiskers, and bit him so severely in the leg that
Ruggedo had never dared to try it again.</p>
<p>Wag had stayed partly because Ruggedo amused
him and partly because of the bribes, for every day,
in fear of losing his only retainer, Ruggedo brought
Wag something from the Emerald City—something
he had stolen! In return, Wag waited on the bad little
gnome and listened to his grumblings against everybody
in Oz. All the furnishings of this strange cave
had been stolen from various houses in the Emerald
City. The twenty-seven brocade cushions had been
taken, one at a time from the palace; the green emerald
lamp also. Every day Ruggedo ran innocently
about the city, pretending to visit this one and that,
and every day cups, spoons, and candlesticks disappeared.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_89">89</div>
<p>The doll’s rocker, which Ruggedo insisted upon calling
his throne, had been taken from Betsy Bobbin, a
little girl who lived with Ozma in the palace. He had
lugged it through the secret passage with great difficulty.
The wooden doll had been stolen from Trot,
another of Ozma’s companions. She was Trot’s favorite
doll, for she had been carved out of wood by Captain
Bill, an old one-legged sailor, who was one of the
most celebrated characters in all Oz. He had carved
her for Trot one day when they were on a picnic in the
Winkie Country, from the wood of a small yellow tree,
and as Captain Bill had old-fashioned notions, Peg was
a very old-fashioned doll. But she had splendid joints
and could sit down and stand up. Her face was
painted and as pleasant as laughing blue eyes, a
turned-up nose, and a smiling mouth could make it.
Trot had dressed her in a funny, old-fashioned dress,
with pantalettes, and then, thinking Peg too short a
name, the little girl had added Amy, because she was
so amiable, she confided laughingly to the old sailor.
Captain Bill had wagged his head understandingly,
and Peg Amy had straightway become the most popular
doll in the palace; that is, until she disappeared,
for Ruggedo had found her one day in the garden and,
chuckling wickedly, had carried her off to his cave.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_90">90</div>
<p>How Trot would have felt if she had seen her poor
doll being shaken and scolded by the old Gnome King!
But Trot never knew. She hunted and hunted for her
doll, and finally gave up in despair. Fortunately, Peg
was well made, or she would have been shaken to bits,
but her joints held bravely, and nothing—not even
the terrible scolding of the bad old gnome—could
change her pleasant expression.</p>
<p>Being the sole subject of so wicked a King, however,
was wearing even for a wooden doll, and Peg was
beginning to show signs of wear. Her nose was badly
chipped, one pantalette was missing, and both sleeves
had been jerked from her dress by the furious old
gnome. If the rabbit was around, Ruggedo did not
shake Peg as hard as he wanted to, but when the rabbit
was gone, he pretended she was his old steward, Kaliko,
and scolded and flung her about to his heart’s
content.</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_091.jpg" alt="Ruggedo scolded and flung Peg about furiously" width="545" height="800" />
<p class="caption"><span class="sc">Ruggedo scolded and flung Peg about furiously</span></p>
</div>
<div class="pb" id="Page_91">91</div>
<p>When not carving his history or shaking Peg, Ruggedo
had spent most of his time digging new tunnels
and chambers, so that leading off from the main cavern
was a perfect network of underground passages. In
the back of Ruggedo’s head was a notion that some
day he would conquer the Emerald City, regain his
magic powers and then, after changing all the inhabitants
to mouldy muffins, return to his dominions and
oust Kaliko from his throne. Just how this was to
be done, he had not decided, but the secret passages
would be useful. So meanwhile he dug secret
passages.</p>
<p>Above ground the little rascal went about so meekly
and pretended to be so delighted with his life among
the inhabitants of the Emerald City, that Ozma really
thought he had reformed. Wag, to whom he confided
his plans, would shake his head gloomily and often
planned to leave the services of the wicked old gnome.
There was no real harm in Wag, but the rabbit had a
weakness for collecting, and the spoons, cups and odds
and ends that Ruggedo brought him from the Emerald
City filled him with delight. He felt that they were
not gotten honestly, but his work for Ruggedo was
honest and hard, “and it’s not my fault if the old
scrabble-scratch steals ’em,” Wag would mumble to
himself. In his heart he knew that he was doing
wrong to stay with Ruggedo, but like all foolish creatures
he could not make up his mind to go. So this
very night, while the old gnome sat playing the accordion
and howling doleful snatches of the Gnome National
Air, Wag was gloating over his treasures. They
quite filled his little dug-out room. There were two
emerald plates, a gold pencil, a dozen china cups and
saucers, twenty thimbles stolen from the work baskets
of the good dames of Oz, scraps of silk, pictures
and almost everything you could imagine.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_92">92</div>
<p>“I’ll soon have enough to marry and go to house-keeping
on,” murmured the rabbit, clasping his paws
and twitching his nose very fast. He picked up a
pair of purple wool socks that had once belonged to a
little girl’s doll and regarded them rapturously. Out
of all the articles Ruggedo had given him, Wag considered
these purple socks the most valuable, perhaps
because they exactly fitted him and were the only
things he could really use. The squeaking of the accordion
stopped at last and, supposing his wicked little
master had retired for the night, Wag prepared to
enjoy himself. Draping a green silk scarf over his
shoulders, he strutted before the mirror, pretending he
was a Courtier of Oz. Then, throwing down the scarf,
he sat down on the floor and had just drawn on one
of the socks when a loud shrill scream from Ruggedo
made his ears stand straight on end in amazement.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_93">93</div>
<p>“What now?” coughed the rabbit, seizing the candle.
Ruggedo was on his knees before the rocking
chair.</p>
<p>“As I was sitting here, playing and singing,” spluttered
the old gnome, “I noticed a little ring in one of
the rocks on the floor!”</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_095.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="600" height="412" />
</div>
<p>“Well, what of it?” sniffed Wag, leaning down to
pull up his sock.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_94">94</div>
<p>“What of it?” shrieked the gnome. “What of it,
you poor, puny earth worm! Look!” Leaning over
Ruggedo’s shoulder and dropping hot candle grease
down the gnome’s neck, Wag peered into a square
opening in the floor. There lay a small gold box.
Studded in gems on the lid were these words:</p>
<div class="box">
<p class="center">Glegg’s Box of Mixed Magic.</p>
</div>
<p>“Mixed magic!” stuttered Wag, dropping the candle.
“Oh, my socks and soup spoons!”</p>
<p>Ruggedo said nothing, but his little red eyes blazed
maliciously. Reaching down, he lifted out the box
and, clasping it to his fat little stomach, shook his fist
at the high domed ceiling of the cave.</p>
<p>“Now!” hissed Ruggedo triumphantly. “Now we
shall see what mixed magic will do to the Emerald
City of Oz!”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_95">95</div>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_097.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="500" height="484" />
</div>
<h2 id="c7"><span class="smaller">Chapter 7</span>
<br />Sir Hokus And The Giants</h2>
<p>“Oh!” sighed Sir Hokus of Pokes and Oz, stretching
his armored legs to the fire. “How I yearn to
slay a giant! How it would refresh me! Hast any real
giants in Oz, Dorothy?”</p>
<p>“Don’t you remember the candy giant?” laughed
the little girl, looking up from the handkerchief she
was making for Ozma.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_96">96</div>
<p>“Not to my taste,” said the Knight, “though his vest
buttons were vastly nourishing.”</p>
<p>“Well, there’s Mr. Yoop—he’s a real blood-and-bone
giant. There are plenty of giants, I guess, if we
knew just where to find them!” said the little girl,
biting off her thread.</p>
<div class="verse">
<p class="t0">“Find ’em—bind ’em,</p>
<p class="t0">Get behind ’em!</p>
<p class="t0">Hokus Pokus</p>
<p class="t0">He don’t mind ’em!”</p>
</div>
<p class="pnindent">screamed the Patch Work Girl, bounding out of her
chair. “But why can’t you stay peaceably at home,
old Iron Sides, and be jolly like the rest of us?”</p>
<p>“You don’t understand, Scraps,” put in Dorothy
gravely. “Sir Hokus is a Knight and it is a true
Knight’s duty to slay giants and dragons and go on
quests!”</p>
<p>“<i>That</i> it is, my Lady Patches!” boomed Sir Hokus,
puffing out his chest. “I’ve rusted here in idleness
long enough. To-morrow, with Ozma’s permission, I
shall start on a giant quest.”</p>
<p>“I’d go with you, only I’ve promised to help Ozma
count the royal emeralds,” said the Scarecrow, who
had ridden over from his Corn-Ear residence to spend
a week with his old friends in the Emerald City.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_97">97</div>
<div class="verse">
<p class="t0">“Giants, Sir, are bluff and rude</p>
<p class="t0">And might mistake a man for food!</p>
</div>
<div class="verse">
<p class="t0">Hokus Pokus, be discreet,</p>
<p class="t0">Or you will soon be giant meat!”</p>
</div>
<p class="pnindent">chuckled the Patch Work Girl, crooking her finger
under the Knight’s nose.</p>
<p>“Nonsense!” blustered Sir Hokus, waving Scraps
aside. Rising from his green arm chair, he strode up
and down the room, his armor clanking at every step.
Straightway the company began to tell about wild
giants they had read of or known. Trot and Betsy
Bobbin held hands as they sat together on the sofa, and
Toto, Dorothy’s small dog, crept closer to his little
mistress, the bristles on his back rising higher as each
story was finished. “Giant stories are all very well,
but why tell ’em at night?” shivered Toto, peering
nervously at the long shadows in the corners of the
room.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_98">98</div>
<p>It was the evening after Ruggedo’s strange discovery
of the mixed magic and in the royal palace Ozma
and most of the Courtiers had retired. But a few of
Princess Dorothy’s special friends had gathered in the
cozy sitting-room of her apartment to talk about old
times. They were very unusual and interesting
friends, not at all the sort one would expect to find in
a royal palace, even in Fairyland. Dorothy, herself,
before she had become a Princess of Oz, had been a
little girl from Kansas but, after several visits to this
delightful country, she had preferred to make Oz her
home.</p>
<p>Trot and Betsy Bobbin also had come from the
United States by way of shipwrecks, so to speak, and
had been invited to remain by Ozma, the little fairy
Princess who ruled Oz, and now each of these girls
had a cozy little apartment in the royal palace. Toto
had come with Dorothy, but the rest of the company
were of more or less magic extraction.</p>
<p>The Scarecrow, a stuffed straw person, with a marvelous
set of mixed brains given to him by the Wizard
of Oz, was Dorothy’s favorite. In fact she had discovered
him herself upon a Munchkin farm, lifted him
down from his bean pole and brought him to the
Emerald City. Tik Tok was a wonderful man made
entirely of copper, who could talk, think and act as
well as the next fellow when properly wound. You
would have been amazed to hear the giant story he
was ticking off at this very minute. As for Scraps,
she had been made by a magician’s wife out of old
pieces of patch-work and magically brought to life.
Her bright patches, yarn hair and silver suspender
button eyes gave Scraps so comical an expression that
just to look at her tickled one’s funny bone. Her head
was full of nonsense rhymes and she was so amusing
and cheerful that Ozma insisted upon her living with
the rest of the celebrities in the Emerald City.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_99">99</div>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_101.jpg" alt="Just to Look at Scraps Tickled One’s Funny Bone" width="500" height="682" />
<p class="caption"><span class="sc">Just to Look at Scraps Tickled One’s Funny Bone</span></p>
</div>
<div class="pb" id="Page_100">100</div>
<p>Sir Hokus of Pokes was a comparative new-comer
in the capital city of Oz. Yet the Knight was so old
that it would give me lumbago just to try to count up
his birthdays. He dated back to King Arthur, in fact,
and had been wished into the Land of Oz centuries
before by an enemy sorcerer. Dorothy had found and
rescued him, with the Cowardly Lion’s help, from
Pokes, the dullest Kingdom in Oz. As there were no
other Knights in the Emerald City, Sir Hokus was
much stared at and admired. Even the Soldier with
the Green Whiskers, the one and only soldier and
entire army of Oz—yes, even the soldier with the
Green Whiskers saluted Sir Hokus when he passed.
Ozma, herself, felt more secure since the Knight had
come to live in the palace. He was well versed in
adventure and always courageous and courteous,
withal.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_101">101</div>
<p>But, while I’ve been telling you all this, Tik Tok
had finished his story of a three-legged giant who
lived in Ev.</p>
<p>“And where is Ev?” puffed Sir Hokus, planting
himself before Tik Tok.</p>
<p>“Ev,” began Tik Tok in his precise fashion, “is to
the north-west of here on the oth-er side of the
im—” There was a whirr and a click and the copper
man stood motionless and soundless, his round eyes
fixed solemnly on the Knight.</p>
<p>“Pass-able des-ert,” finished the Scarecrow, jumping
up and kindly winding all of Tik Tok’s keys as if
nothing had happened.</p>
<p>“Pass-able des-ert,” continued the Copper Man.</p>
<p>“That’s where the old Gnome King used to live,”
piped Betsy Bobbin, bouncing up and down upon the
sofa, “under the mountains of Ev, and he threw us
down a tube and tried to melt you in a crucible,
didn’t he, Tik Tok?”</p>
<p>“He was a ve-ry bad per-son,” said the Copper Man.</p>
<div class="verse">
<p class="t0">“Ruggedo was a wicked King,</p>
<p class="t0">’Tho’ now he’s good as pie,</p>
<p class="t0">But none the less, I must confess,</p>
<p class="t0">He has a wicked eye!”</p>
</div>
<p class="pnindent">burst out Scraps, who was tired of sitting still listening
to giant stories.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_102">102</div>
<p>But Sir Hokus could not be got off the subject of
giants. “To Ev!” thundered the Knight, raising his
sword. “To-morrow I’m off to Ev to conquer this
terrible monster. Large as a mountain, you say, Tik
Tok? Well, what care I for mountains? I, Sir Hokus
of Pokes, will slay him!”</p>
<p>“Hurrah for the giant killer!” giggled Scraps,
turning a somersault and nearly falling in the fire.</p>
<p>“Let’s go to bed!” said Dorothy uneasily. She had
for the last few minutes been hearing strange rumbles.
Of course it could not be giants; still the conversation,
she concluded, had better be finished by sunlight.</p>
<p>But it never was, for at that moment there was a
deafening crash. The lights went out; the whole
castle shivered; furniture fell every which way. Down
clattered Sir Hokus, falling with a terrible clangor
on top of the Copper Man. Down rolled the little girls
and the Scarecrow and Scraps. Down tumbled
everybody.</p>
<p>“Cyclone!” gasped Dorothy, who had experienced
several in Kansas.</p>
<p>“Giants!” stuttered Betsy Bobbin, clutching Trot.</p>
<p>The Wizard of Oz tried to reassure the agitated
company. He told them there was no cause for alarm,
and that they would soon find out what was the trouble.
The soothing words of the Wizard were scarcely
heard.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_103">103</div>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_105.jpg" alt="The Smiling Little Wizard of Oz" width="500" height="685" />
<p class="caption"><span class="sc">The Smiling Little Wizard of Oz</span></p>
</div>
<div class="pb" id="Page_104">104</div>
<p>What the others said was lost in the noise that followed.
Thumps—bangs—crashes—screams came
from every room in the rocking palace.</p>
<p>“We’re flying! The whole castle’s flying up in the
air!” screamed Dorothy. Then she subsided, as an
emerald clock and three pictures came thumping
down on her head.</p>
<p>What had happened? No one could say. Dorothy,
Betsy Bobbin and Trot had fainted dead away. The
Scarecrow and Sir Hokus were tangled up on the
floor, clasped in each other’s arms.</p>
<p>The confusion was terrific. Only the Wizard was
still calm and smiling.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_105">105</div>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_109.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="500" height="491" />
</div>
<h2 id="c8"><span class="smaller">Chapter 8</span>
<br />Woe In The Emerald City</h2>
<p>The Soldier with the Green Whiskers finished his
breakfast slowly, combed his beard, pinned on all
of his medals and solemnly issued forth from his little
house at the garden gates.</p>
<p>“Forward march!” snapped the soldier. He had to
give himself orders, being the only man, general or
private in the army. And forward march he did. It
was his custom to report to Ozma every morning to
receive his orders for the day. When he had gone
through the little patch of trees that separated his
cottage from the palace, the Soldier with the Green
Whiskers gave a great leap.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_106">106</div>
<p>“Halt! Break ranks!” roared the Grand Army of
Oz, clutching his beard in terror. “Great Goloshes!”
He rubbed his eyes and looked again. Yes, the gorgeous
emerald-studded palace had disappeared,
leaving not so much as a gold brick to tell where it
had stood. Trembling in every knee, the Grand Army
of Oz approached. A great black hole, the exact shape
of the palace, yawned at his feet. He took one look
down that awful cavity, then shot through the palace
gardens like a green comet.</p>
<p>Like Paul Revere he had gone to give the alarm,
and Paul Revere himself never made better time. He
thumped on windows and banged on doors and dashed
through the sleeping city like a whirlwind. In five
minutes there was not a man, woman or child who did
not know of the terrible calamity. They rushed to the
palace gardens in a panic. Some stared up in the air;
others peered down the dark hole; still others ran
about wildly trying to discover some trace of the
missing castle.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_107">107</div>
<p>“What shall we do?” they wailed dismally. For to
have their lovely little Queen and the Wizard and all
the most important people in Oz disappear at once
was simply terrifying. They were a gentle and kindly
folk, used to obeying orders, and now there was no one
to tell them what to do.</p>
<p>At last Unk Nunkie, an old Munchkin who had
taken up residence in the Emerald City, pushed
through the crowd. Unk was a man of few words,
but a wise old chap for all that, so they made way for
him respectfully. First Unk Nunkie stroked his
beard; then pointing with his long lean finger toward
the south he snapped out one word—“GLINDA!”</p>
<p>Of course! They must tell Glinda. Why had they
not thought of it themselves? Glinda would know just
what to do and how to do it. Three cheers for Unk
Nunkie! Glinda, you know, is the good Sorceress of
Oz, who knows more magic than anyone in the Kingdom,
but who only practices it for the people’s good.
Indeed, Glinda and the Wizard of Oz are the only
ones permitted to practice magic, for so much harm
had come of it that Ozma made a law forbidding
sorcery in all of its branches. But even in a fairy
country people do not always obey the laws and everyone
felt that magic was at the bottom of this disaster.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_108">108</div>
<p>So away to fetch Glinda dashed the Grand Army,
his green whiskers streaming behind him. Fortunately
the royal stables had not disappeared with the
palace, so the gallant army sprang upon the back of
the Saw Horse, and without stopping to explain to the
other royal beasts, bade it carry him to Glinda as fast
as it could gallop. Being made of wood with gold shod
feet and magically brought to life, the Saw Horse can
run faster than any animal in Oz. It never tired or
needed food and when it understood that the palace
and its dear little Mistress had disappeared it fairly
flew; for the Saw Horse loved Ozma with all its saw
dust and was devoted as only a wooden beast can be.</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_110.jpg" alt="The Grand Army sprang upon the back of the Saw Horse" width="593" height="799" />
<p class="caption"><span class="sc">The Grand Army sprang upon the back of the Saw Horse</span></p>
</div>
<p>In an hour they had reached Glinda’s shining marble
palace in the southern part of the Quadling country,
and as soon as the lovely Sorceress had heard the soldier’s
story, she hurried to the magic Book of Records.
This is the most valuable book in Oz and it is kept
padlocked with many golden chains to a gold table,
for in this great volume appear all the events happening
in and out of the world.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_109">109</div>
<p>Now, Glinda had been so occupied trying to discover
the cause of frowns that she had not referred to the
book for several days and naturally there were many
pages to go over. There were hundreds of entries
concerning automobile accidents in the United States
and elsewhere. These Glinda passed over hurriedly,
till she came to three sentences printed in red, for Oz
news always appeared in the book in red letters. The
first sentence did not seem important. It merely stated
that the Prince of Pumperdink was journeying toward
the Emerald City. The other two entries seemed
serious.</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_113.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="600" height="330" />
</div>
<p>“Glegg’s box of Mixed Magic has been discovered,”
said the second, and “Ruggedo has something on his
<i>mind</i>,” stated the third. Glinda pored over the book
for a long time to see whether any more information
would be given but not another red sentence appeared.
With a sigh, Glinda turned to the Soldier with the
Green Whiskers.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_110">110</div>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_114.jpg" alt="“Ruggedo Has Something on His Mind,” Read Glinda" width="500" height="678" />
<p class="caption"><span class="sc">“Ruggedo Has Something on His Mind,” Read Glinda</span></p>
</div>
<div class="pb" id="Page_111">111</div>
<p>“The old Gnome King must be mixed up in this,”
she said anxiously, “and as he was last seen in the
Emerald City, I will return with you at once.” So
Glinda and the Soldier with the Green Whiskers flew
back to the Emerald City drawn in Glinda’s chariot
by swift flying swans and the little Saw Horse trotted
back by himself. When they reached the gardens a
great crowd had gathered by the Fountain of Oblivion
and a tall green grocer was speaking excitedly.</p>
<p>“What is it?” asked Glinda, shuddering as she
passed the dreadful hole where Ozma’s lovely palace
had once stood. Everyone started explaining at once
so that Glinda was obliged to clap her hands for
silence.</p>
<p>“Foot print!” Unk Nunkie stood upon his tip toes
and whispered it in Glinda’s ear and when she looked
where Unk pointed she saw a huge, shallow cave-in
that crushed the flower beds for as far as she could
see.</p>
<p>“Foot print!” gasped Glinda in amazement.</p>
<p>“Uh huh!” Unk Nunkie wagged his head determinedly
and then, pulling his hat down over his eyes,
spoke his last word on the subject: “<i>GIANT!</i>”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_112">112</div>
<p>“A giant foot print! Why so it is!” cried Glinda.</p>
<p>“What shall we do? What shall we do?” cried the
frightened inhabitants of the Emerald City, wringing
their hands.</p>
<p>“First, find Ruggedo,” ordered Glinda, suddenly
remembering the mysterious entry in the Book of
Records. So, away to the little cottage hurried the
crowd. They searched it from cellar to garret, but
of course found no trace of the wicked little gnome.
As no one knew about the secret passage in Ruggedo’s
cellar, they never thought of searching underground.</p>
<p>Meanwhile Glinda sank down on one of the golden
garden benches and tried to think. The Comfortable
Camel stumbled broken-heartedly across the lawn and
dropping on its knees begged the Sorceress in a tearful
voice to save Sir Hokus of Pokes. The Camel and the
Doubtful Dromedary had been discovered by the
Knight on his last adventure and were deeply attached
to him. Soon all the palace pets came and stood in a
dejected row before Glinda—Betsy’s mule, Hank,
hee-hawing dismally and the Hungry Tiger threatening
to eat everyone in sight if any harm came to the
three little girls.</p>
<p>“I doubt if we’ll ever see them again,” groaned the
Doubtful Dromedary, leaning up against a tree.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_113">113</div>
<p>“Oh Doubty—how <i>can</i> you?” wailed the Camel,
tears streaming down its nose.</p>
<p>“Please do be quiet,” begged Glinda, “or I’ll forget
all the magic I know. Let me see, now—how does
one catch a marauding giant who has run off with a
castle?”</p>
<p>On her fingers Glinda counted up all the giants in
the four countries of Oz. No! It could not be an Oz
giant; there was none large enough. It must be a
giant from some strange country.</p>
<p>When the crowd returned with the news that
Ruggedo had disappeared Glinda felt more uneasy
still. But hiding her anxiety she bade the people
return to their homes and continue their work and
play as usual. Then, promising to return that evening
with a plan to save the castle, and charging the Soldier
with the Green Whiskers to keep a strict watch in the
garden, Glinda stepped into her chariot and flew back
to the South. All that day, in her palace in the Quadling
country, Glinda bent over her encyclopedia on
giants, and far into the night the lights burned from
her high turret-chamber, as she consulted book after
book of magic.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_114">114</div>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_118.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="500" height="473" />
</div>
<h2 id="c9"><span class="smaller">Chapter 9</span>
<br />Mixed Magic Makes Mischief</h2>
<p>The Book of Records had been perfectly correct in
stating that Ruggedo had something on his mind.
<i>He had!</i> To understand the mysterious disappearance
of Ozma’s palace, we must go back to the old Ex-King
of the Gnomes. The whole of the night after he had
found Glegg’s box of Mixed Magic, Ruggedo had
spent trying to open the box. But pry and poke as he
would it stubbornly refused to give up its secrets.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_115">115</div>
<p>“Better come to bed,” advised Wag, twitching his
nose nervously. “Mixed Magic isn’t safe, you know.
It might explode.”</p>
<p>“Idiot!” grumbled Ruggedo. “I don’t know who
Glegg is or was, but I’m going to find out what kind of
magic he mixes. I’m going to open this box if it takes
me a century.”</p>
<p>“All right,” quavered Wag, retiring backward and
holding up his paw. “All right, but remember I
warned you! Don’t meddle with magic, that’s my
motto!”</p>
<p>“I don’t care a harebell what your motto is,”
sneered the gnome, continuing to hammer on the gold
lid.</p>
<p>When he reached his room, Wag shut the door and
sank dejectedly upon the edge of the bed.</p>
<p>“There’s no manner of use trying to stop him,”
sighed the rabbit, “so I’ve got to get out of here before
he gets me into trouble. I’ll go to-morrow!” resolved
Wag, pulling his long ear nervously. With this good
resolution, the little rabbit drooped off asleep.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_116">116</div>
<p>Very cautiously he opened the door of his little rock-room
next morning. Ruggedo was sound asleep on
the floor, his head on the magic box, and Peg Amy,
with her wooden arms and legs flung out in every direction,
lay sprawled in a corner.</p>
<p>“Been shaking you again, the old scrabble-scratch!”
whispered the rabbit indignantly, “just ’cause he
couldn’t open that box. Well, never mind, Peg, I’m
leaving to-day and as surely as I’ve ears and whiskers
you shall go too!” Picking up the poor wooden doll
Wag tucked her under his arm. Was it imagination,
or did the little wooden face break into a sunny smile?
It seemed so to Wag and, with a real thrill of pleasure,
he tip-toed back to his room and began tossing his
treasures into one of the bed sheets. He seated Peg
in his own small rocking chair and from time to time
he nodded to her reassuringly.</p>
<p>“We’ll soon be out now, my dear,” he chuckled,
quite as if Peg had been alive. She often did seem
alive to Wag. “Then we’ll see what Ozma has to say
to this Mixed Magic,” continued the bunny, wiggling
his ears indignantly. And so occupied was he collecting
his treasures that he did not hear Ruggedo’s call
and next minute the angry gnome himself stood in the
doorway.</p>
<p>“What does this mean?” he cried furiously, pointing
to the tied up sheet. Then he stamped his foot so hard
that Peg Amy fell over sideways in the chair and all
the ornaments in the room skipped as if alive.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_117">117</div>
<p>The rabbit whirled ’round in a hurry.</p>
<p>“It means I’m leaving you for good, you wicked little
monster!” shrilled Wag, his whiskers trembling
with agitation and his ears sticking straight out
behind. “<i>Leaving</i>—do you hear?”</p>
<p>Then he snatched Peg Amy in one paw and his
treasures in the other and tried to brush past Ruggedo.
But the gnome was too quick for him. Springing out
of the room, he slammed the door and locked it. Wag
could hear him rolling up rocks for further security.</p>
<p>“Thought you’d steal a march on old Ruggedo;
thought you’d tell Ozma all his plans and get a nice
little reward! Well, <i>think again</i>!” shouted the gnome
through the keyhole.</p>
<p>Wag had plenty of time to think, for Ruggedo never
came near the rabbit’s room all day. At every sound
poor Wag leaped into the air, for he felt sure each
blow could only mean the opening of the dreaded
magic box. To reassure himself he held long conversations
with the wooden doll and Peg’s calm cheerfulness
steadied him a lot.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_118">118</div>
<p>“I might dig my way out but it would take so long!
My ear tips! How provoking it is!” exclaimed Wag.
“But perhaps he’ll relent by nightfall!” Slowly the
day dragged on but nothing came from the big rock
room but thumps, grumbles and bangs.</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_122.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="600" height="402" />
</div>
<p>“It is fortunate that you do not eat, Peg, dear,”
sighed the rabbit late in the afternoon, nibbling disconsolately
on a stale biscuit he had found under his
bureau. “Shall you care very much if I starve? I
probably shall, you know. Of course no one in Oz can
die, but starving forever is not comfortable either.” At
this the wooden doll seemed to shake her head, as much
as to say: “You won’t starve, Wag dear; just be
patient a little longer.” Not that she really said this,
mind you, but Wag knew from her smile that this is
what she was thinking.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_119">119</div>
<p>It was hot and stuffy in the little rock chamber and
the faint light that filtered down from the hole in the
ceiling was far from cheerful. At last night came, and
that was worse. Wag lit his only candle but it was
already partly burned down and soon with a dismal
sputter it went out and left the two sitting in the dark.
Peg Amy stared cheerfully ahead but the rabbit, worn
out by his long day of fright and worry, fell into a
heavy slumber.</p>
<p>Meanwhile Ruggedo had worked on the magic box
and every minute he became more impatient. All his
poundings failed to make even a dent on the gold lid
and even jumping on it brought no result. The little
gnome had eaten nothing since morning and by nightfall
he was stamping around the box in a perfect fury.
His eyes snapped and twinkled like live coals and his
wispy white hair fairly crackled with rage. Hidden
in this box were magic secrets that would doubtless
enable him to capture the Whole of Oz but, <i>klumping
kaloogas</i>, how was he to get at ’em? He finally gave
the gold box such a vindictive kick that he almost
crushed his curly toes; then holding onto one foot, he
hopped about on the other till he fell over exhausted.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_120">120</div>
<p>For several minutes he lay perfectly still; then
jumping up he seized the box and flung it with all his
gnome might against the rock wall.</p>
<p>“Take that!” screamed Ruggedo furiously. There
was a bright flash; then the box righted itself slowly
and sailed straight back into Ruggedo’s hands and,
more wonderful still, <i>it was open</i>! With his eyes almost
popping from his head, the gnome sat down on
the floor, the box in his lap.</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_124.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="600" height="398" />
</div>
<p>In the first tray were four golden flasks and each
one was carefully labeled. The first was marked,
“Flying Fluid”; “Vanishing Cream” was in the second.
The third flask held “Glegg’s Instantaneous Expanding
Extract,” and in the fourth was “Spike’s Hair
Strengthener.”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_121">121</div>
<p>Ruggedo rubbed his hands gleefully and lifted out
the top tray. In the next compartment was a tiny
copper kettle, a lamp and a package marked “Triple
Trick Tea.” So anxious was Ruggedo to know what
was in the last compartment that he scarcely glanced
at Glegg’s tea set. Quickly he peered into the bottom
of the casket. There were two boxes. Taking up the
first Ruggedo read, “Glegg’s Question Box. Shake
three times after each question.”</p>
<p>“Great Grampus!” spluttered the gnome, “this is
a find!” He was growing more excited every minute
and his hands shook so he could hardly read the label
on the last box. Finally he made it out: “Re-animating
Rays, guaranteed to reawaken any person who has
lost the power of life through sorcery, witchcraft or
enchantment,” said the label.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_122">122</div>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_128.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="600" height="410" />
</div>
<p>Well, did anyone ever hear anything more magic
than that? Ruggedo glanced from one to the other of
the little gold flasks and boxes. There were so many
he hardly knew which to use first. “Flying Fluid and
Vanishing Cream,” mused the gnome. Well, they
might help after he had captured Oz, but he felt it
would take more powerful magic than Flying Fluid
and Vanishing Cream to capture the fairy Kingdom.
Next he picked up the bottle labeled “Spike’s Hair
Strengthener.” Anything that strengthened would
be helpful, so, with one eye on the last bottle, Ruggedo
absently rubbed some of the hair strengthener on his
head. He stopped rubbing in a hurry and put his
finger in his mouth with a howl of pain. Then he
jumped up in alarm and ran to a small mirror hanging
on the wall. Every hair on his head had become an
iron spike and the result was so terrible that it frightened
even the old gnome. He flung the bottle angrily
on the ground. But stop! He could butt his enemies
with the sharp spikes! Comforting himself with this
cheerful thought, Ruggedo returned to the magic
box.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_123">123</div>
<p>“Instantaneous Expanding Extract,” muttered the
gnome, turning the bottle over carefully. “That ought
to make me <i>larger</i>—and if I were larger—if I were
larger!” He snapped his fingers and began hopping
up and down. He was about to empty the bottle over
his head when he suddenly reflected that it might be
safer to try this powerful extract on someone else.
But on whom?</p>
<p>Ruggedo glanced quickly around the cave and then
remembered the wooden doll. He would try a little
on Peg Amy and see how it worked. Turning the key
he stepped softly into Wag’s room. Without wakening
the rabbit, Ruggedo dragged out the wooden doll.
Propping her up against the wall, the gnome uncorked
the bottle of expanding fluid and dropped two drops
on Peg Amy’s head. Peg was about ten inches high,
but no sooner had the expanding fluid touched her
than she shot up four feet and with such force that she
lost her balance and came crashing down on top of
Ruggedo, almost crushing him flat.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_124">124</div>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_130.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="600" height="495" />
</div>
<p>“Get off, you great log of wood!” screamed the
gnome, struggling furiously. But this Peg Amy was
powerless to do and it was only after a frightful
struggle that Ruggedo managed to drag himself out.
He started to shake Peg but as she was now four
times his size he soon gave that up.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_125">125</div>
<p>“Well, anyway it works,” sighed the gnome, rubbing
his nose and the middle of his back. “I wonder
how it would act on a live person? I’ll try a little on
that silly rabbit,” he concluded, tip-toeing back into
Wag’s room. Now Wag’s apartment was about seven
feet square—plenty large enough for a regular rabbit—but
two drops of the expanding fluid—and, <i>stars</i>!
Wag was no longer a regular rabbit but a six-foot
funny bunny, stretching from one end of the room to
the other. He expanded without even waking up.
Ruggedo had to squeeze past him in order to get out
and, chuckling with satisfaction, the gnome hurried
back to his box of magic. His mind was now made up.
He would take Glegg’s Mixed Magic under his arm,
go above ground and with the Expanding Fluid
change himself into a giant. Then conquering Oz
would be a simple matter.</p>
<p>It was all going to be so easy and amusing that
Ruggedo felt he had plenty of time to examine the
rest of the bottles and boxes. He rubbed some of the
Vanishing Cream on a sofa cushion and it instantly
disappeared. The box of Re-animating Rays, guaranteed
to reawaken anyone from enchantment, interested
the old gnome immensely, but how could he try
them when there was no bewitched person about—at
least none that he knew of? Then his eye fell on the
Question Box. Why not try that? So, “How shall I
use the Re-animating Rays?” asked Ruggedo, shaking
the box three times. Nothing happened at first. Then,
by the light from his emerald lamp, the gnome saw a
sentence forming on the lid.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_126">126</div>
<p>“Try them on Peg,” said the box shortly. Without
thinking of consequences or wondering what the
Question Box meant by suggesting Peg, the curious
gnome opened the box of rays and held it over the
huge wooden doll. For as long as it would take to
count ten Peg lay perfectly still. Then, with a creak
and jerk, she sprang to her feet.</p>
<p>“How perfectly pomiferous!” cried Peg Amy, with
an awkward jump. “I’m alive! Why, I’m alive all
over!” She moved one arm, then the other and
turned her head stiffly from side to side. “I can
walk!” cried Peg. “I can walk; I can skip; I can
run!” Here Peg began running around the cave, her
joints squeaking merrily at every step.</p>
<p>At Peg’s first move Ruggedo had jumped back of a
rock, his every spike standing on end. Too late he
realized his mistake. This huge wooden creature clattering
around the cave was positively dangerous.
Why, she might easily pound him to bits. Why on
earth had he meddled with the magic rays and why
under the earth should a wooden doll come to life?
He waited till Peg had run to the farthest end of the
cave; then he dashed to the magic casket and scrambled
the bottles, the Trick Tea Set and the flasks back
into place and started for the door that led to the
secret passage as fast as his crooked little legs would
carry him.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_127">127</div>
<p>But he was not fast enough, for Peg heard and like
a flash was after him.</p>
<p>“Stop! Go away!” screamed Ruggedo.</p>
<p>“Why, it’s the old gnome!” cried the Wooden Doll
in surprise. “The wicked old gnome who used to
shake me all the time. Why, how small he is! I could
pick him up with one hand!” She made a snatch at
Ruggedo.</p>
<p>“Go away!” shrieked Ruggedo, ducking behind a
rock. “Go away—there’s a dear girl,” he added coaxingly.
“I didn’t shake you much—not too much, you
know!”</p>
<p>Peg Amy put a wooden finger to her forehead and
regarded him attentively.</p>
<p>“I remember,” she murmured thoughtfully. “You
found a magic box, and you’re going to harm Ozma
and try to conquer Oz. I must get that box!”</p>
<p>Reaching around the rock she seized Ruggedo by
the arm.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_128">128</div>
<p>In a panic, he jerked away. “Help! Help!” cried
the gnome King, darting off toward the other end of
the cave. “Help! Help!”</p>
<p>In his little rock room Wag stirred uneasily. Then,
as Ruggedo’s cries grew louder, he bounced erect and
almost cracked his skull on the low ceiling. Hardly
knowing what he was doing he rushed at the door only
to knock himself almost senseless against the top, for
of course he did not realize he had expanded into a
giant rabbit. But as the cries from the other room
became louder and louder he got up and rubbing his
head in a dazed fashion he somehow crowded himself
through the door and hopped into the cave. When he
saw Peg Amy chasing Ruggedo, Wag fell back against
the wall.</p>
<p>“My wocks and hoop soons!” stuttered the rabbit.
“She is alive! And he’s shrunk!”</p>
<p>Wag’s voice rose triumphantly. “I’m going to
pound his curly toes off!” he shouted. With this he
joined merrily in the chase.</p>
<p>“I’ll catch him!” he called, “I’ll catch him, Peg, my
dear, and make him pay for all the shakings he has
given you. I’ll pound his curly toes off!”</p>
<p>“Oh, Wag! Don’t do that,” cried the Wooden Doll,
stopping short. “I didn’t mind the shakings and
gnomes don’t know any better!”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_129">129</div>
<p>“Neither do rabbits!” cried Wag stubbornly, bounding
after Ruggedo. “I’ll pound his curly toes off, I
tell you!”</p>
<p>The old gnome was sputtering like a firecracker.
What chance had he now with two after him? Then
suddenly he had an idea. Without stopping, he fumbled
in the box which he still clutched under one arm
and pulled out the bottle of Expanding Fluid. Uncorking
the bottle he poured its contents over his
head—<i>every single drop</i>!</p>
<p>This is what happened: First he shot out sideways,
till Peg and Wag were almost crushed against the
wall. With a hoarse scream Wag dragged Peg Amy
back into his room, which was now barely large
enough to hold them. They were just in time, for
Ruggedo was still spreading. Soon there was not an
inch of space left to expand in. Then he shot up and
grew up and grew and grew and groaned and grew
till there wasn’t any more room to grow in. So, he
burst through the top of the cave, with a noise like
fifty boilers exploding.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_130">130</div>
<p>No wonder Dorothy thought it was a cyclone! For
what was on the top of the cave but the royal palace
of Oz? The next instant it was impaled fast on the
spikes of Ruggedo’s giant head and shooting up with
him toward the clouds. And that wretched gnome
never stopped growing till he was three-quarters of a
mile high!</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_131.jpg" alt="The royal palace of Oz impaled fast on the spikes of Ruggedo’s giant head" width="590" height="801" />
<p class="caption"><span class="sc">The royal palace of Oz impaled fast on the spikes of Ruggedo’s giant head</span></p>
</div>
<p>If the people in the palace were frightened, Ruggedo
was more frightened still. Being a giant was a
new experience for him and having a castle jammed
on his head was worse still. The first thing he tried
to do, when he stopped growing, was to lift the castle
off, but his spikes were driven fast into the foundations
and it fitted closer than his scalp.</p>
<p>In a panic Ruggedo began to run, and when a giant
runs he gets somewhere. Each step carried him a half
mile and shook the country below like an earthquake
and rattled the people in the castle above like pennies
in a Christmas bank. Shaking with terror and hardly
knowing why, the gnome made for his old Kingdom,
and in an hour had reached the little country of
Oogaboo, which is in the very northwestern corner of
Oz, opposite his old dominions.</p>
<p>The Deadly Desert is so narrow at this point that
with one jump Ruggedo was across and, puffing like
a volcano about to erupt, he sank down on the highest
mountain in Ev. Fortunately he had not stepped on
any cities in his flight, although he had crushed several
forests and about a hundred fences.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_131">131</div>
<p>“Oh, Oh, My head!” groaned Ruggedo, rocking to
and fro. He seemed to have forgotten all about conquering
Oz. He was full of twinges and growing pains.
Ozma’s castle was giving him a thundering headache,
and there he sat, a fearsome figure in the bright moonlight,
moaning and groaning instead of conquering.</p>
<p>The Book of Records had been right indeed when it
stated that Ruggedo had something on his mind.
Ozma’s castle itself sat squarely upon that mischievous
mind—and every moment it seemed to grow
heavier.</p>
<p>No wonder there had been confusion in the castle!
Every time Ruggedo shook his aching head Ozma and
her guests were tossed about like leaves in a storm.
Mixed magic had made mischief indeed.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_132">132</div>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_138.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="500" height="473" />
</div>
<h2 id="c10"><span class="smaller">Chapter 10</span>
<br />Peg and Wag To The Rescue</h2>
<p>For a long time after the terrific bang following
Ruggedo’s final expansion, Wag and Peg Amy had
been too stunned to even move. Crowded together in
the little rock room, they lay perfectly breathless.</p>
<p>“Umpthing sappened,” quavered the rabbit at last.</p>
<p>“That sounds rather queer, but I think I know what
you mean,” said Peg, sitting up cautiously.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_133">133</div>
<p>“Something has happened. Ruggedo’s been blown
up, I guess.”</p>
<p>“Mixed Magic!” groaned Wag gloomily. “I knew
it would explode. Say, Peg, what makes this room so
small?”</p>
<p>“I don’t know,” sighed the doll in a puzzled voice,
for neither Peg nor Wag realized how much they had
grown. “But let’s go above ground and see what has
become of Ruggedo.” One at a time and with great
difficulty they got through the door.</p>
<p>“Why, there are the stars!” cried Peg Amy, clasping
her wooden hands rapturously. “Real stars!”
The top of the cave had gone off with the old gnome
King and the two stood looking up at the lovely skies
of Oz.</p>
<p>“It doesn’t seem so high as it used to,” said the
rabbit, looking at the walls. “Why, I believe I could
jump out if I took a good run and carry you, too.
Come ashort, Peg!”</p>
<p>“Aren’t you mixed, Wag dear? Don’t you mean
come along?” asked Peg, smoothing down her torn
dress.</p>
<p>“Well, now that you mention it, my head does feel
queer,” admitted the rabbit, twitching his nose, “bort
of sackwards!”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_134">134</div>
<p>“Sort of backwards,” corrected Peg gently. “Well,
never mind. I know what you mean. But do let’s try
to find that awful box of magic. You know Ruggedo
brought me to life, Wag, with something in that box!”</p>
<p>“Only good thing he ever did,” said Wag, shaking
his head. “But I think you were alive before,” he
added solemnly. “You always seemed alive to me.”</p>
<p>“I think so, too,” whispered Peg excitedly. “I
can’t remember just how, or where, but Oh! Wag! I
know I’ve been alive before. I remember dancing.”</p>
<p>Peg took a few awkward steps and Wag looked on
dubiously, too polite to criticize her efforts. He didn’t
even laugh when Peg Amy fell down. Peg laughed
herself, however, as merrily as possible. “It’s going
to be such fun being alive,” she said, picking herself
up gaily, “such fun, Wag dear. Why, there’s Glegg’s
box!” She pounced upon the little shining gold casket.
“Ruggedo didn’t take it after all!”</p>
<p>“Is it shut?” asked Wag, clapping both paws to his
ears. “Look out for explosions, say I.”</p>
<p>“No, but I’ll soon close it,” said Peg and, shutting
Glegg’s box, she slipped it into pocket of her dress.
It was about half the size of this book you are reading
and as Peg’s pockets were big and old fashioned, it
fitted quite nicely.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_135">135</div>
<p>“Come ashort,” said Wag again, looking around
uneasily, for he was anxious to get out of the gnome’s
cave. So Peg seated herself carefully on his back and
clasped her wooden arms around his neck. Then Wag
ran back a few steps, gave a great jump and sailed
up, up and out of the cave.</p>
<p>“Ten penny tea cups!” shrieked the Soldier with
the Green Whiskers, falling over backwards. “What
next?” For Wag with Peg on his back had leaped
straight over his head.</p>
<p>Picking himself up, and with every whisker in his
beard prickling straight on end, the Grand Army of
Oz backed toward the royal stable. When he had
backed half the distance he turned and ran for his
life. But he need not have been afraid.</p>
<p>“What a funny little man,” chuckled Wag. “Why,
he’s no bigger than we are. He’s no—!” Then suddenly
Wag clutched his ears. “Oh!” he screamed,
beginning to hop up and down, “I forgot all my
treasures—my olden goop soons. Oh! Oh! My urple
sool wocks! I’ve forgotten my urple sool wocks!”</p>
<p>“Your what?” cried Peg Amy, clutching him by the
fur. “Now Wag, dear, you’re all mixed up. Perhaps
it’s ’cause your ears are crossed. There, now, do stop
wiggling your whiskers and turn out your toes!”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_136">136</div>
<p>But Wag continued to wiggle his whiskers and turn
in his toes and roar for his urple sool wocks.</p>
<p>“Stop!” screamed Peg at last, with both hands over
her wooden ears. “I know what you mean! Your
purple wool socks!”</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_142.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="600" height="394" />
</div>
<p>“Yes,” sobbed the rabbit, slumping down on a rock
and holding his head in both paws.</p>
<p>“Well, don’t you think”—the Wooden Doll shook
her head jerkily—“Don’t you think it’s just as well?
Ruggedo stole all those things and you wouldn’t want
stolen soup spoons, now would you?”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_137">137</div>
<p>Wag took a long breath and regarded Peg uncertainly.
Then something in her pleasant wooden face
seemed to brace him up.</p>
<p>“No!” he sighed solemnly—“I s’pose not. I ought
to have left Rug long ago.”</p>
<p>“But then you couldn’t have helped me,” said Peg
brightly. “Let’s don’t think about it any more.
You’ve been awfully good to me, Wag.”</p>
<p>“Have I?” said Wag more cheerfully. “Well,
you’re a good sort, Peg—a regular Princess!” he finished,
puffing out his chest, “and anything you say
goes.”</p>
<p>“Princess?” laughed the Wooden Doll, pleased nevertheless.
“I’m a funny Princess, in this old dress.
Did you ever hear of a wooden Princess, Wag?”</p>
<p>“You look like a Princess to me,” said the rabbit
stoutly. “Dresses don’t matter.”</p>
<p>This speech so tickled the Wooden Doll that she
gave Wag a good hug and began dancing again.
“Being alive is such fun!” she called gaily over her
shoulder, “and you are so wonderful!”</p>
<p>Wag’s chest expanded at least three inches and his
whiskers trembled with emotion. “Hop on my back
Peg and I’ll take you anywhere you want to go,” he
puffed magnificently.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_138">138</div>
<p>But the Wooden Doll had suddenly grown sober.
“Wherever is the castle?” she cried anxiously. She
remembered exactly where it had stood when she was
an unalive doll and now not a tower or turret of the
castle was to be seen. “Oh!” groaned Peg Amy,
“Ruggedo has done something dreadful with his
Mixed Magic!”</p>
<p>Wag rubbed his eyes and looked all around. “Why,
it’s gone!” he cried, waving his paws. “What shall we
do? If only we weren’t so small!”</p>
<p>“We’ve got the magic box,” said Peg hopefully,
“and somehow I don’t feel as small as I used to feel;
do you?”</p>
<p>“Well, I feel pretty queer, myself,” said the rabbit,
twitching his nose. “Maybe it’s because I’m hungry.
There’s a kitchen garden over there near the royal
stables and I think if I had some carrots I’d feel
better.”</p>
<p>“Of course you would!” cried Peg, jumping up. “I
forgot you had to eat.” So, very cautiously they stole
into the royal cook’s garden. Wag had often helped
himself to carrots from this garden before, but now
sitting on his haunches he stared around in dazed
surprise.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_139">139</div>
<p>“Everything’s different!” wailed the rabbit dismally.
“You’re the same and I’m the same but
everything else is all mixed up. Look at this carrot.
Why, it’s no bigger than a blade of grass.” Wag held
up a carrot in disgust. “Why, it will take fifty of
these to give me even a taste and the lettuce—look at
it! Everything’s shrunk, even the houses!” cried the
big funny bunny, looking around. “My wocks and
hoop soons, sheverything’s hunk!”</p>
<p>Peg Amy had followed Wag’s gaze and now she
jumped up in great excitement. “I see it now!” cried
Peg. “It’s us, Wag. Everything’s the same but we
are different. Some of that Mixed Magic has made us
grow. We’re bigger and everything else is the same.
I am as tall as the little girl who used to play with me
and you are even bigger and I’m glad, because now we
can help find the castle and Ruggedo and try to make
everything right again.”</p>
<p>Peg clasped her wooden hands. “Aren’t you glad
too, Wag?”</p>
<p>The rabbit shook his head. “It’s going to take an
awful lot to fill me up,” he said doubtfully. “I’ll have
to eat about six times as much as I used to.”</p>
<p>“Well, you’re six times as large; isn’t that any
comfort?”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_140">140</div>
<p>“My head doesn’t feel right,” insisted Wag. “As
soon as I talk fast the words all come wrong.”</p>
<p>“Maybe it didn’t grow as fast as the rest of you,”
laughed the Wooden Doll. “But don’t you care, Wag.
I know what you mean and I think you’re just splendid!
Now hurry and finish your carrots so we can
decide what to do.</p>
<p>“If Mixed Magic caused all this trouble,” added
Peg half to herself, “Mixed Magic’s got to fix it. I’m
going to look at that box.” Wag, nibbling industriously,
had not heard Peg’s last speech or he would
doubtless have taken to his heels.</p>
<p>Sitting unconcernedly in a cabbage bed, the Wooden
Doll took the gold box from her pocket. Fortunately
she had not snapped the magic snap and it opened
quite easily. Her fingers were stiff and clumsy and
the moon was the only light she had to see by, but it
did not take Peg Amy long to realize the importance
of Glegg’s magic.</p>
<p>“I wonder if he rubbed this on the castle,” she murmured,
holding up the bottle of Vanishing Cream.
“And how would one bring it back? Let me see,
now.” One after the other, she took out the bottles
and boxes and the tiny tea set. The Re-animating
Rays she passed over, without realizing they were
responsible for bringing her to life, but the Question
Box, Peg pounced upon with eager curiosity.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_141">141</div>
<p>“Oh, if it only would answer questions!” fluttered
Peg. Then, holding the box close to her mouth, she
whispered, “Where is Ruggedo?”</p>
<p>“Who are you talking to?” asked Wag, looking up
in alarm. “Now don’t <i>you</i> get mixed up, Peg!”</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_147.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="600" height="390" />
</div>
<p>“It’s a Question Box,” said the Wooden Doll, “but
it’s not working very well.” She shook it vigorously
and held it up so that the light streaming down from
the stable window fell directly on it. In silver letters
on the lid of the box was one word—Ev!</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_142">142</div>
<p>“Ev—Ruggedo’s in Ev!” cried Peg Amy, rushing
over to the rabbit. “Can you take me to Ev, Wag
dear?”</p>
<p>“Of course,” said Wag, nibbling faster and faster at
his carrots. “I’ll take you anywhere, Peg.”</p>
<p>“Then it’s going to be all right; I know it,” chuckled
the Wooden Doll, and putting all the magic appliances
back into the box she closed the lid with a snap. And
this time the magic catch caught.</p>
<p>“Is it far to Ev?” asked Peg Amy, looking thoughtfully
at the place where the castle had once been.</p>
<p>“Quite a long journey,” said Wag, “but we’ll go a
hopping. Ev is near Ruggedo’s old home and it’s
across the Deadly Desert, but we’ll get there somehow.
Trust me. And when I do!” spluttered Wag, thumping
his hind feet determinedly, “I’ll pound his curly
toes off—the wicked little monster!”</p>
<p>“Did you ask the Question Box where the castle
was?” he inquired hastily, for he saw Peg was going
to tell him he must not pound Ruggedo.</p>
<p>“Why, no! How silly of me!” Peg felt in her
pocket and brought out the gold box. She tried to
open it as she had done before but it was no use. She
pulled and tugged and shook it. Then Wag tried.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_143">143</div>
<p>“There’s a secret to it,” puffed the rabbit at last.
“Took Rug a whole night and day to discover it.
Can’t you remember how you opened it before, Peg?”</p>
<p>The Wooden Doll shook her head sadly.</p>
<p>“Well, never mind,” said Wag comfortingly. “Once
we find Ruggedo we can make him tell. We’d better
start right off, because if any of the people around
here saw us they might try to capture us and put us
in a circus. We are rather unusual, you know.” The
rabbit regarded Peg Amy complacently. “One doesn’t
see six-foot rabbits and live dolls every day, even
in Oz!”</p>
<p>“No,” agreed Peg Amy slowly, “I s’pose not!”</p>
<p>The moon, looking down on the strange pair,
ducked behind a cloud to hide her smile, for the giant
funny bunny, strutting about pompously, and old-fashioned
wooden Peg, in her torn frock, were enough
to make anyone smile.</p>
<p>“You think of everything,” sighed Peg, looking
affectionately at Wag.</p>
<p>“Who wouldn’t for a girl like you? You’re a Princess,
Peg—a regular Princess.” The rabbit said it
with conviction and again Peg happily smoothed her
dress.</p>
<p>“Hop on,” chuckled Wag, “and then I’ll hop off.”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_144">144</div>
<p>Seating herself on his back and holding tight to one
of his long ears, Peg announced herself ready. Then
away through the night shot the giant bunny—away
toward the western country of the Winkies—and each
hop carried him twelve feet forward and sent up great
spurts of dust behind.</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_150.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="600" height="329" />
</div>
<div class="pb" id="Page_145">145</div>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_151.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="500" height="488" />
</div>
<h2 id="c11"><span class="smaller">Chapter 11</span>
<br />The King of The Illumi Nation</h2>
<p>While Ruggedo was working all this mischief in
the Emerald City, Pompadore and the Elegant
Elephant had fallen into strange company. After the
Prince’s disappearance, Kabumpo stared long and
anxiously at the white marble stone with its mysterious
inscription, “Knock before you fall in.”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_146">146</div>
<p>What would happen if he knocked, as the sign directed?
Something upsetting, the Elegant Elephant
was sure, else why had Pompa called for help?</p>
<p>Kabumpo groaned, for he was a luxurious beast and
hated discomfort of any sort. As for falling <i>in</i>—the
very thought of it made him shudder in every pound.
But selfish and luxurious though he was, the Elegant
Elephant loved Pompa with all his heart. After all,
he had run off with the Prince and was responsible for
his safety. If Pompa had fallen in he must fall in too.
With a resigned sigh, Kabumpo felt in his pocket to
see that his treasures were safe, straightened his robe
and, taking one last long breath, rapped sharply on
the marble stone with his trunk. Without a sound,
the stone swung inward, and as Kabumpo was standing
on it he shot headlong into a great black opening.
There was a terrific rush of air and the slab swung
back, catching as it did so the fluttering edge of the
Elegant Elephant’s robe of state. This halted his fall
for about a second and then with a spluttering tear
the silk fringe ripped loose and down plunged the
Elegant Elephant, trunk over heels.</p>
<p>After the third somersault, Kabumpo, right side up,
fortunately, struck a soft inclined slide, down which
he shot like a scenic railway train.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_147">147</div>
<p>“Great Grump!” coughed Kabumpo, holding his
jeweled headpiece with his trunk. “Great—” Before
he reached the second grump, his head struck the top
of the passage with terrific force, and that was the last
he remembered about his fall. How long he lay in an
unconscious state the Elegant Elephant never knew.
After what seemed several ages he became aware of a
confused murmur. Footsteps seemed to be pattering
all around him, but he was still too stunned to be
curious.</p>
<p>“Nothing will make me get up,” thought Kabumpo
dully. “I’m going to lie here forever and—ever—and
ever—and—” Just as he reached this drowsy conclusion,
something red hot fell down his neck and a
voice louder than all the rest shouted in his ear.
“<i>What are you?</i>”</p>
<p>“Ouch!” screamed Kabumpo, now thoroughly
aroused. He opened one eye and rolled over on his
side. A tall, curious creature was bending over him.
Its head was on fire and as Kabumpo blinked angrily
another red hot shower spattered into his ear. With
a trumpet of rage Kabumpo lunged to his feet. The
hot-headed person fell over backwards and a crowd of
similar creatures pattered off into the corner and
regarded Kabumpo uneasily. They were as tall as
Pompa but very thin and tube-like in shape and their
heads appeared to be a mass of flickering flames.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_148">148</div>
<p>“Like giant candles,” reflected the Elegant Elephant,
his curiosity getting the better of his anger.
He glanced about hurriedly. He was in a huge white
tiled chamber and the only lights came from the heads
of its singular occupants. A little distance away
Prince Pompadore sat rubbing first his knees and then
his head.</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_154.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="600" height="406" />
</div>
<p>“It’s another faller,” said one of the giant Candlemen
to the other. “Two fallers in one day! This is
exciting—an ‘Ouch’ it calls itself!”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_149">149</div>
<p>“I don’t care what it calls itself,” answered the second
Candleman crossly. “I call it mighty rude. How
dare you blow out our king?” shouted the hot-headed
fellow, shaking his fist at the Elegant Elephant.
“Here, some of you, light him up!”</p>
<p>“Blow out your King?” gasped Kabumpo in amazement.
Sure enough, he had. There at his feet lay
the King of the Candles, stiff and lifeless and with
never a head to bless himself with. While the Elegant
Elephant stared at the long candlestick figure a fat
little Candleman rushed forward and lit with his own
head the small black wick sticking out of the King’s
collar.</p>
<p>Instantly the ruddy flame face of the King appeared,
his eyes snapping dangerously. Jumping to
his feet he advanced toward Pompadore. “Is this
your Ouch?” spluttered the King, jerking his thumb
at Kabumpo. “You must take him away at once. I
never was so put out in my life. Me, the hand-dipped
King of the whole Illumi Nation, to be blown out by
a bumpy creature without any headlight. Where’s
<i>your</i> headlight?” he demanded fiercely, leaning over
the Prince and dropping hot tallow down his neck.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_150">150</div>
<p>Pompa jumped up in a hurry and backed toward
Kabumpo. “Be careful how you talk to him,” roared
the Elegant Elephant, swaying backwards and forward
like a big ship. “He’s a Prince—the Prince of
Pumperdink!” Kabumpo tossed his trunk threateningly.</p>
<p>“A Prince?” spluttered the King, changing his
tone instantly. “Well, that’s different. A Prince can
fall in on us any time and welcome but an Ouch! Why
bring this great clumsy Ouch along?” He rolled his
eyes mournfully at Kabumpo.</p>
<p>“He’s not an Ouch,” explained Pompa, who was
gradually recovering from the shock of his fall. “He
is Kabumpo, an Elegant Elephant, and he blew you
out by mistake. Didn’t you, Kabumpo?”</p>
<p>“Purely an accident—nothing intentional, I assure
you,” chuckled Kabumpo. He was beginning to enjoy
himself. “If there’s any more trouble I’ll blow ’em all
out,” he reflected comfortably, “for they’re nothing
but great big candles.”</p>
<p>Seeing their King in friendly conversation with the
strangers, the other Candlemen came closer—too
close for comfort, in fact. They were always leaning
over and dropping hot tallow on a body and the heat
from their flaming heads was simply suffocating.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_151">151</div>
<p>“Sing the National Air for them,” said the Candle
King carelessly and the Candlemen, in their queer
crackling voices, sang the following song, swaying
rhythmically to the tune:</p>
<div class="verse">
<p class="t0">“Flicker, flicker, Candlemen,</p>
<p class="t0">Cheer our King and cheer again!</p>
<p class="t0">Neat as wax and always bright,</p>
<p class="t0">Cheer’s the King of candle light!</p>
</div>
<div class="verse">
<p class="t0">Kindle lightly—dwindle slightly,</p>
<p class="t0">Here we burn both day and nightly,</p>
<p class="t0">Here we have good times to burn</p>
<p class="t0">Till each one goes out in turn.”</p>
</div>
<p>“Thank you,” said Pompa, mopping his head with
his silk handkerchief.</p>
<p>“Thank you very much,” Kabumpo groaned plaintively,
for the great elephant was nearly stifled.</p>
<p>“How is it you are so tall and thin?” asked Pompa
after an awkward pause.</p>
<p>“How is it you are so short and lumpy and unevenly
dipped?” responded King Cheer promptly. “If I
were in your place,” he gave Kabumpo a contemptuous
glance, “I’d have myself redipped. Where are
your wicks? And how can you walk about without
being lighted?”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_152">152</div>
<p>“We’re not fireworks,” puffed Kabumpo indignantly
and then he gave a shrill scream. Ten Candlemen
tottered and went out, falling to the ground with
a great clatter. Then Pompa leaped several feet in
the air and his scream put out five more.</p>
<p>“Stop!” cried King Cheer angrily. “Stand where
you are!” But Kabumpo and Pompa neither stopped
nor stood where they were. The Elegant Elephant
rushed over to the Prince and threw his heavy robe
over his head. And just in time, for Pompa’s golden
locks were a mass of flames. Then the Prince tore off
his velvet jacket and clapped it to Kabumpo’s tail,
which also was blazing merrily.</p>
<p>“Great Grump!” rumbled the Elegant Elephant
furiously, when he had extinguished Pompa and
Pompa had extinguished him. “I’ll put you all out
for this!” He raised his trunk and pointed it straight
at the Candlemen, who cowered in the far corner.</p>
<p>“I was only trying to light you up,” wailed a little
fellow, holding out his hands pleadingly. “I thought
that was your wick.” He pointed a trembling finger
at Kabumpo’s tail and another at Pompa’s head.</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_159.jpg" alt="“I was only trying to light you up,” wailed the Candleman" width="590" height="800" />
<p class="caption"><span class="sc">“I was only trying to light you up,” wailed the Candleman</span></p>
</div>
<p>“Wick!” snorted Kabumpo in a rage—while the
Prince ran his hand sorrowfully through his one luxuriant
pompadour, of which nothing but a short stubble
remained—“Wick! What would we be doing
with wicks?”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_153">153</div>
<p>“I don’t think he meant any harm,” put in Pompadore,
whose kind heart was touched by the little Candleman’s
terror. “And it wouldn’t help us any.”</p>
<p>“Thought it was my Wick,” shrilled Kabumpo, glaring
over his shoulder at his poor scorched tail. “He’s
a wick-ed little wretch. He’s ruined your looks.”</p>
<p>“I know!” Pompa sighed dismally. “No one will
want to marry me now. It’s all coming true, Kabumpo,
just as Count It Up said. Remember? ‘If a
thin Prince sets out on a fat elephant to find a Proper
Princess, how many yards of fringe will the elephant
lose from his robe and how bald will the Prince be at
the end of the journey?’ And we’ve scarcely begun!”</p>
<p>“Great hay stacks!” whistled Kabumpo, his little
eyes twinkling. “So I have lost every bit of fringe
from my robe and my tail and half the back of my
robe besides. This is nice, I must say.”</p>
<p>“We only tried to give you a warm welcome,” said
the King timidly.</p>
<p>“Warm welcome! Well I should think you did,”
sniffed Kabumpo. “How do we get out of here?”</p>
<p>“Oh, that’s very simple,” said the King, cheering
up. “Tommy, go for the Snuffer.”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_154">154</div>
<p>Before Kabumpo or Pompa realized what this would
mean a little Candleman named Tommy Tallow had
returned with a tall black candle person. He stepped
to the side wall, quickly jerked a rope and down over
Kabumpo dropped a great brass snuffer and over the
Prince another.</p>
<p>“That ought to put the cross old things out,”
Pompa heard the King say just before his snuffer
reached the floor.</p>
<p>“This is terrible,” fumed the poor Prince, thumping
on the sides of the huge brass dome. “I might as
well have stayed at home and disappeared comfortably.
My poor old father and my mother! I wonder
where they are now?”</p>
<p>Sunk in gloomy reflection, Pompadore leaned
against the side of the snuffer. And one cannot blame
him for feeling dismal. The fall down the deep passage,
the shock of losing his hair and now imprisonment
under a stifling brass dome were enough to extinguish
the hopes of the stoutest hearted adventurer.</p>
<p>“I shall never find a Proper Princess!” wailed
Pompa, tying and untying his handkerchief. But
just then there was a creak from without and the great
dome lifted as suddenly as it had fallen—so suddenly
in fact that Pompa fell flat on his back. There stood
Kabumpo winding up the long rope with his trunk
and grumbling furiously all the while.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_155">155</div>
<p>“Takes more than a snuffer to keep me down,”
wheezed the Elegant Elephant, hurrying over and
jerking the Prince to his feet. “Three humps of my
shoulders and off she goes! What makes it so dark?”</p>
<p>“The Candlemen have all gone,” sighed Pompa,
brushing his hand wearily across his forehead. “All
except that one.”</p>
<p>In a distant corner sat Tommy Tallow and the light
from his head was the only light in the great chamber.
He was reading a book with tin leaves and looked up
in surprise when he saw the Elegant Elephant and
Pompadore approaching. Then he started to sputter
and ran toward a bell rope at the side of the chamber.</p>
<p>“Stop!” shouted Kabumpo, “or I’ll blow off your
head!” At that the little Candleman trembled so
violently that his flame head almost went out.</p>
<p>“Now suppose you show us the way out,” snapped
the Elegant Elephant, stamping one big foot until the
floor trembled.</p>
<p>“You could burn out!” gasped Tommy faintly.
“That’s what we do!”</p>
<p>“Don’t say out,” whispered Pompa anxiously. “We
want to go away from here,” he explained earnestly.
“Back on the top of the ground, you know.”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_156">156</div>
<p>“Oh!” whistled Tommy Tallow, his face lighting
up. “That’s easy—this way, please!” He almost ran
to a big door at one side of the room and tugging it
open, waved them through.</p>
<p>“Good-bye!” he called, slamming the door quickly
behind them.</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_164.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="600" height="425" />
</div>
<p>Kabumpo and the Prince found themselves in a
wide dim hallway. It slanted up gradually and there
were tall candle guards stationed about a hundred
yards apart all of the way.</p>
<p>“Are you going to a birthday party or a wedding?”
asked the first guard, as they passed him.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_157">157</div>
<p>“Wedding,” sniffed Kabumpo. “Why?”</p>
<p>“Well, hardly any of the candles go out of here unless
they’re needed for a birthday or a wedding,”
explained the guard, shifting his big feet. “You’re
mighty poorly made though. What kind of candles do
you call yourselves?”</p>
<p>“Roman,” chuckled Kabumpo with a wink. “We
roam around,” he added ponderously.</p>
<p>“Do all the candles used above ground come from
here?” asked Pompa curiously.</p>
<p>“Certainly,” replied the guard. “All candles come
from Illumi—and they don’t like to leave either because
as soon as they strike the upper air they shrink
down to ordinary cake and candlestick size. Distressing,
isn’t it?”</p>
<p>“I suppose it must be,” smiled Pompadore. “Good-bye!”
The guard touched his flame hat and Kabumpo
quickened his pace.</p>
<p>“I want air,” rumbled the great elephant, panting
along as fast as he could go. “I’ve seen and felt about
all I care to see and feel of the Illumi Nation.”</p>
<p>“So have I!” The Prince of Pumperdink touched
his scorched locks and sighed deeply. “I’m afraid
Ozma will never marry me now, and Pumperdink will
disappear forever!”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_158">158</div>
<p>“Don’t be a Gooch!” snapped the Elegant Elephant
shortly. “Our adventures have only begun.”</p>
<p>They passed the rest of the guards without further
conversation, and after about two hours came to the
end of the long tiled passageway and stepped upon
firm ground again.</p>
<p>Kabumpo was terribly out of breath, for the whole
way had been up hill. For a full minute he stood
sniffing the fresh night air. Then, turning around, he
looked for the opening through which they had come.
Not a sign of the passage anywhere!</p>
<p>“That’s curious,” puffed the Elegant Elephant.
“But never mind. We don’t want to go back anyway.”</p>
<p>“I should say not,” gasped the Prince wearily.
“Where are we now, Kabumpo?”</p>
<p>“Still in the Gilliken country, I think, but headed
in the right direction. All we have to do is to keep
going South,” said the Elegant Elephant cheerfully.</p>
<p>“But we’ve had nothing to eat since morning,” objected
Pompadore.</p>
<p>“That’s so,” agreed Kabumpo, scratching his head
thoughtfully, “and not a house in sight!”</p>
<p>“But I smell something cooking,” insisted the
Prince, sniffing hungrily.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_159">159</div>
<p>“So do I,” said the Elegant Elephant, lifting his
trunk, “and it smells like soup. Let’s follow our noses,
Pompa, my boy.”</p>
<p>“Yours is the longest,” laughed the Prince, as Kabumpo
swung him upon the elephant’s back. So,
guided by the fragrant whiffs that came floating
toward them, Kabumpo set out through the trees.</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_167.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="600" height="397" />
</div>
<div class="pb" id="Page_160">160</div>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_168.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="500" height="502" />
</div>
<h2 id="c12"><span class="smaller">Chapter 12</span>
<br />The Delicious Sea of Soup</h2>
<p>“Strange that we don’t see any houses,” puffed
Kabumpo, swinging along rapidly.</p>
<p>“I hear water,” answered Pompa, peering out over
Kabumpo’s head, “and there it is!”</p>
<p>Rippling silver under the rays of the moon, which
shone brightly, lay a great inland sea. The trees had
thinned out, and a smooth, sandy beach stretched down
<span class="pb" id="Page_161">161</span>
to the shore. A slight mist hung in the air and all
around was the delicious fragrance of vegetable soup.</p>
<p>“Somebody’s making soup,” sighed the Prince,
“but who, and where?”</p>
<p>“Never mind, Pompa,” wheezed the Elegant Elephant,
walking down to the water’s edge, “perhaps
you can catch some fish, and while you cook them I’ll
go back and eat some leaves.”</p>
<p>With a jerk of his trunk, Kabumpo pulled a length
of the heavy silver thread from his torn robe and
handed it up to Pompa. Fastening a jeweled pin to
one end, the Prince cast his line far out into the waves.
At the first tug he drew it in.</p>
<p>“What is it?” asked the Elegant Elephant, as
Pompa pulled the dripping line over his trunk.</p>
<p>“Oh, how delicious! How wonderful!” exclaimed
the once fastidious Prince of Pumperdink.</p>
<p>Kabumpo could hear him munching away with
relish.</p>
<p>“What is it?” he asked again.</p>
<p>“A carrot! A lovely, red, delightful, tender carrot!”</p>
<p>“Carrot! Who ever heard of a sea carrot?” grunted
Kabumpo. “I’m afraid you’re not yourself, my boy.
Let me see it.”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_162">162</div>
<p>Snaps and crunches, as Pompa consumed his strange
catch, were the only answer, and in real alarm the
Elegant Elephant moved away from the shore, and in
doing so bumped against a white sign, stuck in the
sand.</p>
<p>“Please Don’t Fall In,” directed the sign politely,
“<i>It Spoils The Soup</i>.”</p>
<p>“Soup!” sputtered Kabumpo. Then another sign
caught his eye: “<i>Soup Sea—Salted To Taste—Help
Yourself</i>.”</p>
<p>“Come down—come down here directly!” cried the
Elegant Elephant, snatching the Prince from his back.
“Here’s the soup—a whole sea full. Now all you need
is a bowl.”</p>
<p>Swallowing convulsively the last bit of carrot,
Pompa stood staring out over the tossing, smoking
soup sea. Every now and then a bone or a vegetable
would bob out of the waves, and the poor hungry
Prince of Pumperdink thought he had never seen a
more lovely sight in his life.</p>
<p>“We’ll probably be awarded a china medal for
this,” chuckled the Elegant Elephant. “Won’t old
Pumper’s eyes stick out when we tell him about it?
But now for a bowl!”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_163">163</div>
<p>Swinging his trunk gently, Kabumpo walked up the
white beach, and had not gone more than a dozen steps
before he came to a cluster of huge shells. He turned
one over curiously. “Why, it’s a soup bowl,” whistled
the Elegant Elephant. He rushed back with it to
Pompadore, who still stood dreamily surveying the
soup.</p>
<p>“I never thought I’d be so thrilled by a common
soup bowl,” thought Kabumpo, staring at the Prince
in amusement. He stepped out on a rock and dipped
up a bowl of the hot liquid.</p>
<p>“Here! Drink!” commanded the Elegant Elephant,
handing the bowl to the Prince. “Drink to the Proper
Princess and the future Queen of Pumperdink.”</p>
<p>“Don’t go,” begged the Prince between gulps, “I
shall want two—three—several!”</p>
<p>Kabumpo laughed good naturedly. “This is the
pleasantest thing that has happened to us. Here!
Have another!”</p>
<p>Then both Pompa and the Elegant Elephant gasped,
for out of the bubbling waves arose the most curious
figure that they had ever seen—the most curious and
the jolliest. He was made entirely of soup bones, and
his head was a monster cabbage, with a soup bowl set
jauntily on the side for a cap. For a cabbage head he
sang very well and this was the song to which he kept
time by waving a silver ladle:</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_164">164</div>
<div class="verse">
<p class="t0">“Ho! I am the King of the Soup Sea,</p>
<p class="t">Yes, I am the King of the Deep;</p>
<p class="t0">My crown is a bowl and my sceptre a ladle,</p>
<p class="t0">I fell in the soup when I fell from the cradle,</p>
<p class="t">And find it exceedingly cheap!</p>
</div>
<div class="verse">
<p class="t0">I stir it up nightly, and pepper it rightly—</p>
<p class="t">A liquid perfection you’ll find.</p>
<p class="t0">And here is a roll, sirs,</p>
<p class="t0">So fill up your bowl, sirs,</p>
<p class="t">And think of me after you’ve dined.”</p>
</div>
<p>When he came to “dined,” the Soup King gave a
playful leap and disappeared backward into the
waves.</p>
<p>Pompa rubbed his eyes and looked at Kabumpo to
see whether he had been dreaming.</p>
<p>“Oh!” cried Kabumpo, his eyes as round as little
saucers. Floating gently toward them were two
large, crisp, buttered rolls.</p>
<p>“The most charming King I’ve ever met,” chuckled
Kabumpo, scooping up the rolls and handing them to
Pompa.</p>
<p>Pompa, staring dreamily ahead, first took a drink of
soup, then a nibble of roll, too happy for speech. Four
times the Elegant Elephant refilled the bowl. Then,
his stomach full for the first time since they had left
Pumperdink, the Prince stretched himself out on the
sands.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_165">165</div>
<p>“Now,” puffed the Elegant Elephant ceremoniously,
“if you think you’ve had quite enough, I’ll
snatch a few bites myself.” Chuckling softly he made
his way back to some young trees, and dined luxuriously
off their tops.</p>
<p>When he returned to the beach, Pompa was fast
asleep, and for a few moments Kabumpo was inclined
to sleep himself. “But then,” he reflected, “Ozma
may require a lot of coaxing before she consents to
marry Pompa, and two of our precious seven days are
gone. It is plainly my duty to save Pumperdink.
Besides, when Pompa is married he will be King of
Oz! Then I, the Elegant Elephant, will be the biggest
figure at Court.”</p>
<p>Kabumpo threw up his trunk and trumpeted softly
to the stars. Then, giving himself a big shake and a
little stretch, he lifted the sleeping Prince to his
back and started on again. In about two hours he had
circled the Soup Sea and, guiding himself by a particularly
bright and twinkling star, ran swiftly and
steadily toward the South.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_166">166</div>
<p>As the first streaks of dawn appeared in the sky,
Kabumpo passed through a quaint little Gilliken village.
He snatched a bag of rolls from a doorstep and
stuck them into his pocket, but he did not stop, and
so fast asleep was the little village that except for a
few wideawake roosters, no one knew how important
a person had passed through.</p>
<p>The sky grew pinker and pinker. You have no idea
how pink the morning skies in Oz can be. Just as the
sun got out of bed, the Elegant Elephant came to the
wonderful Emerald City itself, shining and fairylike
as a dream under the lovely colors of sunrise. Kabumpo
paused and took a deep breath. Even he was
impressed, and it took a good bit to impress him. He
reached back and touched Pompa with his trunk.</p>
<p>“Wake up, my boy,” whispered Kabumpo in a trembling
voice. “Wake up and put on your crown, for
we have come to the city of your Proper Princess.”</p>
<p>Pompa sat up and rubbed his eyes in amazement.
Without a word, he took the crown Kabumpo handed
up to him, and set it on his scorched, golden head.
Accustomed as Pompa was to grandeur, for Pumperdink
is very magnificent in its funny old-fashioned
way, he could not help but gasp at Ozma’s fair city.
The lovely green parks, the houses studded with
countless emeralds, the shining marble streets, filled
the Prince with wonder.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_167">167</div>
<p>“I don’t believe she’ll ever marry me,” he stuttered,
beginning to feel quite frightened at his boldness.</p>
<p>“Nonsense,” wheezed Kabumpo faintly. He was
beginning to have misgivings himself. “Sit up now!
Look your best, and I’ll carry you straight into the
palace gardens.”</p>
<p>No one was awake. Even the Soldier with the
Green Whiskers lay snoring against a tree, so that
Kabumpo stole unobserved into the Royal Gardens.</p>
<p>“I don’t see the palace,” whispered Pompa anxiously.
“Wouldn’t it show above the trees?”</p>
<p>“It ought to,” said Kabumpo, wrinkling up his forehead.
“But look! Who is that?”</p>
<p>Pompa’s heart almost stopped, and even Kabumpo’s
gave a queer jump. On a golden bench, just ahead,
sat the loveliest person either had seen in all of their
eighteenth birthdays.</p>
<p>“Ozma,” gasped the Elegant Elephant, as soon as
he had breath enough to whisper. “What luck! You
must ask her at once.”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_168">168</div>
<p>“Not now,” begged the Prince of Pumperdink, as
Kabumpo unceremoniously helped him to the ground.
His knees shook, his tongue stuck to the roof of his
mouth. He had never proposed to a Fairy Princess
before in his whole life. Then all at once he had an
idea. Slipping his hand into the Elegant Elephant’s
pocket, he drew out the magic mirror. “I’ll see if
she’s a princess,” stuttered Pompa.</p>
<p>The elephant shook his head angrily but was afraid
to speak again lest he disturb the quiet figure on the
bench.</p>
<p>“And I’ll not propose unless she is the one,” said
Pompa, tip-toeing toward the bench. Without making
a sound he suddenly held the mirror before the startled
and lovely lady.</p>
<p>“Glinda, good Sorceress of Oz,” flashed the mirror
promptly.</p>
<p>“Great gooseberries!” cried Glinda, springing to her
feet in alarm and swinging around on Pompa. “Where
did you come from?” After studying a whole day and
night in her magic books, Glinda had returned to the
Emerald City to try to perfect her plan for rescuing
Ozma.</p>
<p>“From Pumperdink, your Highness,” puffed Kabumpo,
lunging forward anxiously. He, too, had seen
the words in the mirror and the fear of offending a
Sorceress made him quake in his skin—which was
loose enough to quake in, dear knows!</p>
<p>“A thousand pardons!” cried the Prince, dropping
on one knee and taking off his crown. “We were
seeking Princess Ozma, the Fairy Ruler of Oz.”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_169">169</div>
<p>Glinda looked from Kabumpo to the Prince and
controlled a desire to laugh. The Elegant Elephant’s
torn and scorched robe hung in rags from his shoulders
and his jeweled headpiece was dangling over one ear.
Pompa’s clothes were equally shabby and his almost
bald head with a lock sticking up here and there gave
him a singular and comical appearance.</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_179.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="600" height="392" />
</div>
<p>“Pumperdink?” mused Glinda, tapping her foot
thoughtfully. Then, like a flash she remembered the
entry in the Book of Records—“The Prince of Pumperdink
is journeying toward the Emerald City.”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_170">170</div>
<p>“Why did you want to see Ozma?” asked Glinda
anxiously. Perhaps these two strangers could throw
some light on the mysterious disappearance of the
Royal Palace.</p>
<p>“Our country was threatened with disappearance
and I thought—”</p>
<p>“He thought Ozma might help us,” finished the
Elegant Elephant breathlessly. He did not believe in
telling strange Sorceresses about everything. Now if
Glinda had not been so occupied with the disappearance
of the palace and all the dearest people in Oz,
she might have been more curious about the disappearance
of Pumperdink. As it was she just shook
her head sadly. “I’m afraid Ozma cannot help you,”
she said, “for Ozma herself has disappeared—Ozma
and everyone in the palace.”</p>
<p>“Disappeared!” trumpeted the Elegant Elephant,
sitting down with a thud. “Great Grump! The
thing’s getting to be a habit!”</p>
<p>What was to become of Pompa now? Would he
never be King, nor he, Kabumpo, ever be known as
the most Elegant Elephant in Oz? Had they made
the long journey in vain?</p>
<p>“Where? When?” gasped Prince Pompadore.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_171">171</div>
<p>“Night before last,” explained Glinda. “I’ve been
consulting my magic books ever since but have only
been able to discover one fact.”</p>
<p>“What is that?” asked Kabumpo faintly.</p>
<p>“That they are in Ev,” said Glinda, “and that a
giant carried them off. I came here early this morning
to see whether I could discover anything new.
Would you care to see where the castle stood?”</p>
<p>“Did he carry the castle off, too?” shuddered
Pompa. Glinda nodded gloomily and led them over
to the great hole in the center of the gardens.</p>
<p>For a minute she stood watching them. Then,
glancing at a golden sun dial set in the center of a
lovely flower bed, she murmured half to herself, “I
must be off!” Next instant she clapped her hands and
down swept a shining chariot drawn by white swans.</p>
<p>“Good-bye!” called Glinda, springing in lightly.
“I’m off to Ev to try my magic against the giant’s.
Wait here and when I’ve helped Ozma perhaps I can
help you!”</p>
<p>“Can’t we help? Can’t we go?” cried Pompa, running
a few steps after the chariot, but Glinda, already
high in the air, did not hear him and in the wink of
an eye the chariot and its lovely occupant had melted
into the pink morning clouds.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_172">172</div>
<p>“Now what shall we do?” groaned the Prince, letting
his arms drop heavily at his sides.</p>
<p>“Do!” snorted Kabumpo. “The thing for you to do
is to act like a Prince instead of a Gooch! There are
other ways of getting to Ev than by chariot.”</p>
<p>The thought of Kabumpo in Glinda’s chariot made
Pompa smile in spite of himself.</p>
<p>“There! That’s better,” said the Elegant Elephant
more pleasantly.</p>
<p>“Now, what’s to hinder us from going to Ev and
rescuing Princess Ozma? She couldn’t help marrying
you if you saved her from a giant, could she?”</p>
<p>“But could I save her—that’s the question,” muttered
the Prince, looking uneasily at the yawning
cavity where the castle had stood. “This giant must
be a terrible fellow!”</p>
<p>“Pooh!” said Kabumpo airily. “Who’s afraid of
giants? I’ll wind my trunk around his leg and pull
him to earth. Then you can dispatch the villain. We
must get you a sword, though,” he added softly.</p>
<p>“All right! I’ll do it!” cried the Prince, throwing
out his chest. The very thought of killing a giant
made him feel about ten feet high. “Do you know the
way to Ev, Kabumpo? We’ll have to hurry, because
unless I marry Ozma before the seven days are up my
poor old father and mother and all of Pumperdink will
disappear forever.”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_173">173</div>
<p>You see, even Pompa had now got it into his head
that Ozma was the Proper Princess mentioned in the
scroll.</p>
<p>“We’ll start at once,” sighed the Elegant Elephant
a bit ruefully. “I’ve had no sleep and precious little
to eat but when you are King of Oz you can reward
old Kabumpo as he deserves.”</p>
<p>“Everything I have will be yours,” cried the
Prince, giving the elephant, or as much of him as he
could grasp, a sudden hug. Then each took a long
drink from one of the bubbling fountains and, munching
the rolls Kabumpo had picked up in the Gilliken
village, the two adventurers stole out of the gardens.</p>
<p>As they reached the gates, Kabumpo paused and
his little eyes twinkled with delight. There lay the
Soldier with the Green Whiskers, snoring tremendously
and beside him was a long, sharp sword with
an emerald handle. “Just what we need,” chuckled
Kabumpo, snatching it up in his trunk. Then out
through the gates and swiftly through the still sleeping
city swept the Elegant Elephant and the Prince
of Pumperdink, off to rescue Princess Ozma, a prisoner
in Ev!</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_174">174</div>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_184.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="500" height="481" />
</div>
<h2 id="c13"><span class="smaller">Chapter 13</span>
<br />On The Road To Ev</h2>
<p>In their journey to Ev, Peg and Wag had a night’s
start of Kabumpo and Prince Pompadore, but
towards morning Wag’s ears began to droop with
sleep.</p>
<p>“Gotta natch a sap, Peg,” Wag muttered thickly, as
they halted on a little hill.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_175">175</div>
<p>“Natch a sap? What’s that?” asked the Wooden
Doll anxiously. Wag made no answer—just flopped
on his side and in a minute was asleep and snoring
tremendously.</p>
<p>“Oh!” whispered Peg, pulling herself gently from
beneath the sleeping rabbit. “He meant snatch a
nap.”</p>
<p>She laughed softly and seated herself under a small
tree. The birds were beginning to waken and their
singing filled Peg Amy with delight. “How wonderful
it all is,” she murmured, gazing up at the little
ruffly pink clouds. “How wonderful it is to be alive!”</p>
<p>“Hello! Mr. Robin!” she called gaily, as a bird flew
to a low bush beside her. “Are your children quite
well?”</p>
<p>The robin swung backward and forward on his
swaying branch; then burst into his best morning song.</p>
<p>“Oh!” cried Peg Amy, clasping her wooden hands,
“I’ve heard that before! But how could I?” she reasoned,
“I’m only a Wooden Doll and this is the first
morning I have been alive. But then, how did I know
it was a robin?”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_176">176</div>
<p>Peg rubbed her wooden forehead in perplexity, for
it was all very puzzling indeed. Below their little
hill stretched the lovely land of the Winkies, with its
great green forests and little yellow villages. The
wind sent the leaves dancing above Peg’s head and the
early sunbeams made lovely patterns on the grass.</p>
<p>“I’ve seen it before!” gasped the Wooden Doll
breathlessly. “The trees, the birds, the houses and
everything!” Springing to her feet she ran awkwardly
from bush to tree, touching the leaves and
bending over the flowers as if they were old friends.
Had it not been for the squeaking of her wooden
joints, Peg would almost have forgotten she was a
Wooden Doll, for at the sight of the lovely green
growing things something warm and sunny seemed
to waken in her stiff wooden breast. “I’ve been alive
before,” said Peg Amy over and over.</p>
<p>Suddenly, through the still morning air, came a
loud, shrill laugh. Peg, who had been standing with
her cheek pressed closely against a small tree, swung
around quickly—so quickly in fact that she fell over
and lay in a ridiculously bent double position before
the new-comers.</p>
<p>It was Kabumpo and the Prince of Pumperdink.
Traveling by the same road Wag had chosen but much
more rapidly, the Elegant Elephant had come at sunrise
to the little hill. He had been watching Peg for
some time, and when he saw her dance awkwardly
over to the tree, he could no longer restrain himself.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_177">177</div>
<p>“Get out your mirror!” roared Kabumpo, shaking
all over with mirth. “Here is your Proper Princess,
Pompa, my boy—as royal a maiden as the country
boasts. Ho, ho! Kerumph!”</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_187.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="600" height="408" />
</div>
<p>“Don’t be ridiculous,” snapped Pompa, looking
down curiously at the comical figure of Peg Amy.</p>
<p>“But she’s so funny!” gasped Kabumpo, the tears
rolling down his big cheeks.</p>
<p>“Who’s funny?” demanded an angry voice and Wag,
who had been awakened by Kabumpo’s loud roars,
hopped up, his ears quivering with rage.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_178">178</div>
<p>“I’ll pull your long nose for you!” cried Wag, advancing
threateningly. “Don’t you dare make fun of
Peg. What are you, anyway?”</p>
<p>“Great Grump!” choked Kabumpo, without answering
Wag’s inquiry. “What kind of a rabbit is this?”</p>
<p>“A clawing, chawing, scratching kind—as you’ll
soon find out!” Wag drew himself up into a ball and
prepared to launch himself at Kabumpo’s head, when
Peg straightened up and caught him by the ear.</p>
<p>“Don’t, Wag, please,” she begged. “He couldn’t
help laughing. I am funny. You know I am!” she
sighed a bit ruefully.</p>
<p>“You’re not funny to me,” blustered Wag, still
glaring at Kabumpo. “Who does he think he is?”</p>
<p>“I?” sniffed Kabumpo, spreading out his ears complacently,
“I am the Elegant Elephant of Pumperdink.
Notice my pearls; gaze upon my robe.”</p>
<p>“You don’t look very elegant to me,” snorted Wag.
“You look more like a tramp. Says he’s a lelegant
nelephant from Dumperpink,” he whispered scornfully
to Peg.</p>
<p>“And what’s that you’ve got on your back?” he
called, with a wave of his paw at Pompa. “A dunce?”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_179">179</div>
<p>“Dunce!” screamed Kabumpo furiously. “This is
the Prince of Pumperdink, you good-for-nothing
lettuce-eater! What do you mean by laughing at
royalty?”</p>
<p>“Royalty! Oh, ha, ha, ha!” roared Wag, rolling
over and over in the grass. “But he’s so funny!” He
paused to take another look at the Prince. At this
Kabumpo lunged forward, his eyes snapping angrily.</p>
<p>“Stop!” begged the Prince, tugging Kabumpo by
the ear. “You were rude to his friend that—er—doll,
so you must expect him to be rude to me. It’s all
your fault,” he added reproachfully.</p>
<p>“Are you a Prince?” asked Peg Amy, staring up at
Pompa with her round, painted eyes.</p>
<p>“Of course he’s a Prince. Didn’t I say so before?
Who is that hoppy creature?”</p>
<p>“That’s Wag—such a dear fellow.” Peg smiled
confidently at Kabumpo and he was suddenly ashamed
of himself for laughing at her.</p>
<p>“Well, he needn’t get waggish with me,” grumbled
the Elegant Elephant in a lower voice.</p>
<p>“Oh, don’t quarrel!” begged Peg. “It’s such a
lovely morning and you both look so interesting.”</p>
<p>Kabumpo eyed the big Wooden Doll attentively. It
was smart of her to think him interesting. He cleared
his throat gruffly.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_180">180</div>
<p>“You’re not as funny as you look,” he admitted
grandly, which was the nearest to an apology he had
ever come. “But what are you doing here and why
are you alive?”</p>
<p>“I don’t know,” explained Peg apologetically. “It
just happened last night.”</p>
<p>“It did? Well, where are you going?”</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_190.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="600" height="347" />
</div>
<p>Wag still looked cross and his nose was twitching
violently, but Peg politely answered Kabumpo’s
question.</p>
<p>“We’re on our way to Ev to try to help Ozma,”
said the Wooden Doll, folding her hands quaintly.</p>
<p>“Why so are <i>we</i>!” cried Pompa, sliding down Kabumpo’s
trunk in a hurry.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_181">181</div>
<p>“How do <i>you</i> expect to help her?” grunted Kabumpo,
looking at Wag and Peg contemptuously.</p>
<p>“Don’t mind him,” begged Pompa, running up to
Peg Amy. “Tell me everything you know about
Ozma. Is she pretty?”</p>
<p>“Beautiful,” breathed Peg, looking up at the sky.
“Beautiful and lovely and good. That’s why I want
to help her.”</p>
<p>“Then I sha’n’t mind marrying her at all,” said
Pompa, with a great sigh of relief.</p>
<p>“Gooch!” roared Kabumpo angrily—“Telling
everything you know!”</p>
<p>“Do you mean to say you think Ozma would marry
<i>you</i>?” gasped Wag, sitting up with a jerk. “Oh, my
wocks and hoop soons!” His ears crossed and uncrossed
and with a final gurgle of disbelief Wag fell
back on the grass.</p>
<p>“Well, is there anything so strange in that?” asked
Pompa in a hurt voice. “I’ve <i>got</i> to marry her,” he
added, desperately appealing to Peg Amy. And
while Kabumpo stood sulkily swinging his trunk the
Prince told Peg the whole story of the magic scroll.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_182">182</div>
<p>“I said you looked interesting,” breathed Peg, as
Pompa paused for breath. “Did you hear that, Wag?
Unless he marries a Proper Princess in a proper time
his whole Kingdom will disappear—his Kingdom and
everyone in it!”</p>
<p>“But how do you know Ozma is the Proper Princess?”
asked Wag, chewing a blade of grass. “The
scroll didn’t say Ozma, did it?”</p>
<p>“Kabumpo thinks Ozma is the Proper Princess,”
explained Pompadore, nodding toward the Elegant
Elephant, “and he’s usually right!”</p>
<p>“Humph!” sniffed Wag. “Well, maybe you are a
Prince. You’re not really bad looking if you had
some fur on your head,” he remarked more amiably.
“What happened? Somebody pull it out?”</p>
<p>“Oh, Wag!” murmured Peg Amy, in a shocked
voice.</p>
<p>“Burned off,” sighed Pompa, and proceeded to tell
of their fall into the Illumi Nation. He even told them
about the Soup Sea and of their meeting with Glinda,
the Good.</p>
<p>“Don’t you care,” said the big Wooden Doll, as
Pompa mournfully rubbed his scorched head. “It
will soon grow again and I don’t see how Ozma could
help loving you—you’re so tall, and so polite.” This
kind little speech affected Pompa so deeply that he
dropped on one knee and raised Peg’s wooden hand to
his lips.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_183">183</div>
<p>“The creature has a lot of sense,” mumbled Kabumpo,
with his mouth full of leaves.</p>
<p>“Creature!” exclaimed Wag, sitting up straight
and opening his eyes wide. “Her name is Peg Amy,
Mr. Nelegant Lelephant.”</p>
<p>“Oh, all right,” sniffed Kabumpo hastily. “But
you’ll have to admit she’s curious.”</p>
<p>“Of course she is,” said Wag complacently. “That’s
why I like her. She wasn’t cut out to be a beauty,
but to be companionable, and she is. When you’ve
known Peg as long as I have”—Wag paused impressively—“you’ll
be proud to carry her on your
back, Mr. Long Nose!”</p>
<p>“I’ve only known her a few minutes and I adore
her!” said Pompa heartily. “Mistress Peg and I are
good friends already.” Peg curtseyed awkwardly.
“I’ve done this before,” she reflected curiously to
herself.</p>
<p>“Shall we tell them about Ruggedo?” Peg asked
aloud, turning to Wag.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_184">184</div>
<p>“Yes, do!” begged Pompa. “Tell us something
about yourselves. I never saw so large a rabbit in my
life as Wag and as for <i>you</i>!”—Pompa paused, for
Wag was eying him resentfully—“you are the largest,
most delightful doll I have ever met, the only
alive one, I might say. How did you know about
Ozma’s disappearance and how were you going to
help her?”</p>
<p>“Mixed Magic!” whispered Wag, crossing his ears
and his eyes as well. “Mixed Magic!”</p>
<p>“Magic?” gulped Kabumpo, swallowing a branch
of sticky leaves whole. “Have <i>you</i> any magic?”</p>
<p>“A whole box full,” sighed Peg Amy, patting her
pocket softly.</p>
<p>“In that box is the magic that brought Peg to life!”
shrilled Wag, pointing a trembling paw. “In that box
is the magic that made us grow. In that box is the
magic that caused Ozma’s castle to disappear—!”</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_191.jpg" alt="“In that box is the magic that brought Peg to life!” shrilled Wag" width="583" height="799" />
<p class="caption"><span class="sc">“In that box is the magic that brought Peg to life!” shrilled Wag</span></p>
</div>
<p>“Great Grump!” whistled Kabumpo. “How fortunate
we fell in with them, Pompa.” He held out his
trunk. “Give me the box, my good girl, and you shall
be fittingly rewarded when Pompa is King of Oz.”</p>
<p>“That’s a long time to wait,” chuckled Wag, tickled
by Kabumpo’s outrageous impudence. “No, Peg and
I will just keep the box, thank you.”</p>
<p>“Of course you will,” said Prince Pompadore,
frowning at Kabumpo. “But as we are both bound
on the same errand, let us travel together. Kabumpo
and I are going to kill the giant who ran off with the
castle.”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_185">185</div>
<p>The Prince held up his long sword. “And if you
can help us, I shall thank you from the bottom of my
heart.” Pompa stretched out his hand impulsively.</p>
<p>“Well, that’s more like,” said Wag, pulling his ear
thoughtfully. “And four heads are better than two!”</p>
<p>“Of course we’ll help you!” cried Peg Amy. “The
trouble is, we don’t know ourselves how to open the
magic box, but we do know that Ruggedo is in Ev and
when we get there we will make him open the box
and undo all this mischief.”</p>
<p>“You mentioned him before,” said Kabumpo, holding
up his trunk. “Who is Ruggedo and what has he
to do with Ozma?”</p>
<p>“Ruggedo is a wicked little gnome,” explained Peg
Amy gravely. “He used to be King of the Gnomes
but he was banished from his Kingdom and Ozma
gave him a little cottage in the Emerald City. He
pretended to live there, but instead he tunneled a cave
right underneath the palace. Wag helped him dig.”
Peg waved her hand at the rabbit. “And he was the
only one who would stay with him. Then Ruggedo
stole me. I was only a small, unalive doll, belonging
to Trot, a little girl who lives with Ozma. Ruggedo
stole me just to shake,” continued Peg shuddering.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_186">186</div>
<p>“That’s why I’m going to pound his curly toes
off!” screamed Wag, beginning to hop about at the
very thought of Ruggedo.</p>
<p>“But how did you come to be so large and alive?”
asked Kabumpo, who was growing more interested.</p>
<p>“Well, one night”—Peg dropped her voice to a
whisper—“One night Ruggedo found this box of
Mixed Magic hidden in the cave and then—”</p>
<p>“Then,” screamed Wag hoarsely, “in some way we
don’t understand, Peg and I grew big, Peg came
alive, the top blew off the cave—and depend upon it,
whatever’s happened to Ozma and her palace happened
from something in that box. It’s all Ruggedo’s
fault. When I catch him”—Wag began to wiggle his
nose and paw his whiskers—“my wocks and hoop
soons! I’ll pound his curly toes off!”</p>
<p>“And I’ll help you!” cried Kabumpo heartily. He
could not help but admire such spirit. “Come on—let’s
start. You may ride on my back with Pompa if
you care to,” finished the Elegant Elephant with a
sidelong glance at Peg.</p>
<p>“Oh, thank you,” smiled the Wooden Doll, “but
Wag will carry me.”</p>
<p>“I always carry Peg,” said Wag jealously. “I’ve
known her the longest.”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_187">187</div>
<p>“Oh, all right,” sniffed Kabumpo, lifting Pompa up,
“but if she ever <i>wants</i> to ride on my back she may.”</p>
<p>“Humph!” grunted Wag, as the Wooden Doll settled
herself on his shoulders. “Isn’t he generous!”</p>
<p>Peg pulled down one of Wag’s long ears. “It was
kindly meant,” whispered the Wooden Doll merrily.</p>
<p>“Ready?” puffed Kabumpo, backing out into the
road. “We’ve no time to lose, for if we lose time we
lose our Kingdom too. Forward for Pumperdink!”</p>
<p>“All right!” cried Wag, giving a great leap. “Follow
me!” And off hopped the giant bunny so fast
that Kabumpo had to stretch his legs even to keep
him in sight.</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_197.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="557" height="600" />
</div>
<div class="pb" id="Page_188">188</div>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_198.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="500" height="482" />
</div>
<h2 id="c14"><span class="smaller">Chapter 14</span>
<br />Terror In Ozma’s Palace</h2>
<p>Meanwhile strange things had been happening
in Ozma’s palace. For the people inside it had
been a very mean time indeed. During Ruggedo’s run
to the mountains of Ev, they had almost been shaken
out of their wits and when he sat down upon the mountain
top there was not a person nor piece of furniture
standing in the whole palace. Courtiers and servants
who were not knocked senseless lay shaking in their
beds or huddled in corners and under sofas and chairs,
just as they had fallen when the first terrible crash
lifted the palace into the air.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_189">189</div>
<p>Ozma’s four poster bed had collapsed, pinning the
little Fairy Princess under a mass of silk hangings and
curtain poles. Being a fairy, Ozma was unhurt, but
not being able to move, nor to reach her Magic Belt
or even make herself heard, she was forced to lie perfectly
still and wait for help.</p>
<p>In Dorothy’s sitting room there was not a sound but
the ticking of the Copper Man’s machinery. Trot and
Betsy Bobbin had knocked their heads together so
smartly that they were unconscious. Sir Hokus had
been hurled violently against Tik Tok and the poor
Knight had known nothing since. Dorothy lay quietly
beside him, an ugly bruise on her forehead, where the
emerald clock had landed.</p>
<p>“Scraps!” called the Scarecrow, sometime after the
rumble and tumble had ceased, “are you there?”</p>
<p>“No, here!” gasped the Patch Work Girl, sitting up
cautiously. She had bounced all around the room and
finally rolled into a corner quite close to the Scarecrow
himself. She put out her cotton hand as she
spoke and touched him.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_190">190</div>
<p>“How fortunate we are unbreakable,” said the
Scarecrow, pressing her cotton fingers convulsively
and trying to peer out through the intense blackness
of the room. “What happened?”</p>
<p>“Earthquake!” shivered Scraps. “And maybe it’s
not over!”</p>
<p>“Must have knocked everybody silly,” said the
Scarecrow huskily.</p>
<p>“Except us,” giggled the Patch Work Girl. “We
couldn’t be knocked silly ’cause we were silly in the
first place.”</p>
<p>“Now, don’t make jokes, please,” begged the Scarecrow.
“This is serious. Besides, I want to think.”</p>
<p>“All right,” said Scraps cheerfully. “I don’t—but
I’m going to feel around and see if I can find the
matches. There used to be some candles on the mantel
and—” As she spoke, Scraps fell headlong over Sir
Hokus of Pokes and as luck would have it her cotton
fingers closed over a small gold match box. Picking
herself up carefully, Scraps struck a match on Sir
Hokus’ armor and looked anxiously around the room.</p>
<p>“They need water,” said the Patch Work Girl,
wrinkling up her patchwork forehead.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_191">191</div>
<p>“So will you if you don’t blow out that match!”
cried the Scarecrow in alarm, for Scraps continued to
hold the match till it burned to the very end. He
jumped up clumsily and puffed out the light just in
time. Scraps promptly lit another and as she did so
the Scarecrow saw a tall blue candle sticking out of
the waste basket.</p>
<p>“Here,” said the Straw Man nervously. “Light
this and stand it on the mantel there.” By the flickering
candle light the Scarecrow and Scraps tried to set
Dorothy’s room to rights. They dragged the mattress
from the bed-room and placed the little girls on it,
side by side. Sir Hokus was too heavy to move, so
they merely loosened his armor and put a sofa cushion
under his head. Then, just as Scraps was going for
some water, the room began to tremble again.</p>
<p>“I told you it wasn’t over,” cried Scraps, flinging
both arms about the Scarecrow’s neck. And as they
rocked to and fro she shouted merrily:</p>
<div class="verse">
<p class="t0">“Shaker! Shaker! Who art thee,</p>
<p class="t0">To shake a castle like a tree?</p>
<p class="t0">Shaker! Shaker! Go away</p>
<p class="t0">And come again some other day!”</p>
</div>
<p>“Now, Scraps,” begged the Scarecrow, steadying the
Patch Work Girl with one hand and catching hold of a
table with the other, “everything depends on us. Do
try to keep your head!”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_192">192</div>
<p>“Keep my head!” shrilled Scraps, as the room tilted
over and slid all the furniture sideways. “I’ll be lucky
if I keep my feet. Whoopee! Here we go!” And go
they did with a rush into the farthest corner. Slowly
the room righted itself and everything grew quiet
again.</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_202.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="600" height="406" />
</div>
<p>“I know what I’m going to do,” said the Scarecrow
determinedly. “Before anything else happens I’m
going to see what has happened already.”</p>
<p>“How?” asked Scraps, bouncing to her feet.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_193">193</div>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_203.jpg" alt="Dorothy and Toto" width="450" height="699" />
<p class="caption"><span class="sc">Dorothy and Toto</span></p>
</div>
<div class="pb" id="Page_194">194</div>
<p>“The Magic Picture,” gasped the Scarecrow. “You
bring the candle, Scraps, like a good girl. You’re less
liable to take fire than I am. Then we’ll come back
and help Dorothy and the others.”</p>
<p>“Good idea,” said Scraps, taking the candle from
the mantel. Breathlessly the two tip-toed along the
hall to Ozma’s apartment. On the wall in one of
Ozma’s rooms hangs the most magic possession in Oz.
It is a picture representing a country scene, but when
you ask it where a certain person is, immediately he
is shown in the picture and also what he is doing at
the time.</p>
<p>“So,” murmured the Scarecrow, as they gained the
room in safety, “if it tells where other people are, it
ought to tell us where we are ourselves.”</p>
<p>Drawing aside the curtain that covered the picture
the Scarecrow demanded loudly, “Where are we?”</p>
<p>Scraps held the candle so that its flickering rays
fell directly on the picture. Then both jumped in
earnest, for in a flash the face of Ruggedo, the wicked
old gnome King, appeared, on his head a great, green
towering sort of hat.</p>
<p>The Scarecrow seized the candle from Scraps and
held it closer to the picture. He squinted up one eye
and almost rubbed his painted nose off.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_195">195</div>
<p>“Great Kinkajous!” spluttered the Straw Man distractedly.
“That’s a palace on his head—an Emerald
palace—Ozma’s palace!”</p>
<p>“But how?” asked Scraps, her suspender button
eyes almost dropping out. “He’s nothing but a
gnome. He’s—”</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_205.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="600" height="447" />
</div>
<p>Before Scraps could finish her sentence the palace
began to tilt forward and they both fell upon their
faces. Then the picture jerked loose and fell with a
clattering slam on their heads, followed by such ornaments
as had not already tumbled down before.
Through it all Scraps held the candle high in air and
fortunately it did not go out, despite the turmoil.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_196">196</div>
<p>In a few moments the palace stopped rocking and a
muffled call from Ozma sent the Scarecrow and Scraps
hurrying to her bedside. After some trouble, for they
were both flimsily made, they managed to free the
little Princess of Oz from the poles and bed curtains.</p>
<p>“Goodness!” sighed Ozma, looking around at the
terrible confusion.</p>
<p>“Not goodness, but badness,” said the Scarecrow,
settling his hat firmly, “and Ruggedo is at the bottom
of it and of us.” He quickly explained to Ozma what
he had seen in the Magic Picture.</p>
<p>Slipping on a silk robe, Ozma followed them into the
next room. When the picture had been rehung, they
all looked again. This time Ozma asked where the
palace was. Immediately the old Gnome King appeared
and there could be no mistake—the palace was
set squarely on his head. The picture did not show
the real size of Ruggedo nor of the palace, but it was
enough.</p>
<p>“He must have sprung into a giant,” gasped Ozma,
scarcely believing her eyes. “Oh, what shall we do?”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_197">197</div>
<p>“The first thing to do is to keep him quiet. Every
time he shakes his head it tumbles us about so,” complained
the Scarecrow, plumping up the straw in his
chest. “And we must look after Dorothy and Betsy
and Trot.”</p>
<p>“And Sir Hokus,” added the Patch Work Girl,
flinging out one hand. “He’s yearning to slay a giant.
’Way for the Giant Killer!”</p>
<p>Without waiting for the others Scraps ran back to
Dorothy’s sitting room. Lighting another candle, for
all the lights in the palace were out, Ozma and the
Scarecrow followed.</p>
<p>“Odds Goblins!” gasped the Knight, as they entered.
He was sitting up with one hand to his head.</p>
<p>“Not goblins—giants!” cried the Patch Work Girl,
with a bounce, while Ozma ran for some water to
restore her three little friends.</p>
<p>“Where?” puffed the Knight, lurching to his feet.</p>
<p>“Beneath you,” said the Scarecrow, clutching at a
wisp of straw that stuck out of his head. “Say! Some
one wind up Tik Tok. There’s a lot of thinking to be
done here and his head works very well, even if it has
wheels inside.”</p>
<p>Sir Hokus, though still a bit dizzy, hastened to wind
up all the Copper Man’s keys.</p>
<p>“Thanks,” said Tik Tok immediately. “Give me a
lift up, Ho-kus.” The Knight obligingly helped the
Copper Man to his feet. Then both stared in amazement
at the topsy turvy room. Even in the dim candle
light they could see that something very serious had
occurred.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_198">198</div>
<p>Jack Pumpkinhead picked himself up out of a
corner, looking very much dazed.</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_208.jpg" alt="Jack Pumpkinhead" width="400" height="739" />
<p class="caption"><span class="sc">Jack Pumpkinhead</span></p>
</div>
<div class="pb" id="Page_199">199</div>
<p>Just then Dorothy opened her eyes, and Betsy and
Trot, spluttering from the water the Patch Work Girl
was pouring on their heads, sat up and wanted to know
what had happened. In a few words Ozma told them
what the magic picture had revealed.</p>
<div class="verse">
<p class="t0">“Ruggedo to a giant’s grown</p>
<p class="t">And set us on his head.</p>
<p class="t0">We’ve made some headway, you’ll admit,</p>
<p class="t">Since we have gone to bed!”</p>
</div>
<p class="pnindent">—shouted Scraps, who was growing more and more
excited.</p>
<p>“Rug-ge-do will nev-er re-form,” ticked the Copper
Man sadly.</p>
<p>“But what are we going to do?” wailed Dorothy.
“Suppose he leans over and spills us all out?”</p>
<p>“I shall take my sword,” said Sir Hokus, speaking
very determinedly, and backing toward the window as
he spoke, “climb down, and slay the villain.” He
threw one leg over the sill.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_200">200</div>
<p>“Come back!” cried Ozma. “Dear Sir Hokus, don’t
you realize that if you kill Ruggedo he will fall down
and break us to pieces? Besides, wicked as he is, I
could not have him killed.”</p>
<p>“Yes, we should be all broken up if you did that,”
sighed the Scarecrow. “We must try something else.”</p>
<p>Reluctantly, the Knight dropped back into the
room. “Close the windows,” ordered Ozma with a
little shudder.</p>
<p>“I’ve thought of a plan,” said Tik Tok, in his slow,
painstaking way. “A ve-ry good plan.”</p>
<p>“Tell us what it is,” begged Dorothy. “And Oh,
Tik Tok, hurry!”</p>
<p>“Eggs,” said the Copper Man solemnly.</p>
<p>“Oh!” gasped Dorothy, “I remember. Eggs are the
only things in Oz that Ruggedo is afraid of; for if an
egg touches a gnome he shrivels up and disappears.”</p>
<p>“Then where are the eggs?” demanded Sir Hokus
gloomily. “In faith, this sounds more like an omelet
than a battle. But if we’re to fight with eggs instead
of swords, let us draw them at once.”</p>
<p>“You mean throw them,” corrected Dorothy. But
Tik Tok shook his head violently.</p>
<p>“Not throw them,” said the Copper Man slowly,
“threat-en to throw them.”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_201">201</div>
<p>“But how can we threaten a giant so far below us?”
asked Ozma.</p>
<p>“Print a sign,” directed Tik Tok calmly, “and
low-er it down to him.”</p>
<p>“Tik Tok,” cried the Scarecrow, rushing forward
and embracing him impulsively, “your patent-action-double-guaranteed
brains are marvels. I couldn’t have
thought up a better plan myself.”</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_211.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="600" height="356" />
</div>
<p>Now off ran Scraps to fetch a huge piece of cardboard,
and the Scarecrow for a paint brush, and Sir
Hokus for a piece of rope.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_202">202</div>
<p>“It’s growing lighter,” quavered Trot, looking toward
the windows. The sky was turning gray with
little streaks of pink, and the three girls huddled together
on the mattress gave a sigh of relief; for nothing,
not even a giant, seems so bad by daylight.</p>
<p>“Perhaps someone has already started to help us,”
said Ozma hopefully. “But here’s the sign board.
What shall we write?”</p>
<p>“How shall I begin?” asked the Scarecrow, dipping
the brush into a can of green paint. “Dear Ruggedo?”</p>
<p>“I should say not,” said Dorothy indignantly.</p>
<p>“Then I shall simply say, Sir,” said the Scarecrow.</p>
<p>“If you move or turn or shake your head a-gain, ten
thou-sand eggs will be hurl-ed from the pal-ace windows,”
suggested Tik Tok.</p>
<p>As this message met with general approval, the
Scarecrow set it down with many flourishes and
blotches of paint spilled between. Then Ozma painted
her name and the Royal seal of Oz at the end.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, with the help of a pair of field glasses,
Sir Hokus had located Ruggedo’s nose, sticking out
like a huge cliff below the middle window of Dorothy’s
room. So, tying a long rope to each corner of
the sign, and rolling it up so it would go through the
window, the Knight let it down till it dangled directly
in front of Ruggedo’s nose.</p>
<p>At first Ruggedo did not even see the sign, which
was about as large as the tiniest visiting card—compared
to him. But it blew against his face and tickled
his cheek. He tried to brush it away. Then, suddenly
noticing it was dangling from above, he seized it in one
hand and held it close to his left eye. The words
were so small for a giant that Ruggedo had to squint
fearfully before he could make them out at all, but
when he did he gave a bloodcurdling scream, and
began to tremble violently.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_203">203</div>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_213.jpg" alt="“Ruggedo gave a bloodcurdling scream and began to tremble violently”" width="500" height="672" />
<p class="caption">“<span class="sc">Ruggedo gave a bloodcurdling scream and began to tremble violently</span>”</p>
</div>
<div class="pb" id="Page_204">204</div>
<p>Up in the palace the entire company fell over and
twenty windows were shaken to bits. Then everything
grew quiet and there was perfect silence; for
Ruggedo, realizing his danger, grew rigid with fright.
Giant drops of perspiration trickled down his forehead.
How long could he keep from moving?</p>
<p>“Well,” said Dorothy after a few minutes had
passed, “I guess that will keep him quiet, but what
next? Shall we let ourselves down with ropes?”</p>
<p>“We have none long enough,” said Sir Hokus.</p>
<p>“Then I’ll fall out and go for help,” said the Scarecrow
brightly, and started toward the window. When
he reached it he paused in astonishment. “Look,” he
cried, waving excitedly to the others, “here comes
someone, walking right over the clouds.”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_205">205</div>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_215.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="500" height="519" />
</div>
<h2 id="c15"><span class="smaller">Chapter 15</span>
<br />The Sand Man Takes a Hand</h2>
<p>Someone was coming toward the palace. A little
gray-cloaked old gentleman—a surprisingly
quick and nimble old gentleman—springing from
cloud to cloud and pausing now and then to straighten
a huge sack he carried over his left shoulder. He was
so busy admiring the lovely sky colors behind him and
waving merrily at the fluffy cloud figures above his
head, that he did not see Ozma’s shining palace until
he was almost upon it.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_206">206</div>
<p>“Stars!” murmured the little old gentleman, balancing
perilously on the very edge of a silver cloud. “Another
air castle! How delightful! I shall jump right
through it!”</p>
<p>Gathering himself together he leaped straight toward
the window out of which Dorothy and Ozma and
the others were looking. With a soft thud he struck
the emerald setting just above the window, and down
tumbled his sack, opening as it fell and filling the air
with clouds of silver sand. Down tumbled the little
old gentleman, turning over and over, and finally
landing on a blankety white cloud far below.</p>
<p>All of this Dorothy saw, and was about to ask Ozma
what it could mean when an overpowering drowsiness
stole over her. Before she could speak her eyes closed,
and she sank backward into a big arm chair. Trot
and Betsy Bobbin with two little sighs crumpled down
to the floor. The head of Sir Hokus dropped heavily
on the sill, and not even in Pokes had he snored so
lustily. Ozma slipped gently down beside Betsy and
Trot, and in a moment there was not a person awake
in that whole big palace. Even the little mice in the
kitchen were fast asleep, with heads on their paws.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_207">207</div>
<p>Did I say everyone? Well, not quite everyone had
fallen under the strange spell. Tik Tok, Scraps, and
the Scarecrow, who had never slept in their lives,
were still wide awake, and regarding their companions
with astonishment and alarm. The Tin Woodman
was taking things calmly, oiling up his joints and
polishing his tin jacket with silver polish.</p>
<p>“This is no time to sleep,” cried the Scarecrow,
shaking Sir Hokus. “I say—wake up!” But all
their efforts to arouse their companions were in vain.</p>
<p>“En-chant-ment,” said the Copper Man. “Some—”
With a click and a whirr Tik Tok’s machinery ran
down, and as Scraps and the Scarecrow were too upset
to think of winding him, he stood as silent and dumb
as the rest.</p>
<p>“What shall we do?” cried the Scarecrow, seizing
Scraps’ arm. “Jump out of the window and go for
help, or stay here and guard the palace?”</p>
<p>Scraps looked out of the window. “Stay here,”
shuddered the Patch Work Girl, drawing in her head
quickly.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_208">208</div>
<p>“Then,” said the Scarecrow, “let us arm ourselves
and prepare to withstand any attack.” He snatched
up a pair of fire tongs and Scraps grasped the poker.
Falling into step, the two marched from the top to
the bottom of the palace. Everywhere the same sight
met their gaze; rooms turned topsy turvy, and spread
over floors and sofas and chairs the sleeping figures
of Ozma’s once lively Courtiers and servants. The
effect was so distressing that Scraps and the Scarecrow
found themselves whispering and treading about
on tip-toe. After inspecting the whole palace they
returned to Dorothy’s room and placed themselves
disconsolately in the doorway.</p>
<p>“Anyway, Ruggedo is quiet,” sighed the Scarecrow,
“and that is something.”</p>
<p>Scraps started to make a verse, but the silence and
the ghostlike atmosphere of the sleeping palace had
dashed even the spirits of the Patch Work Girl and
she subsided with an indistinct mumble.</p>
<p>Ruggedo was silent for a very good reason. Ruggedo
was asleep, too—asleep sitting up as stiff as a
stone image, for even in his sleep he dreamed of the
dreaded bombardment of eggs.</p>
<p>All this had happened because the little man in gray
had taken Ozma’s palace for an air castle, and who
could blame him for that? Even the Sand Man would
not expect to find a regular palace set among the
clouds. There are plenty of dream castles, to be sure,
and one of the Sand Man’s chief delights is to jump
through them and admire their lovely furniture. But
sure-enough castles—the little fellow could not get
over it. Sitting cross-legged on the white cloud, which
floated close to Ruggedo’s head, he stared and stared.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_209">209</div>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_219.jpg" alt="The Tin Woodman, oiling up his joints" width="500" height="707" />
<p class="caption"><span class="sc">The Tin Woodman, oiling up his joints</span></p>
</div>
<div class="pb" id="Page_210">210</div>
<p>“Well, I never,” chuckled the Sand Man, and turned
a somersault for very amazement. Then, not knowing
what else to do or think, he sensibly decided to hurry
home and tell the whole affair to his wife. His empty
bag he found on a tall treetop, and without one backward
glance he bounded into the air and disappeared.
Really, it was quite lucky the little old gentleman
spilled his bag of sand where he did, for the only safe
giant is a sleeping giant, and while Ozma and her
friends lay dreaming they could not worry.</p>
<p>“Will they sleep forever?” sighed Scraps, after she
and the Scarecrow had sat silently for an hour.</p>
<p>“Seems likely,” said the Scarecrow gloomily. “But
even if they do,” he plucked three straws from his
chest, “we shall stick to our post to the very end.”</p>
<p>The Scarecrow regarded the sleeping figures of the
little girls affectionately.</p>
<p>“To the end of forever?” gulped Scraps, putting
her cotton finger in her mouth. “How long is that?”</p>
<p>“That,” said the Scarecrow resignedly and settling
himself comfortably, “that is what we shall soon see.”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_211">211</div>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_221.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="500" height="517" />
</div>
<h2 id="c16"><span class="smaller">Chapter 16</span>
<br />Kabumpo Vanquishes The Twigs</h2>
<p>“Do you think you were alive before?” asked Kabumpo,
squinting down his long trunk at Peg
Amy. She had begged him to take off his plush robe
and, spreading it on the grass, was beating it briskly
with the branch of a tree.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_212">212</div>
<p>“Yes,” sighed the Wooden Doll, pausing with uplifted
stick and regarding Kabumpo solemnly, “I must
have been alive before ’cause I keep remembering
things.”</p>
<p>“What kind of things?” asked the Elegant Elephant,
rubbing himself lazily against a tree.</p>
<p>“Well, this for instance,” said Peg, holding up a
corner of the purple plush robe. “I once had a dress
of it. I’m sure I had a dress of this stuff.”</p>
<p>“When you were a little doll?” asked Kabumpo
curiously.</p>
<p>“No,” said Peg, giving the robe a few little shakes,
“before that. And I remember this country, too, and
the sun and the wind and the sky. If I’d only been
alive one day I wouldn’t remember them, would I?”</p>
<p>“Queer things happen in Oz,” said Kabumpo comfortably.
“But why bother? You are alive and very
jolly. You are traveling with the most Elegant Elephant
in Oz and in the company of a Prince. Isn’t
that enough?”</p>
<p>Peg Amy did not reply but kept on beating the
plush robe with determined little thumps and staring
off through the trees with a very puzzled expression
in her painted blue eyes. They had traveled swiftly
all morning through the fertile farmlands of the
Winkies and had paused for lunch in this little grove.
Peg, not needing food, and Kabumpo, finding plenty
of tender branches handy, had remained together
while Wag and the Prince sought more nourishing
fare.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_213">213</div>
<p>Many a little Winkie farmer had stared in amazement
as Peg and Pompa passed that morning but so
fast did Kabumpo and Wag travel that before the
Winkies were half sure of what they had seen there
was nothing but a cloud of dust to wonder over and
exclaim about.</p>
<p>“If you had a pair of scissors, I could cut off the
burned part of your robe and make it more tidy,” said
Peg, when she had finished beating the dust out of
Kabumpo’s gorgeous blanket.</p>
<p>“There might be a pair in my pocket,” said the
Elegant Elephant. “Here, let me get them,” he added
hastily. “For suppose she should look into the Magic
Mirror,” he thought suddenly. “It might tell her
something terrible!”</p>
<p>Even in this short time Kabumpo had grown fond
of queer wooden Peg and careless as he was somehow
he did not want to hurt her feelings again. Sure
enough, there was a pair of silver scissors in with the
jewels he had tumbled into his pocket before leaving
Pumperdink. So Peg carefully cut away all the
scorched part of Kabumpo’s robe and pinned under
the rough edges with three beautiful pearl pins.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_214">214</div>
<p>“Now lift me up into that small tree and I’ll drop
it over you,” she laughed gaily. This Kabumpo did
quite easily and after Peg Amy had smoothed and adjusted
the robe, she crept out on the end of the branch
and straightened the Elegant Elephant’s pearl head
dress and brushed all the dust from his forehead with
a handful of damp leaves.</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_224.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="600" height="412" />
</div>
<div class="pb" id="Page_215">215</div>
<p>“You’re a good girl, Peg,” said Kabumpo, sighing
with contentment. “I don’t care whether you never
were alive before or not, you’ve more sense than some
people who’ve lived for centuries. I’m going to give
that gnome something on my own account. Dared to
shake you, did he? Well, wait till I get through shaking
him!”</p>
<p>“It didn’t hurt,” said Peg reflectively, “but it ruined
all my clothes. Do you think Prince Pompadore
minds having me look so shabby?”</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_225.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="600" height="399" />
</div>
<p>Kabumpo shifted about uneasily. “Will this help?”
he asked sheepishly, pulling a lovely pearl necklace
from his pocket. “Ozma doesn’t need everything,”
he muttered to himself.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_216">216</div>
<p>“Oh! How perfectly pomiferous!” cried Peg. “Lift
me down so I can try it on.” In a trice Kabumpo
swung her down from the tree and awkwardly Peg
Amy clasped the chain about her wooden neck. Then
she flung both arms round Kabumpo’s trunk. “You’re
the biggest darling old elephant in Oz!” cried Peg
happily.</p>
<p>Kabumpo blinked. He was accustomed to being
called elegant and magnificent but no one—not even
Pompa—had ever called him an old darling before
and he found he liked it immensely.</p>
<p>While Peg ran to look at her reflection in a small
pool he resolved to get the Wooden Doll a position at
Court, for, in spite of her stiff fingers, Peg was very
deft and clever. “And she shall have a purple plush
dress too,” said Kabumpo grandly.</p>
<p>Just then Pompa and Wag returned in a high good
humor. The Prince had tapped on the door of a small
farm house and the little Winkie lady had been most
hospitable. Not only had she given the Prince all he
could eat, but she had allowed Wag to go into the
garden and pick two dozen of her best cabbages. His
size had greatly astonished her and she had insisted
upon measuring him twice with her yellow tape measure
but finally, without revealing the purpose of their
journey, the two managed to get away. As all were
now refreshed and rested, they decided to start on
again.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_217">217</div>
<p>“We ought to reach Ev by evening,” puffed Wag,
between hops.</p>
<p>“But I wish we could open the Magic Box,” sighed
Peg, holding on to Wag’s ear, “for in that box there’s
Flying Fluid!”</p>
<p>“We’d make a remarkably nice lot of birds,” chuckled
Kabumpo, looking over his shoulder, “now
wouldn’t we?”</p>
<p>“You would,” laughed Pompa. “What else was in
the box, Peg?”</p>
<p>It was hard to talk while they were being jolted
along, but Peg, being of wood, did not feel the bumps
and Pompa, being a Prince, pretended not to, so that
they continued their conversation in jerky sentences.</p>
<p>“There’s Vanishing Cream, a little tea kettle and
some kind of rays and a Question Box,” said Peg, holding
up her wooden hand. “A Question Box that answers
any question you ask it.”</p>
<p>“There is!” exclaimed Kabumpo, stopping short.
“Well, I wish we could ask it whether Pumperdink
has disappeared.”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_218">218</div>
<p>“And how to rescue Ozma, and who sent the scroll!”
cried Pompa. “Oh, do let me try to open it, Peg!”</p>
<p>So Peg handed over Glegg’s Magic Box and as they
pounded along the Prince tried to pry it open with
his pearl pen knife. “It would save us such a lot of
trouble,” he murmured, holding it up and screwing
his eye to the keyhole.</p>
<p>“Better let it alone,” advised Wag, wiggling his
ears nervously. “Suppose you should grow as big for
you as I am for me. Suppose you should explode or
vanish!”</p>
<p>“Vanish!” coughed Kabumpo. “Great Grump!
Put it away, Pompa. Wait till we reach Ev and make
that wicked little Ruggedo open it for us. Who is
this Glegg, anyway?”</p>
<p>“A lawless magician, I guess,” said Wag, “or he
wouldn’t have owned a box of Mixed Magic. Ozma
doesn’t allow anyone to practice magic, you know.”</p>
<p>“Why, I’ll bet he was the person who sent the
scroll!” exclaimed the Prince suddenly. “Don’t you
remember, Kabumpo, it was signed J. G.?”</p>
<p>“Not a doubt in the world,” rumbled Kabumpo.
“I’ll throw him up a tree when I catch him and Ruggedo,
too!”</p>
<p>“Oh, please don’t,” begged Peg Amy. “Perhaps
they are sorry.”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_219">219</div>
<p>“Not half as sorry as they will be,” wheezed Kabumpo,
plowing ahead through the long grass like a
big ferryboat under full steam.</p>
<p>Wag hopped close behind and Peg kept her eyes
fixed upon Pompa’s back. In spite of his scorched
head, he seemed to Peg the most delightful Prince
imaginable.</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_231.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="600" height="441" />
</div>
<div class="pb" id="Page_220">220</div>
<p>“I’ll brush off his cloak and cut his hair all evenly,”
thought Peg. “Then, perhaps Ozma will say <i>yes</i> when
he tells her his story and asks for her hand. But I
wonder what will become of me,” Peg sighed ever so
softly and looked down with distaste at her wooden
hands and torn old dress. Nothing very exciting could
happen to a shabby Wooden Doll.</p>
<p>“Why, I haven’t even any right to be alive,” she
reflected sadly. “I’m only meant to be funny. Well,
never mind! Perhaps I can help Pompa and maybe
that’s why I was brought to life.”</p>
<p>This thought, and the gleam of the lovely pearls
Kabumpo had given her, so cheered Peg that she
began to hum a queer, squeaky little song. The country
was growing rougher and more hilly every minute.
The sunny farmlands lay far behind them now and as
Peg finished her song they came to the edge of a queer,
dead-looking forest. The trees were dry and without
leaves and there were quantities of stiff bushes and
short stunted little trees standing under the taller
ones.</p>
<p>Peg had an odd feeling that hundreds of eyes were
staring out at them but the forest was so dim that
she couldn’t be sure. There was not a sound but the
crackling of the dead branches under Wag’s and Kabumpo’s
feet.</p>
<p>“I don’t like this,” choked Wag. “My wocks and
hoop soons! What a pleerful chase!”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_221">221</div>
<p>“It isn’t very cheerful,” shivered Peg. “Oh, look,
Wag! That big tree has eyes!” At Peg’s remark the
tree doubled up its branches into fists and stepped
right out in front of them. At the same instant all
the other trees and bushes moved closer, with dry
crackling steps.</p>
<p>“Now we have you!” snapped the tallest tree in a
dreadful voice.</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_232.jpg" alt="“Now we have you!” snapped the tallest tree in a dreadful voice" width="606" height="799" />
<p class="caption">“<span class="sc">Now we have you!” snapped the tallest tree in a dreadful voice</span></p>
</div>
<p>“Now we have you!” crackled all the other skitter-witchy
creatures, crowding closer.</p>
<div class="verse">
<p class="t0">“Pigs, pigs, we’re the twigs;</p>
<p class="t0">We’ll tweak your ears and snatch your wigs!”</p>
</div>
<p class="pnindent">they shouted all together. One taller than the rest
leaned over and seized Wag by the ear with its
twisted fingers.</p>
<p>“Help!” screamed Wag, kicking out with his hind
legs. Immediately Kabumpo began laying about
with his trunk.</p>
<p>“Stand back!” he trumpeted angrily, “or I’ll trample
you to splinters.”</p>
<p>Pompa stood up on Kabumpo’s back and began to
wave his sword threateningly. At this the ugly creatures
grew simply furious. They snatched at the
Prince with their long, claw-like branches, tearing at
his sadly scorched hair and almost upsetting him.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_222">222</div>
<p>“Stop! Stop!” cried Peg Amy, waving her wooden
arms frantically. “Don’t hit him. He’s going to be
married. Hit me, I’m only made of wood!”</p>
<p>“Don’t you dare hit her!” shrilled Pompa, slicing off
the branch head of the nearest Twig. “I am a Prince
and she is under my protection. Don’t touch her!”</p>
<p>By this time Kabumpo had cleared himself a space
ahead and Wag a space behind. Every time Kabumpo’s
trunk flew out, a dozen of the queer crackly
Bushmen tumbled over forward and every time Wag’s
heels flew out a dozen crumpled over backward.
Pompa kept his sword whirling and, after several had
lost top branches, the whole crowd fell back and began
grumbling together.</p>
<p>“Now then!” puffed Kabumpo angrily, “let’s make
a dash for it, Wag. Come on; we’ll smash them to
kindling wood!”</p>
<p>“What’s all this commotion?” cried a loud voice.
The Twigs fell back immediately and a bent and
twisted old tree hobbled forward.</p>
<p>“Strangers, your Woodjesty,” whispered a tall
Twig, waving a branch at Kabumpo.</p>
<p>“Well, have you pinched them?” asked the King in
a bored voice.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_223">223</div>
<p>“A little,” admitted the tall Twig nervously, “but
they object to it, your Woodjesty.”</p>
<p>“Well, what if they do?” rasped the King tartly.
“Don’t be gormish Faggots. You know I detest gormishness.
It seems to me you might allow my people
a little innocent diversion,” he grumbled, turning to
Pompa, “they don’t get much pleasure!”</p>
<p>“Pleasure!” gasped the Prince, while Kabumpo and
Wag were so astonished that they forgot to fight.</p>
<p>“What does he mean by gormish?” whispered Peg
uneasily to Wag. Before he could answer, the Twigs,
who evidently had decided not to be gormish, made a
rush upon the travelers. But Kabumpo was ready for
them with uplifted trunk. With a furious trumpet he
charged straight into the middle, Wag at his heels,
with the result that the Twigs went crackling and
snapping to the ground in heaps.</p>
<p>“All we need is a match,” grunted Kabumpo, pounding
along unmindful of the scratching and clawing.
“They’re good for nothing but kindling wood.”</p>
<p>“Don’t be gormish,” he screeched scornfully, as he
flung the last Twig out of his way and Wag and he
never stopped till they had put a good mile between
themselves and the disagreeable pinchers.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_224">224</div>
<p>“Are you hurt?” asked Kabumpo, stopping at last
and looking around at Pompa. “If we keep on this
way you won’t be fit to be seen—much less to marry.
Let’s have a look at you.” He lifted the Prince down
carefully and eyed him with consternation. The
Prince had seven long scratches on his cheek and his
velvet cloak was torn to ribbons.</p>
<p>“I declare,” spluttered the Elegant Elephant explosively,
“you’re a perfect fright. I declare, it’s a
grumpy shame!”</p>
<p>“Well, don’t be gormish,” said the Prince, smiling
faintly and wiping his cheek with his handkerchief.</p>
<p>“Let me help,” begged Peg Amy, falling off Wag’s
back. “Ozma won’t mind a few scratches and what
do clothes matter? Anyone would know he was a
Prince,” she added, taking Pompa’s cloak and regarding
it ruefully.</p>
<p>Pompa smiled at Peg’s earnestness and made her
his best bow but Kabumpo still looked anxious.
“Everyone’s not so smart as you, Peg,” he sighed
gloomily. “But come along. The main thing is to
rescue Ozma and after that perhaps she won’t notice
your scratches and torn cloak. She’ll think you got
them fighting the giant,” he finished more hopefully.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_225">225</div>
<p>With a few more of Kabumpo’s jeweled pins Peg
repaired Pompa’s cloak. Then, after tying up Wag’s
ear, which was badly torn, they started off again.</p>
<p>“What worries me,” said Wag, twitching his nose
very fast, “what worries me is crossing the Deadly
Desert. We’re almost to it, you know.”</p>
<p>“Never cross deserts till you come to ’em,” grunted
Kabumpo, with a wink at Peg Amy.</p>
<p>“Oh, all right,” sniffed Wag, “but don’t be gormish.
You know how I detest gormishness!”</p>
<p>While Pompa and Peg were laughing over these last
remarks a most terrible rumble sounded behind them.</p>
<p>“Now what?” trumpeted Kabumpo, turning about.</p>
<p>“Sheverything’s mixed hup!” gulped Wag, putting
back his ears. “Hold on to me, Peg!”</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_237.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="600" height="469" />
</div>
<div class="pb" id="Page_226">226</div>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_238.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="500" height="481" />
</div>
<h2 id="c17"><span class="smaller">Chapter 17</span>
<br />Meeting The Runaway Country</h2>
<p>Everything was mixed up, indeed. Moving
toward the little party of rescuers was a huge
jagged piece of land, running along on ten tremendous
feet and feeling its way with its long wiggly peninsula.
The feet raised it several yards above the ground.</p>
<p>“If we crouch down maybe it will run over us,”
panted Pompa, sliding down Kabumpo’s trunk.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_227">227</div>
<p>“I don’t want to be run over,” shrilled Wag, beginning
to hop in a frenzied circle.</p>
<p>“Stop!” cried the Land in a loud voice, as Wag and
Kabumpo started to run.</p>
<p>“Better stop,” puffed Kabumpo, his eyes rolling
wildly, “or it’ll probably fall on us.” Trembling in
spite of themselves, they stood still and waited for the
Land to approach.</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_239.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="600" height="404" />
</div>
<p>“I’ve often heard of sailors hailing land with joy,”
gulped Wag, “but this—well, how did it get this
way?”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_228">228</div>
<p>As the Runaway Country drew nearer, its peninsula
fairly quivered with excitement and as it reached
them it pulled up its front feet and tilted forward to
get a better view. Its eyes were two small blue lakes
and its mouth a broad bubbling river.</p>
<p>“I claim you by right of discovery,” cried the Land
in its loud, river voice and before they could make any
objection it scooped them up neatly and tossed them
on a little hill.</p>
<p>“This is outrageous,” spluttered the Elegant Elephant,
picking Peg out of some bushes. “We’ve been
kidnapped!”</p>
<p>“Let’s jump off!” cried Wag, beginning to hop toward
the edge.</p>
<p>“I wouldn’t do that,” said the Land calmly, “because
I’d only run after you again. You might as well
settle down and grow up with me. I’m not such a bad
little Country,” it added quietly, “just a bit rough
and uncultivated.”</p>
<p>“Well, what’s that got to do with us,” demanded
Kabumpo, staring the Country right in its lake-eyes.
“We’re on an important mission and we haven’t time
for this sort of thing at all.”</p>
<p>“It’s a matter of saving a Princess,” cried Pompa
impulsively. “Couldn’t you, please—”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_229">229</div>
<p>“Let someone else save her,” said the Country indifferently,
beginning to move off sideways like a
crab. “You’re the first savages I’ve found and I’m
going to keep you. Not that you’re what I’d pick out,”
it continued ungraciously. “That wooden girl looks
uncommonly odd and you two beasts are even queerer.
But I’m liberal, I am, and the boy looks all right so
far as I can see.”</p>
<p>“But, look here,” panted Wag, twitching his nose
very fast, “this is all wrong. Land is supposed to
stand still, isn’t it? You’ve no right to discover us.
We don’t want to be discovered. Put us off at once—do
you hear?”</p>
<p>“Yes, I hear,” said the Runaway Country gruffly.
“And I’ve heard about enough. Don’t anger me,” it
shrilled warningly. “Remember, I’m a wild, rough
Country.”</p>
<p>“You’re the wildest Country I ever saw,” groaned
the Elegant Elephant, falling up against a tree. “And
of all ridiculous happenings this is the worst!”</p>
<p>“Never mind,” whispered Peg Amy, standing on her
tip toes to whisper in Kabumpo’s huge ear, “it’s taking
us in the right direction, and maybe, if we were
very polite—?”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_230">230</div>
<p>“Go ahead and try it,” wheezed Kabumpo, rolling
his eyes. “I’m too upset.” He hugged the tree again.</p>
<p>So Peg climbed to the top of the little hill and,
waving her wooden arms to attract the Country’s attention,
called cheerfully:</p>
<p>“Yoho, Mr. Land! Where are you going?”</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_242.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="600" height="424" />
</div>
<p>At first the Land only blinked his blue lake-eyes
sulkily but, as Peg paid no attention to his ill temper
and began making him pretty compliments on his
mountains and trees, he gradually cheered up.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_231">231</div>
<p>“I’m going to be an island,” he announced finally.
“That’s where I’m going. I’m tired of being a hot,
dry old undiscovered plateau and I don’t intend to
stop till I come to the Nonestic Ocean.”</p>
<p>“Oh!” groaned Wag, falling over backwards.
“We’re going to be cast away on a desert island.”</p>
<p>Peg held up a warning finger. “What made you
want to run away and be an island?” she asked faintly
for, even to Peg, things looked serious.</p>
<p>“Well,” began the Land, giving itself a hitch, “I lay
patiently for years and years waiting to be discovered.
Nobody came—not even one little missionary. I kept
getting lonelier and lonelier. You see how broken up
I am!”</p>
<p>“Yes, we can see that, all right,” sniffed Kabumpo.</p>
<p>“And I’m ambitious,” continued the Country
huskily. “I want to be cultivated and built up like
other Kingdoms. So, one day I made up my mind I
wouldn’t wait any longer but would run off myself
and discover some settlers. As I have ten mountains
and each has a foot there seemed to be no reason why
I shouldn’t run away, so I <i>did</i>—and I <i>have</i>!”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_232">232</div>
<p>The Country rolled its lakes triumphantly at the
little party on the hill. “I have found some settlers
and I’m looking to you to develop me into a good,
modern, up-to-Oz Kingdom. I’m a progressive Country
and I expect you to improve and make something
out of me,” it continued earnestly. “There’s gold to be
dug out of my mountains, plenty of good farm land to
be planted and cities to be built, and—”</p>
<p>“What do you think we are?” exploded Kabumpo
indignantly. “Slaves?”</p>
<p>“He’ll get used to it in time,” said the Runaway
Country, paying no attention to Kabumpo, “and he’ll
be useful for drawing logs. Now you,” he turned his
watery eyes full on Peg Amy, “you seem to be the
most sensible one in the party, so I think I shall
bestow myself upon you. Of course you’re not at all
handsome nor regular, but from now on you may consider
yourself a Princess and <i>me</i> as your Kingdom.”</p>
<p>“Thank you! Thank you very much!” said Peg
Amy, hardly knowing what else to say.</p>
<p>“Hurrah for the Princess of Runaway Island!”
cried Wag, standing on his head. “I always knew you
were a Princess, Peg my dear.”</p>
<p>“Oh, hush!” whispered Pompa. “Can’t you see it’s
getting more reasonable? Maybe Peg can persuade
it to stop.”</p>
<p>“If it doesn’t stop soon I’ll tear all its trees out by
the roots,” grumbled Kabumpo under his breath.
“Logging, indeed! Great Grump! Here’s the Deadly
Desert!”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_233">233</div>
<p>The air was now so hot and choking that Pompa
flung himself face down on the cool grass. The Runaway
Country did not seem to notice the burning sands
and pattered smoothly along on its ten mountain feet.</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_247.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="600" height="399" />
</div>
<p>“Something has to be done, quick,” breathed Peg,
clasping her hands, “for soon we’ll be in Ev.”</p>
<p>Pompa, holding his silk handkerchief before his
face, had come up beside her and they both looked
anxiously for the first signs of the country that held
Ruggedo and the giant who had run off with Ozma’s
palace.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_234">234</div>
<p>“Oh, Mr. Land,” called Peg suddenly.</p>
<p>“Yes, Princess,” answered the Country, without
slackening its speed.</p>
<p>“Have you thought about feeding us?” asked the
Wooden Doll gently. “I don’t see any fruit trees or
vegetables or chickens and settlers must eat, you
know. We ought to have some seeds to plant and
some building materials, oughtn’t we, if we’re going
to make you into an up-to-Oz Country?”</p>
<p>“Pshaw!” said the Runaway Country, stopping
with a jolt, “I never thought of that. Can’t you eat
grass and fish? There’s fine fish in my lakes.”</p>
<p>“Well, I don’t eat at all,” explained Peg pleasantly,
“but Pompa is a Prince and a Prince has to
have meat and vegetables and puddings on Sunday—”</p>
<p>“And I have to have lettuce and carrots and cabbages,
or I won’t work!” cried Wag, thumping with
his hind feet and winking at Kabumpo. “I’ll not dig
a single mountain!”</p>
<p>“And I’ve got to have my ton of hay a day, too!”
trumpeted the Elegant Elephant, “or I’ll not lug a
single log. Pretty poor sort of a Country you are,
expecting us to live on grass as if we were donkeys
and goats.”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_235">235</div>
<p>The Runaway Country rolled its lakes helplessly
from one to the other. “I thought settlers always
managed to get a living off the land,” it murmured in
a troubled voice.</p>
<p>“Not us!” rumbled Kabumpo. “Not enough pie in
pioneer to suit this party!”</p>
<p>“Has your Highness anything to suggest?” asked
the Country, looking anxiously at Peg.</p>
<p>“Well,” said the Wooden Doll slowly, “suppose we
stop at the first country we come to and stock up.
We could get a few chickens and seeds and saws and
hammers and things.”</p>
<p>“You’d run away,” said the Runaway Country suspiciously.
“Not but what I trust you, Princess,” he
added hastily, “but them.” He scowled darkly at
Kabumpo and Wag. “I’ll not let them out of my
sight.”</p>
<p>“How our little floating island loves us,” chuckled
Wag, nudging the Elegant Elephant.</p>
<p>“They won’t run away,” said Peg softly. “And if
they did you could easily catch them again.”</p>
<p>“That’s so; I’ll stop wherever you say,” sighed the
Country, starting on again.</p>
<p>“What are you going to do?” whispered Pompa,
catching Peg’s arm.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_236">236</div>
<p>“I don’t know,” said Peg honestly, “but perhaps if
we can make it stop something will turn up. We’re
almost across the desert now and that’s a big help.”</p>
<p>“You’re wonderful!” cried Pompa, eying Peg
gratefully. “How can I ever thank you?”</p>
<p>“Better get your sword ready,” said Peg practically,
“for we may run into that giant any minute now.”
Even Kabumpo and Wag had stopped making jokes
and were straining their eyes toward Ev.</p>
<p>“Let’s all stand together!” gasped Wag breathlessly.
Before Peg or Pompa had time to plan, or
Kabumpo to reply, the Runaway Country stepped off
the desert and swept over the border and into the
Kingdom of Ev, making straight for a tall purple
mountain.</p>
<p>“Do you see anything that looks like a giant, or a
palace?” asked Peg, leaning forward.</p>
<p>“Oh, help!” screamed Wag just then, while Kabumpo
gave an earsplitting trumpet. Peg grasped
Pompa and Pompa clutched Peg and no wonder!
Directly in front of them were the legs and feet of the
most terrible and tremendous giant they had ever
imagined. He was sitting on the mountain itself and
only a part of him was visible, for his head and shoulders
were lost in the clouds.</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_248.jpg" alt="Kabumpo gave an ear-splitting trumpet" width="590" height="800" />
<p class="caption"><span class="sc">Kabumpo gave an ear-splitting trumpet</span></p>
</div>
<div class="pb" id="Page_237">237</div>
<p>“What’s the matter? What’s the matter?” rumbled
the Runaway Country, tilting forward slightly so it
could see. One look was enough. With a frightened
jump, that sent the four travelers hurtling through
the air, it began running backwards and in a moment
was out of sight.</p>
<p>Peg was the first to recover her senses. Being
wood, bumps didn’t bother her. She rose stiffly and
gazed around her. Pompa’s feet were waving feebly
from a small clump of bushes. Kabumpo stood swaying
near by, while Wag lay over on his side with closed
eyes.</p>
<p>“Oh, you poor dears!” murmured Peg, and running
over to the bushes she pulled out the Prince of Pumperdink
and settled him with his back against a tree.
He was much shaken by his high dive from the island,
but pulled himself together and patted Peg’s wooden
hand kindly. By this time Kabumpo had gotten his
bearings and came wabbling over.</p>
<p>“You’ve got a black eye, I see,” wheezed the Elegant
Elephant bitterly.</p>
<p>“Not so very black,” said Peg cheerfully. “Are
you hurt, Kabumpo?”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_238">238</div>
<p>The Elegant Elephant felt himself all over with his
trunk. “Well, I’m not used to being flung about like
a bean bag,” he said irritably. Then he lowered his
voice hastily, as he caught another glimpse of those
dreadful giant feet. “I’ll go help Wag,” he whispered,
backing away quickly.</p>
<p>It took some time to rouse the giant rabbit, but
finally he opened his eyes. “I shought I thaw a
giant,” he muttered thickly. “Hush!” warned Kabumpo.
“He’s over there.” He waved his trunk in
the direction of the mountain and began dragging
Wag firmly away.</p>
<p>“C’mon over here,” he called in a loud whisper to
Peg and Pompa. Leaning heavily on Peg Amy the
Prince came. Then he gave a cry of distress. “My
sword!” he gasped, staring around a bit wildly.</p>
<p>“I’ll find it,” said Peg obligingly. “You sit still
and rest.”</p>
<p>“Where’s the Magic Box?” coughed Kabumpo, with
an uneasy glance in the giant’s direction.</p>
<p>Now that they were actually in Ev, the Elegant
Elephant began to doubt the wisdom of his plan for
killing the monster.</p>
<p>“Gone!” wailed Pompa, feeling in his pocket. “I
dropped it when I fell off the Land. What shall we
do, Kabumpo?”</p>
<p>“Don’t be a Gooch,” gulped the Elegant Elephant,
but he said it without spirit.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_239">239</div>
<p>“It’s probably around here somewhere.” Moving
quietly, Kabumpo began to poke about with his trunk.</p>
<p>Just then Peg Amy came flying toward them, her
ragged dress fluttering in the breeze.</p>
<p>“Look!” whispered the Wooden Doll, dropping on
her knees before them.</p>
<p>In her hands was Glegg’s Box of Mixed Magic and
<i>it was open</i>!</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_253.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="600" height="350" />
</div>
<div class="pb" id="Page_240">240</div>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_254.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="500" height="470" />
</div>
<h2 id="c18"><span class="smaller">Chapter 18</span>
<br />Prince Pompadore Proposes</h2>
<p>While Peg and Pompa and the Elegant Elephant
eyed the box, Wag, twitching his nose and mumbling
very fast under his breath, backed rapidly away.
He was not going to run the risk of any more explosions.
So anxious was the big rabbit to put a good
distance between himself and Glegg’s Mixed Magic,
that he never realized that he was backing toward the
giant till a sharp thump on the back of the head
brought him up short.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_241">241</div>
<p>Trembling in every hair, Wag looked over his
shoulder. <i>Stars!</i> He had run into the terrible, five-toed
foot of the giant himself. At first Wag was too
terrified to move. But suddenly the hair on the back
of his neck bristled erect. He peered at the giant’s
foot more attentively. His eyes snapped and, seizing
a stout stick that lay near by, he brought it down with
all his might on the giant’s toes.</p>
<p>“It’s Ruggedo!” screamed Wag, hopping up and
down with rage. “And I’ll pound his curly toes off.
I don’t care if he is a giant! I’ll pound his curly toes
off!”</p>
<p>The stick whistled through the air and whacked the
giant’s toes again.</p>
<p>Now of course we have known all along that the
giant was Ruggedo, but it was a great surprise for
the rescuers. Ruggedo was bad enough to deal with
as a gnome—but a giant Ruggedo! <i>Horrors!</i></p>
<p>“Stop him! Stop him!” cried Peg Amy, throwing
up her hands and scattering the contents of the box
of magic in every direction.</p>
<p>“What are you trying to do?” roared Kabumpo,
plunging forward. “Get us all trampled on?”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_242">242</div>
<p>A muffled cry came down from the clouds and, as
Kabumpo dragged Wag back by the ear, something
flashed through the air and bounced upon the Elegant
Elephant’s head.</p>
<p>“It’s the Scarecrow!” chattered Wag, wriggling
from beneath Kabumpo’s trunk. Kabumpo opened
his eyes and peered down at the limp bundle at his
feet. As he looked the bundle began to pull itself
together. It sat up awkwardly and began clutching
itself into shape.</p>
<p>“Where’d you come from?” gasped the Elegant Elephant.
Without speaking, the Scarecrow waved his
hand upward and rose unsteadily to his feet. Then,
catching sight of Peg Amy and Pompadore, the Straw
Man bowed politely. Meanwhile Wag, seeing that
Kabumpo’s attention was diverted, began to sidle
back toward Ruggedo.</p>
<p>“Stop!” cried the Scarecrow, running after him.
“Are you crazy? Don’t you know Ozma’s palace is
on his head? Every time he moves everyone in the
palace tumbles about. Was it you who stirred him up
and made him spill me out of the window?”</p>
<p>“I’ll wake him up some more, the wicked old
scrabble-scratch,” muttered Wag, but Kabumpo
jerked him back roughly.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_243">243</div>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_257.jpg" alt="The Scarecrow waved his hand upward" width="500" height="759" />
<p class="caption"><span class="sc">The Scarecrow waved his hand upward</span></p>
</div>
<div class="pb" id="Page_244">244</div>
<p>“Great Grump!” choked the Elegant Elephant,
shaking Wag in his exasperation. “Here we’ve come
all this way to save Princess Ozma and now you want
to upset everything.”</p>
<p>“That’s the way to do it,” said the Scarecrow, rolling
his eyes wildly.</p>
<p>“Please stop it, Wag,” begged Peg Amy, throwing
her wooden arms around the big rabbit’s neck, and as
Pompa added his voice to Peg’s, Wag finally threw
down his stick.</p>
<p>“Who is that beautiful girl?” asked the Scarecrow
of Kabumpo. The Elegant Elephant looked at the
Straw Man sharply, to see that he was not poking fun
at the Wooden Doll. Finding he was quite serious, he
said proudly, “That’s Peg Amy, the best little body
in Oz. She’s under my protection,” he added grandly.</p>
<p>Just then Pompa and Peg came over and Wag, who
had often seen the Scarecrow in the Emerald City,
introduced them all.</p>
<p>“Did I understand you to say you had come to rescue
Ozma?” asked the Scarecrow, who could not keep
his eyes off the Elegant Elephant.</p>
<p>“Did I understand you to say Ozma’s palace was
on Ruggedo’s head?” shuddered Kabumpo, glancing
fearfully in the direction of the mountain.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_245">245</div>
<p>The Scarecrow nodded vigorously and told in a few
words of their terrible journey to Ev and their present
perilous position. How the palace had gotten on Ruggedo’s
head, he admitted was a puzzle to him. Kabumpo
and Pompadore listened with amazement,
especially to the part where they had threatened
Ruggedo with eggs.</p>
<p>“And he’s kept still for two days just on account
of eggs?” gasped the Elegant Elephant incredulously.</p>
<p>“Well, no,” admitted the Scarecrow, wrinkling up
his forehead. “A little man came flying through the
air the first morning and bumped into the palace and
instantly everyone except Scraps and me fell asleep.
Ruggedo was put to sleep, too; we could hear him
snoring.”</p>
<p>“Why, it must have been the Sand Man,” breathed
Peg Amy. “I have heard he lived near here.”</p>
<p>“Are they asleep now?” asked Pompa, clutching
the Scarecrow’s arm. How romantic—thought the
Prince of Pumperdink—to rescue and waken a sleeping
Princess!</p>
<p>But the Scarecrow shook his head. “A few minutes
before I fell out they began to wake up and I’d just
gone to the window to look for Glinda when Ruggedo
gave a howl and ducked his head and here I fell.”
The Scarecrow spread his hands eloquently and smiled
at Peg.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_246">246</div>
<p>“Has Glinda been here?” asked Kabumpo jealously.</p>
<p>“Yes,” said the Scarecrow. “She came this morning
and she’s been trying all sorts of magic to reduce
Ruggedo without harm to the palace.”</p>
<p>“Great Grump! Do you hear that?” Kabumpo
rolled his eyes anxiously toward the Prince. “If
Glinda’s magic takes effect before ours then where’ll
we be? Peg! Peg! Where’s the box of Mixed
Magic?”</p>
<p>“Would you mind telling me,” burst out the Scarecrow,
who had been examining one after another in
the party with a puzzled expression, “would you mind
telling me how you happened to know about the palace
disappearing; how you got across the sandy desert;
how you expect to help us; how he (with a jerk at
Wag) came to be too large; how she (with a jerk of
his thumb at Peg) came to be alive; and—”</p>
<p>“All in good time; all in good time!” trumpeted
Kabumpo testily. “You sound like the Curious Cottabus!
The principal thing to do now is to save Ozma.
Will Ruggedo stay quiet a little longer?”</p>
<p>“If he’s not disturbed,” said the Scarecrow, with a
meaning glance at Wag.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_247">247</div>
<p>“Well, my hocks and woop soons!” cried the rabbit
indignantly. “Isn’t anyone going to punish him? He
shook and shook Peg and he meddled with magic and
blew up into a giant. He’s run off with the palace.
Doesn’t he deserve a pounding?”</p>
<p>“Friend,” said the Scarecrow, “I admire your spirit
but my excellent brains tell me that this is a case
where an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of
cure. But have we the ounce of prevention?”</p>
<p>“Here’s the Question Box,” announced Peg, who
had run off at Kabumpo’s first call. “What shall we
ask it first?”</p>
<p>“How to save the lovely Princess of Oz,” spoke up
Pompa, running his hand over his scorched locks.
“Where’s my crown, Kabumpo?”</p>
<p>Kabumpo fished the crown from his pocket and
Pompa set it gravely upon his head as Peg asked the
Question Box:</p>
<p>“How shall we save the lovely Princess of Oz?”</p>
<p>These maneuvers so astonished the Scarecrow that
he lost his balance and fell flat on his nose. When he
recovered Peg was clapping her wooden hands and
Kabumpo was dancing on three legs.</p>
<p>“You’re as good as married, my boy!” cried Kabumpo,
thumping the Prince upon the back.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_248">248</div>
<p>“What is it? What’s happened?” gasped the
Scarecrow.</p>
<p>“Why, the Question Box says to pour three drops
of Trick Tea on Ruggedo’s left foot and two on his
right and he will then march back to the Emerald
City, descend into his cave and, after the palace has
settled firmly on its foundations, he will shrink down
to his former size,” read Peg Amy, holding the Question
Box close to her eyes, for the printing was very
small.</p>
<p>“Hurrah!” cried the Scarecrow, throwing up his
hat. “Peggy, put the kettle on and we’ll all have
some tea! But where’d you get all this magic stuff?”
he asked immediately after.</p>
<p>“Out of a box of Mixed Magic,” puffed Kabumpo,
his little eyes twinkling with anticipation as he
watched Peg. First she filled the tiny kettle at a
near-by brook; then she lit the little lamp and dropped
some of the Trick Tea into the kettle. Bright pink
clouds arose from the kettle, as soon as Peg had set it
over the flame, and while they waited for it to boil
Pompa put another question.</p>
<p>“Has Pumperdink disappeared?” asked the Prince,
in a trembling voice.</p>
<p>“N-o,” spelled the Question Box slowly, and Kabumpo
settled back with a great sigh of relief.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_249">249</div>
<p>“I told you everything would be all right if you
followed my advice,” said the Elegant Elephant.
“Stand up now and try to forget your black eye. You
are the Prince of Pumperdink and I am the Elegant
Elephant of Oz.”</p>
<p>“But why all the ceremony?” asked the Scarecrow,
looking mystified.</p>
<p>Kabumpo only chuckled to himself and, as the Trick
Tea was now ready, Peg took the little kettle and
began to tip-toe toward Ruggedo.</p>
<p>“I hope it’s red hot,” grumbled Wag resentfully.
“He’s getting off easy, the old scrabble-scratch! Getting
off! Say, look here!” He gestured violently to
Kabumpo. “If Ruggedo returns to the Emerald City
with the palace on his head, where does Pompa come
in?” He pointed a trembling paw at the Prince, his
nose twitching so fast it made the Scarecrow blink.</p>
<p>“Stop!” trumpeted the Elegant Elephant, plunging
after Peg Amy. He reached her just in time.</p>
<p>“I’m no better than Pumper,” grunted Kabumpo,
mopping his brow with the tail of his robe. “Suppose,
after all our hardships, I had allowed Ozma and the
palace to get away without giving Pompa a chance to
ask her—”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_250">250</div>
<p>“But we ought to save her as quick as we can,”
ventured Peg. “Couldn’t we hurry back to the Emerald
City again?”</p>
<p>“It might be too late,” wheezed Kabumpo. “Let—me—see!”</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_266.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="600" height="412" />
</div>
<p>“Hello!” cried the Scarecrow. “Here comes
Glinda.” As he spoke the swan chariot of the good
Sorceress floated down beside the little party.</p>
<p>“Bother!” groaned Kabumpo, as Glinda stepped
out.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_251">251</div>
<p>“Some strangers,” called the Scarecrow, gleefully
running toward Glinda, “some strangers with a box
of Mixed Magic trying to help.”</p>
<p>“If we could have a few words with Ozma,” put in
the Elegant Elephant hastily, “everything would be
all right.”</p>
<p>Glinda looked at Kabumpo gravely. “It’s unlawful
to practice magic. You must know that,” said the
Sorceress sternly.</p>
<p>“But it’s not our magic, your Highness,” explained
Peg Amy, setting down the little kettle. “We found
it, and we’re only trying to help Ozma.”</p>
<p>“Well, in that case,” Glinda could not help smiling
at the Wooden Doll’s quaint appearance, “I shall be
glad to assist you, as all of my magic has proved
useless.”</p>
<p>“Aren’t you the Prince of Pumperdink?” she asked,
nodding toward Pompa. The Prince bowed in his
most princely fashion and assured her that he was
and, after a few hasty explanations, Glinda promised
to bring Ozma down in her chariot.</p>
<p>“Tell her,” trumpeted Kabumpo impressively, as
the chariot rose in the air, “tell her that a young
Prince waits below!”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_252">252</div>
<p>While Pompa was still looking after Glinda’s
chariot, Peg Amy came up to him and extended both
her wooden hands.</p>
<p>“I wish you much happiness, Pompa dear,” said the
Wooden Doll in a low voice.</p>
<p>Pompa pressed Peg’s hands gratefully. “If it
hadn’t been for you I’d never have succeeded. You
shall have everything you wish for now, Peg. Why,
where are you going?”</p>
<p>“Good-bye!” called Peg Amy, trying to keep her
voice as cheerful as her painted face, and before anyone
could stop her she began to run toward a little
grove of trees.</p>
<p>“Come back!” cried the Prince, starting after her.</p>
<p>“Come back!” trumpeted Kabumpo in alarm.</p>
<p>“I’ll get her!” coughed Wag, hopping forward jealously.
“I’ve known her the longest.”</p>
<p>Pompa and Kabumpo both started to run, too, but
just at that minute down swooped the chariot and out
jumped Ozma, the lovely little Ruler of Oz.</p>
<p>“At last!” gasped Kabumpo, pushing Pompa forward.</p>
<p>If Ozma was startled by their singular appearance,
she was too polite to say so, and she returned Pompa’s
deep bow with a still deeper curtsey.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_253">253</div>
<p>“Glinda tells me you have come a long, long way
just to help me,” said Ozma anxiously. “Is that so?”</p>
<p>“Princess!” cried Pompa, falling on his knee. “I
know you are worried about your palace and your
Courtiers and your friends. Two drops of that Triple
Trick Tea (he waved at the small kettle) upon Ruggedo’s
right foot and three on his left will set everything
right!”</p>
<p>“But where did you get it—and why?” Ozma
looked doubtfully at the Scarecrow.</p>
<p>“Might as well try it,” advised the Scarecrow.</p>
<p>“We will explain everything later,” puffed the Elegant
Elephant. “Trust old Kabumpo, your Highness,
and everything will turn out happily.”</p>
<p>“I believe I will,” smiled Ozma. “Will you try the
Trick Tea, Glinda?”</p>
<p>Glinda took the kettle and poured it exactly as
directed. First Ruggedo gave a gusty sigh that blew
the clouds about in every direction.</p>
<p>“Look out!” warned Glinda.</p>
<p>Next instant they all fluttered down like a pack of
cards, for Ruggedo had taken a step—a giant step
that shook the earth as if it had been a block of
jelly—and when they had picked themselves up Ruggedo
was out of sight, tramping like a giant in a
dream, back toward the Emerald City.</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_267.jpg" alt="Ruggedo, tramping like a giant in a dream, back to the Emerald City" width="600" height="800" />
<p class="caption"><span class="sc">Ruggedo, tramping like a giant in a dream, back to the Emerald City</span></p>
</div>
<div class="pb" id="Page_254">254</div>
<p>“You wait here!” cried Glinda to Ozma. “And I’ll
follow him!” She sprang into her chariot.</p>
<p>“How do you know he’ll go back?” asked the little
Ruler of Oz, staring with straining eyes for a glimpse
of the giant.</p>
<p>“Because the Question Box said so,” chuckled Kabumpo
triumphantly.</p>
<p>“Good magic!” approved the Scarecrow. “But
where is that charming Peg? I think I’ll run find
her.”</p>
<p>No sooner had the Scarecrow disappeared than
Pompa, swallowing very hard, again approached
Ozma. But Ozma, still looking after Glinda’s vanishing
chariot, was hardly aware of the Prince of Pumperdink.</p>
<p>Poor Pompa dropped on his knee (which had a
large hole in it by this time) and began mumbling
indistinct sentences. Then, as Kabumpo frowned
with disgust, the Prince burst out desperately, “Princess,
will you marry me?”</p>
<p>“Marry you?” gasped the little Ruler of Oz. “Good
gracious, <i>no</i>!”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_255">255</div>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_271.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="500" height="491" />
</div>
<h2 id="c19"><span class="smaller">Chapter 19</span>
<br />Ozma Takes Things In Hand</h2>
<p>Prince Pompadore jumped up quickly.</p>
<p>“I told you she wouldn’t!” he choked, looking
reproachfully at Kabumpo. “I’m not half good
enough.”</p>
<p>“He doesn’t always look so scratched up and
shabby,” wheezed Kabumpo breathlessly. “We’ve
been scorched and pinched and kidnapped. We’ve
been through every kind of hardship to save your
Highness—and <i>now</i>!” The Elegant Elephant slouched
against a tree, the picture of discouragement. He
seemed to have forgotten the jewels that were to have
won the Princess for Pompa and his threat of running
off with her should she refuse him.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_256">256</div>
<p>“Why, you don’t even know me,” cried Ozma, dismayed
by even the thought of marrying; for though
the little Ruler of Oz has lived almost a thousand years
she is no older than <i>you</i> are and would no more think
of marrying than Dorothy or Betsy Bobbin or Trot.
Ruling the Kingdom of Oz takes almost all of Ozma’s
time and in any that is left she wants to play and
enjoy herself like any other sensible little girl. For
Ozma is only a little girl fairy after all.</p>
<p>“I’m not going to marry anybody!” she declared
stoutly. Then, because she really was touched by
Pompa’s woebegone appearance, she asked more
kindly, “Why did you want to marry me especially?”</p>
<p>“Because you are the properest Princess in Oz,”
groaned the Prince, leaning disconsolately against
Kabumpo. “Because if we don’t Pumperdink will
disappear and my poor old father and my mother and
everyone.”</p>
<p>“Not to speak of us,” gulped the Elegant Elephant.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_257">257</div>
<p>“But where is Pumperdink, and who said it would
disappear?” asked Ozma in amazement. “And how
did you happen to have this Trick Tea and come to
rescue me?”</p>
<p>“The Prince always rescues the Princess he intends
to marry,” said Kabumpo wearily. “I should think
you’d know that.”</p>
<p>“Well, I’m very grateful, and I’ll do anything I can
except marry you,” exclaimed Ozma, who was beginning
to feel very much interested in this strange
pair.</p>
<p>“Thank you,” said Kabumpo stiffly, for he was
deeply offended. “Thank you, but we must be going.
Come along, Pompa.”</p>
<p>“Don’t be a Gooch!” This time it was Pompa who
spoke. “I’m going to tell her everything!”</p>
<p>And Pompa, being as I have told you before the
most charming Prince in the world, made Ozma a
comfortable throne of green boughs and, throwing
himself at her feet, poured out the whole story of
their adventures, beginning with the birthday party
and the mysterious scroll. He told of their meeting
with Peg Amy and Wag and ended up with the ride
upon the Runaway Country.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_258">258</div>
<p>Kabumpo stood by, swaying sulkily. He was very
much disappointed in the Princess of Oz. He felt that
she had no proper appreciation of his or Pompa’s
importance.</p>
<p>“I’m going to find Peg,” he called finally. “She’s
got more sense than any of you,” he wheezed under
his breath as he swept grandly out of sight.</p>
<p>Ozma put both hands to her head as Pompa finished
his recital and really it was enough to puzzle any
fairy. Scrolls, live Wooden Dolls, a giant rabbit, a
mysterious magician threatening disappearances and
Ruggedo’s wicked use of the box of Mixed Magic.</p>
<p>“Goodness!” cried the little Ruler of Oz. “I wish
the Scarecrow would come back. He’s so clever I’m
sure he could help us; but first you had better bring
me the magic box.”</p>
<p>Pompa rose slowly and, picking up all the little
flasks and boxes that had spilled out when Wag
pounded Ruggedo, he put them back into the casket
and handed it to Ozma. She examined the contents
as curiously as the others had done. The Expanding
Extract was the only thing missing, for Ruggedo had
poured the whole bottle over his head. The Question
Box seemed to Ozma the most wonderful of all of
Glegg’s magic.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_259">259</div>
<p>“Why, all we have to do is to ask this box questions,”
she cried in excitement. “Has my palace
reached the Emerald City?” she asked breathlessly.</p>
<p>“Shake it three times,” said Pompa, as Ozma looked
in vain for her answer.</p>
<p>“Yes,” stated the box after the third shake, and
Ozma sighed with relief.</p>
<p>“I suppose you asked it if I were the Proper Princess
mentioned in the scroll,” she said, a bit shyly.</p>
<p>The Prince shook his head. “Knew without asking,”
said Pompa heavily.</p>
<p>“Do you mean to say you never asked it that?”
gasped Ozma in disbelief. “Why, I am surprised at
you.” And before Pompa could object she shook the
little box briskly. “Who is the Princess that Pompa
must marry?” she demanded anxiously.</p>
<p>“The Princess of Sun Top Mountain,” flashed the
Question Box promptly. Then, as an afterthought,
it added, “Trust the mirror and golden door knob!”</p>
<p>“Now, you see!” cried Ozma, jumping up in delight.
“I wasn’t the Proper Princess at all!”</p>
<p>Pompa smiled faintly, but without enthusiasm. The
thought of hunting another Princess was almost too
much. “I wish I could just take Peg Amy and Wag
and go back to Pumperdink without marrying anybody,”
he choked bitterly.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_260">260</div>
<p>“Now, don’t give up,” advised Ozma kindly. “It
was very wrong of Glegg to cause you all this trouble.
I’m going to keep his box of Mixed Magic and take
away all his powers when I find him, but until I do,
you’ll have to follow directions. Oh mercy! What’s
that?”</p>
<p>They both ducked and turned around in a hurry,
as a terrific thumping sounded behind them.</p>
<p>“It’s the Runaway Country again,” cried Pompa,
seizing Ozma’s hands in distress, “and it’s caught all
the others.”</p>
<p>The Scarecrow had climbed a tree, and was waving
to them wildly as the Country galloped nearer.
“Might as well come aboard,” he called genially.
“This is a fast Country—no arguing with it at all.”</p>
<p>Ozma looked helplessly at Pompa, and the Prince
had only time to grasp her more firmly when the
Country scooped them neatly into the air. Down
they tumbled, beside Peg Amy and Wag and the Elegant
Elephant.</p>
<p>“What do you mean by this?” demanded Ozma, as
soon as she regained her breath.</p>
<p>“Don’t you know this lady is the Ruler of all Oz?”
cried Pompa warningly.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_261">261</div>
<p>“Peg’s the Ruler of me,” replied the Country
calmly. “I nearly lost her once, but now I’ve caught
her and all the rest, and I am not going to stop until
I’ve reached the Nonestic Ocean—giants or no
giants.”</p>
<p>Ozma had been somewhat prepared for the Runaway
Country by Pompa’s description, but she had
never dreamed it would dare to run off with her.
While Peg Amy began to coax it to stop, she took out
Glegg’s little Question Box.</p>
<p>“How shall I stop this Country?” she whispered
anxiously.</p>
<p>“Spin around six times and cross your fingers,”
directed the Question Box.</p>
<p>This Ozma proceeded to do, much to the agitation
of the Scarecrow, who thought she had taken leave
of her senses. But next instant the Country came to
a jolting halt.</p>
<p>“Peg, Princess Peg!” shrieked the Island. “I am
bewitched, I can’t move a step!”</p>
<p>“Then everybody off,” shouted the Scarecrow, jerking
a branch of a tree as if he were a conductor.
“End of the line—everybody off!” And they lost
no time tumbling off the wild little Country.</p>
<p>“It seems too bad to leave it,” said Peg Amy regretfully,
picking herself up.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_262">262</div>
<p>“It threw us off without any feeling or consideration
when it saw Ruggedo,” sniffed Kabumpo.
“Therefore it has no claims on us whatsoever.”</p>
<p>“But couldn’t you do something for it?” asked Peg,
approaching Ozma timidly. “It’s so tired of being a
plateau. Couldn’t you let it be an island, and find
someone to settle on it? I wouldn’t mind going,” she
added generously.</p>
<p>“You shall do nothing of the sort,” cried Kabumpo
angrily. “You’re going back to Pumperdink with
Pompa and me.”</p>
<p>“She’s going with me,” cried Wag. “Aren’t you,
Peg?”</p>
<p>“You seem to be a very popular person,” smiled
Ozma. “While a Country has no right to run away,
and while I never heard of one doing it before, I’ve
no objections to its being an island. It’s running off
with people I object to.” She looked the Country
sternly in its lake-eyes.</p>
<p>“But I can’t move,” screamed the Country, tears
streaming down its hill, “and I’ve got to have somebody
to settle me.”</p>
<p>“Oh! Here’s Glinda,” shouted the Scarecrow, tossing
up his hat. “Now we shall know what’s happened
to Ruggedo.”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_263">263</div>
<p>Leaving the Country for a moment, they all ran to
welcome the good Sorceress of Oz. Glinda’s reports
were most satisfactory. Ruggedo had walked straight
back to the Emerald City, stepped into the yawning
cavern, and immediately the palace had settled firmly
upon its old foundations. Then had come a muffled
explosion, and when Glinda and Dorothy ran through
the secret passage, which had been discovered meanwhile
by the Soldier with the Green Whiskers, they
saw Ruggedo, shrunken to his former size, sitting
angrily on his sixth rock of history.</p>
<p>“I have locked him up in the palace,” finished
Glinda, “and I strongly advise your Highness to
punish him severely.”</p>
<p>Ozma sighed. “What would you do?” she asked,
appealing to the Scarecrow. So many things had come
up for her attention and advice in the last few hours
that the little fairy ruler felt positively dizzy.</p>
<p>“Let’s all sit down in a circle and think,” proposed
the Scarecrow cheerfully. This they all did except
Kabumpo, who stood off glumly by himself. Peg was
looking anxiously at Pompadore, for the Elegant Elephant
had told her of Ozma’s refusal, and wondering
sadly what she could do to help, when the Scarecrow
bounced up impulsively.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_264">264</div>
<p>“I have it,” chuckled the Straw Man. “Let’s send
Ruggedo off on the Runaway Country. He deserves
to be banished and, if Ozma makes the Country an
Island, he can do no harm.”</p>
<p>Here Ozma had to stop and explain to Glinda about
the Country that wanted to be an Island, and after a
short consultation they decided to take the Scarecrow’s
advice.</p>
<p>“Just as soon as I reach the Emerald City I’ll put
on my Magic Belt and wish him onto the Island,”
declared Ozma. “And I think we’d better go right
straight back,” she added thoughtfully, “for it’s growing
darker every minute and Dorothy will be anxious
to hear everything that’s happened.”</p>
<p>“Now you”—Ozma tapped Pompadore gently on
the arm—“You must start at once for Sun Top Mountain.
I’m going to ask the Question Box just where
it is.”</p>
<p>Pompa sighed deeply, and when Ozma consulted
the Question Box as to the location of Sun Top Mountain,
it stated that this Kingdom was in the very
Centre of the North Winkie Country. “That’s fine,”
said Ozma, clapping her hands. “I’ll have the Runaway
country carry you over the Deadly Desert, and
as soon as you have married the Princess you must
bring her to see me in the Emerald City.”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_265">265</div>
<p>“What’s all this?” demanded Kabumpo, pricking
up his ears.</p>
<p>“The Question Box says I must marry the Princess
of Sun Top Mountain,” said Pompa, getting up
wearily.</p>
<p>“Well, Great Grump, why couldn’t it have said so
before?” asked Kabumpo shrilly.</p>
<p>“You never asked it,” snapped Wag, twitching his
nose. “I told you Ozma wasn’t the Princess mentioned
in the scroll!”</p>
<p>“Now don’t quarrel,” begged Peg Amy, jumping up
hastily. “There’s still plenty of time to save Pumperdink.
Come along, Pompa.”</p>
<p>“That’s right,” said Ozma, smiling approvingly at
Peg. “And when Pompa finds his Princess you must
come and live with me in the Emerald City, for as
Ruggedo was responsible for bringing you to life, I
want to take care of you always.”</p>
<p>Peg Amy dropped a curtsey and promised to come,
but she didn’t feel very cheerful about it. Then, as
Ozma was anxious to get back to the Emerald City,
they all hurried to Runaway Country.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_266">266</div>
<p>“You are to take these travelers across the Deadly
Desert,” said Ozma, addressing the Runaway Country
quite sternly, “and you are to set them down in the
Winkie Country. If you do this I will restore your
moving power again and give you a little gnome for
King. Then you may run off to the Nonestic Ocean
as soon as ever you wish.”</p>
<p>“I want Peg,” pouted the Country, “but if that’s
the best you can do I suppose I’ll have to stand it.”
After a little more grumbling it agreed to Ozma’s
terms. Wearily, Kabumpo, Wag, Peg and Pompa
climbed aboard and then Ozma spun around six times
in the opposite direction and immediately the Country
found itself able to move again.</p>
<p>“Good-bye!” called Ozma, as she and the Scarecrow
jumped into Glinda’s chariot. “Good-bye and good
luck!”</p>
<p>“Good-bye!” called Peg, waving her old torn bonnet.</p>
<p>“Good riddance,” grumbled the Country gruffly and,
turning sideways, began running toward the Deadly
Desert.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_267">267</div>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_285.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="500" height="481" />
</div>
<h2 id="c20"><span class="smaller">Chapter 20</span>
<br />The Proper Princess Is Found!</h2>
<p>“Is the mirror safe, and have you still got the gold
door knob?” asked Pompa, as the Country swung
out onto the Deadly Desert. “The Question Box said
I was to trust them, you know.”</p>
<p>“And by what right did Ozma take that box?”
wheezed Kabumpo irritably, as he felt in his pocket
to see whether the magic articles were still there.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_268">268</div>
<p>“That’s gratitude for you! We find Glegg’s box of
Mixed Magic and rescue her, and off she goes with all
our magic, leaving us to the tender mercies of a Runaway
Country!”</p>
<p>“You find the box!” shrilled Wag. “Well, I like
that!”</p>
<p>“Oh, what difference does it make?” groaned
Pompa, stretching out upon the ground. They were
all completely exhausted by the day’s adventures and
as cross as three sticks—all except Peg Amy, who
never was cross.</p>
<p>“I shall marry this Princess and save my country,
but I’m going away as soon as the wedding is over and
spend the rest of my life in travel,” announced Pompa
gloomily.</p>
<p>“Don’t blame you,” rumbled the Elegant Elephant
with a sniff.</p>
<p>“Ah, now!” laughed Peg. “That doesn’t sound like
you, Pompa. Why, maybe this Princess will be so
lovely you’ll want to carry her straight back to Pumperdink.”</p>
<p>“I think Princesses are a great bore,” said Wag
with a terrific yawn. “I prefer plain folks like Peg
and the Scarecrow.”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_269">269</div>
<p>“You’re all hungry, that’s what’s the matter,”
chuckled the Wooden Doll. “When you’ve had some
supper you’ll be just as anxious to find the Princess of
Sun Top Mountain as you were to find Ozma. Here’s
the Winkie Country now, and there’s a star for good
luck.”</p>
<p>Peg waved toward the green fields with one hand
and toward the clouds with the other. It was dusk
now and just one star twinkled cheerily in the sky.</p>
<p>“I’ll set you down, but I’m not going away,” said
the Runaway Country determinedly, “for if that little
old gnome doesn’t turn up I’m going to catch you all
again.”</p>
<p>“Ozma never forgets. She’ll keep her promise,”
said Peg. “And you must do just as she told you to do
for she has some powerful magic and can send you
right back to where you came from.”</p>
<p>“Can she?” gulped the Country anxiously.</p>
<p>“You might wait a while, though,” suggested
Pompa darkly. “After I’ve seen this new Princess a
Runaway Country might be a very good thing.”</p>
<p>“Well, you can’t expect her to marry you if you
talk that way,” said Peg warningly, as the Country
came to a stop in a huge field of daisies.</p>
<p>“I’ll wait,” it said hopefully, as the four travelers
swung themselves down.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_270">270</div>
<p>“I wonder if we are in the North Central part,”
murmured Peg Amy, looking around anxiously. Now
it happened the Country had crossed the Deadly
Desert slantwise and although none of the party knew
it they were scarcely a mile from Sun Top Mountain.</p>
<p>“I see a garden!” cried Wag, twitching his nose
hungrily. “Come on, Prince, let”s find some supper.”
With head down and dragging his feet, Pompa followed
Wag. Kabumpo began jerking snappishly at
some tree tops and Peg Amy sat down to think.</p>
<p>“I wish,” thought the Wooden Doll, looking up at
the bright star, “I wish I might have asked the box
one little question.” Peg Amy looked so solemn that
Kabumpo stopped eating and regarded her anxiously.</p>
<p>“What’s the matter?” asked the Elegant Elephant
gruffly, for he quite counted on Peg’s cheerfulness.</p>
<p>“I was thinking about it again,” admitted Peg
apologetically. “About being alive before. I’m sure
I was alive before I was a doll, Kabumpo. I think I
was a person, like Pompa,” she continued softly.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_271">271</div>
<p>“You’re much better as you are,” said the Elegant
Elephant uneasily, for it had just occurred to him that
the Magic Mirror would tell Peg who she was as well
as the Question Box. But should he let her look in
it? That was the question. Poor, tired old Kabumpo
shifted from one foot to the other as he tried to make
up his mind. Two huge drops of perspiration ran
down his trunk. What good would it do? he reasoned
finally. Suppose it told something awful! It couldn’t
change her and it might make her unhappy. No, he
would not let Peg look in the mirror.</p>
<p>“How would you like to have this pearl bracelet?”
he asked in an embarrassed voice.</p>
<p>“Why, Kabumpo, I’d just adore it!” cried Peg,
springing up in a hurry. “And I’m not going to
worry about being alive any more, for everyone is so
lovely to me I ought to be the happiest person in Oz.”</p>
<p>“You are,” puffed Kabumpo, clumsily slipping the
bracelet on Peg’s wooden arm, “and if we ever get
back to Pumperdink you shall have as many silk
dresses as you want and—” The rest of the sentence
was smothered in a hug.</p>
<p>Peg Amy was growing fonder and fonder of pompous
old Kabumpo and by the time he had recovered
his breath Wag and the Prince came ambling back
together. They had found an orchard and a kitchen
garden and as they were no longer hungry, both were
more cheerful.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_272">272</div>
<p>“Let’s play scop hotch,” suggested Wag amiably.
“I’m tired of hunting Princesses.” There was a smooth
patch of sand under the trees and Wag hopped over
and began marking out the squares with his paw.</p>
<p>“Scop hotch!” laughed Pompa, While Peg gave a
skip of delight.</p>
<p>“Play if you want to,” wheezed Kabumpo, shaking
himself wearily, “I feel about as playful as a stone
lion. Besides, hop scotch isn’t an elephant game.”</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_290.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="600" height="400" />
</div>
<p>Peg, Wag and Pompa began to hop scotch for dear
life. Peg often tumbled over, for it is hard to keep
your balance on wooden legs, but it was Peg who won
in the end and Wag crowned her with daisies.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_273">273</div>
<p>“I wish we could go on just as we are,” gasped
Pompa, mopping his face with his silk handkerchief.
“We’re all good chums and, if it weren’t for Pumperdink’s
disappearing, we might travel all over Oz and
have no end of adventures together.”</p>
<p>“Speaking of disappearing,” said Kabumpo, opening
one eye, for he had dozed off during the game, “I
suppose we’d better be starting if we’re to save the
Kingdom at all.”</p>
<p>“Good-bye to pleasure,” sighed Pompa, as Kabumpo
lifted him to his back. “Good-bye to everything!”</p>
<p>“Oh, cheer up,” begged Peg, settling herself on
Wag’s back.</p>
<p>“Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!” A large yellow bird
rose suddenly from a near-by bush and flapped its
wings over Pompa’s head. “Hurrah! Hurrah!”</p>
<p>“Shoo! Get away!” grumbled Kabumpo crossly.
“What are you cheering about?”</p>
<p>“She said to,” cawed the bird, darting over Peg
Amy’s head. “Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah! Let me
teach you how to be cheerful in three chirps. First,
think of what you might have been; next, think of
what you are; then think of what you are going to be.
Do you get it?” The bird put its head on one side and
regarded them anxiously.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_274">274</div>
<p>“He might have been King of Oz, instead of which
he is only a lost Prince, and he’s going to be married
to a mountain top Princess. Do you see anything
cheerful about that?” demanded Kabumpo angrily.
“Clear out! We’ll do our own cheering.”</p>
<p>“Shall I go?” asked the Hurrah Bird, looking very
crestfallen and pointing its claw at Peg Amy.</p>
<p>“Maybe you can tell us the way to Sun Top Mountain,”
said Peg politely.</p>
<p>“You can see it from the other side of the hill,”
replied the Hurrah Bird. “I’ll give you a few hurrahs
for luck. Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!”</p>
<p>“Oh, go away,” grumbled Kabumpo.</p>
<p>“Not till you look at my nest. Did you ever see a
Hurrah Bird’s nest?” he chirped brightly.</p>
<p>“Let’s look at it,” said Pompa, smiling in spite of
himself. The Hurrah Bird preened itself proudly as
they peered through the bushes. Surely it had the
gayest nest ever built, for it was woven of straw of
many colors, and hung all over the near-by branches
were small Oz flags. In the nest three little yellow
chicks were growing up into Hurrahs and they chirped
faintly at the visitors.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_275">275</div>
<p>“Remember,” called the Father Hurrah, as they
bade him good-bye, “you can always be cheerful in
three chirps if you think of what you <i>might</i> have been,
what you <i>are</i>, and what you are going to be. Hurrah!
Hurrah! Hurrah!”</p>
<p>“There’s something in what you’ve said,” chuckled
Wag. “Good-bye!”</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_293.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="600" height="403" />
</div>
<div class="pb" id="Page_276">276</div>
<p>The moon had come up brightly and even Kabumpo
began to feel more like himself. “There’s a lot to be
learned by traveling, eh, Wag?” He winked at the
rabbit, who was just behind him. “Let’s see—somersaults
for sums—never be gormish—and now, how to
be cheerful in three chirps. Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!”
The Elegant Elephant began to plow swiftly
through the daisy field, so that in almost no time they
reached the top of the little hill and as they did so
Peg gave a little scream of delight. As for the others,
they were simply speechless.</p>
<p>A purple mountain rose steeply ahead, and set like
a crown upon its summit was a glittering gold castle,
the loveliest, laciest gold castle you could imagine,
with a hundred fluttering pennants. All down the
mountain side spread its lovely gardens, its golden
arbors and flower bordered paths.</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_294.jpg" alt="At the top of the mountain the loveliest castle you could imagine" width="574" height="800" />
<p class="caption"><span class="sc">At the top of the mountain the loveliest castle you could imagine</span></p>
</div>
<p>“I’ve seen it before!” cried the Wooden Doll softly,
but no one heard her. Pompa drew a deep breath, for
the castle, shimmering in the moonlight, seemed almost
too beautiful to believe.</p>
<p>“Whe-ew!” whistled Wag, breaking the silence.
“The Princess of Tun Sop Wountain must be wonderful.”</p>
<p>“Shall we start up now?” gasped Kabumpo, swinging
his trunk nervously.</p>
<p>“I don’t believe she’ll ever marry me. Let’s don’t go
at all,” muttered the Prince of Pumperdink in a
shaking voice.</p>
<p>“Oh, come on!” called Wag, who was curious to see
the owner of so grand a castle.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_277">277</div>
<p>“But we mustn’t go, Wag,” gasped Peg Amy. “How
would it look to have a shabby old doll tagging along
when he’s trying to talk to the Princess?”</p>
<p>“If Peg doesn’t go, I’m not going,” declared Pompa
stubbornly.</p>
<p>“You’re just as good as any Princess,” said Kabumpo,
“and I’m not going without you, either.”</p>
<p>As the Elegant Elephant refused to budge and
there seemed no other way out of it, Peg Amy finally
consented and the four adventurers started fearfully
up the winding path, almost expecting the castle to
disappear before they reached the top, so unreal did it
seem in the moonlight. There was no one in the garden
but there were lights in the castle windows. “Just
as if they expected us,” said the Elegant Elephant, as
they reached the tall gates. Pompa opened the gates
and next instant they were standing before the great
castle door.</p>
<p>“Shall we knock?” chattered Wag, his eyes sticking
out with excitement.</p>
<p>“No! Wait a minute,” begged the Prince, who was
becoming more agitated every minute.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_278">278</div>
<p>“Here’s the mirror and the door knob,” quavered
Kabumpo. “Didn’t the Question Box say to trust
them? Why, look here, Pompa, my boy, it fits!”
Clumsily, Kabumpo held up the glittering door knob
he had brought all the way from Pumperdink; then
he slipped it easily on the small gold bar projecting
from the door.</p>
<p>But instead of looking joyful Pompa groaned dismally.
He started to protest but Kabumpo had already
turned the knob and they found themselves in a
glittering gold court room.</p>
<p>“Now for the Princess,” puffed Kabumpo, looking
around with his twinkling little eyes. “Here, take the
mirror, Pompa.” The room was empty, although brilliantly
lighted, and the Prince stood uncertainly in the
very center. Suddenly, with a determined little cry,
Pompa rushed over to Peg Amy, who stood leaning
against a tall gold chair.</p>
<p>“Peg,” choked Pompa, dropping on his knees beside
the Wooden Doll, “I’ll have to find some other
way to save Pumperdink. I’m not going to marry
this Princess and have you taken away from me.
You’re a proper enough Princess for me and we’ll
just go back to Pumperdink and be—”</p>
<p>“The mirror! Look in the mirror!” screamed Wag,
who was sitting beside Peg Amy.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_279">279</div>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_297.jpg" alt="There stood Peg Amy, the Loveliest Little Princess in the world" width="358" height="600" />
<p class="caption"><span class="sc">There stood Peg Amy, the Loveliest Little Princess in the world</span></p>
</div>
<div class="pb" id="Page_280">280</div>
<p>Unconsciously, Pompa had held out the gold mirror
and Peg, leaning over to listen, had looked directly
into it. Above Peg’s pleasant reflection in the mirror
they read these startling and important words:</p>
<div class="box">
<p class="center">This is Peg Amy, Princess of Sun Top Mountain.</p>
</div>
<p>While Pompa stared with round eyes the words
faded out and this new legend formed in the glass:</p>
<div class="box">
<p class="center">This is the Proper Princess.</p>
</div>
<p>“I always knew you were a Princess,” cried Wag,
turning a somersault.</p>
<p>The big rabbit had just come right-side-up, when a
still more amazing thing happened. The wooden body
of Peg melted before their eyes and in its place stood
the loveliest little Princess in the world. And yet,
with all her beauty, she was strangely like the old
Peg. Her eyes had the same merry twinkle and her
mouth the same pleasant curve.</p>
<p>“Oh!” cried Princess Peg, holding her arms out to
her friends. “Now I am the happiest person in Oz!”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_281">281</div>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_299.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="500" height="497" />
</div>
<h2 id="c21"><span class="smaller">Chapter 21</span>
<br />How It All Came About</h2>
<p>Before Pompa had time to rise, a tall, richly
clad old nobleman rushed into the room.</p>
<p>“Peg!” cried the old gentleman, clasping the
Princess in his arms. “You are back! At last the
enchantment is broken!”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_282">282</div>
<p>For a moment the two forgot all about Pompa and
the others. Then, gently disengaging herself, Peg
seized the Prince’s hands and drew him to his feet.</p>
<p>“Uncle,” she said breathlessly, holding to Pompa
with one hand and waving with the other at Kabumpo
and Wag, “here are the friends responsible for my
release. This is my Uncle Tozzyfog,” she explained
quickly, and impulsively Uncle Tozzyfog sprang to
his feet and embraced each in turn—even Kabumpo.</p>
<p>“Sit down,” begged the old nobleman, sinking into
a golden chair and mopping his head with a flowered
silk kerchief.</p>
<p>Pompa, who could not take his eyes from this new
and wonderful Peg Amy, dropped into another chair.
Kabumpo leaned limply against a pillar and Wag sat
where he was, his nose twitching faster than ever and
his ears stuck out straight behind him.</p>
<p>“You are probably wondering about the change in
Peg,” began Uncle Tozzyfog, as the Princess perched
on the arm of his chair, “so I’ll try to tell my part of
the story. Three years ago an ugly old peddlar climbed
the path to Sun Top Mountain. He said his name was
Glegg and, forcing his way into the castle, he demanded
the hand of my niece in marriage.”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_283">283</div>
<p>Peg shuddered and Uncle Tozzyfog blew his nose
violently at the distressing memory. Then, speaking
rapidly and pausing every few minutes to appeal to
the Princess, he continued the story of Peg’s enchantment.
Naturally the old peddlar had been refused
and thrown out of the castle. That night as Uncle
Tozzyfog prepared to carve the royal roast, there
came an explosion, and when the Courtiers had picked
themselves up Peg Amy was nowhere to be seen, and
only a threatening scroll remained to explain the
mystery. Glegg, who was really a powerful magician,
infuriated by Uncle Tozzyfog’s treatment, had
changed the little Princess into a tree.</p>
<p>“Know ye,” began the scroll quite like the one that
had spoiled Pompa’s birthday, “know ye that unless
ye Princess of Sun Top Mountain consents to wed
J. Glegg she shall remain a tree forever, or until two
shall call and believe her to be a Princess. J. G.”</p>
<p>The whole castle had been plunged into utmost
gloom by this terrible happening, for Peg was the
kindliest, best loved little Princess any Kingdom
could wish for. Lord Tozzyfog and nearly all the
Courtiers set out at once to search for the little tree
and for two years they wandered over Oz, addressing
every hopeful tree as Princess, but never happening
on the right one. Finally they returned in despair and
Sun Top Mountain, once the most cheerful Kingdom
in all Oz, had become the gloomiest. There was no
singing, nor dancing—no happiness of any kind.
Even the flowers had drooped in the absence of their
little Mistress.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_284">284</div>
<p>“Why didn’t you appeal to Ozma?” demanded
Pompa at this point in the story.</p>
<p>“Because in another scroll Glegg warned us that
the day we told Ozma, Peg Amy would cease to even
be a tree,” explained Uncle Tozzyfog hoarsely.</p>
<p>“Then how did she become a doll? Tell me that,
Uncle Fozzytog,” gulped Wag, raising one paw.</p>
<p>“She’ll have to tell you that herself,” confessed
Peg’s uncle, “for that’s all of the story I know.”</p>
<p>So here Peg took up the story herself. The morning
after her transformation into a tree Glegg had appeared
and asked her again to marry him. “I was a
little yellow tree, in the Winkie Country, not far from
the Emerald City,” explained Peg, “and every day
for two months Glegg appeared and gave me the
power of speech long enough to answer his question.
And each time he asked me to marry him but I always
said ‘No!’” The Princess shook her yellow curls
briskly.</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_301.jpg" alt="“Every day Glegg returned and asked me to marry him, but I always said ‘No’!” explained Peg" width="583" height="799" />
<p class="caption">“<span class="sc">Every day Glegg returned and asked me to marry him, but I always said ‘No’!” explained Peg</span></p>
</div>
<div class="pb" id="Page_285">285</div>
<p>“One afternoon there came a one-legged sailor man
and a little girl.” Even Kabumpo shuddered as Peg
Amy told how Cap’n Bill had cut down the little tree,
pared off all the branches and carved from the trunk
a small wooden doll for Trot.</p>
<p>“It didn’t hurt,” Princess Peg hastened to explain
as she caught Pompa’s sorrowful expression, “and
being a doll was a lot better than being a tree. I could
not move or speak but I knew what was going on and
life in Ozma’s palace was cheerful and interesting.
Only, of course, I longed to tell Ozma or Trot of my
enchantment. I missed dear Uncle Tozzyfog and all
the people of Sun Top Mountain. Then, as you all
know, I was stolen by the old gnome and after Ruggedo
carried me underground I forgot all about being
a Princess and remembered nothing of this.” Peg
glanced lovingly around the room. “I only felt that
I had been alive before. So you!” Peg jumped up
and flung one arm around Wag, “and you,” she flung
the other around Pompa, “saved me by calling me a
Princess and really believing I was one. And you!”
Peg hastened over to Kabumpo, who was rolling his
eyes sadly. “You are the darlingest old elephant in
Oz! See, I still have the necklace and bracelet!” And
sure enough on Peg’s round arm and white neck
gleamed the jewels the Elegant Elephant had generously
given when he thought her only a funny Wooden
Doll.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_286">286</div>
<p>“Oh!” groaned Kabumpo. “Why didn’t I let you
look in the mirror before? No wonder you kept remembering
things.”</p>
<p>“But why did Glegg send the threatening scroll
to Pumperdink three years after he’d enchanted
Peg?” asked Wag, scratching his head.</p>
<p>“Because!” shrilled a piercing voice, and in through
the window bounded a perfectly dreadful old man. It
was Glegg himself!</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_305.jpg" alt="“In through the window bounded a perfectly dreadful old man”" width="500" height="689" />
<p class="caption">“<span class="sc">In through the window bounded a perfectly dreadful old man</span>”</p>
</div>
<div class="pb" id="Page_287">287</div>
<p>“Because!” screeched the wicked magician, advancing
toward the little party with crooked finger,
“when that meddling old sailor touched Peg with his
knife I lost all power over her; because my Question
Box told me that Pompadore of Pumperdink could
bring about her disenchantment and he has. I made
it interesting for you, didn’t I? There isn’t another
magician in Oz can put scrolls up in cakes and roasts
like I can nor mix magic like mine. Ha! Ha!” Glegg
threw back his head and rocked with enjoyment.
“You have had all the trouble and I shall have all the
reward!”</p>
<p>Everyone was so stunned by this terrible interruption
that no one made a move as Glegg sprang toward
Peg Amy. But before he had reached the Princess
there was a queer sulphurous explosion and the magician
disappeared in a cloud of green smoke. They
rubbed their eyes and as the smoke cleared they saw
Trot, the little girl who had played with Peg Amy
when she was a Wooden Doll.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_288">288</div>
<p>“Ozma,” explained Trot breathlessly, for she had
come on a fast <i>wish</i>.</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_306.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="600" height="399" />
</div>
<p>After following the adventures of Pompa and Peg
in the Magic Mirror, and as the magician had tried
to snatch the Princess, Ozma had transported him by
means of her Magic Belt to the Emerald City, and sent
Trot to bring her best wishes to the whole party.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_289">289</div>
<p>“I’m sorry I didn’t make you a prettier dress when
you were my doll,” said Trot, seizing Peg Amy’s hand
impulsively, “but you see I didn’t know you were a
Princess.”</p>
<p>“But you guessed my name,” said Peg softly.</p>
<p>There were so many explanations to be made and
so many things to wonder over and exclaim about,
that it seemed as if they could never stop talking.</p>
<p>Uncle Tozzyfog rang all the bells in the castle tower
and stepping out on a balcony told the people of Sun
Top Mountain of the return of Princess Peg Amy.
Then the servants were summoned and such a feast as
only an Oz cook can prepare was started in the castle
kitchen. The Courtiers came hurrying back, for during
Peg’s absence Uncle Tozzyfog had lived alone in
the castle. Yes, the Courtiers came back and the people
of Sun Top Mountain poured into the castle in
throngs and nearly overwhelmed the rescuers by the
enthusiasm of their thanks.</p>
<p>Kabumpo had never been so admired and complimented
in his whole elegant life. As for Wag, his
speech grew more mixed up every minute. At last,
when the Courtiers and Uncle Tozzyfog had run off to
dress for the grand banquet, and after Trot had been
magically recalled by Ozma to the Emerald City, the
four who had gone through so many adventures together
were left alone.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_290">290</div>
<p>“Well, how about Pumperdink, my boy?” chuckled
Kabumpo, with a wave of his trunk. “Are we going
to let the old Kingdom disappear or not?”</p>
<p>“It is my duty to save my country,” said Pompa
loftily. Then, with a mischievous smile at Peg Amy,
“Don’t you think so, Princess?” Peg Amy looked
merrily at the Elegant Elephant and then took
Pompa’s hand.</p>
<p>“Yes, I do,” said the Princess of Sun Top Mountain.</p>
<p>“Then, you <i>will</i> marry me?” asked Pompa, looking
every inch a Prince in spite of his singed head and
torn clothes.</p>
<p>“We must save Pumperdink, you know,” sighed
Peg softly.</p>
<p>“Three cheers for the Princess of Pumperdink!
May she be as happy as the day is short!” cried Wag
in his impulsive way.</p>
<p>Uncle Tozzyfog was as pleased as Wag when he
heard the news, and Pompa, attired in a royal gold
embroidered robe, was married to Peg Amy upon the
spot, with much pomp and magnificence.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_291">291</div>
<p>Never before was there such rejoicing—a merrier
company or a happier bride. Kabumpo, arrayed in
two gold curtains borrowed for the happy occasion,
had never appeared more elegant and Wag was everywhere
at once and simply overwhelmed with attention.</p>
<p>That same night a messenger was dispatched to
Pumperdink to carry the good news and the next
morning Pompa and Peg set out for the Emerald City,
the Princess riding proudly on Wag and Pompadore
on Kabumpo. Knowing the whole four as you now
do, you will believe me when I say that their journey
was the merriest and most delightful ever recorded
in the merry Kingdom of Oz.</p>
<p>After a short visit with Ozma and another to the
King and Queen of Pumperdink they all returned to
Sun Top Mountain, where they are living happily at
this very minute.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_292">292</div>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_312.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="500" height="492" />
</div>
<h2 id="c22"><span class="smaller">Chapter 22</span>
<br />Ruggedo’s Last Rock</h2>
<p>There are only a few more mysteries to clear up
before we leave for a time the jolly Kingdom of
Oz. Ruggedo, much shaken by his terrible experiences
with Glegg’s magic, confessed everything to
Ozma on her return to the Emerald City. You can
imagine the surprise of the little Fairy Ruler on learning
how her palace had come to be impaled upon the
spikes of the wicked old gnome’s gray head.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_293">293</div>
<p>“He will nev-er re-form,” said Tik Tok mournfully,
as Ruggedo finished his recital. The bad little gnome
assured Ozma that he had reformed and begged for
another chance, but this time Ozma knew better, and
putting on her Magic Belt she whispered a few secret
words. Then they all hurried over to the Magic Picture,
for they knew that Ruggedo had been transported
to a safe place at last. The picture showed the
Runaway Country rushing along faster than an express
train and dancing up and down on its highest hill
was the furious old King of the Gnomes. They watched
until the Country plunged joyfully into the Nonestic
Ocean and, when it was almost in the middle, Ozma
stopped it by the magic spinning process and it became
Ruggedo’s Island.</p>
<p>“Well,” sighed Dorothy as they turned from the
picture, “I guess that will be Ruggedo’s last rock!”</p>
<p>“He’s rocked in the cradle of the deep now,” chuckled
the Scarecrow. “And I hope it quiets him down.
They ought to make a good pair—that bad little
Island and that bad little King,” he added reflectively.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_294">294</div>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_314.jpg" alt="“I guess that will be Ruggedo’s last rock,” said Dorothy" width="370" height="500" />
<p class="caption">“<span class="sc">I guess that will be Ruggedo’s last rock,” said Dorothy</span></p>
</div>
<div class="pb" id="Page_295">295</div>
<p>Then Ozma proposed that they follow the adventures
of Peg and Pompa, having so satisfactorily disposed
of Ruggedo. How she transported Glegg just
in time to save the Princess you already know. But
what happened to Glegg himself is interesting. When
the old magician had asked his Question Box how to
regain control over Peg again it had directed him to
bury his Mixed Magic under the Emerald City and
in two years to send the scroll to Pumperdink. So
Glegg had tunneled out the cave under Ozma’s palace
and left his magic in what he supposed was a very
safe place. It had been a great hardship to do without
it for two years, but he wanted Peg so badly that he
actually did this, never dreaming that Ruggedo had
moved in and discovered his treasures. The Question
Box had told the exact day Peg would be disenchanted
and all that long two years Glegg had waited, hidden
in a forest near Sun Top Mountain.</p>
<p>As he knew nothing of the discovery of his magic
box, no one was more surprised than he to find himself,
just as he was on the point of seizing Peg, transported
to the Emerald City.</p>
<p>While Sir Hokus of Pokes held the struggling
Glegg, Ozma asked the Question Box how to deal with
him. Everybody crowded around the little Fairy
Ruler to hear what the wicked old magician’s fate
was to be.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_296">296</div>
<p>“Give him a taste of his own magic,” directed the
Question Box. “Make him drink a cup of his Triple
Trick Tea.” This Ozma did, although it took fourteen
people to get Glegg to drink it. But, stars! No sooner
had the liquid touched his lips than the miserable old
magician went off with a loud explosion!</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_316.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="600" height="397" />
</div>
<p>The box of Mixed Magic was carefully put away in
Ozma’s gold safe and then the whole company—Ozma,
Dorothy, Sir Hokus, the Scarecrow and all the
celebrities—devoted themselves to setting the topsy
turvy palace to rights, for they knew by the Magic
picture that Pompa and Peg Amy were coming to
visit them.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_297">297</div>
<div class="verse">
<p class="t0">“Glegg, Glegg, shake a leg</p>
<p class="t0">And never more, Sir, bother Peg!”</p>
</div>
<p class="pnindent">shouted Scraps, as she swept up the black soot Glegg
had left when he exploded. And he never did.</p>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_317.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="600" height="473" />
</div>
<div class="img">
<img src="images/i_319.jpg" alt="(unlabelled)" width="600" height="346" />
</div>
<h2 id="tn">Transcriber’s Notes</h2><ul>
<li>Copyright notice provided as in the original—this e-text is public domain in the country of publication.</li>
<li>Generated a cover image, based on graphic elements from the book, and released for free unrestricted use with this eBook.</li>
<li>Relocated some images closer to the corresponding text.</li>
<li>Silently corrected palpable typos; left non-standard spellings and dialect unchanged.</li>
<li>In the text versions, delimited italics text in _underscores_ (the HTML version reproduces the font form of the printed book.)</li>
</ul>
<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 53765 ***</div>
</body>
</html>
|
