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diff --git a/old/11woz10.txt b/old/11woz10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..5961242 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/11woz10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7254 @@ +This book we used to prepare this Etext from might have had one +missing page. . .if you have a copy, please let me know, and we +will put you in touch with the person with the book and we hope +we can find the missing page. Thanks! Michael hart@pobox.com +*We have now corrected this in version 11woz11.txt or 11woz.zip + + + + +*Project Gutenberg's Etext of The Lost Princess of Oz, by Baum* +#11 in the L. 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If you + don't derive profits, no royalty is due. Royalties are + payable to "Project Gutenberg Association/Carnegie-Mellon + University" within the 60 days following each + date you prepare (or were legally required to prepare) + your annual (or equivalent periodic) tax return. + +WHAT IF YOU *WANT* TO SEND MONEY EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO? +The Project gratefully accepts contributions in money, time, +scanning machines, OCR software, public domain etexts, royalty +free copyright licenses, and every other sort of contribution +you can think of. Money should be paid to "Project Gutenberg +Association / Carnegie-Mellon University". + +*END*THE SMALL PRINT! FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.29.93*END* + + + + + +THE LOST PRINCESS OF OZ +by L. FRANK BAUM + + +This Book is Dedicated +To My Granddaughter +OZMA BAUM + + +To My Readers + +Some of my youthful readers are developing wonderful +imaginations. This pleases me. Imagination has brought +mankind through the Dark Ages to its present state of +civilization. Imagination led Columbus to discover +America. Imagination led Franklin to discover +electricity. Imagination has given us the steam engine, +the telephone, the talking-machine and the automobile, +for these things had to be dreamed of before they +became realities. So I believe that dreams -- day +dreams, you know, with your eyes wide open and your +brain-machinery whizzing -- are likely to lead to the +betterment of the world. The imaginative child will +become the imaginative man or woman most apt to create, +to invent, and therefore to foster civilization. A +prominent educator tells me that fairy tales are of +untold value in developing imagination in the young. I +believe it. + +Among the letters I receive from children are many +containing suggestions of "what to write about in the +next Oz Book." Some of the ideas advanced are mighty +interesting, while others are too extravagant to be +seriously considered -- even in a fairy tale. Yet I +like them all, and I must admit that the main idea in +"The Lost Princess of Oz" was suggested to me by a +sweet little girl of eleven who called to see me and to +talk about the Land of Oz. Said she: "I s'pose if Ozma +ever got lost, or stolen, ev'rybody in Oz would be +dreadful sorry." + +That was all, but quite enough foundation to build +this present story on. If you happen to like the story, +give credit to my little friend's clever hint. + +L. Frank Baum +Royal Historian of Oz + + +1 A Terrible Loss +2 The Troubles of Glinda the Good +3 The Robbery of Cayke the Cookie Cook +4 Among the Winkies +5 Ozma's Friends Are Perplexed +6 The Search Party +7 The Merry-Go-Round Mountains +8 The Mysterious City +9 The High Coco-Lorum of Thi +10 Toto Loses Something +11 Button-Bright Loses Himself +12 The Czarover of Herku +13 The Truth Pond +14 The Unhappy Ferryman +15 The Big Lavender Bear +16 The Little Pink Bear +17 The Meeting +18 The Conference +19 Ugu the Shoemaker +20 More Surprises +21 Magic Against Magic +22 In the Wicker Castle +23 The Defiance of Ugu the Shoemaker +24 The Little Pink Bear Speaks Truly +25 Ozma of Oz +26 Dorothy Forgives + + + +THE LOST PRINCESS of OZ + + + + +Chapter One + +A Terrible Loss + + +There could be no doubt of the fact: Princess Ozma, the +lovely girl ruler of the Fairyland of Oz, was lost. She +had completely disappeared. Not one of her subjects -- +not even her closest friends -- knew what had become of her. + +It was Dorothy who first discovered it. Dorothy was a +little Kansas girl who had come to the Land of Oz to +live and had been given a delightful suite of rooms in +Ozma's royal palace, just because Ozma loved Dorothy +and wanted her to live as near her as possible, so the +two girls might be much together. + +Dorothy was not the only girl from the outside world +who had been welcomed to Oz and lived in the royal +palace. There was another named Betsy Bobbin, whose +adventures had led her to seek refuge with Ozma, and +still another named Trot, who had been invited, +together with her faithful companion, Cap'n Bill, to +make her home in this wonderful fairyland. The three +girls all had rooms in the palace and were great chums; +but Dorothy was the dearest friend of their gracious +Ruler and only she at any hour dared to seek Ozma in +her royal apartments. For Dorothy had lived in Oz much +longer than the other girls and had been made a +Princess of the realm. + +Betsy was a year older than Dorothy and Trot was a +year younger, yet the three were near enough of an age +to become great playmates and to have nice times +together. It was while the three were talking together +one morning in Dorothy's room that Betsy proposed they +make a journey into the Munchkin Country, which was one +of the four great countries of the Land of Oz ruled by +Ozma. + +"I've never been there yet," said Betsy Bobbin, "but +the Scarecrow once told me it is the prettiest country +in all Oz." + +"I'd like to go, too," added Trot. + +"All right," said Dorothy, "I'll go and ask Ozma. +Perhaps she will let us take the Sawhorse and the Red +Wagon, which would be much nicer for us than having to +walk all the way. This Land of Oz is a pretty big +place, when you get to all the edges of it." + +So she jumped up and went along the balls of the +splendid palace until she came to the royal suite, +which filled all the front of the second floor. In a +little waiting room sat Ozma's maid, Jellia Jamb, who +was busily sewing. + +"Is Ozma up yet?" inquired Dorothy. + +"I don't know, my dear," replied Jellia. "I haven't +heard a word from her this morning. She hasn't even +called for her bath or her breakfast, and it is far +past her usual time for them." + +"That's strange!" exclaimed the little girl. + +"Yes," agreed the maid; "but of course no harm could +have happened to her. No one can die or be killed in +the Land of Oz and Ozma is herself a powerful fairy, +and she has no enemies, so far as we know. Therefore I +am not at all worried about her, though I must admit +her silence is unusual." + +"Perhaps," said Dorothy, thoughtfully, "she has +overslept. Or she may be reading, or working out some +new sort of magic to do good to her people." + +"Any of these things may be true," replied Jellia +Jamb, "so I haven't dared disturb our royal mistress. +You, however, are a privileged character, Princess, and +I am sure that Ozma wouldn't mind at all if you went in +to see her." + +"Of course not," said Dorothy, and opening the door +of the outer chamber she went in. All was still here. +She walked into another room, which was Ozma's boudoir, +and then, pushing hack a heavy drapery richly broidered +with threads of pure gold, the girl entered the +sleeping-room of the fairy Ruler of Oz. The bed of +ivory and gold was vacant; the room was vacant; not a +trace of Ozma was to be found. + +Very much surprised, yet still with no fear that +anything had happened to her friend, Dorothy returned +through the boudoir to the other rooms of the suite. +She went into the music room, the library, the +laboratory, the bath, the wardrobe and even into the +great throne room, which adjoined the royal suite, but +in none of these places could she find Ozma. + +So she returned to the anteroom where she had left +the maid, Jellia Jamb, and said: + +"She isn't in her rooms now, so she must have gone +out." + +"I don't understand how she could do that without my +seeing her," replied Jellia, "unless she made herself +invisible." + +"She isn't there, anyhow," declared Dorothy. + +"Then let us go find her," suggested the maid, who +appeared to be a little uneasy. + +So they went into the corridors and there Dorothy +almost stumbled over a queer girl who was dancing +lightly along the passage. + +"Stop a minute, Scraps!" she called. "Have you seen +Ozma this morning?" + +"Not I!" replied the queer girl, dancing nearer. "I +lost both my eyes in a tussle with the Woozy, last +night, for the creature scraped 'em both off my face +with his square paws. So I put the eyes in my pocket +and this morning Button-Bright led me to Aunt Em, who +sewed 'em on again. So I've seen nothing at all today, +except during the last five minutes. So of course I +haven't seen Ozma." + +"Very well, Scraps," said Dorothy, looking curiously +at the eyes, which were merely two round black buttons +sewed upon the girl's face. + +There were other things about Scraps that would have +seemed curious to one seeing her for the first time. +She was commonly called 'The Patchwork Girl," because +her body and limbs were made from a gaycolored +patchwork quilt which had been cut into shape and +stuffed with cotton. Her head was a round ball stuffed +in the same manner and fastened to her shoulders. For +hair she had a mass of brown yarn and to make a nose +for her a pan of the cloth had been pulled out into the +shape of a knob and tied with a string to hold it in +place. Her mouth had been carefully made by cutting a +slit in the proper place and lining it with red silk, +adding two rows of pearls for teeth and a bit of red +flannel for a tongue. + +In spite of this queer make-up, the Patchwork Girl +was magically alive and had proved herself not the +least jolly and agreeable of the many quaint characters +who inhabit the astonishing Fairyland of Oz. Indeed, +Scraps was a general favorite, although she was rather +flighty and erratic and did and said many things that +surprised her friends. She was seldom still, but loved +to dance, to turn handsprings and somersaults, to climb +trees and to indulge in many other active sports. + +"I'm going to search for Ozma," remarked Dorothy, +"for she isn't in her rooms and I want to ask her a +question." + +"I'll go with you," said Scraps, "for my eyes are +brighter than yours and they can see farther." + +"I'm not sure of that," remarked Dorothy. "But come +along, if you like." + +Together they searched all through the great palace +and even to the farthest limits of the palace grounds, +which were quite extensive, but nowhere could they find +a trace of Ozma. When Dorothy returned to where Betsy +and Trot awaited her, the little girl's face was rather +solemn and troubled, for never before had Ozma gone +away without telling her friends where she was going, +or without an escort that befitted her royal state. + +She was gone, however, and none had seen her go. +Dorothy had met and questioned the Scarecrow, Tik-Tok, +the Shaggy Man, Button-Bright, Cap'n Bill, and even the +wise and powerful Wizard of Oz, but not one of them had +seen Ozma since she parted with her friends the evening +before and had gone to her own rooms. + +"She didn't say anything las' night about going +anywhere," observed little Trot. + +"No, and thats the strange Part of it," replied +Dorothy. "Usually Ozma lets us know of everything she +does." + +"Why not look in the Magic Picture?" suggested Betsy +Bobbin. "That will tell us where she is, in just one +second." + +"Of course!" cried Dorothy. "Why didn't I think of +that before?" and at once the three girls hurried away +to Ozma's boudoir, where the Magic Picture always hung. + +This wonderful Magic Picture was one of the royal +Ozma's greatest treasures. there was a large gold +frame, in the center of which was a bluish-gray canvas +on which various scenes constantly appeared and +disappeared. If one who stood before it wished to see +what any person -- anywhere in the world -- was doing, +it was only necessary to make the wish and the scene in +the Magic Picture would shift to the scene where that +person was and show exactly what he or she was then +engaged in doing. So the girls knew it would be easy +for them to wish to see Ozma, and from the picture they +could quickly learn where she was. + +Dorothy advanced to the place where the picture was +usually protected by thick satin Curtains, and pulled +the draperies aside. Then she stared in amazement, +while her two friends uttered exclamations of +disappointment. + +The Magic Picture was gone. Only a blank space on the +wall behind the curtains showed where it had formerly +hung. + + + + +Chapter Two + +The Troubles of Glinda the Good + + +That same morning there was great excitement in the +castle of the powerful Sorceress of Oz, Glinda the +Good. This castle, situated in the Quadling Country, +far south of the Emerald City where Ozma ruled, was a +splendid structure of exquisite marbles and silver +grilles. Here the Sorceress lived, surrounded by a bevy +of the most beautiful maidens of Oz, gathered from all +the four countries of that fairyland as well as from +the magnificent Emerald City itself, which stood in the +place where the four countries cornered. + +It was considered a great honor to be allowed to +serve the good Sorceress, whose arts of magic were used +only to benefit the Oz people. Glinda was Ozma's most +valued servant, for her knowledge of sorcery was +wonderful and she could accomplish almost anything that +her mistress, the lovely girl Ruler of Oz, wished her +to. + +Of all the magical things which surrounded Glinda in +her castle there was none more marvelous than her Great +Book of Records. On the pages of this Record Book were +constantly being inscribed -- day by day and hour by +hour -- all the important events that happened anywhere +in the known world, and they were inscribed in the book +at exactly the moment the events happened. Every +adventure in the Land of Oz and in the big outside +world, and even in places that you and I have never +heard of, were recorded accurately in the Great Book, +which never made a mistake and stated only the exact +truth. For that reason nothing could be concealed from +Glinda the Good, who had only to look at the pages of +the Great Book of Records to know everything that had +taken place. That was one reason she was such a great +Sorceress, for the records made her wiser than any +other living person. + +This wonderful book was placed upon a big gold table +that stood in the middle of Glinda's drawing-room. The +legs of the table, which were encrusted with precious +gems, were firmly fastened to the tiled floor and the +book itself was chained to the table and locked with +six stout golden padlocks, the keys to which Glinda +carried on a chain that was secured around her own +neck. + +The pages of the Great Book were larger in size than +those of an American newspaper and although they were +exceedingly thin there were so many of them that they +made an enormous, bulky volume. With its gold cover and +gold clasps the book was so heavy that three men could +scarcely have lifted it. Yet this morning, when Glinda +entered her drawing-room after breakfast, with all her +maidens trailing after her, the good Sorceress was +amazed to discover that her Great Book of Records had +mysteriously disappeared. + +Advancing to the table, she found the chains had been +cut with some sharp instrument, and this must have been +done while all in the castle slept. Glinda was shocked +and grieved. Who could have done this wicked, bold +thing? And who could wish to deprive her of her Great +Book of Records? + +The Sorceress was thoughtful for a time, considering +the consequences of her loss. Then she went to her Room +of Magic to prepare a charm that would tell her who had +stolen the Record Book. But, when she unlocked her +cupboards and threw open the doors, all of her magical +instruments and rare chemical compounds had been +removed from the shelves. + +The Sorceress was now both angry and alarmed. She sat +down in a chair and tried to think how this +extraordinary robbery could have taken place. It was +evident that the thief was some person of very great +power, or the theft could never have been accomplished +without her knowledge. But who, in all the Land of Oz, +was powerful and skillful enough to do this awful +thing? And who, having the power, could also have an +object in defying the wisest and most talented +Sorceress the world has ever known? + +Glinda thought over the perplexing matter for a full +hour, at the end of which time she was still puzzled +how to explain it. But although her instrument and +chemicals were gone her knowledge of magic had not been +stolen, by any means, since no thief, however skillful, +can rob one of knowledge, and that is why knowledge is +the best and safest treasure to acquire. Glinda +believed that when she had time to gather more magical +herbs and elixirs and to manufacture more magical +instruments she would be able to discover who the +robber was, and what had become of her precious Book of +Records. + +"Whoever has done this," she said to her maidens, "is +a very foolish person, for in time he is sure to be +found out and will then be severely punished." + +She now made a list of the things she needed and +dispatched messengers to every part of Oz with +instructions to obtain them and bring them to her as +soon as possible. And one of her messengers met the +little Wizard of Oz, who was mounted on the back of the +famous live Sawhorse and was clinging to its neck with +both his arms; for the Sawhorse was speeding to +Glinda's castle with the velocity of the wind, bearing +the news that Royal Ozma, Ruler of all the great Land +of Oz, had suddenly disappeared and no one in the +Emerald City knew what had become of her. + +"Also," said the Wizard, as he stood before the +astonished Sorceress, "Ozma's Magic Picture is gone, so +we cannot consult it to discover where she is. So I +came to you for assistance as soon as we realized our +loss. Let us look in the Great Book of Records." + +"Alas," returned the Sorceress sorrowfully, "we +cannot do that, for the Great Book of Records has also +disappeared!" + + + + +Chapter Three + +Robbery of Cayke the Cookie Cook + + +One more important theft was reported in the Land of Oz +that eventful morning, but it took place so far from +either the Emerald City or the castle of Glinda the +Good that none of those persons we have mentioned +learned of the robbery until long afterward. + +In the far southwestern corner of the Winkie Country +is a broad tableland that can be reached only by +climbing a steep hill, whichever side one approaches +it. On the hillside surrounding this tableland are no +paths at all, but there are quantities of bramble- +bushes with sharp prickers on them, which prevent any +of the Oz people who live down below from climbing up +to see what is on top. But on top live the Yips, and +although the space they occupy is not great in extent +the wee country is all their own. The Yips had never -- +up to the time this story begins -- left their broad +tableland to go down into the Land of Oz, nor had the +Oz people ever climbed up to the country of the Yips. + +Living all alone as they did, the Yips had queer ways +and notions of their own and did not resemble any other +people of the Land of Oz. Their houses were scattered +all over the flat surface; not like a city, grouped +together, but set wherever their owners' fancy +dictated, with fields here, trees there, and odd little +paths connecting the houses one with another. + +It was here, on the morning when Ozma so strangely +disappeared from the Emerald City, that Cayke the +Cookie Cook discovered that her diamond-studded gold +dishpan had been stolen, and she raised such a hue-and- +cry over her loss and wailed and shrieked so loudly +that many of the Yips gathered around her house to +inquire what was the matter. + +It was a serious thing, in any part of the Land of +Oz, to accuse one of stealing, so when the Yips heard +Cayke the Cookie Cook declare that her jeweled dishpan +had been stolen they were both humiliated and disturbed +and forced Cayke to go with them to the Frogman to see +what could be done about it. + +I do not suppose you have ever before heard of the +Frogman, for like all other dwellers on that tableland +he had never been away from it, nor had anyone come up +there to see him. The Frogman was, in truth, descended +from the common frogs of Oz, and when he was first born +he lived in a pool in the Winkie Country and was much +like any other frog. Being of an adventurous nature, +however, he soon hopped out of his pool and began to +travel, when a big bird came along and seized him in +its beak and started to fly away with him to its nest. +When high in the air the frog wriggled so frantically +that he got loose and fell down-down-down into a small +hidden pool on the tableland of the Yips. Now this +pool, it seems, was unknown to the Yips because it was +surrounded by thick bushes and was not near to any +dwelling, and it proved to be an enchanted pool, for +the frog grew very fast and very big, feeding on the +magic skosh which is found nowhere else on earth except +in that one pool. And the skosh not only made the frog +very big, so that when he stood on his hind legs he was +tall as any Yip in the country, but it made him +unusually intelligent, so that he soon knew more than +the Yips did and was able to reason and to argue very +well indeed. + +No one could expect a frog with these talents to +remain in a hidden pool, so he finally got out of it +and mingled with the people of the tableland, who were +amazed at his appearance and greatly impressed by his +learning. They had never seen a frog before and the +frog had never seen a Yip before, but as there were +plenty of Yips and only one frog, the frog became the +most important. He did not hop any more, but stood +upright on his hind legs and dressed himself in fine +clothes and sat in chairs and did all the things that +people do; so he soon came to be called the Frogman, +and that is the only name he has ever had. + +After some years had passed the people came to regard +the Frogman as their adviser in all matters that +puzzled them. They brought all their difficulties to +him and when he did not know anything he pretended to +know it, which seemed to answer just as well. Indeed, +the Yips thought the Frogman was much wiser than he +really was, and he allowed them to think so, being very +proud of his position of authority. + +There was another pool on the tableland, which was +not enchanted but contained good clear water and was +located close to the dwellings. Here the people built +the Frogman a house of his own, close to the edge of +the pool, so that he could take a bath or a swim +whenever he wished. He usually swam in the pool in the +early morning, before anyone else was up, and during +the day he dressed himself in his beautiful clothes and +sat in his house and received the visits of all the +Yips who came to him to ask his advice. + +The Frogman's usual costume consisted of knee- +breeches made of yellow satin plush, with trimmings of +gold braid and jeweled knee-buckles; a white satin vest +with silver buttons in which were set solitaire rubies; +a swallow-tailed coat of bright yellow; green stockings +and red leather shoes turned up at the toes and having +diamond buckles. He wore, when he walked out, a purple +silk hat and carried a gold-headed cane. Over his eyes +he wore great spectacles with gold rims, not because +his eyes were bad but because the spectacles made him +look wise, and so distinguished and gorgeous was his +appearance that all the Yips were very proud of him. + +There was no King or Queen in the Yip Country, so the +simple inhabitants naturally came to look upon the +Frogman as their leader as well as their counselor in +all times of emergency. In his heart the big frog knew +he was no wiser than the Yips, but for a frog to know +as much as a person was quite remarkable, and the +Frogman was shrewd enough to make the people believe he +was far more wise than he really was. They never +suspected he was a humbug, but listened to his words +with great respect and did just what he advised them +to do. + +Now, when Cayke the Cookie Cook raised such an outcry +over the theft of her diamond-studded dishpan, the +first thought of the people was to take her to the +Frogman and inform him of the loss, thinking that of +course he could tell her where to find it. + +He listened to the story with his big eyes wide open +behind his spectacles, and said in his deep, croaking +voice: + +"If the dishpan is stolen, somebody must have taken +it." + +"But who?" asked Cayke, anxiously. "Who is the +thief?" + +"The one who took the dishpan, of course, replied the +Frogman, and hearing this all the Yips nodded their +heads gravely and said to one another: + +"It is absolutely true!" + +"But I want my dishpan!" cried Cayke. + +"No one can blame you for that wish," remarked the +Frogman. + +"Then tell me where I may find it," she urged. + +The look the Frogman gave her was a very wise look +and he rose from his chair and strutted up and down the +room with his hands under his coat-tails, in a very +pompous and imposing manner. This was the first time so +difficult a matter had been brought to him and he +wanted time to think. It would never do to let them +suspect his ignorance and so he thought very, very hard +how best to answer the woman without betraying himself. + +"I beg to inform you," said he, "that nothing in the +Yip Country has ever been stolen before." + +"We know that, already," answered Cayke the Cookie +Cook, impatiently. + +"Therefore," continued the Frogman, "this theft +becomes a very important matter." + +"Well, where is my dishpan?" demanded the woman. + +"It is lost; but it must be found. Unfortunately, we +have no policemen or detectives to unravel the mystery, +so we must employ other means to regain the lost +article. Cayke must first write a Proclamation and tack +it to the door of her house, and the Proclamation must +read that whoever stole the jeweled dishpan must return +it at once." + +"But suppose no one returns it," suggested Cayke. + +"Then," said the Frogman, "that very fact will be +proof that no one has stolen it." + +Cayke was not satisfied, but the other Yips seemed to +approve the plan highly. They all advised her to do as +the Frogman had told her to, so she posted the sign on +her door and waited patiently for someone to return the +dishpan -- which no one ever did. + +Again she went, accompanied by a group of her +neighbors, to the Frogman, who by this time had given +the matter considerable thought. Said he to Cayke: + +"I am now convinced that no Yip has taken your +dishpan, and, since it is gone from the Yip Country, I +suspect that some stranger came from the world down +below us, in the darkness of night when all of us were +asleep, and took away your treasure. There can be no +other explanation of its disappearance. So, if you wish +to recover that golden, diamond-studded dish-pan, you +must go into the lower world after it." + +This was indeed a startling proposition. Cayke and +her friends went to the edge of the fiat tableland and +looked down the steep hillside to the plains below. It +was so far to the bottom of the hill that nothing there +could be seen very distinctly and it seemed to the Yips +very venturesome, if not dangerous, to go so far from +home into an unknown land. + +However, Cayke wanted her dishpan very badly, so she +turned to her friends and asked: + +"Who will go with me?" + +No one answered this question, but after a period of +silence one of the Yips said: + +"We know what is here, on the top of this flat hill, +and it seems to us a very pleasant place; but what is +down below we do not know. The chances are it is not so +pleasant, so we had best stay where we are. + +"It may be a far better country than this is," +suggested the Cookie Cook. + +"Maybe, maybe," responded another Yip, "but why take +chances? Contentment with one's lot is true wisdom. +Perhaps, in some other country, there are better +cookies than you cook; but as we have always eaten your +cookies, and liked them -- except when they are burned +on the bottom -- we do not long for any better ones." + +Cayke might have agreed to this argument had she not +been so anxious to find her precious dishpan, but now +she exclaimed impatiently: + +"You are cowards -- all of you! If none of you are +willing to explore with me the great world beyond this +small hill, I will surely go alone." + +"That is a wise resolve," declared the Yips, much +relieved. "It is your dishpan that is lost, not ours; +and, if you are willing to risk your life and liberty +to regain it, no one can deny you the privilege." + +While they were thus conversing the Frogman joined +them and looked down at the Plain with his big eyes and +seemed unusually thoughtful. In fact, the Frogman was +thinking that he'd like to see more of the world. Here +in the Yip Country he had become the most important +creature of them all and his importance was getting to +be a little tame. It would be nice to have other people +defer to him and ask his advice and there seemed no +reason, so far as he could see, why his fame should not +spread throughout all Oz. + +He knew nothing of the rest of the world, but it was +reasonable to believe that there were more people +beyond the mountain where he now lived than there were +Yips, and if he went among them he could surprise them +with his display of wisdom and make them bow down to +him as the Yips did. In other words, the Frogman was +ambitious to become still greater than he was, which +was impossible if he always remained upon this +mountain. He wanted others to see his gorgeous clothes +and listen to his solemn sayings, and here was an +excuse for him to get away from the Yip Country. So he +said to Cayke the Cookie Cook: + +"I will go with you, my good woman," which greatly +Pleased Cayke because she felt the Frogman could be of +much assistance to her in her search. + +But now, since the mighty Frogman had decided to +undertake the journey, several of the Yips who were +young and daring at once made up their minds to go +along; so the next morning after breakfast the Frogman +and Cayke the Cookie Cook and nine of the Yips started +to slide down the side of the mountain. The bramble +bushes and cactus plants were very prickly and +uncomfortable to the touch, so the Frogman commanded +the Yips to go first and break a path, so that when he +followed them he would not tear his splendid clothes. +Cayke, too, was wearing her best dress, and was +likewise afraid of the thorns and prickers, so she kept +behind the Frogman. + +They made rather slow progress and night overtook +them before they were halfway down the mountain side, +so they found a cave in which they sought shelter until +morning. Cayke had brought along a basket full of her +famous cookies, so they all had plenty to eat. + +On the second day the Yips began to wish they had not +embarked on this adventure. They grumbled a good deal +at having to cut away the thorns to make the path for +the Frogman and the Cookie Cook, for their own clothing +suffered many tears, while Cayke and the Frogman +traveled safely and in comfort. + +"If it is true that anyone came to our country to +steal your diamond dishpan," said one of the Yips to +Cayke, "it must have been a bird, for no person in the +form of a man, woman or child could have climbed +through these bushes and back again." + +"And, allowing he could have done so," said another +Yip, "the diamond-studded gold dishpan would not have +repair him for his troubles and his tribulations." + +"For my part," remarked a third Yip, "I would rather +go back home and dig and polish some more diamonds, and +mine some more gold, and make you another dishpan, than +be scratched from bead to heel by these dreadful +bushes. Even now, if my mother saw me, she would not +know I am her son." + +Gayke paid no heed to these mutterings, nor did the +Frogman. Although their journey was slow it was being +made easy for them by the Yips, so they had nothing to +complain of and no desire to turn back. + +Quite near to the bottom of the great hill they came +upon a deep gulf, the sides of which were as smooth as +glass. The gulf extended a long distance -- as far as +they could see, in either direction -- and although it +was not very wide it was far too wide for the Yips to +leap across it. And, should they fall into it, it was +likely they might never get out again. + +"Here our journey ends," said the Yips. "We must go +back again." + +Cayke the Cookie Cook began to weep. + +"I shall never find my pretty dishpan again -- and my +heart will be broken!" she sobbed. + +The Frogman went to the edge of the gulf and with his +eye carefully measured the distance to the other side. + +"Being a frog," said he, "I can leap, as all frogs +do; and, being so big and strong, I am sure I can leap +across this gulf with ease. But the rest of you, not +being frogs, must return the way you came. + +"We will do that with pleasure," cried the Yips and +at once they turned and began to climb up the steep +mountain, feeling they had had quite enough of this +unsatisfactory adventure. Cayke the Cookie Cook did not +go with them, however. She sat on a rock and wept and +wailed and was very miserable. + +"Well," said the Frogman to her, "I will now bid you +good-bye. If I find your diamond decorated gold dishpan +I will promise to see that it is safely returned to +you." + +"But I prefer to find it myself!" she said. "See +here, Frogman, why can't you carry me across the gulf +when you leap it? You are big and strong, while I am +small and thin." + +The Frogman gravely thought over this suggestion. It +was a fact that Cayke the Cookie Cook was not a heavy +person. Perhaps he could leap the gulf with her on his +back. + +"If you are willing to risk a fall," said he, "I will +make the attempt." + +At once she sprang up and grabbed him around his neck +with both her arms. That is, she grabbed him where his +neck ought to be, for the Frogman had no neck at all. +Then he squatted down, as frogs do when they leap, and +with his powerful rear legs he made a tremendous jump. + +Over the gulf he sailed, with the Cookie Cook on his +back, and he had leaped so bard -- to make sure of not +falling in that he sailed over a lot of bramble-bushes +that grew on the other side and landed in a clear space +which was so far beyond the gulf that when they looked +back they could not see it at all. + +Cayke now got off the Frogman's back and he stood +erect again and carefully brushed the dust from his +velvet coat and rearranged his white satin necktie. + +"I had no idea I could leap so far," he said +wonderingly. "leaping is one more accomplishment I can +now add to the long list of deeds I am able to +perform." + +"You are certainly fine at leap-frog," said the +Cookie Cook, admiringly; "but, as you say, you are +wonderful in many ways. If we meet with any people down +here I am sure they will consider you the greatest and +grandest of all living creatures." + +"Yes," he replied, "I shall probably astonish +strangers, because they have never before had the +pleasure of seeing me. Also they will marvel at my +great learning. Every time I open my mouth, Cayke, I am +liable to say something important. + +"That is true," she agreed, "and it is fortunate your +mouth is so very wide and opens so far, for otherwise +all the wisdom might not be able to get out of it." + +"Perhaps nature made it wide for that very reason, +said the Frogman. "But come; let us now go on, for it +is getting late and we must find some sort of shelter +before night overtakes us." + + + + +Chapter Four + +Among the Winkies + + +The settled parts of the Winkie Country are full of +happy and contented people who are ruled by a tin +Emperor named Nick Chopper, who in turn is a subject of +the beautiful girl Ruler, Ozma of Oz. But not all of +the Winkie Country is fully settled. At the east, which +part lies nearest the Emerald City, there are beautiful +farmhouses and roads, but as you travel west you first +come to a branch of the Winkie River, beyond which +there is a rough country where few people live, and +some of these are quite unknown to the rest of the +world. After passing through this rude section of +territory, which no one ever visits, you would come to +still another branch of the Winkie River, after +crossing which you would find another well settled part +of the Winkie Country, extending westward quite to the +Deadly Desert that surrounds all the Land of Oz and +separates that favored fairyland from the more common +outside world. The Winkies who live in this west +section have many tin mines, from which metal they make +a great deal of rich jewelry and other articles, all of +which are highly esteemed in the Land of Oz because tin +is so bright and pretty, and there is not so much of it +as there is of gold and silver. + +Not all the Winkies are miners, however, for some +till the fields and grow grains for food, and it was at +one of these far west Winkie farms that the Frogman and +Cayke the Cookie Cook first arrived after they had +descended from the mountain of the Yips. + +"Goodness me!" cried Nellary, the Winkie wife, when +she saw the strange couple approaching her house. "I +have seen many queer creatures in the Land of Oz, but +none more queer than this giant frog, who dresses like +a man and walks on his hind legs. Come here, Wiljon," +she called to her husband, who was eating his +breakfast, "and take a look at this astonishing freak." + +Wiljon the Winkie came to the door and looked out. He +was still standing in the doorway when the Frogman +approached and said with a haughty croak: + +"Tell me, my good man, have you seen a diamond- +studded gold dishpan?" + +"No; nor have I seen a copper-plated lobster," +replied Wiljon, in an equally haughty tone. + +The Frogman stared at him and said: + +"Do not be insolent, fellow!" + +"No," added Cayke the Cookie Cook, hastily, "you must +be very polite to the great Frogman, for he is the +wisest creature in all the world." + +"Who says that?" inquired Wiljon. + +"He says so himself," replied Cayke, and the Frogman +nodded and strutted up and down, twirling his gold- +headed cane very gracefully. + +"Does the Scarecrow admit that this overgrown frog is +the wisest creature in the world?" asked Wiljon. + +"I do not know who the Scarecrow is," answered Cayke +the Cookie Cook. + +"Well, he lives at the Emerald City, and he is +supposed to have the finest brains in all Oz. The +Wizard gave them to him, you know." + +"Mine grew in my head," said the Frogman pompously, +"so I think they must be better than any wizard brains. +I am so wise that sometimes my wisdom makes my head +ache. I know so much that often I have to forget part +of it, since no one creature, however great, is able to +contain so much knowledge." + +"It must be dreadful to be stuffed full of wisdom," +remarked Wiljon reflectively, and eyeing the Frogman +with a doubtful look. "It is my good fortune to know +very little." + +"I hope, however, you know where my jeweled dishpan +is," said the Cookie Cook anxiously. + +"I do not know even that," returned the Winkie. "We +have trouble enough in keeping track of our own +dishpans, without meddling with the dishpans of +strangers." + +Finding him so ignorant, the Frogman proposed that +they walk on and seek Cayke's dishpan elsewhere. +Wiljon the Winkie did not seem greatly impressed by the +great Frogman, which seemed to that personage as +strange as it was disappointing; but others in this +unknown land might prove more respectful. + +"I'd like to meet that Wizard of Oz," remarked Cayke, +as they walked along a path. "If he could give a +Scarecrow brains he might be able to find my dishpan." + +"Poof!" grunted the Frogman scornfully; "I am greater +than any wizard. Depend on me. If your dishpan is +anywhere in the world I am sure to find it." + +"If you do not, my heart will be broken," declared +the Cookie Cook in a sorrowful voice. + +For a while the Frogman walked on in silence. Then he +asked: "Why do you attach so much importance to a +dishpan?" + +"It is the greatest treasure I posess," replied the +woman. "It belonged to my mother and to all my +grandmothers, since the beginning of time. It is, I +believe, the very oldest thing in all the Yip Country +-- or was while it was there -- and," she added, +dropping her voice to an awed whisper, "it has magic +powers!" + +"In what way?" inquired the Frogman, seeming to be +surprised at this statement. + +"Whoever has owned that dishpan has been a good cook, +for one thing. No one else is able to make such good +cookies as I have cooked, as you and all the Yips know. +Yet, the very morning after my dishpan was stolen. I +tried to make a batch of cookies and they burned up in +the oven! I made another batch that proved too tough to +eat, and I was so ashamed of them that I buried them in +the ground. Even the third batch of cookies, which I +brought with me in my basket, were pretty poor stuff +and no better than any woman could make who does not +own my diamond-studded gold dishpan. In fact, my good +Frogman, Cayke the Cookie Cook will never be able to +cook good cookies again until her magic dishpan is +restored to her." + +"In that case," said the Frogman with a sigh, "I +suppose we must manage to find it." + + + + +Chapter Five + +Ozma's Friends Are Perplexed + + +"Really," said Dorothy, looking solemn, this is very +s'prising. We can't find even a shadow of Ozma anywhere +in the Em'rald City; and, wherever she's gone, she's +taken her Magic Picture with her." + +She was standing in the courtyard of the palace with +Betsy and Trot, while Scraps, the Patchwork Girl, +Danced around the group, her hair flying in the wind. + +"P'raps," said Scraps, still dancing, "someone has +stolen Ozma." + +"Oh, they'd never dare do that!" exclaimed tiny Trot. + +"And stolen the Magic Picture, too, so the thing +can't tell where she is," added the Patchwork Girl. + +"That's nonsense," said Dorothy. "Why, ev'ryone loves +Ozma. There isn't a person in the Land of Oz who would +steal a single thing she owns." + +"Huh!" replied the Patchwork Girl. "You don't know +ev'ry person in the Land of Oz." + +"Why don't I?" + +"It's a big country," said Scraps. "There are cracks +and corners in it that even Ozma doesn't know of." + +"The Patchwork Girl's just daffy," declared Betsy. + +"No; she's right about that," replied Dorothy +thoughtfully. "There are lots of queer people in this +fairyland who never come near Ozma or the Em'rald City. +I've seen some of 'em myself, girls; but I haven't seen +all, of course, and there might be some wicked persons +left in Oz, yet, though I think the wicked witches have +all been destroyed." + +Just then the Wooden Sawhorse dashed into the +courtyard with the Wizard of Oz on his back. + +"Have you found Ozma?" cried the Wizard when the +Sawhorse stopped beside them. + +"Not yet," said Dorothy. "Doesn't Glinda know where +she is?" + +"No. Glinda's Book of Records and all her magic +instruments are gone. Someone must have stolen them." + +"Goodness me!" exclaimed Dorothy, in alarm. "This is +the biggest steal I ever heard of. Who do you think did +it, Wizard?" + +"I've no idea," he answered. "But I have come to get +my own bag of magic tools and carry them to Glinda. She +is so much more powerful than I that she may be able to +discover the truth by means of my magic, quicker and +better than I could myself." + +"Hurry, then," said Dorothy, "for we're all getting +terr'bly worried." + +The Wizard rushed away to his rooms but presently +came back with a long, sad face. + +"It's gone!" he said. + +"What's gone?" asked Scraps. + +"My black bag of magic tools. Someone must have +stolen it!" + +They looked at one another in amazement. + +"This thing is getting desperate," continued the +Wizard. "All the magic that belongs to Ozma, or to +Glinda, or to me, has been stolen." + +"Do you suppose Ozma could have taken them, herself, +for some purpose?" asked Betsy. + +"No, indeed," declared the Wizard. "I suspect some +enemy has stolen Ozma and, for fear we would follow and +recapture her, has taken all our magic away from us." + +"How dreadful!" cried Dorothy. "The idea of anyone +wanting to injure our dear Ozma! Can't we do anything +to find her, Wizard?" + +"I'll ask Glinda. I must go straight back to her and +tell her that my magic tools have also disappeared. The +good Sorceress will be greatly shocked, I know." + +With this he jumped upon the back of the Sawhorse +again and the quaint steed, which never tired, dashed +away at fall speed. + +The three girls were very much disturbed in mind. +Even the Patchwork Girl was more quiet than usual and +seemed to realize that a great calamity had overtaken +them all. Ozma was a fairy of considerable power and +all the creatures in Oz, as well as the three mortal +girls from the outside world, looked upon her as their +protector and friend. The idea of their beautiful girl +Ruler's being overpowered by an enemy and dragged from +her splendid palace a captive was too astonishing for +them to comprehend, at first. Yet what other +explanation of the mystery could there be? + +"Ozma wouldn't go away willingly, without letting us +know about it," asserted Dorothy; "and she wouldn't +steal Glinda's Great Book of Records, or the Wizard's +magic, 'cause she could get them any time, just asking +for 'em. I'm sure some wicked person has done all +this." + +"Someone in the Land of Oz?" asked Trot. + +"Of course. No one could get across the Deadly +Desert, you know, and no one but an Oz person could +know about the Magic Picture and the Book of Records +and the Wizard's magic, or where they were kept, and so +be able to steal the whole outfit before we could stop +'em. It must be someone who lives in the Land of Oz." + +"But who-who-who?" asked Scraps. "That's the +question. Who?" + +"If we knew," replied Dorothy, severely, "we wouldn't +be standing here, doing nothing." + +Just then two boys entered the courtyard and +approached the group of girls. One boy was dressed in +the fantastic Munchkin costume -- a blue jacket and +knickerbockers, blue leather shoes and a blue hat with +a high peak and tiny silver bells dangling from its rim +-- and this was Ojo the Lucky, who had once come from +the Munchkin Country of Oz and now lived in the Emerald +City. The other boy was an American, from Philadelphia, +and had lately found his way to Oz in the company of +Trot and Cap'n Bill. His name was Button-Bright; that +is, everyone called him by that name, and knew no +other. + +Button-Bright was not quite as big as the Munchkin +boy, but he wore the same kind of clothes, only they +were of different colors. As the two came up to the +girls, arm in arm, Button-Bright remarked: + +"Hello, Dorothy. They say Ozma is lost." + +"Who says so?" she asked. + +"Ev'rybody's talking about it, in the City," he +replied. + +"I wonder how the people found it out?" Dorothy +asked. + +"I know," said Ojo. "Jellia Jamb told them. She has +been asking everywhere if anyone has seen Ozma." + +"That's too bad," observed Dorothy, frowning. + +"Why?" asked Button-Bright. + +"There wasn't any use making all our people unhappy, +till we were dead certain that Ozma can't be found." + +"Pshaw," said Button-Bright, "It's nothing to get +lost. I've been lost lots of times." + +"That's true," admitted Trot, who knew that the boy +had a habit of getting lost and then finding himself +again; "but it's diff'rent with Ozma. She's the Ruler +of all this big fairyland and we're 'fraid that the +reason she's lost is because somebody has stolen her +away." + +"Only wicked people steal," said Ojo. "Do you know of +any wicked people in Oz, Dorothy?" + +"No," she replied. + +"They're here, though," cried Scraps, dancing up to +them and then circling around the group. Ozma's stolen; +someone in Oz stole her; only wicked people steal; so +someone in Oz is wicked!" + +There was no denying the truth of this statement. The +faces of all of them were now solemn and sorrowful. + +"One thing is sure," said Button-Bright, after a +time, "if Ozma has been stolen, someone ought to find +her and punish the thief." + +"There may be a lot of thieves," suggested Trot +gravely, "and in this fairy country they don t seem to +have any soldiers or policemen." + +"There is one soldier," claimed Dorothy. "He has +green whiskers and a gun and is a Major-General; but no +one is afraid of either his gun or his whiskers, 'cause +he's so tender-hearted that he wouldn't hurt a fly." + +"Well, a soldier's a soldier," said Betsy, "and +perhaps he'd hurt a wicked thief if he wouldn't hurt a +fly. Where is he?" + +"He went fishing about two months ago and hasn't come +back yet," explained Button-Bright. + +"Then I can't see that he will be of much use to us +in this trouble," sighed little Trot. "But p'raps Ozma, +who is a fairy, can get away from the thieves without +any help from anybody." + +"She might be able to," admitted Dorothy, +reflectively, "but if she had the power to do that, it +isn't likely she'd have let herself be stolen. So the +thieves must have been even more powerful in magic than +our Ozma." + +There was no denying this argument and, although they +talked the matter over all the rest of that day, they +were unable to decide how Ozma had been stolen against +her will or who had committed the dreadful deed. + +Toward evening the Wizard came back, riding slowly +upon the Sawhorse because he felt discouraged and +perplexed. Glinda came, later, in her aerial chariot +drawn by twenty milk-white swans, and she also seemed +worried and unhappy. More of Ozma's friends joined them +and that evening they all had a long talk together. + +"I think," said Dorothy, "we ought to start out right +away in search of our dear Ozma. It seems cruel for us +to live comf'tably in her Palace while she is a +pris'ner in the power of some wicked enemy." + +"Yes," agreed Glinda the Sorceress, "someone ought to +search for her. I cannot go myself, because I must work +hard in order to create some new instruments of sorcery +by means of which I may rescue our fair Ruler. But if +you can find her, in the meantime, and let me know who +has stolen her, it will enable me to rescue her much +more quickly." + +"Then we'll start to-morrow morning," decided +Dorothy. "Betsy and Trot and I won't waste another +minute." + +"I'm not sure you girls will make good detectives," +remarked the Wizard; "but I'll go with you, to protect +you from harm and to give you my advice. All my +wizardry, alas, is stolen, so I am now really no more a +wizard than any of you; but I will try to protect you +if any enemies you may meet." + +"What harm could happen to us in Oz?" inquired Trot. + +"What harm happened to Ozma?" returned the Wizard. +"If there is an Evil Power abroad in our fairyland; +which is able to steal not only Ozma and her Magic +Picture, but Glinda's Book of Records and all her +magic, and my black bag containing all my tricks of +wizardry, then that Evil Power may yet cause us +considerable injury. Ozma is a fairy, and so is Glinda, +so no power can kill or destroy them; but you girls are +all mortals, and so are Button-Bright and I, so we must +watch out for ourselves." + +"Nothing can kill me," said Ojo, the Munchkin boy. + +"That is true," replied the Sorceress, "and I think +it may be well to divide the searchers into several +parties, that they may cover all the land of Oz more +quickly. So I will send Ojo and Unc Nunkie and Dr. Pipt +into the Munchkin Country, which they are well +acquainted with; and I will send the Scarecrow and the +Tin Woodman into the Quadling Country, for they are +fearless and brave and never tire; and to the Gillikin +Country, where many dangers lurk, I will send the +Shaggy Man and his brother, with Tik-Tok and Jack +Pumpkinhead. Dorothy may make up her own party and +travel into the Winkie Country. All of you must +inquire everywhere for Ozma and try to discover where +she is hidden." + +They thought this a very wise plan and adopted it +without question. In Ozma's absence Glinda the Good was +the most important person in Oz and all were glad to +serve under her direction. + + + + +Chapter Six + +The Search Party + + +Next morning, as soon as the sun was up, Glinda flew +back to her castle, stopping on the way to instruct the +Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman, who were at that time +staying at the college of Professor H. M. Wogglebug, T. +E., and taking a course of his Patent Educational +Pills. On hearing of Ozma's loss they started at once +for the Quadling Country to search for her. + +As soon as Glinda had left the Emerald City, Tik-Tok +and the Shaggy Man and Jack Pumpkinhead, who had been +present at the conference, began their journey into the +Gillikin Country, and an hour later Ojo and Unc Nunkie +joined Dr. Pipt and together they traveled toward the +Munchkin Country. When all these searchers were gone, +Dorothy and the Wizard completed their own +preparations. + +The Wizard hitched the Sawhorse to the Red Wagon, +which would seat four very comfortably. He wanted +Dorothy, Betsy, Trot and the Patchwork Girl to ride in +the wagon, but Scraps came up to them mounted upon the +Woozy, and the Woozy said he would like to join the +party. Now this Woozy was a most peculiar animal, +having a square head, square body, square legs and +square tail. His skin was very tough and hard, +resembling leather, and while his movements were +somewhat clumsy the beast could travel with remarkable +swiftness. His square eyes were mild and gentle in +expression and he was not especially foolish. The Woozy +and the Patchwork Girl were great friends and so the +Wizard agreed to let the Woozy go with them. + +Another great beast now appeared and asked to go +along. This was none other than the famous Cowardly +Lion, one of the most interesting creatures in all Oz. +No lion that roamed the jungles or plains could compare +in size or intelligence with this Cowardly Lion, who -- +like all animals living in Oz -- could talk, and who +talked with more shrewdness and wisdom than many of the +people did. He said he was cowardly because he always +trembled when he faced danger, but he had faced danger +many times and never refused to fight when it was +necessary. This Lion was a great favorite with Ozma and +always guarded her throne on state occasions. He was +also an old companion and friend of the Princess +Dorothy, so the girl was delighted to have him join the +party. + +"I'm so nervous over our dear Ozma," said the +Cowardly Lion in his deep, rumbling voice, "that it +would make me unhappy to remain behind while you are +trying to find her. But do not get into any danger, I +beg of you, for danger frightens me terribly." + +"We'll not get into danger if we can poss'bly help +it," promised Dorothy; "but we shall do anything to +find Ozma, danger or no danger." + +The addition of the Woozy and the Cowardly Lion to +the party gave Betsy Bobbin an idea and she ran to the +marble stables at the rear of the palace and brought +out her mule, Hank by name. Perhaps no mule you ever +saw was so lean and bony and altogether plain looking +as this Hank, but Betsy loved him dearly because he was +faithful and steady and not nearly so stupid as most +mules are considered to be. Betsy had a saddle for Hank +and declared she would ride on his back, an arrangement +approved by the Wizard because it left only four of the +party to ride on the seats of the Red Wagon -- Dorothy and +Button-Bright and Trot and himself. + +An old sailor-man, who had one wooden leg, came to +see them off and suggested that they put a supply of +food and blankets in the Red Wagon, in as much as they +were uncertain how long they would be gone. This +sailor-man was called Cap'n Bill. He was a former +friend and comrade of Trot and had encountered many +adventures in company with the little girl. I think he +was sorry he could not go with her on this trip, but +Glinda the Sorceress had asked Cap'n Bill to remain in +the Emerald City and take charge of the royal palace +while everyone else was away, and the one-legged sailor +had agreed to do so. + +They loaded the back end of the Red Wagon with +everything they thought they might need, and then they +formed a procession and marched from the palace through +the Emerald City to the great gates of the wall that +surrounded this beautiful capital of the Land of Oz. +Crowds of citizens lined the streets to see them pass +and to cheer them and wish them success, for all were +grieved over Ozma's loss and anxious that she be found +again. + +First came the Cowardly Lion; then the Patchwork Girl +riding upon the Woozy; then Betsy Bobbin on her mule +Hank; and finally the Sawhorse drawing the Red Wagon, +in which were seated the Wizard and Dorothy and Button- +Bright and Trot. No one was obliged to drive the +Sawhorse, so there were no reins to his harness; one +had only to tell him which way to go, fast or slow, and +he understood perfectly. + +It was about this time that a shaggy little black dog +who had been lying asleep in Dorothy's room in the +palace woke up and discovered he was lonesome. +Everything seemed very still throughout the great +building and Toto -- that was the little dog's name -- +missed the customary chatter of the three girls. He +never paid much attention to what was going on around +him and, although he could speak, he seldom said +anything; so the little dog didn't know about Ozma's +loss or that everyone had gone in search of her. But he +liked to be with people, and especially with his own +mistress, Dorothy, and having yawned and stretched +himself and found the door of the room ajar he trotted +out into the corridor and went down the stately marble +stairs to the hall of the palace, where he met Jellia +Jamb. + +"Where's Dorothy?" asked Toto. + +"She's gone to the Winkie Country," answered the +maid. + +"When?" + +"A little while ago," replied Jellia. + +Toto turned and trotted out into the palace garden +and down the long driveway until he came to the streets +of the Emerald City. Here he paused to listen and, +hearing sounds of cheering, he ran swiftly along until +he came in sight of the Red Wagon and the Woozy and the +Lion and the Mule and all the others. Being a wise +little dog, he decided not to show himself to Dorothy +just then, lest he be sent back home; but he never lost +sight of the party of travelers, all of whom were so +eager to get ahead that they never thought to look +behind them. + +When they came to the gates in the city wall the +Guardian of the Gates came out to throw wide the golden +portals and let them pass through. + +"Did any strange person come in or out of the city on +the night before last, when Ozma was stolen?" asked +Dorothy. + +"No, indeed, Princess," answered the Guardian of the +Gates. + +"Of course not," said the Wizard. "Anyone clever +enough to steal all the things we have lost would not +mind the barrier of a wall like this, in the least. I +think the thief must have flown through the air, for +otherwise he could not have stolen from Ozma's royal +palace and Glinda's far-away castle in the same night. +Moreover, as there are no airships in Oz and no way for +airships from the outside world to get into this +country, I believe the thief must have flown from place +to place by means of magic arts which neither Glinda +nor I understand." + +On they went, and before the gates closed behind them +Toto managed to dodge through them. The country +surrounding the Emerald City was thickly settled and +for a while our friends rode over nicely paved roads +which wound through a fertile country dotted with +beautiful houses, all built in the quaint Oz fashion. +In the course of a few hours, however, they had left +the tilled fields and entered the Country of the +Winkies, which occupies a quarter of all the territory +in the Land of Oz but is not so well known as many +other parts of Ozma's fairyland. Long before night the +travelers had crossed the Winkie River near to the +Scarecrow's Tower (which was now vacant) and had +entered the Rolling Prairie where few people live. They +asked everyone they met for news of Ozma, but none in +this district had seen her or even knew that she had +been stolen. And by nightfall they had passed all the +farmhouses and were obliged to stop and ask for shelter +at the hut of a lonely shepherd. When they halted, Toto +was not far behind. The little dog halted, too, and +stealing softly around the party he hid himself behind +the hut. + +The shepherd was a kindly old man and treated the +travelers with much courtesy. He slept out of doors, +that night, giving up his hut to the three girls, who +made their beds on the floor with the blankets they had +brought in the Red Wagon. The Wizard and Button-Bright +also slept out of doors, and so did the Cowardly Lion +and Hank the Mule. But Scraps and the Sawhorse did not +sleep at all and the Woozy could stay awake for a month +at a time, if he wished to, so these three sat in a +little group by themselves and talked together all +through the night. + +In the darkness the Cowardly Lion felt a shaggy +little form nestling beside his own, and he said +sleepily: + +"Where did you come from, Toto?" + +"From home," said the dog. "If you roll over, roll +the other way, so you won't smash me." + +"Does Dorothy know you are here?" asked the Lion. + +"I believe not," admitted Toto, and he added, a +little anxiously: "Do you think, friend Lion, we are +now far enough from the Emerald City for me to risk +showing myself? Or will Dorothy send me back because I +wasn't invited?" + +"Only Dorothy can answer that question," said the +Lion. "For my part, Toto, I consider this affair none +of my business, so you must act as you think best." + +Then the huge beast went to sleep again and Toto +snuggled closer to his warm, hairy body and also slept. +He was a wise little dog, in his way, and didn't intend +to worry when there was something much better to do. + +In the morning the Wizard built a fire, over which +the girls cooked a very good breakfast. + +Suddenly Dorothy discovered Toto sitting quietly +before the fire and the little girl exclaimed: + +"Goodness me, Toto! Where did you come from?" + +"From the place you cruelly left me," replied +the dog in a reproachful tone. + +"I forgot all about you," admitted Dorothy, "and if I +hadn't I'd prob'ly left you with Jellia Jamb, seeing +this isn't a pleasure trip but stric'ly business. But, +now that you're here, Toto, I s'pose you'll have to +stay with us, unless you'd rather go back home again. +We may get ourselves into trouble, before we're done, +Toto." + +"Never mind that," said Toto, wagging his tail. "I'm +hungry, Dorothy." + +"Breakfas'll soon be ready and then you shall have +your share," promised his little mistress, who was +really glad to have her dog with her. She and Toto had +traveled together before, and she knew he was a good +and faithful comrade. + +When the food was cooked and served the girls invited +the old shepherd to join them in their morning meal. He +willingly consented and while they ate he said to them: + +"You are now about to pass through a very dangerous +country, unless you turn to the north or to the south +to escape its perils." + +"In that case," said the Cowardly Lion, "let us +turn, by all means, for I dread to face dangers of +any sort." + +"What's the matter with the country ahead of us?" +inquired Dorothy. + +"Beyond this Rolling Prairie," explained the +shepherd, "are the Merry-Go-Round Mountains, set close +together and surrounded by deep gulfs, so that no one +is able to get past them. Beyond the Merry-Go-Round +Mountains it is said the Thistle-Eaters and the Herkus +live." + +"What are they like?" demanded Dorothy. + +"No one knows, for no one has ever passed the Merry- +Go-Round Mountains," was the reply; "but it is said +that the Thistle-Eaters hitch dragons to their chariots +and that the Herkus are waited upon by giants whom they +have conquered and made their slaves." + +"Who says all that?" asked Betsy. + +"It is common report," declared the shepherd. +"Everyone believes it." + +"I don't see how they know," remarked little Trot, +"if no one has been there." + +"Perhaps the birds who fly over that country brought +the news," suggested Betsy. + +"If you escaped those dangers," continued the +shepherd, "you might encounter others still more +serious, before you came to the next branch of the +Winkie River. It is true that beyond that river there +lies a fine country, inhabited by good people, and if +you reached there you would have no further trouble. It +is between here and the west branch of the Winkie River +that all dangers lie, for that is the unknown territory +that is inhabited by terrible, lawless people." + +"It may be, and it may not be," said the Wizard. "We +shall know when we get there." + +"Well," persisted the shepherd, "in a fairy country +such as ours every undiscovered place is likely to +harbor wicked creatures. If they were not wicked, they +would discover themselves, and by coming among us +submit to Ozma's rule and be good and considerate, as +are all the Oz people whom we know." + +"That argument," stated the little Wizard, "convinces +me that it is our duty to go straight to those unknown +places, however dangerous they may be; for it is surely +some cruel and wicked person who has stolen our Ozma, +and we know it would be folly to search among good +people for the culprit. Ozma may not be hidden in the +secret places of the Winkie Country, it is true, but it +is our duty to travel to every spot, however dangerous, +where our beloved Ruler is likely to be imprisoned." + +"You're right about that," said Button-Bright +approvingly. "Dangers don't hurt us; only things that +happen ever hurt anyone, and a danger is a thing that +might happen, and might not happen, and sometimes don't +amount to shucks. I vote we go ahead and take our +chances." + +They were all of he same opinion, so they packed up +and said good-bye to the friendly shepherd and +proceeded on their way. + + + + +Chapter Seven + +The Merry-Go-Round Mountains + + +The Rolling Prairie was not difficult to travel over, +although it was all up-hill and down-hill, so for a +while they made good progress. Not even a shepherd was +to be met with now and the farther they advanced the +more dreary the landscape became. At noon they stopped +for a "picnic luncheon," as Betsy called it, and then +they again resumed their journey. All the animals were +swift and tireless and even the Cowardly Lion and the +Mule found they could keep up with the pace of the +Woozy and the Sawhorse. + +It was the middle of the afternoon when first they +came in sight of a cluster of low mountains. These were +cone-shaped, rising from broad bases to sharp peaks at +the tops. From a distance the mountains appeared +indistinct and seemed rather small-more like hills than +mountains -- but as the travelers drew nearer they +noted a most unusual circumstance: the hills were all +whirling around, some in one direction and some the +opposite way. + +"I guess those are the Merry-Go-Round Mountains, all +right," said Dorothy. + +"They must be," said the Wizard. + +"They go 'round, sure enough," added Trot, "but they +don't seem very merry." + +There were several rows of these mountains, extending +both to the right and to the left, for miles and miles. +How many rows there might be, none could tell, but +between the first row of peaks could be seen other +peaks, all steadily whirling around one way or another. +Continuing to ride nearer, our friends watched these +hills attentively, until at last, coming close up, they +discovered there was a deep but narrow gulf around the +edge of each mountain, and that the mountains were set +so close together that the outer gulf was continuous +and barred farther advance. + +At the edge of the gulf they all dismounted and +peered over into its depths. There was no telling where +the bottom was, if indeed there was any bottom at all. +From where they stood it seemed as if the mountains had +been set in one great hole in the ground, just close +enough together so they would not touch, and that each +mountain was supported by a rocky column beneath its +base which extended far down into the black pit below. +From the land side it seemed impossible to get across +the gulf or, succeeding in that, to gain a foothold on +any of the whirling mountains. + +"This ditch is too wide to jump across," remarked +Button-Bright. + +"P'raps the Lion could do it," suggested Dorothy. + +"What, jump from here to that whirling hill?" cried +the Lion indignantly. "I should say not! Even if I +landed there, and could hold on, what good would it do? +There's another spinning mountain beyond it, and +perhaps still another beyond that. I don't believe any +living creature could jump from one mountain to +another, when both are whirling like tops and in +different directions." + +"I propose we turn back," said the Wooden Sawhorse, +with a yawn of his chopped-out mouth, as he stared with +his knot eyes at the Merry-Go-Round Mountains. + +"I agree with you," said the Woozy, wagging his +square head. + +"We should have taken the shepherd's advice," added +Hank the Mule. + +The others of the party, however they might be +puzzled by the serious problem that confronted them, +would not allow themselves to despair. + +"If we once get over these mountains," said Button- +Bright, "we could probably get along all right." + +"True enough," agreed Dorothy. "So we must find some +way, of course, to get past these whirligig hills. But +how?" + +"I wish the Ork was with us," sighed Trot. + +"But the Ork isn't here," said the Wizard, "and we +must depend upon ourselves to conquer this difficulty. +Unfortunately, all my magic has been stolen; otherwise +I am sure I could easily get over the mountains." + +"Unfortunately," observed the Woozy, "none of us has +wings. And we're in a magic country without any magic." + +"What is that around your waist, Dorothy?" asked the +Wizard. + +"That? Oh, that's just the Magic Belt I once captured +from the Nome King," she replied. + +"A Magic Belt! Why, that's fine. I'm sure a Magic +Belt would take you over these hills." + +"It might, if I knew how to work it," said the little +girl. "Ozma knows a lot of its magic, but I've never +found out about it. All I know is that while I am +wearing it nothing can hurt me." + +"Try wishing yourself across, and see if it will obey +you," suggested the Wizard. + +"But what good would that do?" asked Dorothy. "If I +got across it wouldn't help the rest of you, and I +couldn't go alone among all those giants and dragons, +while you stayed here." + +"True enough," agreed the Wizard, sadly; and then, +after looking around the group, he inquired: "What is +that on your finger, Trot?" + +"A ring. The Mermaids gave it to me," she explained, +"and if ever I'm in trouble when I'm on the water I can +call the Mermaids and they'll come and help me. But the +Mermaids can't help me on the land, you know, 'cause +they swim, and-and-they haven't any legs." + +"True enough," repeated the Wizard, more sadly. + +There was a big, broad spreading tree near the edge +of the gulf and as the sun was hot above them they all +gathered under the shade of the tree to study the +problem of what to do next. + +"If we had a long rope," said Betsy, "we could fasten +it to this tree and let the other end of it down into +the gulf and all slide down it." + +"Well, what then?" asked the Wizard. + +"Then, if we could manage to throw the rope up the +other side," explained the girl, "we could all climb it +and be on the other side of the gulf." + +"There are too many 'if's' in that suggestion," +remarked the little Wizard. "And you must remember that +the other side is nothing but spinning mountains, so we +couldn't possibly fasten a rope to them -- even if we +had one." + +"That rope idea isn't half bad, though," said the +Patchwork Girl, who had been dancing dangerously near +to the edge of the gulf. + +"What do you mean?" asked Dorothy. + +The Patchwork Girl suddenly stood still and cast her +button eyes around the group. + +"Ha, I have it!" she exclaimed. "Unharness the +Sawhorse, somebody; my fingers are too clumsy." + +"Shall we?" asked Button-Bright doubtfully, turning +to the others. + +"Well, Scraps has a lot of brains, even if she is +stuffed with cotton," asserted the Wizard. "If her +brains can help us out of this trouble we ought +to use them." + +So he began unharnessing the Sawhorse, and Button- +Bright and Dorothy helped him. When they had removed +the harness the Patchwork Girl told them to take it all +apart and buckle the straps together, end to end. And, +after they had done this, they found they had one very +long strap that was stronger than any rope. + +"It would reach across the gulf, easily," said the +Lion, who with the other animals had sat on his +haunches and watched this proceeding. "But I don't see +how it could be fastened to one of those dizzy +mountains." + +Scraps had no such notion as that in her baggy head. +She told them to fasten one end of the strap to a stout +limb of the tree, pointing to one which extended quite +to the edge of the gulf. Button-Bright did that, +climbing the tree and then crawling out upon the limb +until he was nearly over the gulf. There he managed to +fasten the strap, which reached to the ground below, +and then he slid down it and was caught by the Wizard, +who feared he might fall into the chasm. + +Scraps was delighted She seized the lower end of the +strap and telling them all to get out of her way she +went back as far as the strap would reach and then made +a sudden run toward the gulf. Over the edge she swung, +clinging to the strap until it had gone as far as its +length permitted, when she let go and sailed gracefully +through the air until she alighted upon the mountain +just in front of them. + +Almost instantly, as the great cone continued to +whirl, she was sent flying against the next mountain in +the rear, and that one had only turned halfway around +when Scraps was sent flying to the next mountain behind +it. Then her patchwork form disappeared from view +entirely and the amazed watchers under the tree +wondered what had become of her. + +"She's gone, and she can't get back," said the Woozy. + +"My, how she bounded from one mountain to another!" +exclaimed the Lion. + +"That was because they whirl so fast," the Wizard +explained. "Scraps had nothing to hold on to and so of +course she was tossed from one hill to another. I'm +afraid we shall never see the poor Patchwork Girl +again." + +"I shall see her," declared the Woozy. "Scraps is an +old friend of mine and, if there are really Thistle- +Eaters and Giants on the other side of those tops, she +will need someone to protect her. So, here I go!" + +He seized the dangling strap firmly in his square +mouth and in the same way that Scraps had done swung +himself over the gulf. He let go the strap at the right +moment and fell upon the first whirling mountain. Then +he bounded to the next one back of it -- not on his +feet but "all mixed up," as Trot said -- and then he +shot across to another mountain, disappearing from view +just as the Patchwork Girl had done. + +"It seems to work, all right," remarked Button- +Bright. "I guess I'll try it." + +"Wait a minute," urged the Wizard. "Before any more +of us make this desperate leap into the beyond, we must +decide whether all will go, or if some of us will +remain behind." + +"Do you s'pose it hurt them much, to bump against +those mountains?" asked Trot. + +"I don't s'pose anything could hurt Scraps or the +Woozy," said Dorothy, "and nothing can hurt me, because +I wear the Magic Belt. So, as I'm anxious to find Ozma, +I mean to swing myself across, too." + +"I'll take my chances," decided Button-Bright. + +"I'm sure it will hurt dreadfully, and I'm afraid to +do it," said the Lion, who was already trembling; "but +I shall do it if Dorothy does." + +"Well, that will leave Betsy and the Mule and Trot," +said the Wizard; "for of course, I shall go, that I may +look after Dorothy. Do you two girls think you can find +your way back home again?" he asked, addressing Trot +and Betsy. + +"I'm not afraid; not much, that is," said Trot. "It +looks risky, I know, but I'm sure I can stand it if the +others can." + +"If it wasn't for leaving Hank," began Betsy, in a +hesitating voice; but the Mule interrupted her by +saying: + +"Co ahead, if you want to, and I'll come after you. A +mule is as brave as a lion, any day." + +"Braver," said the Lion, "for I'm a coward, friend +Hank, and you are not. But of course the Sawhorse --" + +"Oh, nothing ever hurts me," asserted the Sawhorse +calmly. "There's never been any question about my +going. I can't take the Red Wagon, though." + +"No, we must leave the wagon," said the Wizard; "and +also we must leave our food and blankets, I fear. But +if we can defy these Merry-Go-Round Mountains to stop +us we won't mind the sacrifice of some of our +comforts." + +"No one knows where we're going to land!" remarked +the Lion, in a voice that sounded as if he were going +to cry. + +"We may not land at all," replied Hank; "but the best +way to find out what will happen to us is to swing +across, as Scraps and the Woozy have done." + +"I think I shall go last," said the Wizard; "so who +wants to go first?" + +"I'll go," decided Dorothy. + +"No, it's my turn first," said Button-Bright. "Watch me!" + +Even as he spoke the boy seized the strap and after +making a run swung himself across the gulf. Away he +went, bumping from hill to hill until he disappeared. +They listened intently, but the boy uttered no cry +until he had been gone some moments, when they heard a +faint "Hullo-a!" as if called from a great distance. + +The sound gave them courage, however, and Dorothy +picked up Toto and held him fast under one arm while +with the other hand she seized the strap and bravely +followed after Button-Bright. + +When she struck the first whirling mountain she fell +upon it quite softly, but before she had time to think +she flew through the air and lit with a jar on the side +of the next mountain. Again she flew, and alighted; and +again, and still again, until after five successive +bumps she fell sprawling upon a green meadow and was so +dazed and bewildered by her bumpy journey across the +Merry-Go-Round Mountains that she lay quite still for a +time, to collect her thoughts. Toto had escaped from +her arms just as she fell, and he now sat beside her +panting with excitement. + +Then Dorothy realized that someone was hopping her to +her feet, and here was Button-Bright on one side of her +and Scraps on the other, both seeming to be unhurt. The +next object her eyes fell upon was the Woozy, squatting +upon his square back end and looking at her +reflectively, while Toto barked joyously to find his +mistress unhurt after her whirlwind trip. + +"Good!" said the Woozy; "here's another and a dog, +both safe and sound. But, my word, Dorothy, you flew +some! If you could have seen yourself, you'd have been +absolutely astonished." + +"They say 'Time flies,'" laughed Button-Bright; "but +Time never made a quicker journey than that." + +Just then, as Dorothy turned around to look at the +whirling mountains, she was in time to see tiny Trot +come flying from the nearest hill to fall upon the soft +grass not a yard away from where she stood. Trot was so +dizzy she couldn't stand, at first, but she wasn't at +all hurt and presently Betsy came flying to them and +would have bumped into the others had they not treated +in time to avoid her. + +Then, in quick succession, came the Lion, Hank and +the Sawhorse, bounding from mountain to mountain to +fall safely upon the greensward. Only the Wizard was +now left behind and they waited so long for him that +Dorothy began to be worried. But suddenly he came +flying from the nearest mountain and tumbled heels over +head beside them. Then they saw that he had wound two +of their blankets around his body, to keep the bumps +from hurting him, and had fastened the blankets with +some of the spare straps from the harness of the +Sawhorse. + + + + +Chapter Eight + +The Mysterious City + + +There they sat upon the grass, their heads still +swimming from their dizzy flights, and looked at one +another in silent bewilderment. But presently, when +assured that no one was injured, they grew. more calm +and collected and the Lion said with a sigh of relief: + +"Who would have thought those Merry-Go-Round +Mountains were made of rubber?" + +"Are they really rubber?" asked Trot. + +"They must be," replied the Lion, "for otherwise we +would not have bounded so swiftly from one to another +without getting hurt." + +"That is all guesswork," declared the Wizard, +unwinding the blankets from his body, "for none of us +stayed long enough on the mountains to discover what +they are made of. But where are we?" + +"That's guesswork, too," said Scraps. "The shepherd +said the Thistle-Eaters live this side of the mountains +and are waited on by giants." + +"Oh, no," said Dorothy; "it's the Herkus who +have giant slaves, and the Thistle-Eaters hitch +dragons to their chariots." + +"How could they do that?" asked the Woozy. "Dragons +have long tails, which would get in the way of the +chariot wheels'." + +"And, if the Herkus have conquered the giants," said +Trot, "they must be at least twice the size of giants. +P'raps the Herkus are the biggest people in all the +world!" + +"Perhaps they are," assented the Wizard, in a +thoughtful tone of voice. "And perhaps the shepherd +didn't know what he was talking about. Let us travel on +toward the west and discover for ourselves what the +people of this country are like." + +It, seemed a pleasant enough country, and it was +quite still and peaceful when they turned their eyes +away from the silently whirling mountains. There were +trees here and there and green bushes, while throughout +the thick grass were scattered brilliantly colored +flowers. About a mile away was a low hill that hid from +them all the country beyond it, so they realized they +could not tell much about the country until they had +crossed the hill. + +The Red Wagon having been left behind, it was now +necessary to make other arrangements for traveling. The +Lion told Dorothy she could ride upon his back, as she +had often done before, and the Woozy said he could +easily carry both Trot and the Patchwork Girl. Betsy +still had her mule, Hank, and Button-Bright and the +Wizard could sit together upon the long, thin back of +the Sawhorse, but they took care to soften their seat +with a pad of blankets before they started. Thus +mounted, the adventurers started for the hill, which +was reached after a brief journey. + +As they mounted the crest and gazed beyond the hill +they discovered not far away a walled city, from the +towers and spires of which gay banners were flying. It +was not a very big city, indeed, but its walls were +very high and thick and it appeared that the people who +lived there must have feared attack by a powerful +enemy, else they would not have surrounded their +dwellings with so strong a barrier. + +There was no path leading from the mountains to the +city, and this proved that the people seldom or never +visited the whirling hills; but our friends found the +grass soft and agreeable to travel over and with the +city before them they could not well lose their way. +When they drew nearer to the walls, the breeze carried +to their ears the sound of music -- dim at first but +growing louder as they advanced. + +"That doesn't seem like a very terr'ble place," +remarked Dorothy. + +"Well, it looks all right," replied Trot, from her +seat on the Woozy, "but looks can't always be trusted." + +"My looks can," said Scraps. "I look patchwork, and I +am patchwork, and no one but a blind owl could ever +doubt that I'm the Patchwork Girl." Saying which she +turned a somersault off the Woozy and, alighting on +her feet, began wildly dancing about. + +"Are owls ever blind?" asked Trot. + +"Always, in the daytime," said Button-Bright. "But +Scraps can see with her button eyes both day and night. +Isn't it queer?" + +"It's queer that buttons can see at all," answered +Trot; "but -- good gracious! what's become of the +city?" + +"I was going to ask that myself," said Dorothy. "It's +gone!" + +The animals came to a sudden halt, for the city had +really disappeared -- walls and all -- and before them +lay the clear, unbroken sweep of the country. + +"Dear me!" exclaimed the Wizard. "This is rather +disagreeable. It is annoying to travel almost to a +place and then find it is not there." + +"Where can it be, then?" asked Dorothy. "It cert'nly +was there a minute ago." + +"I can hear the music yet," declared Button-Bright, +and when they all listened the strains of music could +plainly be heard. + +"Oh! there's the city -- over at the left," called +Scraps, and turning their eyes they saw the walls and +towers and fluttering banners far to the left of them. + +"We must have lost our way," suggested Dorothy. + +"Nonsense," said the Lion. "I, and all the other +animals, have been tramping straight toward the city +ever since we first saw it." + +"Then how does it happen --" + +"Never mind," interrupted the Wizard, "we are no +farther from it than we were before. It is in a +different direction, that's all; so let us hurry and +get there before it again escapes us. + +So on they went, directly toward the city, which +seemed only a couple of miles distant; but when they +had traveled less than a mile it suddenly disappeared +again. Once more they paused, somewhat discouraged, but +in a moment the button eyes of Scraps again discovered +the city, only this time it was just behind them, in +the direction from which they had come. + +"Goodness gracious!" cried Dorothy. "There's surely +something wrong with that city. Do you s'pose it's on +wheels, Wizard?" + +"It may not be a city at all," he replied, looking +toward it with a speculative gaze. + +"What could it be, then?" + +"Just an illusion." + +"What's that?" asked Trot. + +"Something you think you see and don't see." + +"I can't believe that," said Button-Bright. "If we +only saw it, we might be mistaken, but if we can see it +and hear it, too, it must be there." + +"Where?" asked the Patchwork Girl. + +"Somewhere near us," he insisted. + +"We will have to go back, I suppose," said the Woozy, +with a sigh. + +So back they turned and headed for the walled city +until it disappeared again, Only to reappear at the +right of them. They were constantly getting nearer to +it, however, so they kept their faces turned toward it +as it flitted here and there to all points of the +compass. Presently the Lion, who was leading the +procession, halted abruptly and cried out: "Ouch!" + +"What's the matter?" asked Dorothy. + +"Ouch -- Ouch!~ repeated the Lion, and leaped +backward so suddenly that Dorothy nearly tumbled from +his back. At the same time Hank the Mule yelled "Ouch!" +almost as loudly as the Lion had done, and he also +pranced backward a few paces. + +"It's the thistles," said Betsy. "They prick their +legs." + +Hearing this, all looked down, and sure enough the +ground was thick with thistles, which covered the plain +from the point where they stood way up to the walls of +the mysterious city. No pathways through them could be +seen at all; here the soft grass ended and the growth +of thistles began. + +"They're the prickliest thistles I ever felt," +grumbled the Lion. "My legs smart yet from their +stings, though I jumped out of them as quick as I +could." + +"Here is a new difficulty," remarked the Wizard in a +grieved tone. "The city has stopped hopping around, it +is true; but how are we to get to it, over this mass of +prickers?" + +"They can't hurt me," said the thick-skinned Woozy, +advancing fearlessly and trampling among the thistles. + +"Nor me," said the Wooden Sawhorse. + +"But the Lion and the Mule cannot stand the +prickers," asserted Dorothy, "and we can't leave them +behind." + +"Must we all go back?" asked Trot. + +"Course not!" replied Button-Bright scornfully. +"Always, when there's trouble, there's a way out of it, +if you can find it." + +"I wish the Scarecrow was here," said Scraps, +standing on her head on the Woozy"s square back. "His +splendid brains would soon show us how to conquer this +field of thistles." + +"What's the matter with your brains?" asked the boy. + +"Nothing," she said, making a flip-flop into the +thistles and dancing among them without feeling their +sharp points. "I could tell you in half a minute how to +get over the thistles, if I wanted to." + +"Tell us, Scraps!" begged Dorothy. + +"I don't want to wear my brains out with overwork," +replied the Patchwork Girl. + +"Don't you love Ozma? And don't you want to find +her?" asked Betsy reproachfully. + +"Yes, indeed," said Scraps, walking on her hands as +an acrobat does at the circus. + +"Well, we can't find Ozma unless we get past these +thistles," declared Dorothy. + +Scraps danced around them two or three +times, without reply. Then she said: + +"Don't look at me, you stupid folks; look at those +blankets." + +The Wizard's face brightened at once. + +"Of course!" he exclaimed. "Why didn't we +think of those blankets before?" + +"Because you haven't magic brains," laughed Scraps. +"Such brains as you have are of the common sort that +grow in your heads, like weeds in a garden. I'm sorry +for you people who have to be born in order to be +alive." + +But the Wizard was not listening to her. He quickly +removed the blankets from the back of the Sawhorse and +spread one of them upon the thistles, just next to the +grass. The thick cloth rendered the prickers harmless, +so the Wizard walked over this first blanket and spread +the second one farther on, in the direction of the +phantom city. + +"These blankets," said he, "are for the Lion and the +Mule to walk upon. The Sawhorse and the Woozy can walk +on the thistles." + +So the Lion and the Mule walked over the first +blanket and stood upon the second one until the Wizard +had picked up the one they had passed over and spread +it in front of them, when they advanced to that one and +waited while the one behind them was again spread in +front. + +"This is slow work," said the Wizard, "but it will +get us to the city after a while." + +"The city is a good half mile away, yet," announced +Button-Bright. + +"And this is awful hard work for the Wizard," added +Trot. + +"Why couldn't the Lion ride on the Woozy's back?" +asked Dorothy. "It's a big, flat back, and the Woozy's +mighty strong. Perhaps the Lion wouldn't fall off." + +"You may try it, if you like," said the Woozy to the +Lion. "I can take you to the city in a jiffy and then +come back for Hank." + +"I'm -- I'm afraid," said the Cowardly Lion. He was +twice as big as the Woozy. + +"Try it," pleaded Dorothy. + +"And take a tumble among the thistles?" asked the +Lion reproachfully. But when the Woozy came close to +him the big beast suddenly bounded upon its back and +managed to balance himself there, although forced to +hold his four legs so close together that he was in +danger of toppling over. The great weight of the +monster Lion did not seem to affect the Woozy, who +called to his rider: "Hold on tight!" and ran swiftly +over the thistles toward the city. + +The others stood on the blankets and watched the +strange sight anxiously. Of course the Lion couldn't +"hold on tight" because there was nothing to hold to, +and he swayed from side to side as if likely to fall +off any moment. Still, he managed to stick to the +Woozy's back until they were close to the walls of the +city, when he leaped to the ground. Next moment the +Woozy came dashing back at full speed. + +"There's a little strip of ground next to the wall +where there are no thistles," he told them, when he had +reached the adventurers once more. "Now, then, friend +Hank, see if you can ride as well as the Lion did." + +"Take the others first," proposed the Mule. So the +Sawhorse and the Woozy made a couple of trips over the +thistles to the city walls and carried all the people +in safety, Dorothy holding little Toto in her arms. The +travelers then sat in a group on a little hillock, just +outside the wall, and looked at the great blocks of +gray stone and waited for the Woozy to bring Hank to +them. The Mule was very awkward and his legs trembled +so badly that more than once they thought he would +tumble off, but finally he reached them in safety and +the entire party was now reunited. More than that, they +had reached the city that had eluded them for so long +and in so strange a manner. + +"The gates must be around the other side," said the +Wizard. "Let us follow the curve of the wall until we +reach an opening in it." + +"Which way?" asked Dorothy. + +"We must guess at that," he replied. "Suppose we go +to the left? One direction is as good as another." + +They formed in marching order and went around the +city wall to the left. It wasn't a big city, as I have +said, but to go way around it, outside the high wall, +was quite a walk, as they became aware. But around it +our adventurers went, without finding any sign of a +gateway or other opening. When they had returned to the +little mound from which they had started, they +dismounted from the animals and again seated themselves +on the grassy mound. + +"It's mighty queer, isn't it?" asked Button-Bright. + +"There must be some way for the people to get out and +in,' declared Dorothy. "Do you s'pose they have flying +machines, Wizard?" + +"No," he replied, "for in that case they would be +flying all over the Land of Oz, and we know they have +not done that. Flying machines are unknown here. I +think it more likely that the people use ladders to get +over the walls." + +"It would be an awful climb, over that high stone +wall," said Betsy. + +"Stone, is it?" cried Scraps, who was again dancing +wildly around, for she never tired and could never keep +still for long. + +"Course it's stone," answered Betsy scornfully. +"Can't you see?" + +"Yes," said Scraps, going closer, "I can see the +wall, but I can't feel it." And then, with her arms +outstretched, she did a very queer thing. She walked +right into the wall and disappeared. + +"For goodness sake!" cried Dorothy amazed, as indeed +they all were. + + + + +Chapter Nine + +The High Coco-Lorum of Thi + + +And now the Patchwork Girl came dancing out of the wall +again. "Come on!" she called. "It isn't there. There +isn't any wall at all." + +"What! No wall?" exclaimed the Wizard. + +"Nothing like it," said Scraps. "It's a make-believe. +You see it, but it isn't. Come on into the city; we've +been wasting time." + +With this she danced into the wall again and once +more disappeared. Button-Bright, who was rather +venturesome, dashed away after her and also became +invisible to them. The others followed more cautiously, +stretching out their hands to feel the wall and +finding, to their astonishment, that they could feel +nothing because nothing opposed them. They walked on a +few steps and found themselves in the streets of a very +beautiful city. Behind them they again saw the wall, +grim and forbidding as ever; but now they knew it was +merely an illusion, prepared to keep strangers from +entering the city. + +But the wall was soon forgotten, for in front of them +were a number of quaint people who stared at them in +amazement, as if wondering where they had come from. +Our friends forgot their good manners, for a time, and +returned the stares with interest, for so remarkable a +people had never before been discovered in all the +remarkable Land of Oz. + +Their heads were shaped like diamonds and their +bodies like hearts. All the hair they had was a little +bunch at the tip top of their diamond-shaped heads and +their eyes were very large and round and their noses +and mouths very small. Their clothing was tight-fitting +and of brilliant colors, being handsomely embroidered +in quaint designs with gold or silver threads; but on +their feet they wore sandals, with no stockings +whatever. The expression of their faces was pleasant +enough, although they now showed surprise at the +appearance of strangers so unlike themselves, and our +friends thought they seemed quite harmless. + +"I beg your pardon," said the Wizard, speaking for +his party, "for intruding upon you uninvited, but we +are traveling on important business and find it +necessary to visit your city. Will you kindly tell us +by what name your city is called?" + +They looked at one another uncertainly, each +expecting some other to answer. Finally a short one +whose heart-shaped body was very broad replied: + +"We have no occasion to call our city anything. It is +where we live, that is all." + +"But by what name do others call your city?" asked +the Wizard. + +"We know of no others, except yourselves," said the +man. And then he inquired: "Were you born with those +queer forms you have, or has some cruel magician +transformed you to them from your natural shapes?" + +"These are our natural shapes," declared the Wizard, +"and we consider them very good shapes, too." + +The group of inhabitants was constantly being +enlarged by others who joined it. All were evidently +startled and uneasy at the arrival of strangers. + +"Have you a King?" asked Dorothy, who knew it was +better to speak with someone in authority. But the man +shook his diamond-like head. + +"What is a King?" he asked. + +"Isn't there anyone who rules over you?" inquired the +Wizard. + +"No," was the reply, "each of us rules himself; or, +at least, tries to do so. It is not an easy thing to +do, as you probably know." + +The Wizard reflected. + +"If you have disputes among you," said he, after a +little thought, "who settles them?" + +"The High Coco-Lorum," they answered in a chorus. + +"And who is he?" + +"The judge who enforces the laws," said the man who +had first spoken. + +"Then he is the principal person here?" continued the +Wizard. + +"Well, I would not say that," returned the man in a +puzzled way. "The High Cocolorum is a public servant. +However, he represents the laws, which we must all +obey." + +"I think," said the Wizard, "we ought to see your +High Coco-Lorum and talk with him. Our mission here +requires us to consult one high in authority, and the +High Coco-Lorum ought to be high, whatever else he is." + +The inhabitants seemed to consider this proposition +reasonable, for they nodded their diamond-shaped heads +in approval. So the broad one who had been their +spokesman said: "Follow me," and, turning, led the way +along one of the streets. + +The entire party followed him, the natives falling in +behind. The dwellings they passed were quite nicely +planned and seemed comfortable and convenient. After +leading them a few blocks their conductor stopped +before a house which was neither better nor worse than +the others. The doorway was shaped to admit the +strangely formed bodies of these people, being narrow +at the top, broad in the middle and tapering at the +bottom. The windows were made in much the same way, +giving the house a most peculiar appearance. When their +guide opened the gate a music-box concealed in the +gate-post began to play, and the sound attracted the +attention of the High Coco-Lorum, who appeared at an +open window and inquired: + +"What has happened now?" + +But in the same moment his eyes fell upon the +strangers and he hastened to open the door and admit +them -- all but the animals, which were left outside +with the throng of natives that had now gathered. For a +small city there seemed to be a large number of +inhabitants, but they did not try to enter the house +and contented themselves with staring curiously at the +strange animals. Toto followed Dorothy. + +Our friends entered a large room at the front of the +house, where the High Coco-Lorum asked them to be +seated. + +"I hope your mission here is a peaceful one," he +said, looking a little worried, "for the Thists are not +very good fighters and object to being conquered." + +"Are your people called Thists?" asked Dorothy. + +"Yes. I thought you knew that. And we call our city +Thi." + +"Oh!" + +"We are Thists because we eat thistles, you know," +continued the High Coco-Lorum. + +"Do you really eat those prickly things?" inquired +Button-Bright wonderingly. + +"Why not?" replied the other. "The sharp points of +the thistles cannot hurt us, because all our insides +are gold-lined." + +"Gold-lined!" + +"To be sure. Our throats and stomachs are lined with +solid gold, and we find the thistles nourishing and +good to eat. As a matter of fact, there is nothing else +in our country that is fit for food. All around the +City of Thi grow countless thistles, and all we need do +is to go and gather them. If we wanted anything else to +eat we would have to plant it, and grow it, and harvest +it, and that would be a lot of trouble and make us +work, which is an occupation we detest." + +"But, tell me, please," said the Wizard, "how does it +happen that your city jumps around so, from one part of +the country to another?" + +"The city doesn't jump; it doesn't move at all," +declared the High Coco-Lorum. "However, I will admit +that the land that surrounds it has a trick of turning +this way or that; and so, if one is standing upon the +plain and facing north, he is likely to find himself +suddenly facing west -- or east -- or south. But once +you reach the thistle fields you are on solid ground." + +"Ah, I begin to understand," said the Wizard, nodding +his head. "But I have another question to ask: How does +it happen that the Thists have no King to rule over +them?" + +"Hush!" whispered the High Coco-Lorum, looking +uneasily around to make sure they were not overheard. +"In reality, I am the King, but the people don't know +it. They think they rule themselves, but the fact is I +have everything my own way. No one else knows anything +about our laws, and so I make the laws to suit myself. +If any oppose me, or question my acts, I tell them it's +the law, and that settles it. If I called myself King, +however, and wore a crown and lived in royal state, the +people would not like me, and might do me harm. As the +High Coco-Lorum of Thi, I'm considered a very agreeable +person." + +"It seems a very clever arrangement," said the +Wizard. "And now, as you are the principal person in +Thi, I beg you to tell us if the Royal Ozma is a +captive in your city." + +"No," answered the diamond-headed man, "we have no +captives. No strangers but yourselves are here, and we +have never before heard of the Royal Ozma." + +"She rules all of Oz," said Dorothy, "and so she +rules your city and you, because you are in the Winkie +Country, which is a part of the Land of Oz." + +"It may be," returned the High Coco-Lorum, "for we do +not study geography and have never inquired whether we +live in the Land of Oz or not. And any Ruler who rules +us from a distance, and unknown to us, is welcome to +the job. But what has happened to your Royal Ozma?" + +"Someone has stolen her," said the Wizard. "Do you +happen to have any talented magician among your people +-- one who is especially clever, you know?" + +"No, none especially clever. We do some magic, of +course, but it is all of the ordinary kind. I do not +think any of us has yet aspired to stealing Rulers, +either by magic or otherwise." + +"Then we've come a long way for nothing!" exclaimed +Trot regretfully. + +"But we are going farther than this," asserted the +Patchwork Girl, bending her stuffed body backward until +her yarn hair touched the floor and then walking around +on her hands with her feet in the air. + +The High Coco-Lorum watched Scraps admiringly. + +"You may go farther on, of course," said he, "but I +advise you not to. The Herkus live back of us, beyond +the thistles and the twisting lands, and they are not +very nice people to meet, I assure you." + +"Are they giants?" asked Betsy. + +"They are worse than that," was the reply. "They have +giants for their slaves and they are so much stronger +than giants that the poor slaves dare not rebel, for +fear of being torn to pieces." + +"How do you know,?" asked Scraps. +"Everyone says so," answered the High Coco-Lorum. + +"Have you seen the Herkus yourself?" inquired +Dorothy. + +"No, but what everyone says must be true; otherwise, +what would be the use of their saying it?" + +"We were told, before we got here, that you people +hitch dragons to your chariots," said the little girl. + +"So we do," declared the High Coco-Lorum. "And that +reminds me that I ought to entertain you, as strangers +and my guests, by taking you for a ride around our +splendid City of Thi." + +Coco-Lorum. "Every time I give an order it is in music, +which is a much more pleasant way to address servants +than in cold, stern word" + +"Does this dragon of yours bite?" asked Button- +Bright. + +"Mercy, no! Do you think I'd risk the safety of my +innocent people by using a biting dragon to draw my +chariot? I'm proud to say that my dragon is harmless- +unless his steering gear breaks -- and he was +manufactured at the famous dragon-factory in this City +of Thi. Here he comes and you may examine him for +yourselves." + +They heard a low rumble and a shrill squeaking sound +and, going out to the front of the house, they saw +coming around the corner a car drawn by a gorgeous +jeweled dragon, which moved its head to right and left +and flashed its eyes like the headlights of an +automobile and uttered a growling noise as it slowly +moved toward them. + +When it stopped before the High Coco-Lorum's house +Toto barked sharply at the sprawling beast, but even +tiny Trot could see that the dragon was not alive. Its +scales were of gold and each one was set with sparkling +jewels, while it walked in such a stiff, regular manner +that it could be nothing else than a machine. The +chariot that trailed behind it was likewise of gold and +jewels, and when they entered it they found there were +no seats. Everyone was supposed to stand up while +riding. + +The charioteer was a little diamond-headed fellow who +straddled the neck of the dragon and moved the levers +that made it go. + +"This," said the High Coco-Lorum, pompously, "is a +wonderful invention. We are all very proud of our +autodragons, many of which are in use by our wealthy +inhabitants. Start the thing going, charioteer!" + +The charioteer did not move. + +"You forgot to order him in music," suggested +Dorothy. + +"Ah, so I did." He touched a button and a music-box +in the dragon's head began to play a tune. At once the +little charioteer pulled over a lever and the dragon +began to move -- very slowly and groaning dismally as +it drew the clumsy chariot after it. Toto trotted +between the wheels. The Sawhorse, the Mule, the Lion +and the Woozy followed after and had no trouble in +keeping up with the machine; indeed, they had to go +slow to keep from running into it. When the wheels +turned another music-box concealed somewhere under the +chariot played a lively march tune which was in +striking contrast with the dragging movement of the +strange vehicle and Button-Bright decided that the +music he had heard when they first sighted this city +was nothing else than a chariot plodding its weary way +through the streets. + +All the travelers from the Emerald City thought this +ride the most uninteresting and dreary they had ever +experienced, but the High Coco-Lorum seemed to think it +was grand. He pointed out the different buildings and +parks and fountains, in much the same way that the +conductor of an American "sight-seeing wagon" does, and +being guests they were obliged to submit to the ordeal. +But they became a little worried when their host told +them he had ordered a banquet prepared for them in the +City Hall. + +"What are we going to eat?" asked Button-Bright +suspiciously. + +"Thistles," was the reply; "fine, fresh thistles, +gathered this very day." + +Scraps laughed, for she never ate anything, but +Dorothy said in a protesting voice: + +"Our insides are not lined with gold, you know." + +"How sad!" exclaimed the High Coco-Lorum; and then he +added, as an afterthought: "But we can have the +thistles boiled, if you prefer." + +"I'm 'fraid they wouldn't taste good, even then," +said little Trot. "Haven't you anything else to eat?" + +The High Coco-Lorum shook his diamond-shaped head. + +"Nothing that I know of," said he. "But why should we +have anything else, when we have so many thistles? +However, if you can't eat what we eat, don't eat +anything. We shall not be offended and the banquet will +be just as merry and delightful." + +Knowing his companions were all hungry the Wizard +said: + +"I trust you will excuse us from the banquet, sir, +which will be merry enough without us, although it is +given in our honor. For, as Ozma is not in your city, +we must leave here at once and seek her elsewhere." + +"Sure we must!" agreed Dorothy, and she whispered to +Betsy and Trot: "I'd rather Starve somewhere else than +in this city, and -- who knows? -- we may run across +somebedy who eats reg'lar food and will give us some." + +So, when the ride was finished, in spite of the +protests of the High Coco-Lorum they insisted on +continuing their journey. + +"It will soon be dark," he objected. + +"We don't mind the darkness," replied the Wizard. + +"Some wandering Herku may get you." + +"Do you think the Herkus would hurt us?" asked +Dorothy. + +"I cannot say, not having the honor of their +acquaintance. But they are said to be so strong that, +if they had any other place to stand upon, they could +lift the world." + +"All of them together?" asked Button-Bright +wonderingly. + +"Any one of them could do it," said the High Coco- +Lorum. + +"Have you heard of any magicians being among them?" +asked the Wizard, knowing that only a magician could +have stolen Ozma in the way she had been stolen. + +"I am told it is quite a magical country," declared +the High Coco-Lorum, "and magic is usually performed by +magicians. But I have never heard that they have any +invention or sorcery to equal our wonderful +autodragons." + +They thanked him for his courtesy and, mounting their +own animals, rode to the farther side of the city and +right through the Wall of Illusion out into the open +country. + +"I'm glad we got away so easily," said' Betsy. "I +didn't like those queer-shaped people.' + +"Nor did I," agreed Dorothy. "It seems dreadful to be +lined with sheets of pure gold and have nothing to eat +but thistles." + +"They seemed happy and contented, though," remarked +the little Wizard, "and those who are contented have +nothing to regret and nothing more to wish for." + + + + +Chapter Six + +Toto Loses Something + + +For a while the travelers were constantly losing their +direction, for beyond the thistle fields they again +found themselves upon the turning-lands, which swung +them around in such a freakish manner that first they +were headed one way and then another. But by keeping +the City of Thi constantly behind them the adventurers +finally passed the treacherous turning-lands and came +upon a stony country where no grass grew at all. There +were plenty of bushes, however, and although it was now +almost dark the girls discovered some delicious yellow +berries growing upon the bushes, one taste of which set +them all to picking as many as they could find. The +berries relieved their pangs of hunger, for a time, and +as it now became too dark to see anything they camped +where they were. + +The three girls lay down upon one of the blankets -- +all in a row -- and then the Wizard covered them with +the other blanket and tucked them in. Button-Bright +crawled under the shelter of some bushes and was asleep +in half a minute. The Wizard sat down with his back to +a big stone and looked at the stars in the sky and +thought gravely upon the dangerous adventure they had +undertaken, wondering if they would ever be able to +find their beloved Ozma again. The animals lay in a +group by themselves, a little distance from the others. + +"I've lost my growl!" said Toto, who had been very +silent and sober all that day. "What do you suppose has +become of it?" + +"If you had asked me to keep track of your growl, I +might be able to tell you," remarked the Lion sleepily. +"But, frankly, Toto, I supposed you were taking care of +it yourself." + +"It's an awful thing to lose one's growl," said Toto, +wagging his tail disconsolately. "What if you lost your +roar, Lion? Wouldn't you feel terrible?" + +"My roar," replied the Lion, "is the fiercest thing +about me. I depend on it to frighten my enemies so +badly that they won't dare to fight me." + +"Once," said the Mule, "I lost my bray, so that I +couldn't call to Betsy to let her know I was hungry. +That was before I could talk, you know, for I had not +yet come into the Land of Oz, and I found it was +certainly very uncomfortable not to be able to make a +noise." + +"You make enough noise now," declared Toto. "But none +of you has answered my question: Where is my growl?" + +"You may search me," said the Woozy. "I don't care +for such things myself." + +"You snore terribly," asserted Toto. + +"It may he," said the Woozy. "What one does when +asleep one is not accountable for. I wish you would +wake me up, some time when I'm snoring, and let me hear +the sound. Then I can judge whether it is terrible or +delightful." + +"It isn't pleasant, I assure you," said the Lion, +yawning. + +"To me it seems wholly unnecessary," declared Hank +the Mule. + +"You ought to break yourself of the habit," said the +Sawhorse. "You never hear me snore, because I never +sleep. I don't even whinny, as those puffy meat horses +do. I wish that whoever stole Toto's growl had taken +the Mule's bray and the Lion's roar and the Woozy's +snore at the same time." + +"Do you think, then, that my growl was stolen?" + +"You have never lost it before, have you?" inquired +the Sawhorse. + +"Only once, when I had a sore throat from barking too +long at the moon." + +"Is your throat sore now?" asked the Woozy. + +"No," replied the dog. + +"I can't understand," said Hank, "why dogs bark at +the moon, They can't scare the moon, and the moon +doesn't pay any attention to the bark. So why do dogs +do it?" + +"Were you ever a dog?" asked Toto. + +"No, indeed," replied Hank. "I am thankful to say I +was created a mule -- the most beautiful of all beasts +-- and have always remained one." + +The Woozy sat upon his square haunches to examine +Hank with care. + +"Beauty," said he, "must be a matter of taste. I +don't say your judgment is bad, friend Hank, or that +you are so vulgar as to be conceited. But if you admire +big waggly ears, and a tail like a paint-brush, and +hoofs big enough for an elephant, and a long neck and a +body so skinny that one can count the ribs with one eye +shut -- if that's your idea of beauty, Hank -- then +either you or I must be much mistaken." + +"You're full of edges," sneered the Mule. "If I were +square, as you are, I suppose you'd think me lovely." + +"Outwardly, dear Hank, I would," replied the Woozy. +"But to be really lovely one must be beautiful without +and within." + +The Mule couldn't deny this statement, so he gave a +disgusted grunt and rolled over so that his back was +toward the Woozy. But the Lion, regarding the two +calmly with his great yellow eyes, said to the dog: + +"My dear Toto, our friends have taught us a lesson in +humility. If the Woozy and the Mule are indeed +beautiful creatures, as they seem to think, you and I +must be decidedly ugly." + +"Not to ourselves," protested Toto, who was a shrewd +little dog. "You and I, Lion, are fine specimens of our +own races. I am a fine dog and you are a fine lion. +Only in point of comparison, one with another, can we +be properly judged, so I will leave it to the poor old +Sawhorse to decide which is the most beautiful animal +among us all. The Sawhorse is wood, so he won't be +prejudiced and will speak the truth." + +"I surely will," responded the Sawhorse, wagging his +ears, which were chips set in his wooden head. "Are you +all agreed to accept my judgment?" + +"We are!" they declared, each one hopeful. + +"Then," said the Sawhorse, "I must point out to you +the fact that you are all meat creatures, who tire +unless they sleep, and starve unless they eat, and +suffer from thirst unless they drink. Such animals must +be very imperfect, and imperfect Creatures cannot be +beautiful. Now, I am made of wood." + +"You surely have a wooden head," said the Mule. + +"Yes, and a wooden body and wooden legs -- which are +as swift as the wind and as tireless. I've heard +Dorothy say that 'handsome is as handsome does,' and I +surely perform my duties in a handsome manner. +Therefore, if you wish my honest judgement, I will +confess that among us all I am the most beautiful." + +The Mule snorted and the Woozy laughed; Toto had lost +his growl and could only look scornfully at the +Sawhorse, who stood in his place unmoved. But the Lion +stretched himself and yawned, saying quietly: + +"Were we all like the Sawhorse we would all be +Sawhorses, which would be too many of the kind; were we +all like Hank, we would be a herd of mules; if like +Toto, we would be a pack of dogs; should we all become +the shape of the Woozy, he would no longer be +remarkable for his unusual appearance. Finally, were +you all like me, I would consider you so common that I +would not care to associate with you. To be individual, +my friends, to be different from others, is the only +way to become distinguished from the common herd. Let +us be glad, therefore, that we differ from one another +in form and in disposition. Variety is the spice of +life and we are various enough to enjoy one another's +society; so let us be content." + +"There is some truth in that speech," remarked Toto +reflectively. "But how about my lost growl?" + +"The growl is of importance only to you," responded +the Lion, "so it is your business to worry over the +loss, not ours. If you love us, do not inflict your +burdens on us; be unhappy all by yourself." + +"If the same person stole my growl who stole Ozma," +said the little dog, "I hope we shall find him very +soon and punish him as he deserves. He must be the most +cruel person in all the world, for to prevent a dog +from growling when it is his nature to growl is just as +wicked, in my opinion, as stealing all the magic in +Oz." + + + + +Chapter Eleven + +Button-Bright Loses Himself + + +The Patchwork Girl, who never slept and who could see +very well in the dark, had wandered among the rocks and +bushes all night long, with the result that she was +able to tell some good news the next morning. + +"Over the crest of the hill before us," she said, "is +a big grove of trees of many kinds, on which all sorts +of fruits grow. If you will go there you will find a +nice breakfast awaiting you." + +This made them eager to start, so as soon as the +blankets were folded and strapped to the back of the +Sawhorse they all took their places on the animals and +set out for the big grove Scraps had told them of. + +As soon as they got over the brow of the hill they +discovered it to be a really immense orchard, extending +for miles to the right and left of them. As their way +led straight through the trees they hurried forward as +fast as possible. + +The first trees they came to bore quinces, which they +did not like. Then there were rows of citron trees and +then crab apples and after. ward limes and lemons. But +beyond these they found a grove of big golden oranges, +juicy and sweet, and the fruit hung low on the +branches, so they could pluck it easily. + +They helped themselves freely and all ate oranges as +they continued on their way. Then, a little farther +along, they came to some trees bearing fine red apples, +which they also feasted on, and the Wizard stopped here +long enough to tie a lot of the apples in one end of a +blanket. + +"We do not know what will happen to us after we leave +this delightful orchard," he said, "so I think it wise +to carry a supply of apples with us. We can't starve as +long as we have apples, you know." + +Scraps wasn't riding the Woozy just now. She loved to +climb the trees and swing herself by the branches from +one tree to another. Some of the choicest fruit was +gathered by the Patchwork Girl from the very highest +limbs and tossed down to the others. Suddenly Trot +asked: "Where's Button-Bright?" and when the others +looked for him they found the boy had disappeared. + +"Dear me!" cried Dorothy. "I guess he's lost again, +and that will mean our waiting here until we can find +him." + +"It's a good place to wait," suggested Betsy, who had +found a plum tree and was eating some of its fruit. + +"How can you wait here, and find Button-Bright, at +one and the same time?" inquired the Patchwork Girl, +hanging by her toes on a limb just over the heads of +the three mortal girls. + +"Perhaps he'll come back here," answered Dorothy. + +"If he tries that, he'll prob'ly lose his way, said +Trot. I've known him to do that, lots of times. It's +losing his way that gets him lost." + +"Very true," said the Wizard. "So all the rest of you +must stay here while I go look for the boy." + +"Won't you get lost, too?" asked Betsy. + +"I hope not, my dear." + +"Let me go," said Scraps, dropping lightly to the +ground. "I can't get lost, and I'm more likely to find +Button Bright than any of you." + +Without waiting for permission she darted away +through the trees and soon disappeared from their view. + +"Dorothy," said Toto, squatting beside his little +mistress, "I've lost my growl." + +"How did that happen?" she asked. + +"I don't know," replied Toto. "Yesterday morning the +Woozy nearly stepped on me and I tried to growl at him +and found I couldn't growl a bit." + +"Can you bark?" inquired Dorothy. + +"Oh, yes, indeed!" + +"Then never mind the growl," said she. + +"But what will I do when I get home to the Glass Cat +and the Pink Kitten?" asked the little dog in an +anxious voice. + +"They won't mind, if you can't growl at them, I'm +sure," said Dorothy. "I'm sorry for you, of course, +Toto, for it's just those things we can t do that we +want to do most of all; but before we get back you may +find your growl again." + +"Do you think the person who stole Ozma stole my +growl?" + +Dorothy smiled. + +"Perhaps, Toto." + +"Then he's a scoundrel!" cried the little dog. + +"Anyone who would steal Ozma is as bad as bad can +be," agreed Dorothy, "and when we remember that our +dear friend, the lovely Ruler of Oz, is lost, we ought +not to worry over just a growl." + +Toto was not entirely satisfied with this remark, for +the more he thought upon his lost growl the more +important his misfortune he came. When no one was +looking he went away among the trees and tried his best +to growl -- even a little bit -- but could not manage +to do so. All he could do was bark, and a bark cannot +take the place of a growl, so he sadly returned to the +others. + +Now, Button-Bright had no idea that he was lost, at +first. He had merely wandered from tree to tree, +seeking the finest fruit, until he discovered he was +alone in the great orchard. But that didn't worry him +just then and seeing some apricot trees farther on he +went to them; then he discovered some cherry trees; +just beyond these were some tangerines. + +"We've found 'most ev'ry kind of fruit but peaches," +he said to himself, "so I guess there are peaches here, +too, if I can find the trees." + +He searched here and there, paying no attention to +his way, until he found that the trees surrounding him +bore only nuts. He put some walnuts in his pockets and +kept on searching and at last -- right among the nut +trees -- he came upon one solitary peach tree. It was a +graceful, beautiful tree, but although it was thickly +leaved it bore no fruit except one large, splendid +peach, rosy cheeked and fuzzy and just right to eat. + +Button-Bright had some trouble getting that lonesome +peach, for it hung far out of reach; but he climbed the +tree nimbly and crept out on the branch on which it +grew and after several trials, during which he was in +danger of falling, he finally managed to pick it. Then +he got back to the ground and decided the fruit was +well worth his trouble. It was delightfully fragrant +and when he bit into it he found it the most delicious +morsel he had ever tasted. + +"I really ought to divide it with Trot and Dorothy +and Betsy," he said; "but p'rhaps there are plenty more +in some other part of the orchard." + +In his heart he doubted this statement, for this was +a solitary peach tree, while all the other fruits grew +upon many trees set close to one another; but that one +luscious bite made him unable to resist eating the rest +of it and soon the peach was all gone except the pit. +Button-Bright was about to throw this peach-pit away +when he noticed that it was of pure gold. gold. Of +course this surprised him, but so many things in the +Land of Oz were surprising that he did not give much +thought to the golden peach-pit. He put it in his +pocket, however, to show to the girls, and five minutes +afterward had forgotten all about it. + +For now he realized that he was far separated from +his companions, and knowing that this would worry them +and delay their journey, he began to shout as loud as +he could. His voice did not penetrate very far among +all those trees, and after shouting a dozen times and +getting no answer he sat down on the ground and said: + +"Well, I'm lost again. It's too bad, but I don't see +how it can be helped." + +As he leaned his back against a tree he looked up and +saw a Bluefinch fly down from the sky and alight upon a +branch just before him. The bird looked and looked at +him. First it looked with one bright eye and then +turned its head and looked at him with the other eye. +Then, fluttering its wings a little, it said: + +"Oho! so you've eaten the enchanted peach, have you?" + +"Was it enchanted?" asked Button-Bright. + +"Of course," replied the Bluefinch. "Ugu the +Shoemaker did that." + +"But why? And how was it enchanted?. And what will +happen to one who eats it?" questioned the boy. + +"Ask Ugu the Shoemaker; he knows," said the bird, +pruning its feathers with its bill. + +"And who is Ugu the Shoemaker?" + +"The one who enchanted the peach, and placed it here +-- in the exact center of the Great Orchard -- so no +one would ever find it. We birds didn't dare to eat it; +we are too wise for that. But you are Button-Bright, +from the Emerald City, and you-you-YOU ate the +enchanted peach! You must explain to Ugu the Shoemaker +why you did that." + +And then, before the boy could ask any more +questions, the bird flew away and left him alone. + +Button-Bright was not much worried to find that the +peach he had eaten was enchanted. It certainly had +tasted very good and his stomach didn't ache a bit. So +again he began to reflect upon the best way to rejoin +his friends. + +"Whichever direction I follow is likely to be the +wrong one," he said to himself, "so I'd better stay +just where I am and let them find me -- if they can." + +A White Rabbit came hopping through the orchard and +paused a little way off to look at him. + +"Don't be afraid," said Button-Bright; "I won't hurt +you." + +"Oh, I'm not afraid for myself," returned the White +Rabbit. "It's you I'm worried about." + +"Yes; I'm lost," said the boy. + +"I fear you are, indeed," answered the Rabbit. "Why +on earth did you eat the enchanted peach?" + +The boy looked at the excited little animal +thoughtfully. + +"There were two reasons," he explained. "One reason +was that I like peaches, and the other reason was that +I didn't know it was enchanted." + +"That won't save you from Ugu the Shoemaker," +declared the White Rabbit and it scurried away before +the boy could ask any more questions. + +"Rabbits and birds," he thought, "are timid creatures +and seem afraid of this shoemaker -- whoever he may be. +If there was another peach half as good as that other, +I'd eat it in spite of a dozen enchantments or a +hundred shoemakers!" + +Just then Scraps came dancing along and saw him +sitting at the foot of the tree. + +"Oh, here you are!" she said. "Up to your old tricks, +eh? Don't you know it's impolite to get lost and keep +everybody waiting for you? Come along, and I'll lead +you back to Dorothy and the others." + +Button-Bright rose slowly to accompany her. + +"That wasn't much of a loss," he said cheerfully. "I +haven't been gone half a day, so there's no harm done." + +Dorothy, however, when the boy rejoined the party, +gave him a good scolding. + +"When we're doing such an important thing as +searching for Ozma," said she, "it's naughty for you to +wander away, and keep us from getting on. S'pose she's +a pris'ner -- in a dungeon cell! -- do you want to keep +our dear Ozma there any longer than we can help?" + +"If she's in a dungeon cell, how are you going to get +her out?" inquired the boy. + +"Never you mind; we'll leave that to the Wizard; he's +sure to find a way." + +The Wizard said nothing, for he realized that without +his magic tools he could do no more than any other +person. But there was no use reminding his companions +of that fact; it might discourage them. + +"The important thing just now," he remarked, "is to +find Ozma; and, as our party is again happily reunited, +I propose we move on." + +As they came to the edge of the Great Orchard the sun +was setting and they knew it would soon be dark. So it +was decided to camp under the trees, as another broad +plain was before them. The Wizard spread the blankets +on a bed of soft leaves and presently all of them +except Scraps and the Sawhorse were fast asleep. Toto +snuggled close to his friend the Lion, and the Woozy +snored so loudly that the Patchwork Girl covered his +square head with her apron to deaden the sound. + + + + +Chapter Twelve + +The Czarover of Herku + + +Trot wakened just as the sun rose and, slipping out of +the blankets, went to the edge of the Great Orchard and +looked across the plain. Something glittered in the far +distance. + +"That looks like another city," she said half aloud. + +"And another city it is," declared Scraps, who had +crept to Trot's side unheard, for her stuffed feet made +no sound. "The Sawhorse and I made a journey in the +dark, while you were all asleep, and we found over +there a bigger city than Thi. There's a wall around it, +too, but it has gates and plenty of pathways." + +"Did you go in?" asked Trot. + +"No, for the gates were locked and the wall was a +real wall. So we came back here again. It isn't far to +the city. We can reach it in two hours after you've had +your breakfasts." + +Trot went back and, finding the other girls now +awake, told them what Scraps had said. So they +hurriedly ate some fruit -- there were plenty of plums +and fijoas in this part of the orchard -- and then they +mounted the animals and set out upon the journey to the +strange city. Hank the Mule had breakfasted on grass +and the Lion had stolen away and found a breakfast to +his liking; he never told what it was, but Dorothy +hoped the little rabbits and the field mice had kept +out of his way. She warned Toto not to chase birds and +gave the dog some apple, with which he was quite +content. The Woozy was as fond of fruit as of any other +food, except honey, and the Sawhorse never ate at all. + +Except for their worry over Ozma they were all in +good spirits as they proceeded swiftly over the plain. +Toto still worried over his lost growl, but like a wise +little dog kept his worry to himself. Before long the +city grew nearer and they could examine it with +interest. + +In outward appearance the place was more imposing +than Thi, and it was a square city, with a square, +four-sided wall around it and on each side was a square +gate of burnished copper. Everything about the city +looked solid and substantial; there were no banners +flying and the towers that rose above the city wall +seemed bare of any ornament whatever. + +A path led from the fruit orchard directly to one of +the city gates, showing that the inhabitants preferred +fruit to thistles. Our friends followed this path to +the gate, which they found fast shut. But the Wizard +advanced and pounded upon it with his fist, saying in a +loud voice: "Open!" + +At once there rose above the great wall a row +of immense heads, all of which looked down +at them as if to see who was intruding. The size + +of these heads was astonishing and our friends at once +realized that they belonged to giants, who were +standing within the city. All had thick, bushy hair and +whiskers, on some the hair being white and on others +black or red or yellow, while the hair of a few was +just turning gray, showing that the giants were of all +ages. However fierce the heads might seem the eyes were +mild in expression, as if the creatures had been long +subdued, and their faces expressed patience rather than +ferocity. + +"What's wanted?" asked one old giant, in a low, +grumbling voice. + +"We are strangers and we wish to enter the city," +replied the Wizard. + +"Do you come in war or peace?" asked another. + +"In peace, of course," retorted the Wizard, and he +added impatiently: "Do we look like an army of +conquest?" + +"No," said the first giant who had spoken, "you look +like innocent tramps; but one never can tell by +appearances. Wait here until we report to our masters. +No one can enter here without the permission of Vig, +the Czarover." + +"Who's that?" inquired Dorothy. But the heads had all +bobbed down and disappeared behind the wall, so there +was no answer. + +They waited a long time before the gate rolled back +with a rumbling sound and a loud voice cried: "Enter!" +But they lost no time in taking advantage of the +invitation. + +On either side of the broad street that led into the +city from the gate stood a row of huge giants -- twenty +of them on a side and all standing so close together +that their elbows touched. They wore uniforms of blue +and yellow and were armed with clubs as big around as +tree-trunks. Each giant had around his neck a broad +band of gold, riveted on, to show he was a slave. + +As our friends entered, riding upon the Lion, the +Woozy, the Sawhorse and the Mule, the giants half +turned and walked in two files on either side of them, +as if escorting them on their way. It looked to Dorothy +as if all her party had been made prisoners, for even +mounted on their animals their heads scarcely reached +to the knees of the marching giants. The girls and +Button-Bright were anxious to know what sort of a city +they had entered, and what the people were like who had +made these powerful creatures their slaves. Through the +legs of the giants, as they walked, Dorothy could see +rows of houses on each side the street and throngs of +people standing on the sidewalks; but the people were +of ordinary size and the only remarkable thing about +them was the fact that they were dreadfully lean and +thin. Between their skin and their bones there seemed +to be little or no flesh, and they were mostly stoop- +shouldered and weary looking, even to the little +children. + +More and more Dorothy wondered how and why the great +giants had ever submitted to be come slaves of such +skinny, languid masters, but there was no chance to +question anyone until they arrived at a big palace +located in the heart of the city. Here the giants +formed lines to the entrance and stood still while our +friends rode into the courtyard of the palace. Then the +gates closed behind them and before them was a skinny +little man who bowed low and said in a sad voice: + +"If you will be so obliging as to dismount, it will +give me pleasure to lead you into the presence of the +World's Most Mighty Ruler, Vig the Czarover." + +"I don't believe it!" said Dorothy indignantly. + +"What don't you believe?" asked the man. + +"I don't believe your Czarover can hold a candle to +our Ozma." + +"He wouldn't hold a candle under any circumstances, +or to any living person," replied the man very +seriously, "for he has slaves to do such things and the +Mighty Vig is too dignified to do anything that others +can do for him. He even obliges a slave to sneeze for +him, if ever he catches cold. However, if you dare to +face our powerful ruler, follow me." + +"We dare anything," said the Wizard, "so go ahead." + +Through several marble corridors having lofty +ceilings they passed, finding each corridor and doorway +guarded by servants; but these servants of the palace +were of the people and not giants, and they were so +thin that they almost resembled skeletons. Finally they +entered a great circular room with a high domed ceiling +where the Czarover sat on a throne cut from a solid +block of white marble and decorated with purple silk +hangings and gold tassels. + +The ruler of these people was combing his eyebrows +when our friends entered his throneroom and stood +before him, but he put the comb in his pocket and +examined the strangers with evident curiosity. Then he +said: + +"Dear me, what a surprise! You have really shocked +me. For no outsider has ever before come to our City of +Herku, and I cannot imagine why you have ventured to do +so." + +"We are looking for Ozma, the Supreme Ruler of the +Land of Oz," replied the Wizard. + +"Do you see her anywhere around here?" asked the +Czarover. + +"Not yet, Your Majesty; but perhaps you may tell us +where she is." + +"No; I have my hands full keeping track of my own +people. I find them hard to manage because they are so +tremendously strong." + +"They don't look very strong," said Dorothy. "It +seems as if a good wind would blow em way out of the +city, if it wasn't for the wall." + +"Just so -- just so," admitted the Czarover. "They +really look that way, don't they? But you must never +trust to appearances, which have a way of fooling one. +Perhaps you noticed that I prevented you from meeting +any of my people. I protected you with my giants while +you were on the way from the gates to my palace, so +that not a Herku got near you." + +"Are your people so dangerous, then?" asked the +Wizard. + +"To strangers, yes; but only because they are so +friendly. For, if they shake hands with you, they are +likely to break your arms or crush your fingers to a +jelly." + +"Why?" asked Button-Bright. + +"Because we are the strongest people in all the +world." + +"Pshaw!" exclaimed the boy, "that's bragging. You +prob'ly don't know how strong other people are. Why, +once I knew a man in Philadelphi' who could bend iron +bars with just his hands!" + +"But-mercy me!-it's no trick to bend iron bars," said +His Majesty. "Tell me, could this man crush a block of +stone with his bare hands?" + +"No one could do that," declared the boy. + +"If I had a block of stone I'd show you," said the +Czarover, looking around the room. "Ah, here is my +throne. The back is too high, anyhow, so I'll just +break off a piece of that." + +He rose to his feet and tottered in an uncertain way +around the throne. Then he took hold of the back and +broke off a piece of marble over a foot thick. + +"This," said he, coming back to his seat, is very +solid marble and much harder than ordinary stone. Yet I +can crumble it easily with my fingers -- a proof that I +am very strong." + +Even as he spoke he began breaking off chunks of +marble and crumbling them as one would a bit of earth. +The Wizard was so astonished that he took a piece in +his own hands and tested it, finding it very hard +indeed. + +Just then one of the giant servants entered and +exclaimed: + +"Oh, Your Majesty, the cook has burned the soup! What +shall we do?" + +"How dare you interrupt me?" asked the Czarover, and +grasping the immense giant by one of his legs he raised +him in the air and threw him headfirst out of an open +window. + +"Now, tell me," he said, turning to Button-Bright, +"could your man in Philadelphia crumble marble in his +fingers?" + +"I guess not," said Button-Bright, much impressed by +the skinny monarch's strength. + +"What makes you so strong?" inquired Dorothy. + +"It's the zosozo," he explained, "which is an +invention of my own. I and all my people eat zosozo, +and it gives us tremendous strength. Would you like to +eat some?" + +"No, thank you," replied the girl. "I -- I don't want +to get so thin." + +"Well, of course one can't have strength and flesh at +the same time," said the Czarover. "Zosozo is pure +energy, and it's the only compound of its sort in +existence. I never allow our giants to have it, you +know, or they would soon become our masters, since they +are bigger than we; so I keep all the stuff locked up +in my private laboratory. Once a year I feed a +teaspoonful of it to each of my people -- men, women +and children -- so every one of them is nearly as +strong as I am. Wouldn't you like a dose, sir?" he +asked, turning to the Wizard. + +"Well," said the Wizard, "if you would give me a +little zosozo in a bottle, I'd like to take it with me +on my travels. It might come handy, on occasion." + +"To be sure. I'll give you enough for six doses," +promised the Czarover. "But don't take more than a +teaspoonful at a time. Once Ugu the Shoemaker took two +teaspoonsful, and it made him so strong that when he +leaned against the city wall he pushed it over, and we +had to build it up again." + +"Who is Ugu the Shoemaker?" asked Button-Bright +curiously, for he now remembered that the bird and the +rabbit had claimed Ugu the Shoemaker had enchanted the +peach he had eaten. + +"Why, Ugu is a great magician, who used to live here. +But he's gone away, now," replied the Czarover. + +"Where has he gone?" asked the Wizard quickly. + +"I am told he lives in a wickerwork castle in the +mountains to the west of here. You see, Ugu became such +a powerful magician that he didn't care to live in our +city any longer, for fear we would discover some of his +secrets. So he went to the mountains and built him a +splendid wicker castle, which is so strong that even I +and my people could not batter it down, and there he +lives all by himself." + +"This is good news," declared the Wizard, "for I +think this is just the magician we are searching for. +But why is he called Ugu the Shoemaker?" + +"Once he was a very common citizen here and made +shoes for a living," replied the monarch of Herku. "But +he was descended from the greatest wizard and sorcerer +who has ever lived -- in this or in any other country - +- and one day Ugu the Shoemaker discovered all the +magical books and recipes of his famous great-grand- +father, which had been hidden away in the attic of his +house. So he began to study the papers and books and to +practice magic, and in time he became so skillful that, +as I said, he scorned our city and built a solitary +castle for himself." + +"Do you think," asked Dorothy anxiously, "that Ugu +the Shoemaker would he wicked enough to steal our Ozma +of Oz?" + +"And the Magic Picture?" asked Trot. + +"And the Great Book of Records of Glinda the Good?" +asked Betsy. + +"And my own magic tools?" asked the Wizard. + +"Well," replied Czarover, "I won't say that Ugu is +wicked, exactly, but he is very ambitious to become the +most powerful magician in the world, and so I suppose +he would not be too proud to steal any magic things +that belonged to anybody else -- if he could manage to +do so." + +"But how about Ozma? Why would he wish to steal her?" +questioned Dorothy. + +"Don't ask me, my dear. Ugu doesn't tell me why he +does things, I assure you." + +"Then we must go and ask him ourselves," declared the +little girl. + +"I wouldn't do that, if I were you," advised the +Czarover, looking first at the three girls and then at +the boy and the little Wizard and finally at the +stuffed Patchwork Girl. "If Ugu has really stolen your +Ozma, he will probably keep her a prisoner, in spite of +all your threats or entreaties. And, with all his +magical knowledge, he would be a dangerous person to +attack. Therefore, if you are wise, you will go home +again and find a new Ruler for the Emerald City and the +Land of Oz. But perhaps it isn't Ugu the Shoemaker who +has stolen your Ozma." + +"The only way to settle that question," replied the +Wizard, "is to go to Ugu's castle and see if Ozma is +there. If she is, we will report the matter to the +great Sorceress, Glinda the Good, and I'm pretty sure +she will find a way to rescue our darling ruler from +the Shoemaker." + +"Well, do as you please," said the Czarover. "But, if +you are all transformed into hummingbirds or +caterpillars, don't blame me for not warning you." + +They stayed the rest of that day in the City of Herku +and were fed at the royal table of the Czarover and +given sleeping rooms in his palace. The strong monarch +treated them very nicely and gave the Wizard a little +golden vial of zosozo, to use if ever he or any of his +party wished to acquire great strength. + +Even at the last the Czarover tried to. persuade them +not to go near Ugu the Shoemaker, but they were +resolved on the venture and the next morning bade the +friendly monarch a cordial good-bye and, mounting upon +their animals, left the Herkus and the City of Herku +and headed for the mountains that lay to the west. + + + + +Chapter Thirteen + +The Truth Pond + + +It seems a long time since we have heard anything of +the Frogman and Cayke the Cookie Cook, who had left the +Yip Country in search of the diamond-studded gold +dishpan which had been mysteriously stolen the same +night that Ozma had disappeared from the Emerald City. +But you must remember that while the Frogman and the +Cookie Cook were preparing to descend from their +mountain-top, and even while on their way to the +farmhouse of Wiljon the Winkie, Dorothy and the Wizard +and their friends were encountering the adventures we +have just related. + +So it was that on the very morning when the travelers +from the Emerald City bade farewell to the Czarover of +the City of Herku, Cayke and the Frogman awoke in a +grove in which they had passed the night sleeping on +beds of leaves. There were plenty of farmhouses in the +neighborhood, but no one seemed to welcome the puffy, +haughty Frogman or the little dried-up Cookie Cook, and +so they slept comfortably enough underneath the trees +of the grove. + +The Frogman wakened first, on this morning, and after +going to the tree where Cayke slept and finding her +still wrapt in slumber, he decided to take a little +walk and seek some breakfast. Coming to the edge of the +grove he observed, half a mile away, a pretty yellow +house that was surrounded by a yellow picket fence, so +he walked toward this house and on entering the yard +found a Winkie woman picking up sticks with which to +build a fire to cook her morning meal. + +"For goodness sakes!" she exclaimed on seeing the +Frogman, "what are you doing out of your frogpond?" + +"I am traveling in search of a jeweled gold dishpan, +my good woman," he replied, with an air of great +dignity. + +"You won't find it here, then," said she. "Our +dishpans are tin, and they're good enough for anybody. +So go back to your pond and leave me alone." + +She spoke rather crossly and with a lack of respect +that greatly annoyed the Frogman. + +"Allow me to tell you, madam," he said, "that +although I am a frog I am the Greatest and Wisest Frog +in all the world. I may add that I possess much more +wisdom than any Winkie -- man or woman -- in this land. +Wherever I go, people fall on their knees before me and +render homage to the Great Frogman! No one else knows +so much as I; no one else is so grand -- so +magnificent!" + +"If you know so much," she retorted, "why don't you +know where your dishpan is, instead of chasing around +the country after it?" + +"Presently," he answered, "I am going where it is; +but just now I am traveling and have had no breakfast. +Therefore I honor you by asking you for something to +eat." + +"Oho! the Great Frogman is hungry as any tramp, is +he? Then pick up these sticks and help me to build the +fire," said the woman contemptuously. + +"Me! The Great Frogman pick up sticks?" he exclaimed +in horror. "In the Yip Country, where I am more honored +and powerful than any King could be, people weep with +joy when I ask them to feed. me." + +"Then that's the place to go for your breakfast," +declared the woman. + +"I fear you do not realize my importance," urged the +Frogman. "Exceeding wisdom renders me superior to +menial duties." + +"It's a great wonder to me," remarked the woman, +carrying her sticks to the house, "that your wisdom +doesn't inform you that you'll get no breakfast here," +and she went in and slammed the door behind her. + +The Frogman felt he had been insulted, so he gave a +loud croak of indignation and turned away. After going +a short distance he came upon a faint path which led +across a meadow in the direction of a grove of pretty +trees, and thinking this circle of evergreens must +surround a house -- where perhaps he would be kindly +received -- he decided to follow the path. And by and +by he came to the trees, which were set close together, +and pushing aside some branches he found no house +inside the circle, but instead a very beautiful pond of +clear water. + +Now the Frogman, although he was so big and so well +educated and now aped the ways and customs of human +beings, was still a frog. As he gazed at this solitary, +deserted pond, his love for water returned to him with +irresistible force. + +"If I cannot get a breakfast I may at least have a +fine swim," said he, and pushing his way between the +trees he reached the bank. There he took off his fine +clothing, laying his shiny purple hat and his gold- +headed cane beside it. A moment later he sprang with +one leap into the water and dived to the very bottom of +the pond. The water was deliciously cool and grateful +to his thick, rough skin, and the Frogman swam around +the pond several times before he stopped to rest. Then +he floated upon the surface and examined the pond with +some curiosity. The bottom and sides were all lined +with glossy tiles of a light pink color; just one place +in the bottom, where the water bubbled up from a hidden +spring, had been left free. On the banks the green +grass grew to the edge of the pink tiling. + +And now, as the Frogman examined the place, he found +that on one side the pool, just above the water line, +had been set a golden plate on which some words were +deeply engraved. He swam toward this plate and on +reaching it read the following inscription: + + + This is + THE TRUTH POND +Whoever bathes in this + water must always + afterward tell + THE TRUTH + + +This statement startled the Frogman. It even worried +him, so that he leaped upon the bank and hurriedly +began to dress himself. + +"A great misfortune has befallen me," he told +himself, "for hereafter I cannot tell people I am wise, +since it is not the truth. The truth is that my boasted +wisdom is all a sham, assumed by me to deceive people +and make them defer to me. In truth, no living creature +can know much more than his fellows, for one may know +one thing, and another know another thing, so that +wisdom is evenly scattered throughout the world. But -- +ah, me! -- what a terrible fate will now be mine. Even +Cayke the Cookie Cook will soon discover that my +knowledge is no greater than her own; for having bathed +in the enchanted water of the Truth Pond, I can no +longer deceive her or tell a lie." + +More humbled than he had been for many years, the +Frogman went back to the grove where he had left Cayke +and found the woman now awake and washing her face in a +tiny brook. + +"Where has Your Honor been?" she asked. + +"To a farmhouse to ask for something to eat," said +he, "but the woman refused me." + +"How dreadful!" she exclaimed. "But never mind; there +are other houses, where the people will be glad to feed +the Wisest Creature in all the World." + +"Do you mean yourself?" he asked. + +"No, I mean you." + +The Frogman felt strongly impelled to tell the truth, +but struggled hard against it. His reason told him +there was no use in letting Cayke know he was not wise, +for then she would lose much respect for him, but each +time he opened his mouth to speak he realized he was +about to tell the truth and shut it again as quickly as +possible. He tried to talk about something else, but +the words necessary to undeceive the woman would force +themselves to his lips in spite of all his struggles. +Finally, knowing that he must either remain dumb or let +the truth prevail, he gave a low groan of despair and +said: + +"Cayke, I am not the Wisest Creature in all the +World; I am not wise at all." + +"Oh, you must be!" she protested. "You told me so +yourself, only last evening." + +"Then last evening I failed to tell you the truth," +he admitted, looking very shamefaced, for a frog. "I am +sorry I told you that lie, my good Cayke; but, if you +must know the truth, the whole truth and nothing but +the truth, I am not really as wise as you are." + +The Cookie Cook was greatly shocked to hear this, for +it shattered one of her most pleasing illusions. She +looked at the gorgeously dressed Frogman in amazement. + +"What has caused you to change your mind so +suddenly?" she inquired. + +"I have bathed in the Truth Pond," he said, "and +whoever bathes in that water is ever afterward obliged +to tell the truth." + +"You were foolish to do that," declared the woman. +"It is often very embarrassing to tell the truth. I'm +glad I didn't bathe in that dreadful water!" + +The Frogman looked at his companion thoughtfully. + +"Cayke," said he, "I want you to go to the Truth Pond +and take a bath in its water. For, if we are to travel +together and encounter unknown adventures, it would not +be fair that I alone must always tell you the truth, +while you could tell me whatever you pleased. If we +both dip in the enchanted water there will be no chance +in the future of our deceiving one another." + +"No," she asserted, shaking her head positively, "I +won't do it, Your Honor. For, if I told you the truth, +I'm sure you wouldn't like me. No Truth Pond for me. +I'll be just as I am, an honest woman who can say what +she wants to without hurting anyone's feelings." + +With this decision the Frogman was forced to +be content, although he was sorry the Cookie +Cook would not listen to his advice. + + + + +Chapter Fourteen + +The Unhappy Ferryman + + +Leaving the grove where they had slept, the Frogman and +the Cookie Cook turned to the east to seek another +house and after a short walk came to one where the +people received them very politely. The children stared +rather hard at the big, pompous Frogman, but the woman +of the house, when Cayke asked for something to eat, at +once brought them food and said they were welcome to +it. + +"Few people in need of help pass this way," she +remarked, "for the Winkies are all prosperous and love +to stay in their own homes. But perhaps you are not a +Winkie," she added. + +"No," said Cayke, "I am a Yip, and my home is on a +high mountain at the southeast of your country. + +"And the Frogman -- is he, also, a Yip?" + +"I do not know what he is, other than a very +remarkable and highly educated creature," replied the +Cookie Cook. "But he has lived many years among the +Yips, who have found him so wise and intelligent that +they always go to him for advice." + +"May I ask why you have left your home, and where you +are going?" said the Winkie woman. + +Then Cayke told her of the diamond-studded gold +dishpan and how it had been mysteriously stolen from +her house, after which she had discovered that she +could no longer cook good cookies. So she had resolved +to search until she found her dishpan again, because a +Cookie Cook who cannot cook good cookies is not of much +use. The Frogman, who wanted to see more of the world, +had accompanied her to assist in the search. When the +woman had listened to this story she asked. + +"Then you have no idea, as yet, who has stolen your +dishpan?" + +"I only know it must have been some mischievous +fairy, or a magician, or some such powerful person, +because none other could have climbed the steep +mountain to the Yip Country. And who else could have +carried away my beautiful, magic dishpan without being +seen?" + +The woman thought about this during the time that +Cayke and the Frogman ate their breakfast. When they +had finished she said: + +"Where are you going next?" + +"We have not decided," answered the Cookie Cook. + +"Our plan," explained the Frogman, in his important +way, "is to travel from place to place until we learn +where the thief is located, and then to force him to +return the dishpan to its proper owner." + +"The plan is all right," agreed the woman, "but it +may take you a long time before you succeed, your +method being sort of haphazard and indefinite. However, +I advise you to travel toward the east." + +"Why?" asked the Frogman. + +"Because if you went west you would soon come to the +desert, and also because in this part of the Winkie +Country no one steals, so your time here would be +wasted. But toward the east, beyond the river, live +many strange people whose honesty I would not vouch +for. Moreover, if you journey far enough east and cross +the river for a second time, you will come to the +Emerald City, where there is much magic and sorcery. +The Emerald City is ruled by a dear little girl called +Ozma, who also rules the Emperor of the Winkies and all +the Land of Oz. So, as Ozma is a fairy, she may be able +to tell you just who has taken your precious dishpan. +Provided, of course, you do not find it before you +reach her." + +"This seems to me to be excellent advice," said the +Frogman, and Cayke agreed with him. + +"The most sensible thing for you to do," continued +the woman, "would be to return to your home and use +another dishpan; learning to cook cookies as other +people cook cookies, without the aid of magic. But, if +you cannot be happy without the magic dishpan you have +lost, you are likely to learn more about it in the +Emerald City than at any other place in Oz." + +They thanked the good woman and on leaving her house +faced the east and continued in that direction all the +way. Toward evening they came to the west branch of the +Winkie River and there, on the river bank, found a +ferryman who lived all alone in a little yellow house. + +This ferryman was a Winkie with a very small head and +a very large body. He was sitting in his doorway as the +travelers approached him and did not even turn his head +to look at them. + +"Good evening," said the Frogman. + +The ferryman made no reply. + +"We would like some supper and the privilege of +sleeping in your house until morning," continued the +Frogman. "At daybreak we would like some breakfast and +then we would like to have you row us across the +river." + +The ferryman neither moved nor spoke. He sat in his +doorway and looked straight ahead. + +"I think he must be deaf and dumb," Cayke whispered +to her companion. Then she stood directly in front of +the ferryman and putting her mouth close to his ear she +yelled as loudly as she could: + +"Good evening!" + +The ferryman scowled. + +"Why do you yell at me, woman?" he asked. + +"Can you hear what I say?" she asked in her ordinary +tone of voice. + +"Of course," replied the man. + +"Then why didn't you answer the Frogman?" + +"Because," said the ferryman, "I don't understand the +frog language. + +"He speaks the same words that I do and in the same +way," declared Cayke. + +"Perhaps," replied the ferryman; "but to me his voice +sounded like a frog's croak. I know that in the Land of +Oz animals can speak our language, and so can the +birds and bugs and fishes; but in my ears they sound +merely like growls and chirps and croaks." + +"Why is that?" asked the Cookie Cook in surprise. + +"Once, many years ago, I cut the tail off a fox which +had taunted me; and I stole some birds eggs from a nest +to make an omelet with, and also I pulled a fish from +the river and left it lying on the bank to gasp for +lack of water until it died. I don't know why I did +those wicked things, but I did them. So the Emperor of +the Winkies -- who is the Tin Woodman and has a very +tender tin heart -- punished me by denying me any +communication with beasts, birds or fishes. I cannot +understand them when they speak to me, although I know +that other people can do so, nor can the creatures +understand a word I say to them. Every time I meet one +of them I am reminded of my former cruelty, and it +makes me very unhappy." + +"Really," said Cayke, "I'm sorry for you, although +the Tin Woodman is not to blame for punishing you." + +"What is he mumbling about?" asked the Frogman. + +"He is talking to me, but you don't understand him," +she replied. And then she told him of the ferryman's +punishment and afterward explained to the ferryman that +they wanted to stay all night with him and be fed. + +He gave them some fruit and bread, which was the only +sort of food he had, and he allowed Cayke to sleep in a +room of his cottage. But the Frogman he refused to +admit to his house, saying that the frog's presence +made him miserable and unhappy. At no time would he +look directly at the Frogman, or even toward him, +fearing he would shed tears if he did so; so the big +frog slept on the river bank, where he could hear +little frogs croaking in the river all the night +through. But that did not keep him awake; it merely +soothed him to slumber, for he realized how much +superior he was to them. + +Just as the sun was rising on a new day the ferryman +rowed the two travelers across the river -- keeping his +back to the Frogman all the way -- and then Cayke +thanked him and bade him good-bye and the ferryman +rowed home again. + +On this side the river there were no paths at all, so +it was evident they had reached a part of the country +little frequented by travelers. There was a marsh at +the south of them, sandhills at the north and a growth +of scrubby underbrush leading toward a forest at the +east. So the east was really the least difficult way to +go and that direction was the one they had determined +to follow. + +Now the Frogman, although he wore green patent- +leather shoes with ruby buttons, had very large and +flat feet, and when he tramped through the scrub his +weight crushed down the underbrush and made a path for +Cayke to follow him. Therefore they soon reached the +forest, where the tall trees were set far apart but +were so leafy that they shaded all the spaces between +them with their branches. + +"There are no bushes here," said Cayke, much pleased, +"so we can now travel faster and with more comfort." + + + + +Chapter Fifteen + +The Big Lavender Bear + + +It was a pleasant place to wander in and the two +travelers were proceeding at a brisk pace when suddenly +a voice shouted: + +"Halt!" + +They looked around in surprise, seeing at first no +one at all. Then from behind a tree there stepped a +brown fuzzy bear, whose head came about as high as +Cayke's waist -- and Cayke was a small woman. The bear +was chubby as well as fuzzy; his body was even puffy, +while his legs and arms seemed jointed at the knees and +elbows and fastened to his body by pins or rivets. His +ears were round in shape and stuck out in a comical +way, while his round black eyes were bright and +sparkling as heads. Over his shoulder the little brown +bear bore a gun with a tin barrel. The barrel had a +cork in the end of it and a string was attached to the +cork and to the handle of the gun. + +Both the Frogman and Cayke gazed hard at this curious +bear, standing silent for some time. But finally the +Frogman recovered from his surprise and remarked: + +"It seems to me that you are stuffed with sawdust and +ought not to be alive." + +"That's all you know about it," answered the little +Brown Bear in a squeaky voice. "I am stuffed with a +very good quality of curled hair and my skin is the +best plush that was ever made. As for my being alive, +that is my own affair and cannot concern you at all +except that it gives me the privilege to say you are my +prisoners." + +"Prisoners! Why do you speak such nonsense?" asked +the Frogman angrily. "Do you think we are afraid of a +toy bear with a toy gun?" + +"You ought to be," was the confident reply, "for I am +merely the sentry guarding the way to Bear Center, +which is a city containing hundreds of my race, who are +ruled by a very powerful sorcerer known as the Lavender +Bear. He ought to be a purple color, you know, seeing +he is a King, but he's only light lavender, which is, +of course, second cousin to royal purple. So, unless +you come with me peaceably, as my prisoners, I shall +fire my gun and bring a hundred bears -- of all sizes +and colors -- to capture you." + +"Why do you wish to capture us?" inquired the +Frogman, who had listened to this speech with much +astonishment. + +"I don't wish to, as a matter of fact," replied the +little Brown Bear, "but it is my duty to, because you +are now trespassing on the domain of His Majesty the +King of Bear Center. Also I will admit that things are +rather quiet in our city, just now, and the excitement +of your capture, followed by your trial and execution, +should afford us much entertainment." + +"We defy you!" said the Frogman. + +"Oh, no; don't do that," pleaded Cayke, speaking to +her companion. "He says his King is a sorcerer, so +perhaps it is he or one of his bears who ventured to +steal my jeweled dishpan. Let us go to the City of the +Bears and discover if my dishpan is there." + +"I must now register one more charge against you," +remarked the little Brown Bear, with evident +satisfaction. "You have just accused us of stealing, +and that is such a dreadful thing to say that I am +quite sure our noble King will command you to be +executed." + +"But how could you execute us?" inquired the Cookie +Cook. + +"I've no idea. But our King is a wonderful inventor +and there is no doubt he can find a proper way to +destroy you. So, tell me, are you going to struggle, or +will you go peaceably to meet your doom?" + +It was all so ridiculous that Cayke laughed aloud and +even the Frogman's wide mouth curled in a smile. +Neither was a bit afraid to go to the Bear City and it +seemed to both that there was a possibility they might +discover the missing dishpan. So the Frogman said: + +"Lead the way, little Bear, and we will follow +without a struggle." + +"That's very sensible of you; very sensible, indeed!" +declared the Brown Bear. "So -- forward march!" and +with the command he turned around and began to waddle +along a path that led between the trees. + +Cayke and the Frogman, as they followed their +conductor, could scarce forbear laughing at his stiff, +awkward manner of walking and, although he moved his +stuffy legs fast, his steps were so short that they had +to go slowly in order not to run into him. But after a +time they reached a large, circular space in the center +of the forest, which was clear of any stumps or +underbrush. The ground was covered by a soft gray moss, +pleasant to tread upon. All the trees surrounding this +space seemed to be hollow and had round holes in their +trunks, set a little way above the ground, but +otherwise there was nothing unusual about the place and +nothing in the opinion of the prisoners, to indicate a +settlement. But the little Brown Bear said in a proud +and impressive voice (although it still squeaked): + +"This is the wonderful city known to fame as Bear +Center!" + +"But there are no houses; there are no bears living +here at all!" exclaimed Cayke. + +"Oh, indeed!" retorted their captor and raising his +gun he pulled the trigger. The cork flew out of the tin +barrel with a loud "pop!" and at once from every hole +in ever tree within view of the clearing appeared the +head of a bear. They were of many colors and of many +sizes, but all were made in the same manner as the bear +who had met and captured them. + +At first a chorus of growls arose and then a sharp +voice cried: + +"What has happened, Corporal Waddle?" + +"Captives, Your Majesty!" answered the Brown Bear. +"Intruders upon our domain and slanderers of our good +name." + +"Ah, that's important," answered the voice. + +Then from out the hollow trees tumbled a whole +regiment of stuffed bears, some carrying tin swords, +some popguns and other long spears with gay ribbons +tied to the handles. There were hundreds of them, +altogether, and they quickly formed a circle around the +Frogman and the Cookie Cook but kept at a distance and +left a large space for the prisoners to stand in. + +Presently this circle parted and into the center of +it stalked a huge toy bear of a lovely lavender color. +He walked upon his hind legs, as did all the others, +and on his head he wore a tin crown set with diamonds +and amethysts, while in one paw he carried a short wand +of some, glimmering metal that resembled silver but +wasn't. + +"His Majesty the King!" shouted Corporal Waddle, and +all the bears bowed low. Some bowed so low that they +lost their balance and toppled over, but they soon +scrambled up again and the Lavender King squatted on +his haunches before the prisoners and gazed at them +steadily with his bright pink eyes. + + + + +Chapter Sixteen + +The Little Pink Bear + + +"One Person and one Freak," said the big Lavender Bear, +when he had carefully examined the strangers. + +"I am sorry to hear you call poor Cayke the Cookie +Cook a Freak," remonstrated the Frogman. + +"She is the Person," asserted the King. "Unless I am +mistaken, it is you who are the Freak." + +The Frogman was silent, for he could not truthfully +deny it. + +"Why have you dared intrude in my forest?" demanded +the Bear King. + +"We didn't know it was your forest," said Cayke, "and +we are on our way to the far east, where the Emerald +City is." + +"Ah, it's a long way from here to the Emerald City," +remarked the King. "It is so far away, indeed, that no +bear among us has ever been there. But what errand +requires you to travel such a distance?" + +"Someone has stolen my diamond-studded gold dishpan," +explained Cayke; "and, as I cannot be happy without it, +I have decided to search the world over until I find it +again. The Frogman, who is very learned and wonderfully +wise, has come with me to give me his assistance. Isn't +it kind of him?" + +The King looked at the Frogman. + +"What makes you so wonderfully wise?" he asked. + +"I'm not," was the candid reply. "The Cookie Cook, +and some others in the Yip Country, think because I am +a big frog and talk and act like a man, that I must be +very wise. I have learned more than a frog usually +knows, it is true, but I am not yet so wise as I hope +to become at some future time." + +The King nodded, and when he did so something +squeaked in his chest. + +"Did Your Majesty speak?" asked Cayke. + +"Not just then," answered the Lavender Bear, seeming +to be somewhat embarrassed. "I am so built, you must +know, that when anything pushes against my chest, as my +chin accidentally did just then, I make that silly +noise. In this city it isn't considered good manners to +notice it. But I like your Frogman. He is honest and +truthful, which is more than can be said of many +others. As for your late lamented dishpan, I'll show it +to you. + +With this he waved three times the metal wand which +he held in his paw and instantly there appeared upon +the ground, midway between the King and Cayke, a big +round pan made of beaten gold. Around the top edge was +a row of small diamonds; around the center of the pan +was another row of larger diamonds; and at the bottom +was a row of exceedingly large and brilliant diamonds. +In fact, they all sparkled magnificently and the pan +was so big and broad that it took a lot of diamonds to +go around it three times. + +Cayke stared so hard that her eyes seemed about to +pop out of her head. + +"O-o-oh!" she exclaimed, drawing a deep breath of +delight. + +"Is this your dishpan?" inquired the King. + +"It is -- it is!" cried the Cookie Cook, and rushing +forward she fell on her knees and threw her arms around +the precious pan. But her arms came together without +meeting any resistance at all. Cayke tried to seize the +edge, but found nothing to grasp. The pan was surely +there, she thought, for she could see it plainly; but +it was not solid; she could not feel it at all. With a +moan of astonishment and despair she raised her head to +look at the Bear King, who was watching her actions +curiously. Then she turned to the pan again, only to +find it had completely disappeared. + +"Poor creature!" murmured the King pityingly. "You +must have thought, for the moment, that you had +actually recovered your dishpan. But what you saw was +merely the image of it, conjured up by means of my +magic. It is a pretty dishpan, indeed, though rather +big and awkward to handle. I hope you will some day +find it." + +Cayke was grievously disappointed. She began to cry, +wiping her eyes on her apron. The King turned to the +throng of toy bears surrounding him and asked: + +"Has any of you ever seen this golden dishpan +before?" + +"No," they answered in a chorus. + +The King seemed to reflect. Presently he inquired: + +"Where is the Little Pink Bear?" + +"At home, Your Majesty," was the reply. + +"Fetch him here," commanded the King. + +Several of the bears waddled over to one of the trees +and pulled from its hollow a tiny pink bear, smaller +than any of the others. A big white bear carried the +pink one in his arms and set it down beside the King, +arranging the joints of its legs so that it would stand +upright. + +This Pink Bear seemed lifeless until the King turned +a crank which protruded from its side, when the little +creature turned its head stiffly from side to side and +said in a small shrill voice: + +"Hurrah for the King of Bear Center!" + +"Very good," said the big Lavender Bear; "he seems to +be working very well today. Tell me, my Pink Pinkerton, +what has become of this lady's jeweled dishpan?" + +"U-u-u," said the Pink Bear, and then stopped short. + +The King turned the crank again. + +"U-g-u the Shoemaker has it," said the Pink Bear. + +"Who is Ugu the Shoemaker?" demanded the King, again +turning the crank. + +"A magician who lives on a mountain in a wickerwork +castle," was the reply. + +"Where is this mountain?" was the next question. + +"Nineteen miles and three furlongs from Bear Center +to the northeast." + +"And is the dishpan still at the castle of Ugu the +Shoemaker?" asked the King. + +"It is." + +The King turned to Cayke. + +"You may rely on this information," said he. "The +Pink Bear can tell us anything we wish to know, and his +words are always words of truth." + +"Is he alive?" asked the Frogman, much interested in +the Pink Bear. + +"Something animates him -- when you turn his crank," +replied the King. "I do not know if it is life, or what +it is, or how it happens that the Little Pink Bear can +answer correctly every question put to him. We +discovered his talent a long time ago and whenever we +wish to know anything -- which is not very often -- we +ask the Pink Bear. There is no doubt whatever, madam, +that Ugu the Magician has your dishpan, and if you dare +go to him you may be able to recover it. But of that I +am not certain." + +"Can't the Pink Bear tell?" asked Cayke anxiously. + +"No, for that is in the future. He can tell anything +that has happened, but nothing that is going +to happen. Don't ask me why, for I don't know." + +"Well," said the Cookie Cook, after a little thought, +"I mean to go to this magician, anyhow, and tell him I +want my dishpan. I wish I knew what Ugu the Shoemaker +is like." + +"Then I'll show him to you," promised the King. "But +do not be frightened; it won't be Ugu, remember, but +only his image." + +With this he waved his metal wand again and in the +circle suddenly appeared a thin little man, very old +and skinny, who was seated on a wicker stool before a +wicker table. On the table lay a Great Book with gold +clasps. The Book was open and the man was reading in +it. He wore great spectacles, which were fastened +before his eyes by means of a ribbon that passed around +his head and was tied in a bow at the back. His hair +was very thin and white; his skin, which clung fast to +his bones, was brown and seared with furrows; he had a +big, fat nose and little eyes set close together. + +On no account was Ugu the Shoemaker a pleasant person +to gaze at. As his image appeared before them, all were +silent and intent until Corporal Waddle, the Brown +Bear, became nervous and Pulled the trigger of his gun. +Instantly the cork flew out of the tin barrel with a +loud "pop!" that made them all jump. And, at this +sound, the image of the magician vanished. + +"So! that's the thief, is it?" said Cayke, in an +angry voice. "I should think he'd be ashamed of himself +for stealing a poor woman's diamond dishpan! But I mean +to face him in his wicker castle and force him to +return my property." + +"To me," said the Bear King, reflectively, "he looked +like a dangerous person. I hope he won't be so unkind +as to argue the matter with you." + +The Frogman was much disturbed by the vision of Ugu +the Shoemaker, and Cayke's determination to go to the +magician filled her companion with misgivings. But he +would not break his pledged word to assist the Cookie +Cook and after breathing a deep sigh of resignation he +asked the King: + +"Will Your Majesty lend us this Pink Bear who answers +questions, that we may take him with us on our journey? +He would be very useful to us and we will promise to +bring him safely hack to you." + +The King did not reply at once; he seemed to be +thinking. + +"Please let us take the Pink Bear," begged Cayke. +"I'm sure he would be a great help to us." + +"The Pink Bear," said the King, "is the best bit of +magic I possess, and there is not another like him in +the world. I do not care to let him out of my sight; +nor do I wish to disappoint you; so I believe I will +make the journey in your company and carry my Pink Bear +with me. He can walk, when you wind the other side of +him, but so slowly and awkwardly that he would delay +you. But if I go along I can carry him in my arms, so I +will join your party. Whenever you are ready to start, +let me know. + +"But -- Your Majesty!" exclaimed Corporal Waddle in +protest, "I hope you do not intend to let these +prisoners escape without punishment." + +"Of what crime do you accuse them?" inquired the +King. + +"Why, they trespassed on your domain, for one thing," +said the Brown Bear. + +"We didn't know it was private property, Your +Majesty," said the Cookie Cook. + +"And they asked if any of us had stolen the dishpan!" +continued Corporal Waddle indignantly. "That is the +same thing as calling us thieves and robbers, and +bandits and brigands, is it not?" + +"Every person has the right to ask questions," said +the Frogman. + +"But the Corporal is quite correct," declared the +Lavender Bear. "I condemn you both to death, the +execution to take place ten years from this hour." + +"But we belong in the Land of Oz, where no one ever +dies," Cayke reminded him. + +"Very true, said the King. "I condemn you to death +merely as a matter of form. It sounds quite terrible, +and in ten years we shall have forgotten all about it. +Are you ready to start for the wicker castle of Ugu the +Shoemaker?" + +"Quite ready, Your Majesty." + +"But who will rule in your place, while you are +gone?" asked a big Yellow Bear. + +"I myself will rule while I am gone," was the reply. +"A King isn't required to stay at home forever, and if +he takes a notion to travel, whose business is it but +his own? All I ask is that you bears behave yourselves +while I am away. If any of you is naughty, I'll send +him to some girl or boy in America to play with." + +This dreadful threat made all the toy bears look +solemn. They assured the King, in a chorus of growls, +that they would be good. Then the big Lavender Bear +picked up the little Pink Bear and after tucking it +carefully under one arm he said "Good-bye till I come +back!" and waddled along the path that led through the +forest. The Frogman and Cayke the Cookie Cook also said +good-bye to the bears and then followed after the King, +much to the regret of the little Brown Bear, who pulled +the trigger of his gun and popped the cork as a parting +salute. + + + + +Chapter Seventeen + +The Meeting + + +While the Frog man and his party were advancing from +the west, Dorothy and her party were advancing from +the east, and so it happened that on the following +night they all camped at a little hill that was only a +few miles from the wicker castle of Ugu the Shoemaker. +But the two parties did not see one another that night, +for one camped on one side of the hill while the other +camped on the opposite side. But the next morning the +Frogman thought he would climb the hill and see what +was on top of it, and at the same time Scraps, the +Patchwork Girl, also decided to climb the hill to find +if the wicker castle was visible from its top. So she +stuck her head over an edge just as the Frogman's head +appeared over another edge and both, being surprised, +kept still while they took a good look at one another. + +Scraps recovered from her astonishment first and +bounding upward she turned a somersault and landed +sitting down and facing the big Frogman, who slowly +advanced and sat opposite her. + +"Well met, Stranger!" cried the Patchwork Girl, with +a whoop of laughter. "You are quite the funniest +individual I have seen in all my travels." + +"Do you suppose I can be any funnier than you?" asked +the Frogman, gazing at her in wonder. + +"I'm, not funny to myself, you know," returned +Scraps. "I wish I were. And perhaps you are so used to +your own absurd shape that you do not laugh whenever +you see your reflection in a pool, or in a mirror. + +"No," said the Frogman gravely, "I do not. I used to +be proud of my great size and vain of my culture and +education, but since I bathed in the Truth Pond I +sometimes think it is not right that I should be +different from all other frogs." + +"Right or wrong," said the Patchwork Girl, "to be +different is to be distinguished. Now, in my case, I'm +just like all other Patchwork Girls because I'm the +only one there is. But, tell me, where did you come +from?" + +"The Yip Country," said he. + +"Is that in the Land of Oz?" + +"Of course," replied the Frogman. + +"And do you know that your Ruler, Ozma of Oz, has +been stolen?" + +"I was not aware that I had a Ruler, so of course I +couldn't know that she was stolen." + +"Well, you have. All the people of Oz," explained +Scraps, "are ruled by Ozma, whether they know it or +not. And she has been stolen. Aren't you angry? Aren't +you indignant? Your Ruler, whom you didn't know you +had, has positively been stolen!" + +"That is queer," remarked the Frogman thoughtfully. +"Stealing is a thing practically unknown in Oz, yet +this Ozma has been taken and a friend of mine has also +had her dishpan stolen. With her I have traveled all +the way from the Yip Country in order to recover it." + +"I don't see any connection between a Royal Ruler of +Oz and a dishpan!" declared Scraps. + +"They've both been stolen, haven't they?" + +"True. But why can't your friend wash her dishes in +another dishpan?" asked Scraps. + +"Why can't you use another Royal Ruler? I suppose you +prefer the one who is lost, and my friend wants her own +dishpan, which is made of gold and studded with +diamonds and has magic powers. + +"Magic, eh?" exclaimed Scraps. "There is a link that +connects the two steals, anyhow, for it seems that all +the magic in the Land of Oz was stolen at the same +time, whether it was in the Emerald City or in Glinda's +castle or in the Yip Country. Seems mighty strange and +mysterious, doesn't it?" + +"It used to seem that way to us," admitted the +Frogman, "but we have now discovered who took our +dishpan. It was Ugu the Shoemaker." + +"Ugu? Good gracious! That's the same magician we +think has stolen Ozma. We are now on our way to the +castle of this Shoemaker." + +"So are we," said the Frogman. + +"Then follow me, quick! and let me introduce you to +Dorothy and the other girls and to the Wizard of Oz and +all the rest of us." + +She sprang up and seized his coat-sleeve, dragging +him off the hilltop and down the other side from that +whence he had come. And at the foot of the hill the +Frogman was astonished to find the three girls and the +Wizard and Button-Bright, who were surrounded by a +wooden Sawhorse, a lean Mule, a square Woozy and a +Cowardly Lion. A little black dog ran up and smelled at +the Frogman, but couldn't growl at him. + +"I've discovered another party that has been robbed," +shouted Scraps as she joined them. "This is their +leader and they're all going to Ugu's castle to fight +the wicked Shoemaker!" + +They regarded the Frogman with much curiosity and +interest and, finding all eyes fixed upon him, the +newcomer arranged his necktie and smoothed his +beautiful vest and swung his gold-headed cane like a +regular dandy. The big spectacles over his eyes quite +altered his froglike countenance and gave him a learned +and impressive look. Used as she was to seeing strange +creatures in the Land of Oz, Dorothy was amazed at +discovering the Frogman. So were all her companions. +Toto wanted to growl at him, but couldn't, and he +didn't dare bark. The Sawhorse snorted rather +contemptuously, but the Lion whispered to the wooden +steed: "Bear with this strange creature, my friend, and +remember he is no more extraordinary than you are. +Indeed, it is more natural for a frog to be big than +for a Sawhorse to be alive." + +On being questioned, the Frogman told them the whole +story of the loss of Cayke's highly prized dishpan and +their adventures in search of it. When he came to tell +of the Lavender Bear King and of the Little Pink Bear +who could tell anything you wanted to know, his hearers +became eager to see such interesting animals. + +"It will be best," said the Wizard, "to unite our two +parties and share our fortunes together, for we are all +bound on the same errand and as one band we may more +easily defy this shoemaker magician than if separate. +Let us be allies." + +"I will ask my friends about that," replied the +Frogman, and climbed over the hill to find Cayke and +the toy bears. The Patchwork Girl accompanied him and +when they came upon the Cookie Cook and the Lavender +Bear and the Pink Bear it was hard to tell which of the +lot was the most surprised. + +"Mercy me!" cried Cayke, addressing the Patchwork +Girl. "However did you come alive?" + +Scraps stared at the bears. + +"Mercy me!" she echoed; "you are stuffed, as I am, +with cotton, and yet you appear to be living. That +makes me feel ashamed, for I have prided myself on +being the only live cotton-stuffed person in Oz." + +"Perhaps you are," returned the Lavender Bear, "for I +am stuffed with extra-quality curled hair, and so is +the Little Pink Bear." + +"You have relieved my mind of a great anxiety," +declared the Patchwork Girl, now speaking more +cheerfully. "The Scarecrow is stuffed with straw, and +you with hair, so I am still the Original and Only +Cotton-Stuffed!" + +"I hope I am too polite to criticize cotton, as +compared with curled hair," said the King, "especially +as you seem satisfied with it." + +Then the Frogman told of his interview with the party +from the Emerald City and added that the Wizard of Oz +had invited the bears and Cayke and himself to travel +in company with them to the castle of Ugu the +Shoemaker. Cayke was much pleased, but the Bear King +looked solemn. He set the Little Pink Bear on his lap +and turned the crank in its side and asked: + +"Is it safe for us to associate with those people +from the Emerald City?" + +And the Pink Bear at once replied: "Safe for you and +safe for me; Perhaps no others safe will be." + +"That 'perhaps' need not worry us," said the King; +"so let us join the others and offer them our +protection." + +Even the Lavender Bear was astonished, however, when +on climbing over the hill he found on the other side +the group of queer animals and the people from the +Emerald City. The bears and Cayke were received very +cordially, although Button-Bright was cross when they +wouldn't let him play with the Little Pink Bear. The +three girls greatly admired the toy bears, and +especially the pink one, which they longed to hold. + +"You see," explained the Lavender King, in denying +them this privilege, "he's a very valuable bear, +because his magic is a correct guide on all occasions, +and especially if one is in difficulties. It was the +Pink Bear who told us that Ugu the Shoemaker had stolen +the Cookie Cook's dishpan." + +"And the King's magic is just as wonderful," added +Cayke, "because it showed us the Magician himself." + +"What did he look like?" inquired Dorothy. + +"He was dreadful!" + +"He was sitting at a table and examining an immense +Book which had three golden clasps," remarked the King. + +"Why, that must have been Glinda's Great Book of +Records!" exclaimed Dorothy. "If it is, it proves that +Ugu the Shoemaker stole Ozma, and with her all the +magic in the Emerald City." + +"And my dishpan," said Cayke. + + And the Wizard added: + +"It also proves that he is following our adventures +in the Book of Records, and therefore knows that we are +seeking him and that we are determined to find him and +rescue Ozma at all hazards." + +"If we can," added the Woozy, but everybody frowned +at him. + +The Wizard's statement was so true that the faces +around him were very serious until the Patchwork Girl +broke into a peal of laughter. + +"Wouldn't it be a rich joke if he made prisoners of +us, too?" she said. + +"No one but a crazy Patchwork Girl would consider +that a joke," grumbled Button-Bright. + +And then the Lavender Bear King asked: + +"Would you like to see this magical shoemaker?" + +"Wouldn't he know it?" Dorothy inquired. + +"No, I think not." + +Then the King waved his metal wand and before them +appeared a room in the wicker castle of Ugu. On the +wall of the room hung Ozma's Magic Picture, and seated +before it was the Magician. They could see the Picture +as well as he could, because it faced them, and in the +Picture was the hillside where they were now sitting, +all their forms being reproduced in miniature. And, +curiously enough, within the scene of the Picture was +the scene they were now beholding, so they knew that +the Magician was at this moment watching them in the +Picture, and also that he saw himself and the room he +was in become visible to the people on the hillside. +Therefore he knew very well that they were watching him +while he was watching them. + +In proof of this, Ugu sprang from his seat and turned +a scowling face in their direction; but now he could +not see the travelers who were seeking him, although +they could still see him. His actions were so distinct, +indeed, that it seemed he was actually before them. + +"It is only a ghost," said the Bear King. "It isn't +real at all, except that it shows us Ugu just as he +looks and tells us truly just what he is doing." + +"I don't see anything of my lost growl, though," said +Toto, as if to himself. + +Then the vision faded away and they could see nothing +but the grass and trees and bushes around them. + + + + +Chapter Eighteen + +The Conference + + +"Now, then," said the Wizard, "let us talk this matter +over and decide what to do when we get to Ugu's wicker +castle. There can be no doubt that the Shoemaker is a +powerful Magician, and his powers have been increased a +hundredfold since he secured the Great Book of Records, +the Magic Picture, all of Glinda's recipes for sorcery +and my own black bag -- which was full of tools of +wizardry. The man who could rob us of those things, and +the man with all their powers at his command, is one +who may prove somewhat difficult to conquer; there fore +we should plan our actions well before we venture too +near to his castle." + +"I didn't see Ozma in the Magic Picture," said Trot. +"What do you suppose Ugu has done with her?" + +"Couldn't the Little Pink Bear tell us what he did +with Ozma?" asked Button-Bright. + +"To be sure," replied the Lavender King; "I'll ask +him." + +So he turned the crank in the Little Pink Bear's side +and inquired: + +"Did Ugu the Shoemaker steal Ozma of Oz?" + +"Yes," answered the Little Pink Bear. + +"Then what did he do with her?" asked the King. + +"Shut her up in a dark place," answered the Little +Pink Bear. + +"Oh, that must be a dungeon cell!" cried Dorothy, +horrified. "How dreadful!" + +"Well, we must get her out of it," said the Wizard. +"That is what we came for and of course we must rescue +Ozma. But -- how?" + +Each one looked at some other one for an answer and +all shook their heads in a grave and dismal manner. All +but Scraps, who danced around them gleefully. + +"You're afraid," said the Patchwork Girl, "because so +many things can hurt your meat bodies. Why don't you +give it up and go home? How can you fight a great +magician when you have nothing to fight with?" + +Dorothy looked at her reflectively. + +"Scraps," said she, "you know that Ugu couldn't hurt +you, a bit, whatever he did; nor could he hurt me, +'cause I wear the Nome King's Magic Belt. Spose just we +two go on together, and leave the others here to wait +for us?" + +"No, no!" said the Wizard positively. "That won't do +at all. Ozma is more powerful than either of you, yet +she could not defeat the wicked Ugu, who has shut her +up in a dungeon. We must go to the Shoemaker in one +mighty band, for only in union is there strength." + +"That is excellent advice," said the Lavender Bear, +approvingly. + +"But what can we do, when we get to Ugu?" inquired +the Cookie Cook anxiously. + +"Do not expect a prompt answer to that important +question," replied the Wizard, "for we must first plan +our line of conduct. Ugu knows, of course, that we are +after him, for he has seen our approach in the Magic +Picture, and he has read of all we have done up to the +present moment in the Great Book of Records. Therefore +we cannot expect to take him by surprise." + +"Don't you suppose Ugu would listen to reason?" asked +Betsy. "If we explained to him how wicked he has been, +don't you think he'd let poor Ozma go?" + +"And give me back my dishpan?" added the Cookie Cook +eagerly. + +"Yes, yes; won't he say he's sorry and get on his +knees and beg our pardon?" cried Scraps, turning a +flip-flop to show her scorn of the Suggestion. "When +Ugu the Shoemaker does that, please knock at the front +door and let me know." + +The Wizard sighed and rubbed his bald head with a +puzzled air. + +"I'm quite sure Ugu will not be polite to us, said +he, "so we must conquer this cruel magician by force, +much as we dislike to be rude to anyone. But none of +you has yet suggested a way to do that. Couldn't the +Little Pink Bear tell us how?" he asked, turning to the +Bear King. + +"No, for that is something that is going to happen," +replied the Lavender Bear. "He can only tell us what +already has happened." + +Again they were grave and thoughtful. But after a +time Betsy said in a hesitating voice: + +"Hank is a great fighter; perhaps he could +conquer the magician." + +The Mule turned his head to look reproachfully at his +old friend, the young girl. + +"Who can fight against magic?" he asked. + +"The Cowardly Lion could," said Dorothy. + +The Lion, who was lying with his front legs spread +out, his chin on his paws, raised his shaggy head. + +"I can fight when I'm not afraid," said he calmly; +"but the mere mention of a fight sets me to trembling." + +"Ugu's magic couldn't hurt the Sawhorse," suggested +tiny Trot. + +"And the Sawhorse couldn't hurt the Magician," +declared that wooden animal. + +"For my part," said Toto, "I am helpless, having lost +my growl." + +"Then," said Cayke the Cookie Cook, "we must depend +upon the Frogman. His marvelous wisdom will surely +inform him how to conquer the wicked Magician and +restore to me my dishpan." + +All eyes were now turned questioningly upon the +Frogman. Finding himself the center of observation, he +swung his gold-headed cane, adjusted his big spectacles +and after swelling out his chest, sighed and said in a +modest tone of voice: + +"Respect for truth obliges me to confess that Cayke +is mistaken in regard to my superior wisdom. I am not +very wise. Neither have I had any practical experience +in conquering magicians. But let us consider this case. +What is Ugu, and what is a magician? Ugu is a renegade +shoemaker and a magician is an ordinary man who, having +learned how to do magical tricks, considers himself +above his fellows. In this case, the Shoemaker has been +naughty enough to steal a lot of magical tools and +things that did not belong to him, and it is more +wicked to steal than to be a magician. Yet, with all +the arts at his command, Ugu is still a man, and surely +there are ways in which a man may be conquered. How, +do you say, how? Allow me to state that I don't know. +In my judgment we cannot decide how best to act until +we get to Ugu's castle. So let us go to it and take a +look at it. After that we may discover an idea that +will guide us to victory." + +"That may not be a wise speech, but it sounds good," +said Dorothy approvingly. "Ugu the Shoemaker is not +only a common man, but he's a wicked man and a cruel +man and deserves to be conquered. We mustn't have any +mercy on him till Ozma is set free. So let's go to his +castle, as the Frogman says, and see what the place +looks like." + +No one offered an objection to this plan and so it +was adopted. They broke camp and were about to start on +the journey to Ugu's castle when they discovered that +Button-Bright was lost again. The girls and the Wizard +shouted his name and the Lion roared and the Donkey +brayed and the Frogman croaked and the Big Lavender +Bear growled (to the envy of Toto, who couldn't growl +but barked his loudest) yet none of them could make +Button-Bright hear. So, after vainly searching for the +boy a full hour, they formed a procession and proceeded +in the direction of the wicker castle of Ugu the +Shoemaker. + +"Button-Bright's always getting lost," said Dorothy. +"And, if he wasn't always getting found again, I'd +prob'ly worry. He may have gone ahead of us, and he may +have gone back; but, wherever he is, we'll find him +sometime and somewhere, I'm almost sure. + + + + +Chapter Nineteen + +Ugu the Shoemaker + + +A curious thing about Ugu the Shoemaker was that he +didn't suspect, in the least, that he was wicked. He +wanted to be powerful and great and he hoped to make +himself master of all the Land of Oz, that he might +compel everyone in that fairy country to obey him. His +ambition blinded him to the rights of others and he +imagined anyone else would act just as he did if anyone +else happened to be as clever as himself. + +When he inhabited his little shoemaking shop in the +City of Herku he had been discontented, for a shoemaker +is not looked upon with high respect and Ugu knew that +his ancestors had been famous magicians for many +centuries past and therefore his family was above the +ordinary. Even his father practiced magic, when Ugu was +a boy; but his father had wandered away from Herku and +had never come back again. So, when Ugu grew up, he was +forced to make shoes for a living, knowing nothing of +the magic of his forefathers. But one day, in searching +through the attic of his house, he discovered all the +books of magical recipes and many magical instruments +which had formerly been in use in his family. From that +day he stopped making shoes and began to study magic. +Finally he aspired to become the greatest magician in +Oz, and for days and weeks and months he thought on a +plan to render all the other sorcerers and wizards, as +well as those with fairy powers, helpless to oppose +him. + +From the books of his ancestors he learned the +following facts: + +(1) That Ozma of Oz was the fairy ruler of the +Emerald City and the Land of Oz, and that she could not +be destroyed by any magic ever devised. Also, by means +of her Magic Picture she would be able to discover +anyone who approached her royal palace with the idea of +conquering it. + +(2) That Glinda the Good was the most powerful +Sorceress in Oz, among her other magical possessions +being the Great Book of Records, which told her all +that happened anywhere in the world. This Book of +Records was very dangerous to Ugu's plans and Glinda +was in the service of Ozma and would use her arts of +sorcery to protect the girl Ruler. + +(3) That the Wizard of Oz, who lived in Ozma's +palace, had been taught much powerful magic by Glinda +and had a bag of magic tools with which he might be +able to conquer the Shoemaker. + +(4) That there existed in Oz-in the Yip Country -- a +jeweled dishpan made of gold, which dishpan possessed +marvelous powers of magic. At a magic word, which Ugu +learned from the book, the dishpan would grow large +enough for a man to sit inside it. Then, when he +grasped both the golden handles, the dishpan would +transport him in an instant to any place he wished to +go within the borders of the Land of Oz. + +No one now living, except Ugu, knew of the powers of +this Magic Dishpan; so, after long study, the shoemaker +decided that if he could manage to secure the dishpan +he could, by its means, rob Ozma and Glinda and the +Wizard of Oz of all their magic, thus becoming himself +the most powerful person in all the land. + +His first act was to go away from the City of Herku +and built for himself the Wicker Castle in the hills. +Here he carried his books and instruments of magic and +here for a full year he diligently practiced all the +magical arts learned from his ancestors. At the end of +that time he could do a good many wonderful things. + +Then, when all his preparations were made, he set out +for the Yip Country and climbing the steep mountain at +night he entered the house of Cayke the Cookie Cook and +stole her diamond-studded gold dishpan while all the +Yips were asleep. Taking his prize outside, he set the +pan upon the ground and uttered the required magic +word. Instantly the dishpan grew as large as a big +washtub and Ugu seated himself in it and grasped the +two handles. Then he wished himself in the great +drawing-room of Glinda the Good. + +He was there in a flash. First he took the Great Book +of Records and put it in the dishpan. Then he went to +Glinda's laboratory and took all her rare chemical +compounds and her instruments of sorcery, placing these +also in the dishpan, which he caused to grow large +enough to hold them. Next he seated himself amongst the +treasures he had stolen and wished himself in the room +in Ozma's palace which the Wizard occupied and where he +kept his bag of magic tools. This bag Ugu added to his +plunder and then wished himself in the apartments of +Ozma. + +Here he first took the Magic Picture from the wall +and then seized all the other magical things which Ozma +possessed. Having placed these in the dishpan he was +about to climb in himself when he looked up and saw +Ozma standing beside him. Her fairy instinct had warned +her that danger was threatening her, so the beautiful +girl Ruler rose from her couch and leaving her +bedchamber at once confronted the thief. + +Ugu had to think quickly, for he realized that if he +permitted Ozma to rouse the inmates of her palace all +his plans and his present successes were likely to come +to naught. So he threw a scarf over the girl's head, so +she could not scream, and pushed her into the dishpan +and tied her fast, so she could not move. Then he +climbed in beside her and wished himself in his own +wicker castle. The Magic Dishpan was there in an +instant, with all its contents, and Ugu rubbed his +hands together in triumphant joy as he realized that he +now possessed all the important magic in the Land of Oz +and could force all the inhabitants of that fairyland +to do as he willed. + +So quickly had his journey been accomplished that +before daylight the robber magician had locked Ozma in +a room, making her a prisoner, and had unpacked and +arranged all his stolen goods. The next day he placed +the Book of Records on his table and hung the Magic +Picture on his wall and put away in his cupboards and +drawers all the elixirs and magic compounds he had +stolen. The magical instruments he polished and +arranged, and this was fascinating work and made him +very happy. The only thing that bothered him was Ozma. +By turns the imprisoned Ruler wept and scolded the +Shoemaker, haughtily threatening him with dire +punishment for the wicked deeds he had done. Ugu became +somewhat afraid of his fairy prisoner, in spite of the +fact that he believed he had robbed her of all her +powers; so he performed an enchantment that quickly +disposed of her and placed her out of his sight and +hearing. After that, being occupied with other things, +he soon forgot her. + +But now, when he looked into the Magic Picture and +read the Great Book of Records, the Shoemaker learned +that his wickedness was not to go unchallenged. Two +important expeditions had set out to find him and force +him to give up his stolen property. One was the party +headed by the Wizard and Dorothy, while the other +consisted of Cayke and the Frogman. Others were also +searching, but not in the right places. These two +groups, however, were headed straight for the wicker +castle and so Ugu began to plan how best to meet them +and to defeat their efforts to conquer him. + + + + +Chapter Twenty + +More Surprises + + +All that first day after the union of the two parties +our friends marched steadily toward the wicker castle +of Ugu the Shoemaker. When night came they camped in a +little grove and passed a pleasant evening together, +although some of them were worried because Button- +Bright was still lost. + +"Perhaps," said Toto, as the animals lay grouped +together for the night, "this Shoemaker who stole my +growl, and who stole Ozma, has also stolen Button +Bright." + +"How do you know that the Shoemaker stole your +growl?" demanded the Woozy. + +"He has stolen about everything else of value in Oz, +hasn't he?" replied the dog. + +"He has stolen everything he wants, perhaps," agreed +the Lion; "but what could anyone want with your growl?" + +"Well," said the dog, wagging his tail slowly, "my +recollection is that it was a wonderful growl, soft and +low and -- and --" + +"And ragged at the edges," said the Sawhorse. + +"So," continued Toto, "if that magician hadn't any +growl of his own, he might have wanted mine and stolen +it." + +"And, if he has, he will soon wish he hadn't," +remarked the Mule. "Also, if he has stolen Button- +Bright he will be sorry." + +"Don't you like Button-Bright, then?" asked the Lion +in surprise. + +"It isn't a question of liking him," replied the +Mule. "It's a question of watching him and looking +after him. Any boy who causes his friends so much worry +isn't worth having around. I never get lost." + +"If you did," said Toto, "no one would worry a bit. I +think Button-Bright is a very lucky boy, because he +always gets found." + +"See here," said the Lion, "this chatter is keeping +us all awake and tomorrow is likely to be a busy day. +Go to sleep and forget your quarrels." + +"Friend Lion," retorted the dog, "if I hadn't lost my +growl you would hear it now. I have as much right to +talk as you have to sleep." + +The Lion sighed. + +"If only you had lost your voice, when you lost your +growl," said he, "you would be a more agreeable +companion." + +But they quieted down, after that, and soon the +entire camp was wrapped in slumber. + +Next morning they made an early start but had hardly +proceeded on their way an hour when, on climbing a +slight elevation, they beheld in the distance a low +mountain, on top of which stood Ugu's wicker castle. It +was a good-sized building and rather pretty because the +sides, roofs and domes were all of wicker closely +woven, as it is in fine baskets. + +"I wonder if it is strong?" said Dorothy musingly, as +she eyed the queer castle. + +"I suppose it is, since a magician built it," +answered the Wizard. "With magic to protect it, even a +paper castle might be as strong as if made of stone. +This Ugu must be a man of ideas, because he does things +in a different way from other people." + +"Yes; no one else would steal our dear Ozma," sighed +tiny Trot. + +"I wonder if Ozma is there?" said Betsy, indicating +the castle with a nod of her head. + +"Where else could she be?" asked Scraps. + +"S'pose we ask the Pink Bear," suggested Dorothy. + +That seemed a good idea, so they halted the +procession and the Bear King held the little Pink Bear +on his lap and turned the crank in its side and asked: + +"Where is Ozma of Oz?" + +And the little Pink Bear answered: + +"She is in a hole in the ground, a half mile away, at +your left." + +"Good gracious!" cried Dorothy. "Then she is not in +Ugu's castle at all." + +"It is lucky we asked that question," said the +Wizard; "for, if we can find Ozma and rescue +her, there will be no need for us to fight that +wicked and dangerous magician." + +"Indeed!" said Cayke. "Then what about my dishpan?" + +The Wizard looked puzzled at her tone of remonstrance, +so she added: + +"Didn't you people from the Emerald City promise that +we would all stick together, and that you would help me +to get my dishpan if I would help you to get your Ozma? +And didn't I bring to you the little Pink Bear, which +has told you where Ozma is hidden?" + +"She's right," said Dorothy to the Wizard. "We must +do as we agreed." + +"Well, first of all, let us go and rescue Ozma," +proposed the Wizard. "Then our beloved Ruler may be +able to advise us how to conquer Ugu the Shoemaker." + +So they turned to the left and marched for half a +mile until they came to a small but deep hole in the +ground. At once all rushed to the brim to peer into the +hole, but instead of finding there Princess Ozma of Oz, +all that they saw was Button-Bright, who was lying +asleep on the bottom. + +Their cries soon wakened the boy, who sat up and +rubbed his eyes. When he recognized his friends he +smiled sweetly, saying: "Found again!" + +"Where is Ozma?" inquired Dorothy anxiously. + +"I don't know," answered Button-Bright from the +depths of the hole. "I got lost, yesterday, as you may +remember, and in the night, while I was wandering +around in the moonlight, trying to find my way back to +you, I suddenly fell into this hole." + +"And wasn't Ozma in it then?" + +"There was no one in it but me, and I was sorry it +wasn't entirely empty. The sides are so steep I can't +climb out, so there was nothing to be done but sleep +until someone found me. Thank you for coming. If you'll +please let down a rope I'll empty this hole in a +hurry." + +"How strange!" said Dorothy, greatly disappointed. +"It's evident the Pink Bear didn't tell us the truth." + +"He never makes a mistake," declared the Lavender +Bear King, in a tone that showed his feelings were +hurt. And then he turned the crank of the little Pink +Bear again and asked: "Is this the hole that Ozma of Oz +is in?" + +"Yes," answered the Pink Bear. + +"That settles it," said the King, positively. "Your +Ozma is in this hole in the ground." + +"Don't be silly," returned Dorothy impatiently. "Even +your beady eyes can see there is no one in the hole but +Button-Bright." + +"Perhaps Button-Bright is Ozma," suggested the King. + +"And perhaps he isn't! Ozma is a girl, and Button- +Bright is a boy." + +"Your Pink Bear must be out of order," said the +Wizard; "for, this time at least, his machinery has +caused him to make an untrue statement." + +The Bear King was so angry at this remark that he +turned away, holding the Pink Bear in his paws, and +refused to discuss the matter in any further way. + +"At any rate," said the Frogman, "the Pink Bear has +led us to your boy friend and so enabled you to rescue +him." + +Scraps was leaning so far over the hole, trying to +find Ozma in it, that suddenly she lost her balance and +pitched in headforemost. She fell upon Button-Bright +and tumbled him over, but he was not hurt by her soft +stuffed body and only laughed at the mishap. The Wizard +buckled some straps together and let one end of them +down into the hole, and soon both Scraps and the boy +had climbed up and were standing safely beside the +others. + +They looked once more for Ozma, but the hole was now +absolutely vacant. It was a round hole, so from the top +they could plainly see every part of it. Before they +left the place Dorothy went to the Bear King and said: + +"I'm sorry we couldn't believe what the little Pink +Bear said, 'cause we don't want to make you feel bad by +doubting him. There must be a mistake, somewhere, and +we prob'ly don't understand just what the little Pink +Bear means. Will you let me ask him one more question?" + +The Lavender Bear King was a good-natured bear, +considering how he was made and stuffed and jointed, so +he accepted Dorothy's apology and turned the crank and +allowed the little girl to question his wee Pink Bear. + +"Is Ozma really in this hole?" asked Dorothy. + +"No," said the little Pink Bear. + +This surprised everybody. Even the Bear King was now +puzzled by the contradictory statements of his oracle. + +"Where is she?" asked the King. + +"Here, among you," answered the little Pink Bear. + +"Well," said Dorothy, "this beats me, entirely! I +guess the little Pink Bear has gone crazy. + +"Perhaps," called Scraps, who was rapidly turning +"cart-wheels" all around the perplexed group, "Ozma is +invisible." + +"Of course!" cried Betsy. "That would account for +it." + +"Well, I've noticed that people can speak, even when +they've been made invisible," said the Wizard. And then +he looked all around him and said in a solemn voice: +"Ozma, are you here?" + +There was no reply. Dorothy asked the question, too, +and so did Button-Bright and Trot and Betsy; but none +received any reply at all. + +"It's strange -- it's terrible strange!" muttered +Cayke the Cookie Cook. "I was sure that the little Pink +Bear always tells the truth." + +"I still believe in his honesty," said the Frogman, +and this tribute so pleased the Bear King that he gave +these last speakers grateful looks, but still gazed +sourly on the others. + +"Come to think of it," remarked the Wizard, "Ozma +couldn't be invisible, for she is a fairy and fairies +cannot be made invisible against their will. Of course +she could be imprisoned by the magician, or even +enchanted, or transformed, in spite of her fairy +powers; but Ugu could not render her invisible by any +magic at his command." + +"I wonder if she's been transformed into Button- +Bright?" said Dorothy nervously. Then she looked +steadily at the boy and asked: "Are you Ozma? Tell me +truly!" + +Button-Bright laughed. + +"You're getting rattled, Dorothy," he replied. +"Nothing ever enchants me. If I were Ozma, do +you think I'd have tumbled into that hole?" + +"Anyhow," said the Wizard, "Ozma would never try to +deceive her friends, or prevent them from recognizing +her, in whatever form she happened to be. The puzzle +is still a puzzle, so let us go on to the wicker castle +and question the magician himself. Since it was he who +stole our Ozma, Ugu is the one who must tell us where +to find her." + + + + +Chapter Twenty-One + +Magic Against Magic + + +The Wizard's advice was good, so again they started in +the direction of the low mountain on the crest of which +the wicker castle had been built. They had been +gradually advancing up hill, so now the elevation +seemed to them more like a round knoll than a mountain- +top. However, the sides of the knoll were sloping and +covered with green grass, so there was a stiff climb +before them yet. + +Undaunted, they plodded on and had almost +reached the knoll when they suddenly observed +that it was surrounded by a circle of flame. At +first the flames barely rose above the ground, but +presently they grew higher and higher until a +circle of flaming tongues of fire taller than any +of their heads quite surrounded the hill on which +the wicker castle stood. When they approached +the flames the heat was so intense that it drove +them back again. + +"This will never do for me!" exclaimed the Patchwork +Girl. "I catch fire very easily." + +"It won't do for me, either," grumbled the Sawhorse, +prancing to the rear. + +"I also object strongly to fire," said the Bear King, +following the Sawhorse to a safe distance and hugging +the little Pink Bear with his paws. + +"I suppose the foolish Shoemaker imagines these +blazes will stop us," remarked the Wizard, with a smile +of scorn for Ugu. "But I am able to inform you that +this is merely a simple magic trick which the robber +stole from Glinda the Good, and by good fortune I know +how to destroy these flames, as well as how to produce +them. Will some one of you kindly give me a match?" + +You may be sure the girls carried no matches, nor did +the Frogman or Cayke or any of the animals. But Button- +Bright, after searching carefully through his pockets, +which contained all sorts of useful and useless things, +finally produced a match and handed it to the Wizard, +who tied it to the end of a branch which he tore from +a small tree growing near them. Then the little Wizard +carefully lighted the match and running forward thrust +it into the nearest flame. Instantly the circle of fire +began to die away and soon vanished completely, leaving +the way clear for them to proceed. + +"That was funny!" laughed Button-Bright. + +"Yes," agreed the Wizard, "it seems odd that a little +match could destroy such a great circle of fire, but +when Glinda invented this trick she believed no one +would ever think of a match being a remedy for fire. I +suppose even Ugu doesn't know how we managed to quench +the flames of his barrier, for only Glinda and I know +the secret. Glinda's Book of Magic, which Ugu stole, +told how to make the flames, but not how to put them +out." + +They now formed in marching order and proceeded to +advance up the slope of the hill; but had not gone far +when before them rose a wall of steel, the surface of +which was thickly covered with sharp, gleaming points +resembling daggers. The wall completely surrounded the +wicker castle and its sharp points prevented anyone +from climbing it. Even the Patchwork Girl might be +ripped to pieces if she dared attempt it. + +"Ah!" exclaimed the Wizard cheerfully, "Ugu is now +using one of my own tricks against me. But this is more +serious than the Barrier of Fire, because the only way +to destroy the wall is to get on the other side of it." + +"How can that be done?" asked Dorothy. + +The Wizard looked thoughtfully around his little +party and his face grew troubled. + +"It's a pretty high wall," he sadly remarked. "I'm +pretty sure the Cowardly Lion could not leap over it." + +"I'm sure of that, too!" said the Lion with a shudder +of fear. "If I foolishly tried such a leap I would be +caught on those dreadful spikes." + +"I think I could do it, sir," said the Frogman, with +a bow to the Wizard. "It is an up-hill jump, as well as +being a high jump, but I'm considered something of a +jumper by my friends in the Yip Country and I believe a +good, strong leap will carry me to the other side." + +"I'm sure it would," agreed the Cookie Cook. + +"Leaping, you know, is a froglike accomplishment," +continued the Frogman, modestly, "but please tell me +what I am to do when I reach the other side of the +wall." + +"You're a brave creature," said the Wizard, +admiringly. "Has anyone a pin?" + +Betsy had one, which she gave him. + +"All you need do," said the Wizard to the +Frogman, giving him the pin, is to stick this into the +other side of the wall." + +"But the wall is of steel!" exclaimed the big frog. + +"I know; at least, it seems to be steel; but do as I +tell you. Stick the pin into the wall and it will +disappear." + +The Frogman took off his handsome coat and carefully +Folded it and laid it on the grass. Then he removed his +hat and laid it, together with his goldheaded cane, +beside the coat. He then went back a way and made three +powerful leaps, in rapid succession. The first two +leaps took him to the wall and the third leap carried +him well over it, to the amazement of all. For a short +time he disappeared from their view, but when he had +obeyed the Wizard's injunction and had thrust the pin +into the wall, the huge barrier vanished and showed +them the form of the Frogman, who now went to where his +coat lay and put it on again. + +"We thank you very much," said the delighted Wizard. +"That was the most wonderful leap I ever saw and it has +saved us from defeat by our enemy. Let us now hurry on +to the castle before Ugu the Shoemaker thinks of some +other means to stop us. + +"We must have surprised him, so far," declared +Dorothy. + +"Yes, indeed. The fellow knows a lot of magic -- all +of our tricks and some of his own," replied the Wizard. +"So, if he is half as clever as he ought to be, we +shall have trouble with him yet." + +He had scarcely spoken these words when out from the +gates of the wicker castle marched a regiment of +soldiers, clad in gay uniforms and all bearing long, +pointed spears and sharp battle-axes. These soldiers +were girls, and the uniforms were short skirts of +yellow and black satin, golden shoes, bands of gold +across their foreheads and necklaces of glittering +jewels. Their jackets were scarlet, braided with silver +cords. There were hundreds of these girl-soldiers, and +they were more terrible than beautiful, being strong +and fierce in appearance. They formed a circle all +around the castle and faced outward, their spears +pointed toward the invaders and their battle-axes held +over their shoulders ready to strike. + +Of course our friends halted at once, for they had +not expected this dreadful array of soldiery. The +Wizard seemed puzzled and his companions exchanged +discouraged looks. + +"I'd no idea Ugu had such an army as that," said +Dorothy. "The castle doesn't look big enough to hold +them all." + +"It isn't," declared the Wizard. + +"But they all marched out of it." + +"They seemed to; but I don't believe it is a real +army at all. If Ugu the Shoemaker had so many people +living with him, I'm sure the Czarover of Herku would +have mentioned the fact to us." + +"They're only girls!" laughed Scraps. + +"Girls are the fiercest soldiers of all," declared +the Frogman. "They are more brave than men and they +have better nerves. That is probably why the magician +uses them for soldiers and has sent them to oppose us." + +No one argued this statement, for all were staring +hard at the line of soldiers, which now, having taken a +defiant position, remained motionless. + +"Here is a trick of magic to me," admitted the +Wizard, after a time. "I do not believe the army is +real, but the spears may be sharp enough to prick us, +nevertheless, so we must be cautious. Let us take time +to consider how to meet this difficulty." + +While they were thinking it over Scraps danced closer +to the line of girl soldiers. Her button eyes sometimes +saw more than did the natural eyes of her comrades and +so, after staring hard at the magician's army, she +boldly advanced and danced right through the +threatening line! On the other side she waved her +stuffed arms and called out: + +"Come on, folks. The spears can't hurt you. + +"Ah!" said the Wizard, gaily, "an optical illusion, +as I thought. Let us all follow the Patchwork Girl." + +The three little girls were somewhat nervous in +attempting to brave the spears and battle-axes, but +after the others had safely passed the line they +ventured to follow. And, when all had passed through +the ranks of the girl army, the army itself magically +disappeared from view. + +All this time our friends had been getting farther up +the hill and nearer to the wicker castle. Now, +continuing their advance, they expected something else +to oppose their way, but to their astonishment nothing +happened and presently they arrived at the wicker +gates, which stood wide open, and boldly entered the +domain of Ugu the Shoemaker. + + + + +Chapter Twenty-Two + +In the Wicker Castle + + +No sooner were the Wizard of Oz and his followers well +within the castle entrance when the big gates swung to +with a clang and heavy bars dropped across them. They +looked at one another uneasily, but no one cared to +speak of the incident. If they were indeed prisoners in +the wicker castle it was evident they must find a way +to escape, but their first duty was to attend to the +errand on which they had come and seek the Royal Ozma, +whom they believed to be a prisoner of the magician, +and rescue her. + +They found they had entered a square courtyard, from +which an entrance led into the main building of the +castle. No person had appeared to greet them, so far, +although a gaudy peacock, perched upon the wall, +cackled with laughter and said in its sharp, shrill +voice: "Poor fools! Poor fools!" + +"I hope the peacock is mistaken," remarked the +Frogman, but no one else paid any attention to the +bird. They were a little awed by the stillness and +loneliness of the place. + +As they entered the doors of the castle, which stood +invitingly open, these also closed behind them and huge +bolts shot into place. The animals had all accompanied +the party into the castle, because they felt it would +be dangerous for them to separate. They were forced to +follow a zigzag passage, turning this way and that, +until finally they entered a great central hall, +circular in form and with a high dome from which was +suspended an enormous chandelier. + +The Wizard went first, and Dorothy, Betsy and Trot +followed him, Toto keeping at the heels of his little +mistress. Then came the Lion, the Woozy and the +Sawhorse; then Cayke the Cookie Cook and Button-Bright; +then the Lavender Bear carrying the Pink Bear, and +finally the Frogman and the Patchwork Girl, with Hank +the Mule tagging behind. So it was the Wizard who +caught the first glimpse of the big domed hall, but the +others quickly followed and gathered in a wondering +group just within the entrance. + +Upon a raised platform at one side was a heavy table +on which lay Glinda's Great Book of Records; but the +platform was firmly fastened to the floor and the table +was fastened to the platform and the Book was chained +fast to the table -- just as it had been when it was +kept in Glinda's palace. On the wall over the table +hung Ozma's Magic Picture. On a row of shelves at the +opposite side of the hall stood all the chemicals and +essences of magic and all the magical instruments that +had been stolen from Glinda and Ozma and the Wizard, +with glass doors covering the shelves so that no one +could get at them. + +And in a far corner sat Ugu the Shoemaker, his feet +lazily extended, his skinny hands clasped behind his +head. He was leaning back at his ease and calmly +smoking a long pipe. Around the magician was a sort of +cage, seemingly made of golden bars set wide apart, and +at his feet -- also within the cage -- reposed the +long-sought diamond-studded dishpan of Cayke the Cookie +Cook. + +Princess Ozma of Oz was nowhere to be seen. + +"Well, well," said Ugu, when the invaders had stood +in silence for a moment, staring about them, "this +visit is an expected pleasure, I assure you. I knew you +were coming and I know why you are here. You are not +welcome, for I cannot use any of you to my advantage, +but as you have insisted on coming I hope you will make +the afternoon call as brief as possible. It won't take +long to transact your business with me. You will ask me +for Ozma, and my reply will be that you may find her -- +if you can." + +"Sir," answered the Wizard, in a tone of rebuke, "you +are a very wicked and cruel person. I suppose you +imagine, because you have stolen this poor woman's +dishpan and all the best magic in Oz, that you are more +powerful than we are and will be able to triumph over +us." + +"Yes," said Ugu the Shoemaker, slowly filling his +pipe with fresh tobacco from a silver bowl that stood +beside him, "that is exactly what I imagine. It will do +you no good to demand from me the girl who was formerly +the Ruler of Oz, because I will not tell you where I +have hidden her and you can't guess in a thousand +years. Neither will I restore to you any of the magic I +have captured. I am not so foolish. But bear this in +mind: I mean to be the Ruler of Oz myself, hereafter, +so I advise you to be careful how you address your +future Monarch." + +"Ozma is still Ruler of Oz, wherever you may have +hidden her," declared the Wizard. "And bear this in +mind, miserable Shoemaker: We intend to find her and to +rescue her, in time, but our first duty and pleasure +will be to conquer you and then punish you for your +misdeeds." + +"Very well; go ahead and conquer," said Ugu. "I'd +really like to see how you can do it." + +Now, although the little Wizard had spoken so boldly, +he had at the moment no idea how they might conquer the +magician. He had that morning given the Frogman, at his +request, a dose of zosozo from his bottle, and the +Frogman had promised to fight a good fight if it was +necessary; but the Wizard knew that strength alone +could not avail against magical arts. The toy Bear King +seemed to have some pretty good magic, however, and the +Wizard depended to an extent on that. But something +ought to be done right away, and the Wizard didn't know +what it was. + +While he considered this perplexing question and the +others stood looking at him as their leader, a queer +thing happened. The floor of the great circular hall, +on which they were standing, suddenly began to tip. +Instead of being flat and level it became a slant, and +the slant grew steeper and steeper until none of the +party could manage to stand upon it. Presently they all +slid down to the wall, which was now under them, and +then it became evident that the whole vast room was +slowly turning upside down! Only Ugu the Shoemaker, +kept in place by the bars of his golden cage, remained +in his former position, and the wicked magician seemed +to enjoy the surprise of his victims immensely. + +First, they all slid down to the wall back of them, +but as the room continued to turn over they next slid +down the wall and found themselves at the bottom of the +great dome, bumping against the big chandelier which, +like everything else, was now upside-down. + +The turning movement now stopped and the room became +stationary. Looking far up, they saw Ugu suspended in +his cage at the very top, which had once been the floor + +"Ah," said he, grinning down at them, "the way to +conquer is to act, and he who acts promptly is sure to +win. This makes a very good prison, from which I am +sure you cannot escape. Please amuse yourselves in any +way you like, but I must beg you to excuse me, as I +have business in another part of my castle." + +Saying this, he opened a trap door in the floor of +his cage (which was now over his head) and climbed +through it and disappeared from their view. The diamond +dishpan still remained in the cage, but the bars kept +it from falling down on their heads. + +"Well, I declare!" said the Patchwork Girl, seizing +one of the bars of the chandelier and swinging from it, +"we must peg one for the Shoemaker, for he has trapped +us very cleverly." + +"Get off my foot, please," said the Lion to the +Sawhorse. + +"And oblige me, Mr. Mule," remarked the Woozy, "by +taking your tail out of my left eye. + +"It's rather crowded down here," explained Dorothy, +"because the dome is rounding and we have all slid into +the middle of it. But let us keep as quiet as possible +until we can think what's best to be done." + +"Dear, dear!" wailed Cayke; "I wish I had my darling +dishpan," and she held her arms longingly toward it. + +"I wish I had the magic on those shelves up there," +sighed the Wizard. + +"Don't you s'pose we could get to it?" asked Trot +anxiously. + +"We'd have to fly," laughed the Patchwork Girl. + +But the Wizard took the suggestion seriously, and so +did the Frogman. They talked it over and soon planned +an attempt to reach the shelves where the magical +instruments were. First the Frogman lay against the +rounding dome and braced his foot on the stem of the +chandelier; then the Wizard climbed over him and lay on +the dome with his feet on the Frogman's shoulders; the +Cookie Cook came next; then Button-Bright climbed to +the woman's shoulders; then Dorothy climbed up, and +Betsy and Trot, and finally the Patchwork Girl, and all +their lengths made a long line that reached far up the +dome but not far enough for Scraps to touch the +shelves. + +"Wait a minute; perhaps I can reach the magic; called +the Bear King, and began scrambling up the bodies of +the others. But when he came to the Cookie Cook his +soft paws tickled her side so that she squirmed and +upset the whole line. Down they came, tumbling in a +heap against the animals, and although no one was much +hurt it was a bad mix-up and the Frogman, who was at +the bottom, almost lost his temper before he could get +on his feet again. + +Cayke positively refused to try what she called "the +pyramid act" again, and as the Wizard was now convinced +they could not reach the magic tools in that manner the +attempt was abandoned. + +"But something must be done," said the Wizard, and +then he turned to the Lavender Bear and asked: "Cannot +Your Majesty's magic help us to escape from here?" + +"My magic powers are limited," was the reply. "When I +was stuffed, the fairies stood by and slyly dropped +some magic into my stuffing. Therefore I can do any of +the magic that's inside me, but nothing else. You, +however, are a wizard, and a wizard should be able to +do anything." + +"Your Majesty forgets that my tools of magic have +been stolen," said the Wizard sadly, "and a wizard +without tools is as helpless as a carpenter without a +hammer or saw. + +"Don't give up," pleaded Button-Bright, "'cause if we +can't get out of this queer prison we'll all starve to +death." + +"Not I!" laughed the Patchwork Girl, now standing on +top the chandelier, at the place that was meant to be +the bottom of it. + +"Don't talk of such dreadful things," said Trot, +shuddering. "We came here to capture the Shoemaker, +didn't we?" + +"Yes, and to save Ozma," said Betsy. + +"And here we are, captured ourselves, and my darling +dishpan up there in plain sight!" wailed the Cookie +Cook, wiping her eyes on the tail of the Frogman's +coat. + +"Hush!" called the Lion, with a low, deep growl. +"Give the Wizard time to think." + +"He has plenty of time," said Scraps. "What he needs +is the Scarecrow's brains." + +After all, it was little Dorothy who came to their +rescue, and her ability to save them was almost as much +a surprise to the girl as it was to her friends. +Dorothy had been secretly testing the powers of her +Magic Belt, which she had once captured from the Nome +King, and experimenting with it in various ways, ever +since she had started on this eventful journey. At +different times she had stolen away from the others of +her party and in solitude had tried to find out what +the Magic Belt could do and what it could not do. There +were a lot of things it could not do, she discovered, +but she learned some things about the Belt which even +her girl friends did not suspect she knew. + +For one thing, she had remembered that when the Nome +King owned it the Magic Belt used to perform +transformations, and by thinking hard she had finally +recalled the way in which such transformations had been +accomplished. Better than this, however, was the +discovery that the Magic Belt would grant its wearer +one wish a day. All she need do was close her right eye +and wiggle her left toe and then draw a long breath and +make her wish. Yesterday she had wished in secret for a +box of caramels, and instantly found the box beside +her. Today she had saved her daily wish, in case she +might need it in an emergency, and the time had now +come when she must use the wish to enable her to escape +with her friends from the prison in which Ugu had +caught them. + +So, without telling anyone what she intended to do -- +for she had only used the wish once and could not be +certain how powerful the Magic Belt might be -- Dorothy +closed her right eye and wiggled her left big toe and +drew a long breath and wished with all her might. The +next moment the room began to revolve again, as slowly +as before, and by degrees they all slid to the side +wall and down the wall to the floor -- all but Scraps, +who was so astonished that she still clung to the +chandelier. When the big hall was in its proper +position again and the others stood firmly upon the +floor of it, they looked far up to the dome and saw the +Patchwork Girl swinging from the chandelier. + +"Good gracious!" cried Dorothy. "How ever will you +get down?" + +"Won't the room keep turning?" asked Scraps. + +"I hope not. I believe it has stopped for good," said +Princess Dorothy. + +"Then stand from under, so you won't get hurt!" +shouted the Patchwork Girl, and as soon as they had +obeyed this request she let go the chandelier and came +tumbling down heels over head and twisting and turning +in a very exciting manner. Plump! she fell on the tiled +floor and they ran to her and rolled her and patted her +into shape again. + + + + +Chapter Twenty-Three + +The Defiance of Ugu the Shoemaker + + +The delay caused by Scraps had prevented anyone from +running to the shelves to secure the magic instruments +so badly needed. Even Cayke neglected to get her +diamond-studded dishpan because she was watching the +Patchwork Girl. And now the magician had opened his +trap door and appeared in his golden cage again, +frowning angrily because his prisoners had been able to +turn their upside-down prison right-side-up. + +"Which of you has dared defy my magic?" he shouted in +a terrible voice. + +"It was I," answered Dorothy calmly. + +"Then I shall destroy you, for you are only an Earth +girl and no fairy," he said, and began to mumble some +magic words. + +Dorothy now realized that Ugu must be treated as an +enemy, so she advanced toward the corner in which he +sat, saying as she went: + +"I am not afraid of you, Mr. Shoemaker, and I think +you'll be sorry, pretty soon, that you're such a bad +man. You can't destroy me and I won't destroy you, but +I'm going to punish you for your wickedness." + +Ugu laughed a laugh that was not nice to hear, and +then he waved his hand. Dorothy was halfway across the +room when suddenly a wall of glass rose before her and +stopped her progress. Through the glass she could see +the magician sneering at her because she was a weak +little girl, and this provoked her. Although the glass +wall obliged her to halt she instantly pressed both +hands to her Magic Belt and cried in a loud voice: + +"Ugu the Shoemaker, by the magic virtues of the Magic +Belt, I command you to become a dove!" + +The magician instantly realized he was being +enchanted, for he could feel his form changing. He +struggled desperately against the enchantment, mumbling +magic words and making magic passes with his hands. And +in one way he succeeded in defeating Dorothy's purpose, +for while his form soon changed to that of a gray dove, +the dove was of an enormous size -- bigger even than +Ugu had been as a man -- and this feat he had been able +to accomplish before his powers of magic wholly +deserted him. + +And the dove was not gentle, as doves usually are, +for Ugu was terribly enraged at the little girl's +success. His books had told him nothing of the Nome +King's Magic Belt, the Country of the Nomes being +outside the Land of Oz. He knew, however, that he was +likely to be conquered unless he made a fierce fight, +so he spread his wings and rose in the air and flew +directly toward Dorothy. The Wall of Glass had +disappeared the instant Ugu became transformed. + +Dorothy had meant to command the Belt to transform +the magician into a Dove of Peace, but in her +excitement she forgot to say more than "dove," and now +Ugu was not a Dove of Peace by any means, but rather a +spiteful Dove of War. His size made his sharp beak and +claws very dangerous, but Dorothy was not afraid when +he came darting toward her with his talons outstretched +and his sword-like beak open. She knew the Magic Belt +would protect its wearer from harm. + +But the Frogman did not know that fact and became +alarmed at the little girl's seeming danger. So he gave +a sudden leap and leaped full upon the back of the +great dove. + +Then began a desperate struggle. The dove was as +strong as Ugu had been, and in size it was considerably +bigger than the Frogman. But the Frogman had eaten the +zosozo and it had made him fully as strong as Ugu the +Dove. At the first leap he bore the dove to the floor, +but the giant bird got free and began to bite and claw +the Frogman, beating him down with its great wings +whenever he attempted to rise. The thick, tough skin of +the big frog was not easily damaged, but Dorothy feared +for her champion and by again using the transformation +power of the Magic Belt she made the dove grow small, +until it was no larger than a canary bird. + +Ugu had not lost his knowledge of magic when he lost +his shape as a man, and he now realized it was hopeless +to oppose the power of the Magic Belt and knew that his +only hope of escape lay in instant action. So he +quickly flew into the golden jeweled dishpan he had +stolen from Cayke the Cookie Cook and, as birds can +talk as well as beasts or men in the Fairyland of Oz, +he muttered the magic word that was required and wished +himself in the Country of the Quadlings -- which was as +far away from the wicker castle as he believed he could +get. + +Our friends did not know, of course, what Ugu was +about to do. They saw the dishpan tremble an instant +and then disappear, the dove disappearing with it, and +although they waited expectantly for some minutes for +the magician's return, Ugu did not come back again. + +"Seems to me," said the Wizard in a cheerful voice, +"that we have conquered the wicked magician more +quickly than we expected to." + +"Don't say 'we' -- Dorothy did it!" cried the +Patchwork Girl, turning three somersaults in succession +and then walking around on her hands. "Hurrah for +Dorothy!" + +"I thought you said you did not know how to use the +magic of the Nome King's Belt," said the Wizard to +Dorothy. + +"I didn't know, at that time," she replied, "but +afterward I remembered how the Nome King once used the +Magic Belt to enchant people and transform 'em into +ornaments and all sorts of things; so I tried some +enchantments in secret and after a while I transformed +the Sawhorse into a potato-masher and back again, and +the Cowardly Lion into a pussycat and back again, and +then I knew the thing would work all right." + +"When did you perform those enchantments?" asked the +Wizard, much surprised. + +"One night when all the rest of you were asleep but +Scraps, and she had gone chasing moonbeams." + +"Well," remarked the Wizard, "your discovery has +certainly saved us a lot of trouble, and we must all +thank the Frogman, too, for making such a good fight. +The dove's shape had Ugu's evil disposition inside it, +and that made the monster bird dangerous." + +The Frogman was looking sad because the bird's talons +had torn his pretty clothes, but he bowed with much +dignity at this well deserved praise. Cayke, however, +had squatted on the floor and was sobbing bitterly. + +"My precious dishpan is gone!" she wailed. "Gone, +just as I had found it again!" + +"Never mind," said Trot, trying to comfort her, "it's +sure to be somewhere, so we'll cert'nly run across it +some day." + +"Yes, indeed," added Betsy; "now that we have Ozma's +Magic Picture, we can tell just where the Dove went +with your dishpan." + +They all approached the Magic Picture, and Dorothy +wished it to show the enchanted form of Ugu the +Shoemaker, wherever it might be. At once there appeared +in the frame of the Picture a scene in the far Quadling +Country, where the Dove was perched disconsolately on +the limb of a tree and the jeweled dishpan lay on the +ground just underneath the limb. + +"But where is the place -- how far or how near?" +asked Cayke anxiously. + +"The Book of Records will tell us that," answered the +Wizard. So they looked in the Great Book and read the +following: + +"Ugu the Magician, being transformed +into a dove by Princess Dorothy of +Oz, has used the magic of the golden +dishpan to carry him instantly to the +northeast corner of the Quadling +Country." + + +"That's all right," said Dorothy. "Don't worry, +Cayke, for the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman are in +that part of the country, looking for Ozma, and they'll +surely find your dishpan." + +"Good gracious!" exclaimed Button-Bright, "we've +forgot all about Ozma. Let's find out where the +magician hid her." + +Back to the Magic Picture they trooped, but when they +wished to see Ozma, wherever she might be hidden, only +a round black spot appeared in the center of the +canvas. + +"I don't see how that can be Ozma!" said Dorothy, +much puzzled. + +"It seems to be the best the Magic Picture can do, +however," said the Wizard, no less surprised. "If it's +an enchantment, it looks as if the magician had +transformed Ozma into a chunk of pitch." + + + + +Chapter Twenty-Four + +The Little Pink Bear Speaks Truly + + +For several minutes they all stood staring at the black +spot on the canvas of the Magic Picture, wondering +what it could mean. + +"P'r'aps we'd better ask the little Pink Bear about +Ozma," suggested Trot. + +"Pshaw!" said Button-Bright, "he don't know +anything." + +"He never makes a mistake," declared the King. + +"He did once, surely," said Betsy. "But perhaps he +wouldn't make a mistake again." + +"He won't have the chance," grumbled the Bear King. + +"We might hear what he has to say," said Dorothy. "It +won't do any harm to ask the Pink Bear where Ozma is." + +"I will not have him questioned," declared the King, +in a surly voice. "I do not intend to allow my little +Pink Bear to be again insulted by your foolish doubts. +He never makes a mistake." + +"Didn't he say Ozma was in that hole in the ground?" +asked Betsy. + +"He did; and I am certain she was there," replied the +Lavender Bear. + +Scraps laughed jeeringly and the others saw there was +no use arguing with the stubborn Bear King, who seemed +to have absolute faith in his Pink Bear. The Wizard, +who knew that magical things can usually be depended +upon, and that the little Pink Bear was able to answer +questions by some remarkable power of magic, thought it +wise to apologize to the Lavender Bear for the unbelief +of his friends, at the same time urging the King to +consent to question the Pink Bear once more. Cayke and +the Frogman also pleaded with the big Bear, who finally +agreed, although rather ungraciously, to put the little +Bear's wisdom to the test once more. So he sat the +little one on his knee and turned the crank and the +Wizard himself asked the questions in a very +respectful tone of voice. + +"Where is Ozma?" was his first query. + +"Here, in this room," answered the little Pink Bear. + +They all looked around the room, but of course did +not see her. + +"In what part of this room is she?" was the Wizard's +next question. + +"In Button-Bright's pocket," said the little Pink +Bear. + +This reply amazed them all, you may be sure, and +although the three girls smiled and Scraps yelled: +"Hoo-ray!" in derision, the Wizard seemed to consider +the matter with grave thoughtfulness. + +"In which one of Button-Bright's pockets is Ozma?" he +presently inquired. + +"In the lefthand jacket-pocket," said the little Pink +Bear. + +"The pink one has gone crazy!" exclaimed Button- +Bright, staring hard at the little bear on the big +bear's knee. + +"I am not so sure of that," declared the Wizard. "If +Ozma proves to be really in your pocket, then the +little Pink Bear spoke truly when he said Ozma was in +that hole in the ground. For at that time you were also +in the hole, and after we had pulled you out of it the +little Pink Bear said Ozma was not in the hole." + +"He never makes a mistake," asserted the Bear King, +stoutly. + +"Empty that pocket, Button-Bright, and let's see +what's in it," requested Dorothy. + +So Button-Bright laid the contents of his left +jacket-pocket on the table. These proved to be a peg- +top, a bunch of string, a small rubber ball and a +golden peach-pit. + +"What's this?" asked the Wizard, picking up the +peach-pit and examining it closely. + +"Oh," said the boy, "I saved that to show to the +girls, and then forgot all about it. It came out of a +lonesome peach that I found in the orchard back yonder, +and which I ate while I was lost. It looks like gold, +and I never saw a peach-pit like it before." + +"Nor I," said the Wizard, "and that makes it seem +suspicious." + +All heads were bent over the golden peach-pit. The +Wizard turned it over several times and then took out +his pocket-knife and pried the pit open. + +As the two halves fell apart a pink, cloud-like haze +came pouring from the golden peach-pit, almost filling +the big room, and from the haze a form took shape and +settled beside them. Then, as the haze faded away, a +sweet voice said: "Thank you, my friends!" and there +before them stood their lovely girl Ruler, Ozma of Oz. + +With a cry of delight Dorothy rushed forward and +embraced her. Scraps turned gleeful flip flops all +around the room. Button-Bright gave a low whistle of +astonishment. The Frogman took off his tall hat and +bowed low before the beautiful girl who had been freed +from her enchantment in so startling a manner. + +For a time no sound was heard beyond the low murmur +of delight that came from the amazed group, but +presently the growl of the big Lavender Bear grew +louder and he said in a tone of triumph: + +"He never makes a mistake!" + + + + +Chapter Twenty-Five + +Ozma of Oz + + +"It's funny," said Toto, standing before his friend the +Lion and wagging his tail, "but I've found my growl at +last! I am positive, now, that it was the cruel +magician who stole it." + +"Let's hear your growl," requested the Lion. + +"Gr-r-r-r-r-r!" said Toto. + +"That is fine," declared the big beast. "It isn't as +loud or as deep as the growl of the big Lavender Bear, +but it is a very respectable growl for a small dog. +Where did you find it, Toto?" + +"I was smelling in the corner, yonder," said Toto, +"when suddenly a mouse ran out -- and I growled!" + +The others were all busy congratulating Ozma, who was +very happy at being released from the confinement of +the golden peach-pit, where the magician had placed her +with the notion that she never could be found or +liberated. + +"And only to think," cried Dorothy, "that Button- +Bright has been carrying you in his pocket all this +time, and we never knew it!" + +"The little Pink Bear told you," said the Bear King, +"but you wouldn't believe him." + +"Never mind, my dears," said Ozma graciously; "all is +well that ends well, and you couldn't be expected to +know I was inside the peach-pit. Indeed, I feared I +would remain a captive much longer than I did, for Ugu +is a bold and clever magician and he had hidden me very +securely." + +"You were in a fine peach," said Button-Bright; "the +best I ever ate." + +"The magician was foolish to make the peach so +tempting," remarked the Wizard; "but Ozma would lend +beauty to any transformation." + +"How did you manage to conquer Ugu the Shoemaker?" +inquired the girl Ruler of Oz. + +Dorothy started to tell the story and Trot helped +her, and Button-Bright wanted to relate it in his own +way, and the Wizard tried to make it clear to Ozma, and +Betsy had to remind them of important things they left +out, and all together there was such a chatter that it +was a wonder that Ozma understood any of it. But she +listened patiently, with a smile on her lovely face at +their eagerness, and presently had gleaned all the +details of their adventures. + +Ozma thanked the Frogman very earnestly for his +assistance and she advised Cayke the Cookie Cook to dry +her weeping eyes, for she promised to take her to the +Emerald City and see that her cherished dishpan was +restored to her. Then the beautiful Ruler took a chain +of emeralds from around her own neck and placed it +around the neck of the little Pink Bear. + +"Your wise answers to the questions of my friends," +said she, "helped them to rescue me. Therefore I am +deeply grateful to you and to your noble King." + +The bead eyes of the little Pink Bear stared +unresponsive to this praise until the Big Lavender Bear +turned the crank in its side, when it said in its +squeaky voice: + +"I thank Your Majesty." + +"For my part," returned the Bear King, "I realize +that you were well worth saving, Miss Ozma, and so I am +much pleased that we could be of service to you. By +means of my Magic Wand I have been creating exact +images of your Emerald City and your Royal Palace, and +I must confess that they are more attractive than any +places I have ever seen -- not excepting Bear Center." + +"I would like to entertain you in my palace," +returned Ozma, sweetly, "and you are welcome to return +with me and to make me a long visit, if your bear +subjects can spare you from your own kingdom." + +"As for that," answered the King, "my kingdom causes +me little worry, and I often find it somewhat tame and +uninteresting. Therefore I am in no hurry to return to +it and will be glad to accept your kind invitation. +Corporal Waddle may be trusted to care for my bears +in my absence." + +"And you'll bring the little Pink Bear?" asked +Dorothy eagerly. + +"Of course, my dear; I would not willingly part with +him." + +They remained in the wicker castle for three days, +carefully packing all the magical things that had been +stolen by Ugu and also taking whatever in the way of +magic the shoemaker had inherited from his ancestors. + +"For," said Ozma, "I have forbidden any of my +subjects except Glinda the Good and the Wizard of Oz to +practice magical arts, because they cannot be trusted +to do good and not harm. Therefore Ugu must never again +be permitted to work magic of any sort." + +"Well," remarked Dorothy cheerfully, "a dove can't do +much in the way of magic, anyhow, and I'm going to keep +Ugu in the form of a dove until he reforms and becomes +a good and honest shoemaker." + +When everything was packed and loaded on the backs of +the animals, they set out for the river, taking a more +direct route than that by which Cayke and the Frogman +had come. In this way they avoided the Cities of Thi +and Herku and Bear Center and after a pleasant journey +reached the Winkie River and found a jolly ferryman +who had a fine big boat and was willing to carry the +entire party by water to a place quite near to the +Emerald City. + +The river had many windings and many branches, and +the journey did not end in a day, but finally the boat +floated into a pretty lake which was but a short +distance from Ozma's home. Here the jolly ferryman was +rewarded for his labors and then the entire party set +out in a grand procession to march to the Emerald City. + +News that the Royal Ozma had been found spread +quickly throughout the neighborhood and both sides of +the road soon became lined with loyal subjects of the +beautiful and beloved Ruler. Therefore Ozma's ears +heard little but cheers and her eyes beheld little else +than waving handkerchiefs and banners during all the +triumphal march from the lake to the city's gates. + +And there she met a still greater concourse, for all +the inhabitants of the Emerald City turned out to +welcome her return and several bands played gay music +and all the houses were decorated with flags and +bunting and never before were the people so joyous and +happy as at this moment when they welcomed home their +girl Ruler. For she had been lost and was now found +again, and surely that was cause for rejoicing. + +Glinda was at the royal palace to meet the returning +party and the good Sorceress was indeed glad to have +her Great Book of Records returned to her, as well as +all the precious collection of magic instruments and +elixirs and chemicals that had been stolen from her +castle. Cap'n Bill and the Wizard at once hung the +Magic Picture upon the wall of Ozma's boudoir and the +Wizard was so light-hearted that he did several tricks +with the tools in his black bag to amuse his companions +and prove that once again he was a powerful wizard. + +For a whole week there was feasting and merriment and +all sorts of joyous festivities at the palace, in honor +of Ozma's safe return. The Lavender Bear and the little +Pink Bear received much attention and were honored by +all, much to the Bear King's satisfaction. The Frogman +speedily became a favorite at the Emerald City and the +Shaggy Man and Tik-Tok and Jack Pumpkinhead, who had +now returned from their search, were very polite to the +big frog and made him feel quite at home. Even the +Cookie Cook, because she was a stranger and Ozma's +guest, was shown as much deference as if she had been a +queen. + +"All the same, Your Majesty," said Cayke to Ozma, day +after day, with tiresome repetition, "I hope you will +soon find my jeweled dishpan, for never can I be quite +happy without it." + + + + +Chapter Twenty-Six + +Dorothy Forgives + + +The gray dove which had once been Ugu the Shoemaker sat +on its tree in the far Quadling Country and moped, +chirping dismally and brooding over its misfortunes. +After a time the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman came +along and sat beneath the tree, paying no heed to the +mutterings of the gray dove. + +The Tin Woodman took a small oilcan from his tin +pocket and carefully oiled his tin joints with it. +While he was thus engaged the Scarecrow remarked: + +"I feel much better, dear comrade, since we found +that heap of nice dean straw and you stuffed me anew +with it" + +"And I feel much better now that my joints are +oiled," returned the Tin Woodman, with a sigh of +pleasure. "You and I, friend Scarecrow, are much more +easily cared for than those clumsy meat people, who +spend half their time dressing in fine clothes and who +must live in splendid dwellings in order to be +contented and happy. You and I do not eat, and so we +are spared the dreadful bother of getting three meals a +day. Nor do we waste half our lives in sleep, a +condition that causes the meat people to lose al] +consciousness and become as thoughtless and helpless as +logs of wood." + +"You speak truly," responded the Scarecrow, tucking +some wisps of straw into his breast with his padded +fingers. "I often feel sorry for the meat people, many +of whom are my friends. Even the beasts are happier +than they, for they require less to make them content. +And the birds are the luckiest creatures of all, for +they can fly swiftly where they will and find a home at +any place they care to perch; their food consists of +seeds and grains they gather from the fields and their +drink is a sip of water from some running brook. If I +could not be a Scarecrow or a Tin Woodman -- my next +choice would be to live as a bird does." + +The gray dove had listened carefully to this speech +and seemed to find comfort in it, for it hushed its +moaning. And just then the Tin Woodman discovered +Cayke's dishpan, which was on the ground quite near to +him. + +"Here is a rather pretty utensil," he said, taking it +in his tin hands to examine it, "but I would not care +to own it. Whoever fashioned it of gold and covered it +with diamonds did not add to its usefulness, nor do I +consider it as beautiful as the bright dishpans of tin +one usually sees. No yellow color is ever so handsome +as the silver sheen of tin," and he turned to look at +his tin legs and body with approval. + +"I cannot quite agree with you there," replied the +Scarecrow. "My straw stuffing has a light yellow color, +and it is not only pretty to look at but it crunkles +most delightfully when I move." + +"Let us admit that all colors are good in their +proper places," said the Tin Woodman, who was too kind- +hearted to quarrel; "but you must agree with me that a +dishpan that is yellow is unnatural. What shall we do +with this one, which we, have just found?" + +"Let us carry it back to the Emerald City," suggested +the Scarecrow. "Some of our friends might like to have +it for a foot-bath, and in using it that way its golden +color and sparkling ornaments would not injure its +usefulness." + +So they went away and took the jeweled dishpan with +them. And, after wandering through the country for a +day or so longer, they learned the news that Ozma had +been found. Therefore they straightaway returned to the +Emerald City and presented the dishpan to Princess Ozma +as a token of their joy that she had been restored to +them. + +Ozma promptly gave the diamond-studded gold dishpan +to Cayke the Cookie Cook, who was so delighted at +regaining her lost treasure that she danced up and down +in glee and then threw her skinny arms around Ozma's +neck and kissed her gratefully. Cayke's mission was now +successfully accomplished, but she was having such a +good time at the Emerald City that she seemed in no +hurry to go back to the Country of the Yips. + +It was several weeks after the dishpan had been +restored to the Cookie Cook when one day, as Dorothy +was seated in the royal gardens with Trot and Betsy +beside her, a gray dove came flying down and alighted +at the girl's feet. + +"I am Ugu the Shoemaker," said the dove in a soft, +mourning voice, "and I have come to ask you to forgive +me for the great wrong I did in stealing Ozma and the +magic that belonged to her and to others." + +"Are you sorry, then?" asked Dorothy, looking hard at +the bird. + +"I am very sorry," declared Ugu. "I've been thinking +over my misdeeds for a long time, for doves have little +else to do but think, and I'm surprised that I was such +a wicked man and had so little regard for the rights of +others. I am now convinced that even had I succeeded in +making myself ruler of all Oz I should not have been +happy, for many days of quiet thought have shown me +that only those things one acquires honestly are able +to render one content." + +"I guess that's so," said Trot. + +"Anyhow," said Betsy, "the bad man seems truly sorry, +and if he has now become a good and honest man we ought +to forgive him." + +"I fear I cannot become a good man again," said Ugu, +"for the transformation I am under will always keep me +in the form of a dove. But, with the kind forgiveness +of my former enemies, I hope to become a very good +dove, and highly respected." + +"Wait here till I run for my Magic Belt," said +Dorothy, "and I'll transform you back to your reg'lar +shape in a jiffy." + +"No don't do that!" pleaded the dove, fluttering its +wings in an excited way. "I only want your forgiveness; +I don't want to be a man again. As Ugu the Shoemaker I +was skinny and old and unlovely; as a dove I am quite +pretty to look at. As a man I was ambitious and cruel, +while as a dove I can be content with my lot and happy +in my simple life. I have learned to love the free and +independent life of a bird and I'd rather not change +back." + +"Just as you like, Ugu," said Dorothy, resuming her +seat. "Perhaps you are right, for you're cert'nly a +better dove than you were a man, and if you should ever +backslide, an' feel wicked again, you couldn't do much +harm as a gray dove." + +"Then you forgive me for all the trouble I caused +you?" he asked earnestly. + +"Of course; anyone who's sorry just has to be +forgiven." + +"Thank you," said the gray dove, and flew away again. + + + + + +The Wonderful Oz Books by L. Frank Baum + +The Wizard of Oz +The Land of Oz +Ozma of Oz +Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz +The Road to Oz +The Emerald City of Oz +The Patchwork Girl of Oz +Tik-Tok of Oz +The Scarecrow of Oz +Rinkitink in Oz +The Lost Princess of Oz +The Tin Woodman of Oz +The Magic of Oz +Glinda of Oz + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Etext of The Lost Princess of Oz, by +Baum + |