The Army of Children which besieged the Postoffice, conquered the Postmen and delivered to me its imperious Commands, insisted that Trot and Cap'n Bill be admitted to the Land of Oz, where Trot could enjoy the society of Dorothy, Betsy Bobbin and Ozma, while the one- legged sailor-man might become a comrade of the Tin Woodman, the Shaggy Man, Tik-Tok and all the other quaint people who inhabit this wonderful fairyland. It was no easy task to obey this order and land Trot and Cap'n Bill safely in Oz, as you will discover by reading this book. Indeed, it required the best efforts of our dear old friend, the Scarecrow, to save them from a dreadful fate on the journey; but the story leaves them happily located in Ozma's splendid palace and Dorothy has promised me that Button-Bright and the three girls are sure to encounter, in the near future, some marvelous adventures in the Land of Oz, which I hope to be permitted to relate to you in the next Oz Book. Meantime, I am deeply grateful to my little readers for their continued enthusiasm over the Oz stories, as evinced in the many letters they send me, all of which are lovingly cherished. It takes more and more Oz Books every year to satisfy the demands of old and new readers, and there have been formed many "Oz Reading Societies," where the Oz Books owned by different members are read aloud. All this is very gratifying to me and encourages me to write more stories. When the children have had enough of them, I hope they will let me know, and then I'll try to write something different. L. Frank Baum "Royal Historian of Oz." "OZCOT" at HOLLYWOOD in CALIFORNIA, 1915.
CHAPTER 1
THE GREAT WHIRLPOOL
"Seems to me," said Cap'n Bill as he sat beside Trot under the big
acacia tree looking out over the blue ocean, "seems to me, Trot, as how
the more we know, the more we find we don't know."
"I can't quite make that out, Cap'n Bill," answered the little
girl in a serious voice after a moment's thought, during which her eyes
followed those of the old sailor man across the glassy surface of the
sea. "Seems to me that all we learn is jus' so much gained."
"I know, it looks that way at first sight," said the sailor,
nodding his head, "but those as knows the least have a habit of thinkin'
they know all there is to know, while them as knows the most admits what
a turr'ble big world this is. It's the knowing ones that realize one
lifetime ain't long enough to git more'n a few dips o' the oars of
knowledge."
Trot didn't answer. She was a very little girl with big, solemn
eyes and an earnest, simple manner. Cap'n Bill had been her faithful
companion for years and had taught her almost everything she knew.
He was a wonderful man, this Cap'n Bill. Not so very old,
although his hair was grizzled--what there was of it. Most of his head
was bald as an egg and as shiny as oilcloth, and this made his big ears
stick out in a funny way. His eyes had a gentle look and were pale blue
in color, and his round face was rugged and bronzed. Cap'n Bill's left
leg was missing, from the knee down, and that was why the sailor no
longer sailed the seas. The wooden leg he wore was good enough to stump
around with on land, or even to take Trot out for a row or a sail on the
ocean, but when it came to "runnin' up aloft" or performing active duties
on shipboard, the old sailor was not equal to the task. The loss of his
leg had ruined his career, and the old sailor found comfort in devoting
himself to the education and companionship of the little girl.
The accident to Cap'n Bill's leg had happened at about the time
Trot was born, and ever since that he had lived with Trot's mother as "a
star boarder," having enough money saved up to pay for his weekly "keep."
He loved the baby and often held her on his lap; her first ride was on
Cap'n Bill's shoulders, for she had no baby carriage; and when she began
to toddle around, the child and the sailor man became close comrades and
enjoyed many strange adventures together. It is said that the fairies
had been present at Trot's birth and had marked her forehead with their
invisible mystic signs, so that she was able to see and do many wonderful
things.
The acacia tree was on top of a high bluff, but a path ran down
the bank in a zigzag way to the water's edge, where Cap'n Bill's boat was
moored to a rock by means of a stout cable. It had been a hot, sultry
afternoon with scarcely a breath of air stirring, so Cap'n Bill and Trot
had been quietly sitting beneath the shade of the tree waiting for the
sun to get low enough for them to take a row. They had decided to visit
one of the great caves which the waves had washed out of the rocky coast
during many years of steady effort. The waves were a source of continual
delight to both the girl and the sailor, who loved to explore their
awesome depths.
"I b'lieve, Cap'n," remarked Trot at last, "that it's time for us
to start."
The old man cast a shrewd glance at the sky, the sea and the
motionless boat. Then he shook his head. "Mebbe it's time, Trot," he
answered, "but I don't jes' like the looks of things this afternoon."
"What's wrong?" she asked wonderingly.
"Can't say as to that. Things is too quiet to suit me, that's
all. No breeze, not a ripple atop the waves, nary a gull a-flyin'
anywhere, an' the end o' the hottest day o' the year. I ain't no weather
prophet, Trot, but any sailor would know the signs is ominous."
"There's nothing wrong that I can see," said Trot. "If there was
a cloud in the sky even as big as my thumb, we might worry about it;
but--look, Cap'n--the sky is as clear as can be."
He looked again and nodded. "P'r'aps we can make the cave all
right," he agreed, not wishing to disappoint her. "It's only a little
way out, an' we'll be on the watch. So come along, Trot."
Together they descended the winding path to the beach. It was no
trouble for the girl to keep her footing on the steep way, but Cap'n
Bill, because of his wooden leg, had to hold on to rocks and roots now
and then to save himself from tumbling. On a level path he was as spry
as anyone, but to climb uphill or down required some care.
They reached the boat safely, and while Trot was untying the
rope, Cap'n Bill reached into a crevice of the rock and drew out several
tallow candles and a box of wax matches, which he thrust into the
capacious pockets of his "sou'wester." This sou'wester was a short coat
of oilskin which the old sailor wore on all occasions--when he wore a
coat at all--and the pockets always contained a variety of objects,
useful and ornamental, which made even Trot wonder where they all came
from and why Cap'n Bill should treasure them. The jackknives--a big one
and a little one--the bits of cord, the fishhooks, the nails, these were
handy to have on certain occasions. But bits of shell and tin boxes with
unknown contents, buttons, pincers, bottles of curious stones and the
like, seemed quite unnecessary to carry around. That was Cap'n Bill's
business, however, and now that he added the candles and the matches to
his collection, Trot made no comment, for she knew these last were to
light their way through the caves.
The sailor always rowed the boat, for he handled the oars with
strength and skill. Trot sat in the stern and steered. The place where
they embarked was a little bight--or circular bay--and the boat cut
across a much larger bay toward a distant headland where the caves were
located, right at the water's edge. They were nearly a mile from shore
and about halfway across the bay when Trot suddenly sat up straight and
exclaimed, "What's that, Cap'n?"
He stopped rowing and turned half around to look. "That, Trot,"
he slowly replied, "looks to me mighty like a whirlpool."
"What makes it, Cap'n?"
"A whirl in the air makes the whirl in the water. I was afraid
as we'd meet with trouble, Trot. Things didn't look right. The air was
too still."
"It's coming closer," said the girl.
The old man grabbed the oars and began rowing with all his
strength. "'Tain't comin' closer to us, Trot," he gasped. "It's we that
are comin' closer to the whirlpool. The thing is drawin' us to it like a
magnet!"
Trot's sun-bronzed face was a little paler as she grasped the
tiller firmly and tried to steer the boat away, but she said not a word
to indicate fear. The swirl of the water as they came nearer made a
roaring sound that was fearful to listen to. So fierce and powerful was
the whirlpool that it drew the surface of the sea into the form of a
great basin, slanting downward toward the center, where a big hole had
been made in the ocean--a hole with walls of water that were kept in
place by the rapid whirling of the air.
The boat in which Trot and Cap'n Bill were riding was just on the
outer edge of this saucer-like slant, and the old sailor knew very well
that unless he could quickly force the little craft away from the rushing
current, they would soon be drawn into the great black hole that yawned
in the middle. So he exerted all his might and pulled as he had never
pulled before. He pulled so hard that the left oar snapped in two and
sent Cap'n Bill sprawling upon the bottom of the boat.
He scrambled up quickly enough and glanced over the side. Then
he looked at Trot, who sat quite still with a serious, faraway look in
her sweet eyes. The boat was now speeding swiftly of its own accord,
following the line of the circular basin round and round and gradually
drawing nearer to the great hole in the center. Any further effort to
escape the whirlpool was useless, and realizing this fact, Cap'n Bill
turned toward Trot and put an arm around her as if to shield her from the
awful fate before them. He did not try to speak, because the roar of the
waters would have drowned the sound of his voice.
These two faithful comrades had faced dangers before, but nothing
equal to that which now faced them. Yet Cap'n Bill, noting the look in
Trot's eyes and remembering how often she had been protected by unseen
powers, did not quite give way to despair. The great hole in the dark
water--now growing nearer and nearer--looked very terrifying, but they
were both brave enough to face it and await the result of the adventure.
CHAPTER 2
THE CAVERN UNDER THE SEA
The circles were so much smaller at the bottom of the basin and
the boat moved so much more swiftly that Trot was beginning to get dizzy
with the motion when suddenly the boat made a leap and dived headlong
into the murky depths of the hole. Whirling like tops but still clinging
together, the sailor and the girl were separated from their boat and
plunged down, down, down into the farthermost recesses of the great
ocean.
At first their fall was swift as an arrow, but presently they
seemed to be going more moderately and Trot was almost sure that unseen
arms were about her, supporting her and protecting her. She could see
nothing because the water filled her eyes and blurred her vision, but she
clung fast to Cap'n Bill's sou'wester, while other arms clung fast to
her, and so they gradually sank down and down until a full stop was made,
when they began to ascend again.
But it seemed to Trot that they were not rising straight to the
surface from where they had come. The water was no longer whirling them,
and they seemed to be drawn in a slanting direction through still, cool
ocean depths. And then--in much quicker time than I have told it--up
they popped to the surface and were cast at full length upon a sandy
beach, where they lay choking and gasping for breath and wondering what
had happened to them.
Trot was the first to recover. Disengaging herself from Cap'n
Bill's wet embrace and sitting up, she rubbed the water from her eyes and
then looked around her. A soft, bluish-green glow lighted the place,
which seemed to be a sort of cavern, for above and on either side of her
were rugged rocks. They had been cast upon a beach of clear sand, which
slanted upward from the pool of water at their feet--a pool which
doubtless led into the big ocean that fed it. Above the reach of the
waves of the pool were rocks, and still more and more, into the dim
windings and recesses of which the glowing light from the water did not
penetrate.
The place looked grim and lonely, but Trot was thankful that she
was still alive and had suffered no severe injury during her trying
adventure under water. At her side, Cap'n Bill was sputtering and
coughing, trying to get rid of the water he had swallowed. Both of them
were soaked through, yet the cavern was warm and comfortable and a
wetting did not dismay the little girl in the least.
She crawled up the slant of sand and gathered in her hand a bunch
of dried seaweed, with which she mopped the face of Cap'n Bill and
cleared the water from his eyes and ears. Presently the old man sat up
and stared at her intently. Then he nodded his bald head three times and
said in a gurgling voice, "Mighty good, Trot, mighty good! We didn't
reach Davy Jones's locker that time, did we? Though why we didn't an'
why we're here is more'n I kin make out."
"Take it easy, Cap'n," she replied. "We're safe enough, I guess,
at least for the time being."
He squeezed the water out of the bottoms of his loose trousers
and felt of his wooden leg and arms and head, and finding he had brought
all of his person with him, he gathered courage to examine closely their
surroundings. "Where d'ye think we are, Trot?" he presently asked.
"Can't say, Cap'n. P'r'aps in one of our caves."
He shook his head. "No," said he, "I don't think that at all.
The distance we came up didn't seem half as far as the distance we went
down, an' you'll notice there ain't any outside entrance to this cavern
whatever. It's a reg'lar dome over this pool o' water, and unless
there's some passage at the back, up yonder, we're fast prisoners."
Trot looked thoughtfully over her shoulder. "When we're rested,"
she said, "we will crawl up there and see if there's a way to get out."
Cap'n Bill reached in the pocket of his oilskin coat and took out
his pipe. It was still dry, for he kept it in an oilskin pouch with his
tobacco. His matches were in a tight tin box, so in a few moments the
old sailor was smoking contentedly. Trot knew it helped him to think
when he was in any difficulty. Also, the pipe did much to restore the
old sailor's composure after his long ducking and his terrible fright--a
fright that was more on Trot's account than his own.
The sand was dry where they sat, and soaked up the water that
dripped from their clothing. When Trot had squeezed the wet out of her
hair, she began to feel much like her old self again. By and by they got
upon their feet and crept up the incline to the scattered boulders above.
Some of these were of huge size, but by passing between some and around
others, they were able to reach the extreme rear of the cavern. "Yes,"
said Trot with interest, "here's a round hole."
"And it's black as night inside it," remarked Cap'n Bill.
"Just the same," answered the girl, "we ought to explore it and
see where it goes, 'cause it's the only poss'ble way we can get out of
this place."
Cap'n Bill eyed the hole doubtfully. "It may be a way out o'
here, Trot," he said, "but it may be a way into a far worse place than
this. I'm not sure but our best plan is to stay right here."
Trot wasn't sure, either, when she thought of it in that light.
After a while she made her way back to the sands again, and Cap'n Bill
followed her. As they sat down, the child looked doubtfully at the
sailor's bulging pockets.
"How much food have we got, Cap'n?" she asked.
"Half a dozen ship's biscuits an' a hunk o' cheese," he replied.
"Want some now, Trot?"
She shook her head, saying, "That ought to keep us alive 'bout
three days if we're careful of it."
"Longer'n that, Trot," said Cap'n Bill, but his voice was a
little troubled and unsteady.
"But if we stay here, we're bound to starve in time," continued
the girl, "while if we go into the dark hole--"
"Some things are more hard to face than starvation," said the
sailor man gravely. "We don't know what's inside that dark hole, Trot,
nor where it might lead us to."
"There's a way to find that out," she persisted.
Instead of replying, Cap'n Bill began searching in his pockets.
He soon drew out a little package of fishhooks and a long line. Trot
watched him join them together. Then he crept a little way up the slope
and turned over a big rock. Two or three small crabs began scurrying
away over the sands and the sailor caught them and put one on his hook
and the others in his pocket. Coming back to the pool, he swung the hook
over his shoulder and circled it around his head and cast it nearly into
the center of the water, where he allowed it to sink gradually, paying
out the line as far as it would go. When the end was reached, he began
drawing it in again until the crab bait was floating on the surface.
Trot watched him cast the line a second time, and a third. She
decided that either there were no fishes in the pool or they would not
bite the crab bait. But Cap'n Bill was an old fisherman and not easily
discouraged. When the crab got away, he put another on the hook. When
the crabs were all gone, he climbed up the rocks and found some more.
Meantime, Trot tired of watching him and lay down upon the sands,
where she fell fast asleep. During the next two hours her clothing dried
completely, as did that of the old sailor. They were both so used to
salt water that there was no danger of taking cold.
Finally the little girl was wakened by a splash beside her and a
grunt of satisfaction from Cap'n Bill. She opened her eyes to find that
the Cap'n had landed a silver-scaled fish weighing about two pounds.
This cheered her considerably, and she hurried to scrape together a heap
of seaweed while Cap'n Bill cut up the fish with his jackknife and got it
ready for cooking. They had cooked fish with seaweed before. Cap'n Bill
wrapped his fish in some of the weed and dipped it in the water to dampen
it. Then he lighted a match and set fire to Trot's heap, which speedily
burned down to a glowing bed of ashes. Then they laid the wrapped fish
on the ashes, covered it with more seaweed, and allowed this to catch
fire and burn to embers. After feeding the fire with seaweed for some
time, the sailor finally decided that their supper was ready, so he
scattered the ashes and drew out the bits of fish still encased in their
smoking wrappings. When these wrapping were removed, the fish was found
thoroughly cooked, and both Trot and Cap'n Bill ate of it freely. It had
a slight flavor of seaweed and would have been better with a sprinkling
of salt.
The soft glow which until now had lighted the cavern began to
grow dim, but there was a great quantity of seaweed in the place, so
after they had eaten their fish, they kept the fire alive for a time by
giving it a handful of fuel now and then. From an inner pocket the
sailor drew a small flask of battered metal, and unscrewing the cap
handed it to Trot. She took but one swallow of the water, although she
wanted more, and she noticed that Cap'n Bill merely wet his lips with it.
"S'pose," said she, staring at the glowing seaweed fire and
speaking slowly, "that we can catch all the fish we need. How 'bout the
drinking water, Cap'n?"
He moved uneasily, but did not reply. Both of them were thinking
about the dark hole, but while Trot had little fear of it, the old man
could not overcome his dislike to enter the place. He knew that Trot was
right, though. To remain in the cavern where they now were could only
result in slow but sure death.
It was nighttime up on the earth's surface, so the little girl
became drowsy and soon fell asleep. After a time, the old sailor
slumbered on the sands beside her. It was very still and nothing
disturbed them for hours. When at last they awoke, the cavern was light
again.
They had divided one of the biscuits and were munching it for
breakfast when they were startled by a sudden splash in the pool. Looking
toward it, they saw emerging from the water the most curious creature
either of them had ever beheld. It wasn't a fish, Trot decided, nor was
it a beast. It had wings, though, and queer wings they were: shaped like
an inverted chopping bowl and covered with tough skin instead of
feathers. It had four legs--much like the legs of a stork, only double
the number--and its head was shaped a good deal like that of a poll
parrot, with a beak that curved downward in front and upward at the
edges, and was half bill and half mouth. But to call it a bird was out
of the question, because it had no feathers whatever except a crest of
wavy plumes of a scarlet color on the very top of its head. The strange
creature must have weighed as much as Cap'n Bill, and as it floundered
and struggled to get out of the water to the sandy beach, it was so big
and unusual that both Trot and her companion stared at it in wonder--in
wonder that was not unmixed with fear.
CHAPTER 3
THE ORK
The eyes that regarded them as the creature stood dripping before
them were bright and mild in expression, and the queer addition to their
party made no attempt to attack them and seemed quite as surprised by the
meeting as they were.
"I wonder," whispered Trot, "what it is."
"Who, me?" exclaimed the creature in a shrill, high-pitched voice.
"Why, I'm an Ork."
"Oh!" said the girl. "But what is an Ork?"
"I am," he repeated, a little proudly, as he shook the water from
his funny wings, "and if ever an Ork was glad to be out of the water and
on dry land again, you can be sure that I'm that especial, individual Ork!"
"Have you been in the water long?" inquired Cap'n Bill, thinking
it only polite to show an interest in the strange creature.
"Why, this last dunking was about ten minutes, I believe, and
that's about nine minutes and sixty seconds too long for comfort," was
the reply. "But last night I was in an awful pickle, I assure you. The
whirlpool caught me, and--"
"Oh, were you in the whirlpool, too?" asked Trot eagerly.
He gave her a glance that was somewhat reproachful. "I believe I
was mentioning the fact, young lady, when your desire to talk interrupted
me," said the Ork. "I am not usually careless in my actions, but that
whirlpool was so busy yesterday that I thought I'd see what mischief it
was up to. So I flew a little too near it, and the suction of the air
drew me down into the depths of the ocean. Water and I are natural
enemies, and it would have conquered me this time had not a bevy of
pretty mermaids come to my assistance and dragged me away from the
whirling water and far up into a cavern, where they deserted me."
"Why, that's about the same thing that happened to us," cried
Trot. "Was your cavern like this one?"
"I haven't examined this one yet," answered the Ork, "but if they
happen to be alike, I shudder at our fate, for the other one was a prison
with no outlet except by means of the water. I stayed there all night,
however, and this morning I plunged into the pool as far down as I could
go and then swam as hard and as far as I could. The rocks scraped my
back now and then, and I barely escaped the clutches of an ugly sea
monster, but by and by I came to the surface to catch my breath and found
myself here. That's the whole story, and as I see you have something to
eat, I entreat you to give me a share of it. The truth is, I'm half
starved."
With these words, the Ork squatted down beside them. Very
reluctantly, Cap'n Bill drew another biscuit from his pocket and held it
out. The Ork promptly seized it in one of its front claws and began to
nibble the biscuit in much the same manner a parrot might have done.
"We haven't much grub," said the sailor man, "but we're willin'
to share it with a comrade in distress."
"That's right," returned the Ork, cocking its head sidewise in a
cheerful manner, and then for a few minutes there was silence while they
all ate of the biscuits. After a while, Trot said,
"I've never seen or heard of an Ork before. Are there many of you?"
"We are rather few and exclusive, I believe," was the reply. "In
the country where I was born, we are the absolute rulers of all living
things, from ants to elephants."
"What country is that?" asked Cap'n Bill.
"Orkland."
"Where does it lie?"
"I don't know exactly. You see, I have a restless nature for some
reason, while all the rest of my race are quiet and contented Orks and
seldom stray far from home. From childhood days I loved to fly long
distances away, although father often warned me that I would get into
trouble by so doing. 'It's a big world, Flipper, my son,' he would say,
'and I've heard that in parts of it live queer two-legged creatures
called Men, who war upon all other living things and would have little
respect for even an Ork.' This naturally aroused my curiosity, and after
I had completed my education and left school, I decided to fly out into
the world and try to get a glimpse of the creatures called Men. So I
left home without saying goodbye, an act I shall always regret.
Adventures were many, I found. I sighted men several times, but have
never before been so close to them as now. Also, I had to fight my way
through the air, for I met gigantic birds with fluffy feathers all over
them, which attacked me fiercely. Besides, it kept me busy escaping from
floating airships. In my rambling I had lost all track of distance or
direction, so that when I wanted to go home I had no idea where my
country was located. I've now been trying to find it for several months,
and it was during one of my flights over the ocean that I met the
whirlpool and became its victim."
Trot and Cap'n Bill listened to this recital with much interest,
and from the friendly tone and harmless appearance of the Ork they judged
he was not likely to prove so disagreeable a companion as at first they
had feared he might be. The Ork sat upon its haunches much as a cat
does, but used the finger-like claws of its front legs almost as cleverly
as if they were hands. Perhaps the most curious thing about the creature
was its tail, or what ought to have been its tail. This queer
arrangement of skin, bones and muscle was shaped like the propellers used
on boats and airships, having fan-like surfaces and being pivoted to its
body. Cap'n Bill knew something of mechanics, and observing the
propeller-like tail of the Ork, he said, "I s'pose you're a pretty swift
flyer."
"Yes indeed, the Orks are admitted to be Kings of the Air."
"Your wings don't seem to amount to much," remarked Trot.
"Well, they are not very big," admitted the Ork, waving the four
hollow skins gently to and fro, "but they serve to support my body in the
air while I speed along by means of my tail. Still, taken altogether,
I'm very handsomely formed, don't you think?"
Trot did not like to reply, but Cap'n Bill said gravely, "For an
Ork," said he, "you're a wonder. I've never seen one afore, but I can
imagine you're as good as any."
That seemed to please the creature, and it began walking around
the cavern, making its way easily up the slope. While it was gone, Trot
and Cap'n Bill each took another sip from the water flask to wash down
their breakfast.
"Why, here's a hole--an exit--an outlet!" exclaimed the Ork from
above.
"We know," said Trot. "We found it last night."
"Well, then, let's be off," continued the Ork after sticking its
head into the black hole and sniffing once or twice. "The air seems
fresh and sweet, and it can't lead us to any worse place than this."
The girl and the sailor man got up and climbed to the side of the
Ork. "We'd almost decided to explore this hole before you came,"
explained Cap'n Bill, "but it's a dangerous place to navigate in the
dark, so wait till I light a candle."
"What is a candle?" inquired the Ork.
"You'll see in a minute," said Trot.
The old sailor drew one of the candles from the right-side pocket
and the tin matchbox from his left side pocket. When he lighted the
match, the Ork gave a startled jump and eyed the flame suspiciously, but
Cap'n Bill proceeded to light the candle and the action interested the
Ork very much. "Light," it said somewhat nervously, "is valuable in a
hole of this sort. The candle is not dangerous, I hope."
"Sometimes it burns your fingers," answered Trot, "but that's
about the worst it can do--'cept to blow out when you don't want it to."
Cap'n Bill shielded the flame with his hand and crept into the
hole. It wasn't any too big for a grown man, but after he had crawled a
few feet, it grew larger. Trot came close behind him, and the Ork
followed. "Seems like a reg'lar tunnel," muttered the sailor man, who
was creeping along awkwardly because of his wooden leg. The rocks, too,
hurt his knees. For nearly half an hour the three moved slowly along the
tunnel, which made many twists and turns and sometimes slanted downward
and sometimes upward. Finally, Cap'n Bill stopped short, with an
exclamation of disappointment, and held the flickering candle far ahead
to light the scene.
"What's wrong?" demanded Trot, who could see nothing because the
sailor's form completely filled the hole.
"Why, we've come to the end of our travels, I guess," he replied.
"Is the hole blocked?" inquired the Ork.
"No, it's wuss nor that," replied Cap'n Bill sadly. "I'm on the
edge of a precipice. Wait a minute an' I'll move along and let you see
for yourselves. Be careful, Trot, not to fall." Then he crept forward a
little and moved to one side, holding the candle so that the girl could
see to follow him. The Ork came next, and now all three knelt on a
narrow ledge of rock which dropped straight away and left a huge black
space which the tiny flame of the candle could not illuminate.
"Hm!" said the Ork, peering over the edge. "This doesn't look
very promising, I'll admit. But let me take your candle, and I'll fly
down and see what's below us."
"Aren't you afraid?" asked Trot.
"Certainly I'm afraid," responded the Ork. "But if we intend to
escape, we can't stay on this shelf forever. So as I notice you poor
creatures cannot fly, it is my duty to explore the place for you."
Cap'n Bill handed the Ork the candle, which had now burned to
about half its length. The Ork took it in one claw rather cautiously and
then tipped his body forward and slipped over the edge. They heard a
queer buzzing sound as the tail revolved and a brisk flapping of the
peculiar wings, but they were more interested just then in following with
their eyes the tiny speck of light which marked the location of the
candle. This light first made a great circle, then dropped slowly
downward and suddenly was extinguished, leaving everything before them
black as ink.
"Hi there! How did that happen?" cried the Ork.
"It blew out, I guess," shouted Cap'n Bill. "Fetch it here."
"I can't see where you are," said the Ork. So Cap'n Bill got out
another candle and lighted it, and its flame enabled the Ork to fly back
to them. It alighted on the edge and held out the bit of candle.
"What made it stop burning?" asked the creature.
"The wind," said Trot. "You must be more careful this time."
"What's the place like?" inquired Cap'n Bill.
"I don't know yet, but there must be a bottom to it, so I'll try
to find it."
With this, the Ork started out again, and this time sank downward
more slowly. Down, down, down it went till the candle was a mere spark,
and then it headed away to the left and Trot and Cap'n Bill lost all
sight of it. In a few minutes, however, they saw the spark of light
again, and as the sailor still held the second lighted candle, the Ork
made straight toward them. It was only a few yards distant when suddenly
it dropped the candle with a cry of pain and next moment alighted,
fluttering wildly, upon the rocky ledge.
"What's the matter?" asked Trot.
"It bit me!" wailed the Ork. "I don't like your candles. The
thing began to disappear slowly as soon as I took it in my claw, and it
grew smaller and smaller until just now it turned and bit me--a most
unfriendly thing to do. Oh, oh! Ouch, what a bite!"
"That's the nature of candles, I'm sorry to say," explained Cap'n
Bill with a grin. "You have to handle 'em mighty keerful. But tell us,
what did you find down there?"
"I found a way to continue our journey," said the Ork, nursing
tenderly the claw which had been burned. "Just below us is a great lake
of black water, which looked so cold and wicked that it made me shudder.
But away at the left there's a big tunnel which we can easily walk
through. I don't know where it leads to, of course, but we must follow
it and find out."
"Why, we can't get to it," protested the little girl. "We can't
fly as you do, you must remember."
"No, that's true," replied the Ork musingly. "Your bodies are
built very poorly, it seems to me, since all you can do is crawl upon the
earth's surface. But you may ride upon my back, and in that way I can
promise you a safe journey to the tunnel."
"Are you strong enough to carry us?" asked Cap'n Bill doubtfully.
"Yes indeed. I'm strong enough to carry a dozen of you if you
could find a place to sit," was the reply. "But there's only room
between my wings for one at a time, so I'll have to make two trips."
"All right. I'll go first," decided Cap'n Bill. He lit another
candle for Trot to hold while they were gone and to light the Ork on his
return to her, and then the old sailor got upon the Ork's back, where he
sat with his wooden leg sticking straight out sidewise.
"If you start to fall, clasp your arms around my neck," advised
the creature.
"If I start to fall, it's good night an' pleasant dreams," said
Cap'n Bill.
"All ready?" asked the Ork.
"Start the buzz-tail," said Cap'n Bill with a tremble in his
voice. But the Ork flew away so gently that the old man never even
tottered in his seat.
Trot watched the light of Cap'n Bill's candle till it disappeared
in the far distance. She didn't like to be left alone on this dangerous
ledge with a lake of black water hundreds of feet below her, but she was
a brave little girl and waited patiently for the return of the Ork. It
came even sooner than she had expected, and the creature said to her,
"Your friend is safe in the tunnel. Now then, get aboard and I'll carry
you to him in a jiffy."
I'm sure not many little girls would have cared to take that
awful ride through the huge black cavern on the back of a skinny Ork.
Trot didn't care for it herself, but it just had to be done, and so she
did it as courageously as possible. Her heart beat fast, and she was so
nervous she could scarcely hold the candle in her fingers as the Ork sped
swiftly through the darkness. It seemed like a long ride to her, yet in
reality the Ork covered the distance in a wonderfully brief period of
time, and soon Trot stood safely beside Cap'n Bill on the level floor of
a big, arched tunnel. The sailor man was very glad to greet his little
comrade again, and both were grateful to the Ork for his assistance.
"I dunno where this tunnel leads to," remarked Cap'n Bill, "but
it surely looks more promisin' than that other hole we crept through."
"When the Ork is rested," said Trot, "we'll travel on and see
what happens."
"Rested!" cried the Ork as scornfully as his shrill voice would
allow. "That bit of flying didn't tire me at all. I'm used to flying
days at a time without ever once stopping."
"Then let's move on," proposed Cap'n Bill. He still held in his
hand one lighted candle, so Trot blew out the other flame and placed her
candle in the sailor's big pocket. She knew it was not wise to burn two
candles at once.
The tunnel was straight and smooth and very easy to walk through,
so they made good progress. Trot thought that the tunnel began about two
miles from the cavern where they had been cast by the whirlpool, but now
it was impossible to guess the miles traveled, for they walked steadily
for hours and hours without any change in their surrounding. Finally,
Cap'n Bill stopped to rest. "There's somethin' queer about this 'ere
tunnel, I'm certain," he declared, wagging his head dolefully. "Here's
three candles gone a'ready, an' only three more left us, yet the tunnel's
the same as it was when we started. An' how long it's goin' to keep up,
no one knows."
"Couldn't we walk without a light?" asked Trot. "The way seems
safe enough."
"It does right now," was the reply, "but we can't tell when we
are likely to come to another gulf or somethin' jes' as dangerous. In
that case, we'd be killed afore we knew it."
"Suppose I go ahead?" suggested the Ork. "I don't fear a fall,
you know, and if anything happens, I'll call out and warn you."
"That's a good idea," declared Trot, and Cap'n Bill thought so,
too. So the Ork started off ahead, quite in the dark, and hand in hand
the two followed him. When they had walked in this way for a good, long
time, the Ork halted and demanded food. Cap'n Bill had not mentioned
food because there was so little left--only three biscuits and a lump of
cheese about as big as his two fingers--but he gave the Ork half of a
biscuit, sighing as he did so. The creature didn't care for the cheese,
so the sailor divided it between himself and Trot. They lighted a candle
and sat down in the tunnel while they ate.
"My feet hurt me," grumbled the Ork. "I'm not used to walking,
and this rocky passage is so uneven and lumpy that it hurts me to walk
upon it."
"Can't you fly along?" asked Trot.
"No, the roof is too low," said the Ork.
After the meal they resumed their journey, which Trot began to
fear would never end. When Cap'n Bill noticed how tired the little girl
was, he paused and lighted a match and looked at his big silver watch.
"Why, it's night!" he exclaimed. "We've tramped all day, an'
still we're in this awful passage, which mebbe goes straight through the
middle of the world, an' mebbe is a circle--in which case we can keep
walkin' till doomsday. Not known' what's before us so well as we know
what's behind us, I propose we make a stop now an' try to sleep till
mornin'."
"That will suit me," asserted the Ork with a groan. "My feet are
hurting me dreadfully, and for the last few miles I've been limping with
pain."
"My foot hurts, too," said the sailor, looking for a smooth place
on the rocky floor to sit down.
"YOUR foot!" cried the Ork. "Why, you've only one to hurt you,
while I have four. So I suffer four times as much as you possibly can.
Here, hold the candle while I look at the bottoms of my claws. I
declare," he said, examining them by the flickering light, "there are
bunches of pain all over them!"
"P'r'aps," said Trot, who was very glad to sit down beside her
companions, "you've got corns."
"Corns? Nonsense! Orks never have corns," protested the
creature, rubbing its sore feet tenderly.
"Then mebbe they're--they're--What do you call 'em, Cap'n Bill?
Something 'bout the Pilgrim's Progress, you know."
"Bunions," said Cap'n Bill.
"Oh yes, mebbe you've got bunions."
"It is possible," moaned the Ork. "But whatever they are,
another day of such walking on them would drive me crazy."
"I'm sure they'll feel better by mornin'," said Cap'n Bill
encouragingly. "Go to sleep an' try to forget your sore feet."
The Ork cast a reproachful look at the sailor man, who didn't see
it. Then the creature asked plaintively, "Do we eat now, or do we starve?"
"There's only half a biscuit left for you," answered Cap'n Bill.
"No one knows how long we'll have to stay in this dark tunnel where
there's nothing whatever to eat, so I advise you to save that morsel o'
food till later."
"Give it me now!" demanded the Ork. "If I'm going to starve,
I'll do it at once, not by degrees."
Cap'n Bill produced the biscuit, and the creature ate it in a
trice. Trot was rather hungry and whispered to Cap'n Bill that she'd take
part of her share, but the old man secretly broke his own half-biscuit in
two, saving Trot's share for a time of greater need. He was beginning to
be worried over the little girl's plight, and long after she was asleep
and the Ork was snoring in a rather disagreeable manner, Cap'n Bill sat
with his back to a rock and smoked his pipe and tried to think of some
way to escape from this seemingly endless tunnel. But after a time, he
also slept, and there in the dark slumbered the three adventurers for
many hours, until the Ork roused itself and kicked the old sailor with
one foot.
"It must be another day," said he.
CHAPTER 4
DAYLIGHT AT LAST
Cap'n Bill rubbed his eyes, lit a match and consulted his watch.
"Nine o'clock. Yes, I guess it's another day, sure enough. Shall we go
on?" he asked.
"Of course," replied the Ork. "Unless this tunnel is different
from everything else in the world and has no end, we'll find a way out of
it sooner or later."
The sailor gently wakened Trot. She felt much rested by her long
sleep and sprang to her feet eagerly. "Let's start, Cap'n," was all she
said.
They resumed the journey and had only taken a few steps when the
Ork cried "Wow!" and made a great fluttering of its wings and whirling of
its tail. The others, who were following a short distance behind,
stopped abruptly.
"What's the matter?" asked Cap'n Bill.
"Give us a light," was the reply. "I think we've come to the end
of the tunnel." Then, while Cap'n Bill lighted a candle, the creature
added, "If that is true, we needn't have wakened so soon, for we were
almost at the end of this place when we went to sleep."
The sailor man and Trot came forward with a light. A wall of
rock really faced the tunnel, but now they saw that the opening made a
sharp turn to the left. So they followed on, by a narrower passage, and
then made another sharp turn--this time to the right. "Blow out the
light, Cap'n," said the Ork in a pleased voice. "We've struck daylight."
Daylight at last! A shaft of mellow light fell almost at their
feet as Trot and the sailor turned the corner of the passage, but it came
from above, and raising their eyes they found they were at the bottom of
a deep, rocky well, with the top far, far above their heads. And here the
passage ended.
For a while they gazed in silence, at least two of them being
filled with dismay at the sight. But the Ork merely whistled softly and
said cheerfully, "That was the toughest journey I ever had the misfortune
to undertake, and I'm glad it's over. Yet, unless I can manage to fly to
the top of this pit, we are entombed here forever."
"Do you think there is room enough for you to fly in?" asked the
little girl anxiously, and Cap'n Bill added, "It's a straight-up shaft,
so I don't see how you'll ever manage it."
"Were I an ordinary bird--one of those horrid feathered things--I
wouldn't even make the attempt to fly out," said the Ork. "But my
mechanical propeller tail can accomplish wonders, and whenever you're
ready I'll show you a trick that is worthwhile."
"Oh!" exclaimed Trot. "Do you intend to take us up, too?"
"Why not?"
"I thought," said Cap'n Bill, "as you'd go first, an' then send
somebody to help us by lettin' down a rope."
"Ropes are dangerous," replied the Ork, "and I might not be able
to find one to reach all this distance. Besides, it stands to reason
that if I can get out myself, I can also carry you two with me."
"Well, I'm not afraid," said Trot, who longed to be on the
earth's surface again.
"S'pose we fall," suggested Cap'n Bill doubtfully.
"Why, in that case we would all fall together," returned the Ork.
"Get aboard, little girl. Sit across my shoulders and put both your arms
around my neck."
Trot obeyed, and when she was seated on the Ork Cap'n Bill
inquired, "How 'bout me, Mr. Ork?"
"Why, I think you'd best grab hold of my rear legs and let me
carry you up in that manner," was the reply.
Cap'n Bill looked way up at the top of the well, and then he
looked at the Ork's slender, skinny legs and heaved a deep sigh. "It's
goin' to be some dangle, I guess, but if you don't waste too much time on
the way up, I may be able to hang on," said he.
"All ready, then!" cried the Ork, and at once his whirling tail
began to revolve. Trot felt herself rising into the air; when the
creature's legs left the ground, Cap'n Bill grasped two of them firmly
and held on for dear life. The Ork's body was tipped straight upward,
and Trot had to embrace the neck very tightly to keep from sliding off.
Even in this position, the Ork had trouble in escaping the rough sides of
the well. Several times it exclaimed "Wow!" as it bumped its back or a
wing hit against some jagged projection. But the tail kept whirling with
remarkable swiftness, and the daylight grew brighter and brighter. It
was, indeed, a long journey from the bottom to the top, yet almost before
Trot realized they had come so far they popped out of the hole into the
clear air and sunshine, and a moment later the Ork alighted gently upon
the ground.
The release was so sudden that even with the creature's care for
its passengers, Cap'n Bill struck the earth with a shock that sent him
rolling heel over head. But by the time Trot had slid down from her
seat, the old sailor man was sitting up and looking around him with much
satisfaction. "It's sort o' pretty here," said he.
"Earth is a beautiful place!" cried Trot.
"I wonder where on earth we are?" pondered the Ork, turning first
one bright eye and then the other to this side and that. Trees there
were, in plenty, and shrubs and flowers and green turf. But there were
no houses, there were no paths, there was no sign of civilization
whatever. "Just before I settled down on the ground, I thought I caught
a view of the ocean," said the Ork. "Let's see if I was right." Then he
flew to a little hill nearby, and Trot and Cap'n Bill followed him more
slowly. When they stood on the top of the hill, they could see the blue
waves of the ocean in front of them, to the right of them, and at the
left of them. Behind the hill was a forest that shut out the view.
"I hope it ain't an island, Trot," said Cap'n Bill gravely.
"If it is, I s'pose we're prisoners," she replied.
"Ezzackly so, Trot."
"But even so, it's better than those terr'ble underground tunnels
and caverns," declared the girl.
"You are right, little one," agreed the Ork. "Anything above
ground is better than the best that lies underground. So let's not
quarrel with our fate, but be thankful we've escaped."
"We are indeed!" she replied. "But I wonder if we can find
something to eat in this place?"
"Let's explore an' find out," proposed Cap'n Bill. "Those trees
over at the left look like cherry trees."
On the way to them, the explorers had to walk through a tangle of
vines, and Cap'n Bill, who went first, stumbled and pitched forward on
his face. "Why, it's a melon!" cried Trot delightedly as she saw what
had caused the sailor to fall.
Cap'n Bill rose to his foot, for he was not at all hurt, and
examined the melon. Then he took his big jackknife from his pocket and
cut the melon open. It was quite ripe and looked delicious, but the old
man tasted it before he permitted Trot to eat any. Deciding it was good,
he gave her a big slice and then offered the Ork some. The creature
looked at the fruit somewhat disdainfully at first, but once he had
tasted its flavor, he ate of it as heartily as did the others. Among the
vines they discovered many other melons, and Trot said gratefully, "Well,
there's no danger of our starving, even if this IS an island."
"Melons," remarked Cap'n Bill, "are both food and water. We
couldn't have struck anything better."
Farther on they came to the cherry trees, where they obtained
some of the fruit, and at the edge of the little forest were wild plums.
The forest itself consisted almost entirely of nut trees--walnuts,
filberts, almonds and chestnuts--so there would be plenty of wholesome
food for them while they remained there.
Cap'n Bill and Trot decided to walk through the forest to
discover what was on the other side of it, but the Ork's feet were still
so sore and "lumpy" from walking on the rocks, that the creature said he
preferred to fly over the treetops and meet them on the other side. The
forest was not large, so by walking briskly for fifteen minutes, they
reached its farthest edge and saw before them the shore of the ocean.
"It's an island, all right," said Trot with a sigh.
"Yes, and a pretty island, too," said Cap'n Bill, trying to
conceal his disappointment on Trot's account. "I guess, partner, if the
wuss comes to the wuss, I could build a raft, or even a boat, from those
trees, so's we could sail away in it."
The little girl brightened at this suggestion. "I don't see the
Ork anywhere," she remarked, looking around. Then her eyes lighted upon
something, and she exclaimed, "Oh, Cap'n Bill! Isn't that a house over
there to the left?"
Cap'n Bill, looking closely, saw a shed-like structure built at
one edge of the forest. "Seems like it, Trot. Not that I'd call it much
of a house, but it's a buildin', all right. Let's go over an' see if
it's occypied."
CHAPTER 5
THE LITTLE OLD MAN OF THE ISLAND
A few steps brought them to the shed, which was merely a roof of
boughs built over a square space with some branches of trees fastened to
the sides to keep off the wind. The front was quite open and faced the
sea, and as our friends came nearer, they observed a little man with a
long, pointed beard sitting motionless on a stool and staring
thoughtfully out over the water. "Get out of the way, please," he called
in a fretful voice. "Can't you see you're obstructing my view?"
"Good morning," said Cap'n Bill politely.
"It isn't a good morning!" snapped the little man. "I've seen
plenty of mornings better than this. Do you call it a good morning when
I'm pestered with such a crowd as you?"
Trot was astonished to hear such words from a stranger whom they
had greeted quite properly, and Cap'n Bill grew red at the little man's
rudeness. But the sailor said in a quiet tone of voice, "Are you the
only one as lives on this 'ere island?"
"Your grammar's bad," was the reply. "But this is my own
exclusive island, and I'll thank you to get off it as soon as possible."
"We'd like to do that," said Trot, and then she and Cap'n Bill
turned away and walked down to the shore to see if any other land was in
sight. The little man rose and followed them, although both were now too
provoked to pay any attention to him.
"Nothin' in sight, partner," reported Cap'n Bill, shading his
eyes with his hand, "so we'll have to stay here for a time, anyhow. It
isn't a bad place, Trot, by any means."
"That's all you know about it!" broke in the little man. "The
trees are altogether too green, and the rocks are harder than they ought
to be. I find the sand very grainy and the water dreadfully wet. Every
breeze makes a draft, and the sun shines in the daytime when there's no
need of it and disappears just as soon as it begins to get dark. If you
remain here, you'll find the island very unsatisfactory."
Trot turned to look at him, and her sweet face was grave and
curious. "I wonder who you are," she said.
"My name is Pessim," said he with an air of pride. "I'm called
the Observer."
"Oh. What do you observe?" asked the little girl.
"Everything I see," was the reply in a more surly tone. Then
Pessim drew back with a startled exclamation and looked at some
footprints in the sand. "Why, good gracious me!" he cried in distress.
"What's the matter now?" asked Cap'n Bill.
"Someone has pushed the earth in! Don't you see it?"
"It isn't pushed in far enough to hurt anything," said Trot,
examining the footprints.
"Everything hurts that isn't right," insisted the man. "If the
earth were pushed in a mile, it would be a great calamity, wouldn't it?"
"I s'pose so," admitted the little girl.
"Well, here it is pushed in a full inch! That's a twelfth of a
foot, or a little more than a millionth part of a mile. Therefore it is
one-millionth part of a calamity--oh dear! How dreadful!" said Pessim in
a wailing voice.
"Try to forget it, sir," advised Cap'n Bill soothingly. "It's
beginning to rain. Let's get under your shed and keep dry."
"Raining! Is it really raining?" asked Pessim, beginning to
weep.
"It is," answered Cap'n Bill as the drops began to descend, "and
I don't see any way to stop it--although I'm some observer myself."
"No, we can't stop it, I fear," said the man. "Are you very busy
just now?"
"I won't be after I get to the shed," replied the sailor man.
"Then do me a favor, please," begged Pessim, walking briskly
along behind them, for they were hastening to the shed.
"Depends on what it is," said Cap'n Bill.
"I wish you would take my umbrella down to the shore and hold it
over the poor fishes till it stops raining. I'm afraid they'll get wet,"
said Pessim.
Trot laughed, but Cap'n Bill thought the little man was poking
fun at him, so he scowled upon Pessim in a way that showed he was angry.
They reached the shed before getting very wet, although the rain
was now coming down in big drops. The roof of the shed protected them,
and while they stood watching the rainstorm, something buzzed and circled
around Pessim's head. At once the Observer began beating it away with
his hands, crying out, "A bumblebee! A bumblebee! The queerest
bumblebee I ever saw!"
Cap'n Bill and Trot both looked at it, and the girl said in
surprise, "Dear me! It's a wee little Ork!"
"That's what it is, sure enough," exclaimed Cap'n Bill. Really,
it wasn't much bigger than a big bumblebee, and when it came toward Trot,
she allowed it to alight on her shoulder.
"It's me, all right," said a very small voice in her ear, "but
I'm in an awful pickle, just the same."
"What, are you OUR Ork, then?" demanded the girl, much amazed.
"No, I'm my own Ork. But I'm the only Ork you know," replied the
tiny creature.
"What's happened to you?" asked the sailor, putting his head
close to Trot's shoulder in order to hear the reply better. Pessim also
put his head close, and the Ork said, "You will remember that when I left
you, I started to fly over the trees, and just as I got to this side of
the forest I saw a bush that was loaded down with the most luscious fruit
you can imagine. The fruit was about the size of a gooseberry and of a
lovely lavender color. So I swooped down and picked off one in my bill
and ate it. At once, I began to grow small. I could feel myself
shrinking, shrinking away, and it frightened me terribly, so that I
alighted on the ground to think over what was happening. In a few
seconds I had shrunk to the size you now see me, but there I remained,
getting no smaller, indeed, but no larger. It is certainly a dreadful
affliction! After I had recovered somewhat from the shock, I began to
search for you. It is not so easy to find one's way when a creature is
so small, but fortunately I spied you here in this shed and came to you
at once."
Cap'n Bill and Trot were much astonished at this story and felt
grieved for the poor Ork, but the little man Pessim seemed to think it a
good joke. He began laughing when he heard the story and laughed until
he choked, after which he lay down on the ground and rolled and laughed
again, while the tears of merriment coursed down his wrinkled cheeks.
"Oh dear! Oh dear!" he finally gasped, sitting up and wiping his eyes.
"This is too rich! It's almost too joyful to be true."
"I don't see anything funny about it," remarked Trot indignantly.
"You would if you'd had my experience," said Pessim, getting upon
his feet and gradually resuming his solemn and dissatisfied expression of
countenance. "The same thing happened to me."
"Oh, did it? And how did you happen to come to this island?"
asked the girl.
"I didn't come; the neighbors brought me," replied the little man
with a frown at the recollection. "They said I was quarrelsome and
fault-finding and blamed me because I told them all the things that went
wrong or never were right, and because I told them how things ought to
be. So they brought me here and left me all alone, saying that if I
quarreled with myself, no one would be made unhappy. Absurd, wasn't it?"
"Seems to me," said Cap'n Bill, "those neighbors did the proper
thing."
"Well," resumed Pessim, "when I found myself King of this island,
I was obliged to live upon fruits, and I found many fruits growing here
that I had never seen before. I tasted several and found them good and
wholesome. But one day I ate a lavender berry as the Ork did, and
immediately I grew so small that I was scarcely two inches high. It was
a very unpleasant condition, and like the Ork I became frightened. I
could not walk very well nor very far, for every lump of earth in my way
seemed a mountain, every blade of grass a tree and every grain of sand a
rocky boulder. For several days I stumbled around in an agony of fear.
Once a tree toad nearly gobbled me up, and if I ran out from the shelter
of the bushes, the gulls and cormorants swooped down upon me. Finally, I
decided to eat another berry and become nothing at all, since life to one
as small as I was had become a dreary nightmare.
"At last I found a small tree that I thought bore the same fruit
as that I had eaten. The berry was dark purple instead of light
lavender, but otherwise it was quite similar. Being unable to climb the
tree, I was obliged to wait underneath it until a sharp breeze arose and
shook the limbs so that a berry fell. Instantly I seized it, and taking
a last view of the world--as I then thought--I ate the berry in a
twinkling. Then, to my surprise, I began to grow big again until I
became of my former stature, and so I have since remained. Needless to
say, I have never eaten again of the lavender fruit, nor do any of the
beasts or birds that live upon the island eat it."
They had all three listened eagerly to this amazing tale, and
when it was finished, the Ork exclaimed, "Do you think, then, that the
deep purple berry is the antidote for the lavender one?"
"I'm sure of it," answered Pessim.
"Then lead me to the tree at once!" begged the Ork. "For this
tiny form I now have terrifies me greatly."
Pessim examined the Ork closely. "You are ugly enough as you
are," said he. "Were you any larger, you might be dangerous."
"Oh no," Trot assured him. "The Ork has been our good friend.
Please take us to the tree."
Then Pessim consented, although rather reluctantly. He led them
to the right, which was the east side of the island, and in a few minutes
brought them near to the edge of the grove which faced the shore of the
ocean. Here stood a small tree bearing berries of a deep purple color.
The fruit looked very enticing, and Cap'n Bill reached up and selected
one that seemed especially plump and ripe. The Ork had remained perched
upon Trot's shoulder, but now it flew down to the ground. It was so
difficult for Cap'n Bill to kneel down with his wooden leg that the
little girl took the berry from him and held it close to the Ork's head.
"It's too big to go into my mouth," said the little creature,
looking at the fruit sidewise.
"You'll have to make sev'ral mouthfuls of it, I guess," said
Trot, and that is what the Ork did. He pecked at the soft, ripe fruit
with his bill and ate it up very quickly, because it was good. Even
before he had finished the berry, they could see the Ork begin to grow.
In a few minutes he had regained his natural size and was strutting
before them, quite delighted with his transformation.
"Well, well! What do you think of me now?" he asked proudly.
"You are very skinny and remarkably ugly," declared Pessim.
"You are a poor judge of Orks," was the reply. "Anyone can see
that I'm much handsomer than those dreadful things called birds, which
are all fluff and feathers."
"Their feathers make soft beds," asserted Pessim.
"And my skin would make excellent drumheads," retorted the Ork.
"Nevertheless, a plucked bird or a skinned Ork would be of no value to
himself, so we needn't brag of our usefulness after we are dead. But for
the sake of argument, friend Pessim, I'd like to know what good YOU would
be were you not alive."
"I am King of this Island, allow me to say, and you're intruding
on my property," declared the little man, scowling upon them. "If you
don't like me--and I'm sure you don't, for no one else does--why don't
you go away and leave me to myself?"
"Well, the Ork can fly, but we can't," explained Trot in answer.
"We don't want to stay here a bit, but I don't see how we can get away."
"You can go back into the hole you came from."
Cap'n Bill shook his head; Trot shuddered at the thought; the Ork
laughed aloud.
"You may be King here," the creature said to Pessim, "but we
intend to run this island to suit ourselves, for we are three and you are
one, and the balance of power lies with us."
The little man made no reply to this, although as they walked
back to the shed his face wore its fiercest scowl. Cap'n Bill gathered a
lot of leaves and, assisted by Trot, prepared two nice beds in opposite
corners of the shed. Pessim slept in a hammock which he swung between
two trees.
They required no dishes, as all their food consisted of fruits
and nuts picked from the trees. They made no fire, for the weather was
warm and there was nothing to cook. The shed had no furniture other than
the rude stool which the little man was accustomed to sit upon. He called
it his "throne," and they let him keep it.
So they lived upon the island for three days and rested and ate
to their hearts' content. Still, they were not at all happy in this life
because of Pessim. He continually found fault with them, and all that
they did, and all their surroundings. He could see nothing good or
admirable in all the world, and Trot soon came to understand why the
little man's former neighbors had brought him to this island and left him
there all alone so he could not annoy anyone. It was their misfortune
that they had been led to this place by their adventures, for often they
would have preferred the company of a wild beast to that of Pessim.
On the fourth day, a happy thought came to the Ork. They had all
been racking their brains for a possible way to leave the island and
discussing this or that method without finding a plan that was practical.
Cap'n Bill had said he could make a raft of the trees big enough to float
them all, but he had no tools except those two pocketknives, and it was
not possible to chop down trees with such small blades.
"And s'pose we got afloat on the ocean," said Trot, "where would
we drift to and how long would it take us to get there?"
Cap'n Bill was forced to admit he didn't know. The Ork could fly
away from the island any time it wished to, but the queer creature was
loyal to his new friends and refused to leave them in such a lonely,
forsaken place. It was when Trot urged him to go on this fourth morning
that the Ork had his happy thought. "I will go," said he, "if you two
will agree to ride upon my back."
"We are too heavy. You might drop us," objected Cap'n Bill.
"Yes, you are rather heavy for a long journey," acknowledged the
Ork, "but you might eat of those lavender berries and become so small
that I could carry you with ease."
This quaint suggestion startled Trot, and she looked gravely at
the speaker while she considered it, but Cap'n Bill gave a scornful snort
and asked, "What would become of us afterward? We wouldn't be much good
if we were some two or three inches high. No, Mr. Ork, I'd rather stay
here as I am than be a hop-o'-my-thumb somewhere else."
"Why couldn't you take some of the dark purple berries along with
you to eat after we had reached our destination?" inquired the Ork.
"Then you could grow big again whenever you pleased."
Trot clapped her hands with delight. "That's it!" she exclaimed.
"Let's do it, Cap'n Bill."
The old sailor did not like the idea at first, but he thought it
over carefully, and the more he thought the better it seemed. "How could
you manage to carry us if we were so small?" he asked.
"I could put you in a paper bag and tie the bag around my neck."
"But we haven't a paper bag," objected Trot.
The Ork looked at her. "There's your sunbonnet," it said
presently, "which is hollow in the middle and has two strings that you
could tie around my neck."
Trot took off her sunbonnet and regarded it critically. Yes, it
might easily hold both her and Cap'n Bill after they had eaten the
lavender berries and been reduced in size. She tied the strings around
the Ork's neck and the sunbonnet made a bag in which two tiny people
might ride without danger of falling out. So she said, "I b'lieve we'll
do it that way, Cap'n."
Cap'n Bill groaned but could make no logical objection except
that the plan seemed to him quite dangerous--and dangerous in more ways
than one.
"I think so, myself," said Trot soberly. "But nobody can stay
alive without getting into danger sometimes, and danger doesn't mean
getting hurt, Cap'n. It only means we MIGHT get hurt. So I guess we'll
have to take the risk."
"Let's go and find the berries," said the Ork.
They said nothing to Pessim, who was sitting on his stool and
scowling dismally as he stared at the ocean, but started at once to seek
the trees that bore the magic fruits. The Ork remembered very well where
the lavender berries grew and led his companions quickly to the spot.
Cap'n Bill gathered two berries and placed them carefully in his pocket.
Then they went around to the east side of the island and found the tree
that bore the dark purple berries. "I guess I'll take four of these,"
said the sailor man, "so in case one doesn't make us grow big, we can eat
another."
"Better take six," advised the Ork. "It's well to be on the safe
side, and I'm sure these trees grow nowhere else in all the world."
So Cap'n Bill gathered six of the purple berries and with their
precious fruit they returned to the shed to bid goodbye to Pessim.
Perhaps they would not have granted the surly little man this courtesy
had they not wished to use him to tie the sunbonnet around the Ork's
neck. When Pessim learned they were about to leave him, he at first
looked greatly pleased, but he suddenly recollected that nothing ought to
please him, and so began to grumble about being left alone.
"We knew it wouldn't suit you," remarked Cap'n Bill. "It didn't
suit you to have us here, and it won't suit you to have us go away."
"That is quite true," admitted Pessim. "I haven't been suited
since I can remember, so it doesn't matter to me in the least whether you
go or stay."
He was interested in their experiment, however, and willingly
agreed to assist, although he prophesied they would fall out of the
sunbonnet on their way and be either drowned in the ocean or crushed upon
some rocky shore. This uncheerful prospect did not daunt Trot, but it
made Cap'n Bill quite nervous.
"I will eat my berry first," said Trot as she placed her
sunbonnet on the ground in such a manner that they could get into it.
Then she ate the lavender berry and in a few seconds became so small that
Cap'n Bill picked her up gently with his thumb and one finger and placed
her in the middle of the sunbonnet. Then he placed beside her the six
purple berries--each one being about as big as the tiny Trot's head--and
all preparations being now made, the old sailor ate his lavender berry
and became very small, wooden leg and all! Cap'n Bill stumbled sadly in
trying to climb over the edge of the sunbonnet and pitched in beside Trot
headfirst, which caused the unhappy Pessim to laugh with glee. Then the
King of the Island picked up the sunbonnet--so rudely that he shook its
occupants like peas in a pod--and tied it by means of its strings
securely around the Ork's neck.
"I hope, Trot, you sewed those strings on tight," said Cap'n Bill
anxiously.
"Why, we are not very heavy, you know," she replied, "so I think
the stitches will hold. But be careful and not crush the berries,
Cap'n."
"One is jammed already," he said, looking at them.
"All ready?" asked the Ork.
"Yes!" they cried together, and Pessim came close to the
sunbonnet and called out to them, "You'll be smashed or drowned, I'm sure
you will! But farewell, and good riddance to you."
The Ork was provoked by this unkind speech, so he turned his tail
toward the little man and made it revolve so fast that the rush of air
tumbled Pessim over backward, and he rolled several times upon the ground
before he could stop himself and sit up. By that time, the Ork was high
in the air and speeding swiftly over the ocean.
CHAPTER 6
THE FLIGHT OF THE MIDGETS
Cap'n Bill and Trot rode very comfortably in the sunbonnet. The
motion was quite steady, for they weighed so little that the Ork flew
without effort. Yet they were both somewhat nervous about their future
fate and could not help wishing they were safe on land and their natural
size again. "You're terr'ble small, Trot," remarked Cap'n Bill, looking
at his companion.
"Same to you, Cap'n," she said with a laugh, "but as long as we
have the purple berries, we needn't worry about our size."
"In a circus," mused the old man, "we'd be curiosities. But in a
sunbonnet high up in the air sailin' over a big, unknown ocean, they
ain't no word in any booktionary (sic) to describe us."
"Why, we're midgets, that's all," said the little girl.
The Ork flew silently for a long time. The slight swaying of the
sunbonnet made Cap'n Bill drowsy, and he began to doze. Trot, however,
was wide awake, and after enduring the monotonous journey as long as she
was able, she called out, "Don't you see land anywhere, Mr. Ork?"
"Not yet," he answered. "This is a big ocean, and I've no idea
in which direction the nearest land to that island lies, but if I keep
flying in a straight line, I'm sure to reach someplace sometime."
That seemed reasonable, so the little people in the sunbonnet
remained as patient as possible; that is, Cap'n Bill still dozed and Trot
tried to remember her geography lessons so she could figure out what land
they were likely to arrive at. For hours and hours the Ork flew
steadily, keeping to the straight line and searching with his eyes the
horizon of the ocean for land. Cap'n Bill was fast asleep and snoring
and Trot had laid her head on his shoulder to rest it when suddenly the
Ork exclaimed, "There! I've caught a glimpse of land at last."
At this announcement they roused themselves. Cap'n Bill stood up
and tried to peek over the edge of the sunbonnet. "What does it look
like?" he inquired.
"Looks like another island," said the Ork, "but I can judge it
better in a minute or two."
"I don't care much for islands, since we visited that other one,"
declared Trot.
Soon the Ork made another announcement. "It is surely an island,
and a little one, too," said he. "But I won't stop because I see a much
bigger land straight ahead of it."
"That's right," approved Cap'n Bill. "The bigger the land, the
better it will suit us."
"It's almost a continent," continued the Ork after a brief silence
during which he did not decrease the speed of his flight. "I wonder if
it can be Orkland, the place I have been seeking so long?"
"I hope not," whispered Trot to Cap'n Bill so softly that the Ork
could not hear, "for I shouldn't like to be in a country where only Orks
live. This one Ork isn't a bad companion, but a lot of him wouldn't be
much fun."
After a few more minutes of flying, the Ork called out in a sad
voice, "No! This is not my country. It's a place I have never seen
before, although I have wandered far and wide. It seems to be all
mountains and deserts and green valleys and queer cities and lakes and
rivers, mixed up in a very puzzling way."
"Most countries are like that," commented Cap'n Bill. "Are you
going to land?"
"Pretty soon," was the reply. "There is a mountain peak just
ahead of me. What do you say to our landing on that?"
"All right," agreed the sailor man, for both he and Trot were
getting tired of riding in the sunbonnet and longed to set foot on solid
ground again. So in a few minutes the Ork slowed down his speed and then
came to a stop so easily that they were scarcely jarred at all. Then the
creature squatted down until the sunbonnet rested on the ground and began
trying to unfasten with its claws the knotted string.
5 This proved a very clumsy task, because the strings were tied at
the back of the Ork's neck, just where his claws would not easily reach.
After much fumbling, he said, "I'm afraid I can't let you out, and there
is no one near to help me."
This was at first discouraging, but after a little thought, Cap'n
Bill said, "If you don't mind, Trot, I can cut a slit in your sunbonnet
with my knife."
"Do," she replied. "The slit won't matter, 'cause I can sew it
up again afterward when I am big."
So Cap'n Bill got out his knife, which was just as small in
proportion as he was, and after considerable trouble managed to cut a
long slit in the sunbonnet. First, he squeezed through the opening
himself and then helped Trot to get out. When they stood on firm ground
again, their first act was to begin eating the dark purple berries which
they had brought with them. Two of these Trot had guarded carefully
during the long journey by holding them in her lap, for their safety
meant much to the tiny people.
"I'm not very hungry," said the little girl as she handed a berry
to Cap'n Bill, "but hunger doesn't count in this case. It's like taking
medicine to make you well, so we must manage to eat 'em somehow or other."
But the berries proved quite pleasant to taste, and as Cap'n Bill
and Trot nibbled at their edges, their forms began to grow in size,
slowly but steadily. The bigger they grew the easier it was for them to
eat the berries, which of course became smaller to them, and by the time
the fruit was eaten, our friends had regained their natural size.
The little girl was greatly relieved when she found herself as
large as she had ever been, and Cap'n Bill shared her satisfaction, for
although they had seen the effect of the berries on the Ork, they had not
been sure the magic fruit would have the same effect on human beings, or
that the magic would work in any other country than that in which the
berries grew. "What shall we do with the other four berries?" asked Trot
as she picked up her sunbonnet, marveling that she had ever been small
enough to ride in it. "They're no good to us now, are they, Cap'n?"
"I'm not sure as to that," he replied. "If they were eaten by
one who had never eaten the lavender berries, they might have no effect
at all; but then, contrarywise, they might. One of 'em has got badly
jammed, so I'll throw it away, but the other three I b'lieve I'll carry
with me. They're magic things, you know, and may come handy to us
sometime."
He now searched in his big pockets and drew out a small wooden
box with a sliding cover. The sailor man kept an assortment of nails of
various sizes in this box, but those he now dumped loosely into his
pocket and in the box placed the three sound purple berries. When this
important matter was attended to, they found time to look about them and
see what sort of place the Ork had landed them in.
CHAPTER 7
THE BUMPY MAN
The mountain on which they had alighted was not a barren waste,
but had on its sides patches of green grass, some bushes, and few slender
trees and here and there masses of tumbled rocks. The sides of the slope
seemed rather steep, but with care one could climb up or down them with
ease and safety. The view from where they now stood showed pleasant
valleys and fertile hills lying below the heights. Trot thought she saw
some houses of queer shapes scattered about the lower landscape, and
there were moving dots that might be people or animals, yet were too far
away for her to see them clearly. Not far from the place where they
stood was the top of the mountain, which seemed to be flat, so the Ork
proposed to his companions that he would fly up and see what was there.
"That's a good idea," said Trot, " 'cause it's getting toward
evening and we'll have to find a place to sleep."
The Ork had not been gone more than a few minutes when they saw
him appear on the edge of the top which was nearest to them. "Come on
up!" he called.
So Trot and Cap'n Bill began to ascend the steep slope, and it
did not take them long to reach the place where the Ork awaited them.
Their first view of the mountaintop pleased them very much. It was a
level space of wider extent than they had guessed, and upon it grew grass
of a brilliant green color. In the very center stood a house built of
stone and very neatly constructed. No one was in sight, but smoke was
coming from the chimney, so with one accord all three began walking
toward the house. "I wonder," said Trot, "in what country we are and if
it's very far from my home in California."
"Can't say as to that, partner," answered Cap'n Bill, "but I'm
mighty certain we've come a long way since we struck that whirlpool."
"Yes," she agreed with a sigh, "it must be miles and miles!"
"Distance means nothing," said the Ork. "I have flown pretty
much all over the world trying to find my home, and it is astonishing how
many little countries there are hidden away in the cracks and corners of
this big globe of Earth. If one travels, he may find some new country at
every turn, and a good many of them have never yet been put upon the maps."
"P'raps this is one of them," suggested Trot.
They reached the house after a brisk walk, and Cap'n Bill knocked
upon the door. It was at once opened by a rugged-looking man who had
"bumps all over him," as Trot afterward declared. There were bumps on
his head, bumps on his body and bumps on his arms and legs and hands.
Even his fingers had bumps on the ends of them. For dress he wore an old
gray suit of fantastic design, which fitted him very badly because of the
bumps it covered but could not conceal. But the Bumpy Man's eyes were
kind and twinkling in expression, and as soon as he saw his visitors, he
bowed low and said in a rather bumpy voice, "Happy day! Come in and shut
the door, for it grows cool when the sun goes down. Winter is now upon
us."
"Why, it isn't cold a bit outside," said Trot, "so it can't be
winter yet."
"You will change your mind about that in a little while,"
declared the Bumpy Man. "My bumps always tell me of the state of the
weather, and they feel just now as if a snowstorm was coming this way.
But make yourselves at home, strangers. Supper is nearly ready, and
there is food enough for all."
Inside the house there was but one large room, simply but
comfortably furnished. It had benches, a table and a fireplace, all made
of stone. On the hearth a pot was bubbling and steaming, and Trot
thought it had a rather nice smell. The visitors seated themselves upon
the benches--except the Ork, which squatted by the fireplace--and the
Bumpy Man began stirring the kettle briefly.
"May I ask what country this is, sir?" inquired Cap'n Bill.
"Goodness me, fruit-cake and applesauce, don't you know where you
are?" asked the Bumpy Man as he stopped stirring and looked at the
speaker in surprise.
"No," admitted Cap'n Bill. "We've just arrived."
"Lost your way?" questioned the Bumpy Man.
"Not exactly," said Cap'n Bill. "We didn't have any way to lose."
"At!" said the Bumpy Man, nodding his bumpy head. "This," he
announced in a solemn, impressive voice, "is the famous Land of Mo."
"Oh!" exclaimed the sailor and the girl, both in one breath. But
never having heard of the Land of Mo, they were no wiser than before.
"I thought that would startle you," remarked the Bumpy Man, well
pleased, as he resumed his stirring.
The Ork watched him a while in silence and then asked, "Who may
YOU be?"
"Me?" answered the Bumpy Man. "Haven't you heard of me?
Gingerbread and lemon juice! I'm known far and wide as the Mountain Ear."
They all received this information in silence at first, for they
were trying to think what he could mean. Finally, Trot mustered up
courage to ask, "What is a Mountain Ear, please?"
For answer the man turned around and faced them, waving the spoon
with which he had been stirring the kettle as he recited the following
verses in a singsong tone of voice:
"Here's a mountain, hard of hearing,
That's sad-hearted and needs cheering,
So my duty is to listen to all sounds that Nature makes,
So the hill won't get uneasy--
Get to coughing, or get sneezy--
For this monster bump, when frightened, is quite liable to quakes.
YOU can hear a bell that's ringing;
I can feel some people's singing;
But a mountain isn't sensible of what goes on, and so
When I hear a blizzard blowing
Or it's raining hard, or snowing,
I tell it to the mountain and the mountain seems to know.
Thus I benefit all people
While I'm living on this steeple,
For I keep the mountain steady so my neighbors all may thrive.
With my list'ning and my shouting
I prevent this mount from spouting,
And that makes me so important that I'm glad that I'm alive."
When he had finished these lines of verse, the Bumpy Man turned
again to resume his stirring. The Ork laughed softly, and Cap'n Bill
whistled to himself and Trot made up her mind that the Mountain Ear must
be a little crazy. But the Bumpy Man seemed satisfied that he had
explained his position fully, and presently he placed four stone plates
upon the table and then lifted the kettle form the fire and poured some
of its contents on each of the plates. Cap'n Bill and Trot at once
approached the table, for they were hungry, but when she examined her
plate, the little girl exclaimed, "Why, it's molasses candy!"
"To be sure," returned the Bumpy Man with a pleasant smile. "Eat
it quick while it's hot, for it cools very quickly this winter weather."
With this, he seized a stone spoon and began putting the hot molasses
candy into his mouth while the others watched him in astonishment.
"Doesn't it burn you?" asked the girl.
"No indeed," said he. "Why don't you eat? Aren't you hungry?"
"Yes," she replied, "I am hungry. But we usually eat our candy
when it is cold and hard. We always pull molasses candy before we eat
it."
"Ha, ha, ha!" laughed the Mountain Ear. "What a funny idea!
Where in the world did you come from?"
"California," she said.
"California! Pooh! There isn't any such place. I've heard of
every place in the Land of Mo, but I never before heard of California."
"It isn't in the Land of Mo," she explained.
"Then it isn't worth talking about," declared the Bumpy Man,
helping himself again from the steaming kettle, for he had been eating
all the time he talked.
"For my part," sighed Cap'n Bill, "I'd like a decent square meal
once more, just by way of variety. In the last place there was nothing
but fruit to eat, and here it's worse, for there's nothing but candy."
"Molasses candy isn't so bad," said Trot. "Mine's nearly cool
enough to pull, already. Wait a bit, Cap'n, and you can eat it."
A little later she was able to gather the candy from the stone
plate and begin to work it back and forth with her hands. The Mountain
Ear was amazed at this and watched her closely. It was really good candy
and pulled beautifully, so that Trot was soon ready to cut it into chunks
for eating. Cap'n Bill condescended to eat one or two pieces, and the
Ork ate several, but the Bumpy Man refused to try it. Trot finished the
plate of candy herself and then asked for a drink of water.
"Water?" said the Mountain Ear wonderingly. "What is that?"
"Something to drink. Don't you have water to drink?"
"None that ever I heard of," said he. "But I can give you some
fresh lemonade. I caught it in a jar the last time it rained, which was
only day before yesterday."
"Oh, does it rain lemonade here?" she inquired.
"Always. And it is very refreshing and healthful." With this,
he brought from a cupboard a stone jar and a dipper, and the girl found
it very nice lemonade indeed. Cap'n Bill liked it too, but the Ork would
not touch it.
"If there is no water in this country, I cannot stay here for
long," the creature declared. "Water means life to man and beast and
bird."
"There must be water in lemonade," said Trot.
"Yes," answered the Ork, "I suppose so, but there are other
things in it too, and they spoil the good water."
The day's adventures had made our wanderers tired, so the Bumpy
Man brought them some blankets in which they rolled themselves and then
lay down before the fire, which their host kept alive with fuel all
through the night. Trot wakened several times and found the Mountain Ear
always alert and listening intently for the slightest sound. But the
little girl could hear no sound at all except the snores of Cap'n Bill.
CHAPTER 8
BUTTON-BRIGHT IS LOST AND FOUND AGAIN
"Wake up, wake up!" called the voice of the Bumpy Man. "Didn't I
tell you winter was coming? I could hear it coming with my left ear, and
the proof is that it is snowing hard outside."
"Is it?" said Trot, rubbing her eyes and creeping out of her
blanket. "Where I live, in California, I have never seen snow, except far
away on the tops of high mountains."
"Well, this is the top of a high mountain," returned the bumpy
one, "and for that reason we get our heaviest snowfalls right here."
The little girl went to the window and looked out. The air was
filled with falling white flakes so large in size and so queer in form
that she was puzzled. "Are you sure this is snow?" she asked.
"To be sure. I must get my snow shovel and turn out to shovel a
path. Would you like to come with me?"
"Yes," she said, and followed the Bumpy Man out when he opened the
door. Then she exclaimed, "Why, it isn't cold a bit!"
"Of course not,"replied the man. "It was cold last night before
the snowstorm, but snow, when it falls, is always crisp and warm."
Trot gathered a handful of it. "Why, it's popcorn!" she cried.
"Certainly. All snow is popcorn. What did you expect it to be?"
"Popcorn is not snow in my country."
"Well, it is the only snow we have in the Land of Mo, so you may
as well make the best of it," said he a little impatiently. "I'm not
responsible for the absurd things that happen in your country, and when
you're in Mo you must do as the Momen do. Eat some of our snow and you
will find it is good. The only fault I find with our snow is that we get
too much of it at times." With this, the Bumpy Man set to work shoveling
a path, and he was so quick and industrious that he piled up the popcorn
in great banks on either side of the trail that led to the mountaintop
from the plains below. While he worked, Trot ate popcorn and found it
crisp and slightly warm, as well as nicely salted and buttered.
Presently Cap'n Bill came out of the house and joined her.
"What's this?" he asked.
"Mo snow," said she. "But it isn't real snow, although it falls
from the sky. It's popcorn." Cap'n Bill tasted it, then he sat down in
the path and began to eat. The Ork came out and pecked away with its
bill as fast as it could. They all liked popcorn, and they all were
hungry this morning. Meantime, the flakes of "Mo snow" came down so fast
that the number of them almost darkened the air.
The Bumpy Man was now shoveling quite a distance down the
mountainside, while the path behind him rapidly filled up with
fresh-fallen popcorn. Suddenly, Trot heard him call out, "Goodness
gracious, mince pie and pancakes! Here is someone buried in the snow."
She ran toward him at once, and the others followed, wading
through the corn and crunching it underneath their feet. The Mo snow was
pretty deep where the Bumpy Man was shoveling, and from a great bank of
it he had uncovered a pair of feet.
"Dear me! Someone has been lost in the storm," said Cap'n Bill.
"I hope he is still alive. Let's pull him out and see." He took hold of
one foot, and the Bumpy Man took hold of the other. Then they both
pulled, and out from the heap of popcorn came a little boy.
He was dressed in a brown velvet jacket and knickerbockers, with
brown stockings, buckled shoes and a blue shirt-waist that had frills
down its front. When drawn from the heap, the boy was chewing a mouthful
of popcorn and both his hands were full of it. So at first he couldn't
speak to his rescuers, but lay quite still and eyed them calmly until he
had swallowed his mouthful. Then he said, "Get my cap," and stuffed more
popcorn into his mouth.
While the Bumpy Man began shoveling into the corn-bank to find
the boy's cap, Trot was laughing joyfully and Cap'n Bill had a broad grin
on his face. The Ork looked from one to the other and asked, "Who is
this stranger?"
"Why, it's Button-Bright, of course," answered Trot. "If anyone
ever finds a lost boy, he can make up his mind it's Button-Bright. But
how he ever came to be lost in this faraway country is more'n I can make
out."
"Where does he belong?" inquired the Ork.
"His home used to be in Philadelphia, I think, but I'm quite sure
Button-Bright doesn't belong anywhere."
"That's right," said the boy, nodding his head as he swallowed
the second mouthful.
"Everyone belongs somewhere," remarked the Ork.
"Not me," insisted Button-Bright. "I'm half way 'round the world
from Philadelphia, and I've lost my Magic Umbrella that used to carry me
anywhere. Stands to reason that if I can't get back, I haven't any home.
But I don't care much. This is a pretty good country, Trot. I've had
lots of fun here."
By this time, the Mountain Ear had secured the boy's cap and was
listening to the conversation with much interest. "It seems you know
this poor, snow-covered castaway," he said.
"Yes indeed," answered Trot. "We made a journey to Sky Island
together once and were good friends."
"Well then, I'm glad I saved his life," said the Bumpy Man.
"Much obliged, Mr. Knobs," said Button-Bright, sitting up and
staring at him. "But I don't believe you've saved anything except some
popcorn that I might have eaten had you not disturbed me. It was nice
and warm in that bank of popcorn, and there was plenty to eat. What made
you dig me out? And what makes you so bumpy everywhere?"
"As for the bumps," replied the man, looking at himself with much
pride, "I was born with them, and I suspect they were a gift from the
fairies. They make me look rugged and big, like the mountain I serve."
"All right," said Button-Bright, and began eating popcorn again.
It had stopped snowing now, and great flocks of birds were
gathering around the mountainside, eating the popcorn with much eagerness
and scarcely noticing the people at all. There were birds of every size
and color, most of them having gorgeous feathers and plumes. "Just look
at them!" exclaimed the Ork scornfully. "Aren't they dreadful creatures,
all covered with feathers?"
"I think they're beautiful," said Trot, and this made the Ork so
indignant that he went back into the house and sulked. Button-Bright
reached out his hand and caught a big bird by the leg. At once, it rose
into the air, and it was so strong that it nearly carried the little boy
with it. He let go the leg in a hurry, and the bird flew down again and
began to eat of the popcorn, not being frightened in the least. This
gave Cap'n Bill an idea. He felt in his pocket and drew out several
pieces of stout string. Moving very quietly so as not to alarm the
birds, he crept up to several of the biggest ones and tied cords around
their legs, thus making them prisoners. The birds were so intent on
their eating that they did not notice what had happened to them, and when
about twenty had been captured in this manner, Cap'n Bill tied the ends
of all the strings together and fastened them to a huge stone so they
could not escape.
The Bumpy Man watched the old sailor's actions with much
curiosity. "The birds will be quiet until they've eaten up all the snow,"
he said, "but then they will want to fly away to their homes. Tell me,
sir, what will the poor things do when they find they can't fly?"
"It may worry 'em a little," replied Cap'n Bill, "but they're not
going to be hurt if they take it easy and behave themselves."
Our friends had all made a good breakfast of the delicious
popcorn, and now they walked toward the house again. Button-Bright
walked beside Trot and held her hand in his, because they were old
friends, and he liked the little girl very much. The boy was not so old
as Trot, and small as she was, he was half a head shorter in height. The
most remarkable thing about Button-Bright was that he was always quiet
and composed whatever happened, and nothing was ever able to astonish
him. Trot liked him because he was not rude and never tried to plague
here. Cap'n Bill liked him because he had found the boy cheerful and
brave at all times and willing to do anything he was asked to do. When
they came to the house, Trot sniffed the air and asked, "Don't I smell
perfume?"
"I believe you do," said the Bumpy Man. "You smell violets, and
that proves there is a breeze springing up from the south. All our winds
and breezes are perfumed, and for that reason we are glad to have them
blow in our direction. The south breeze always has a violet odor; the
north breeze has the fragrance of wild roses; the east breeze is perfumed
with lilies-of-the-valley; and the west with lilac blossoms. We have only
to smell the perfume, and it informs us at once."
Inside the house, they found the Ork, and Button-Bright regarded
the strange, bird-like creature with curious interest. After examining
it closely for a time, he asked, "Which way does your tail whirl?"
"Either way," said the Ork.
Button-Bright put out his hand and tried to spin it. "Don't do
that!" exclaimed the Ork.
"Why not?" inquired the boy.
"Because it happens to be my tail, and I reserve the right to
whirl it myself," explained the Ork.
"Let's go out and fly somewhere," proposed Button-Bright. "I
want to see how the tail works."
"Not now," said the Ork. "I appreciate your interest in me,
which I fully deserve; but I only fly when I am going somewhere, and if I
got started, I might not stop."
"That reminds me," remarked Cap'n Bill, "to ask you, friend Ork,
how we are going to get away from here?"
"Get away!" exclaimed the Bumpy Man. "Why don't you stay here?
You won't find any nicer place than Mo."
"Have you been anywhere else, sir?"
"No, I can't say that I have, admitted the Mountain Ear.
"Then permit me to say you're no judge," declared Cap'n Bill.
"But you haven't answered my question, friend Ork. How are we to get
away from this mountain?"
The Ork reflected a while before he answered. "I might carry one
of you--the boy or the girl--upon my back," said he, "but three big
people are more than I can manage, although I have carried two of you for
a short distance. You ought not to have eaten those purple berries so
soon."
"Perhaps we did make a mistake," Cap'n Bill acknowledged.
"Or we might have brought some of those lavender berries with us
instead of so many purple ones," suggested Trot regretfully.
Cap'n Bill made no reply to this statement, which showed he did
not fully agree with the little girl. But he fell into deep thought with
wrinkled brows, and finally he said, "If those purple berries would make
anything grow bigger, whether it'd eaten the lavender ones or not, I
could find a way out of our troubles." They did not understand this
speech and looked at the old sailor as if expecting him to explain what
he meant. But just then a chorus of shrill cries rose from outside.
"Here! Let me go, let me go!" the voices seemed to say. "Why
are we insulted in this way? Mountain Ear, come and help us!"
Trot ran to the window and looked out. "It's the birds you
caught, Cap'n," she said. "I didn't know they could talk."
"Oh yes, all the birds in Mo are educated to talk," said the
Bumpy Man. Then he looked at Cap'n Bill uneasily and added, "Won't you
let the poor things go?"
"I'll see," replied the sailor, and walked out to where the birds
were fluttering and complaining because the strings would not allow them
to fly away. "Listen to me!" he cried, and at once they became still.
"We three people who are strangers in your land want to go to some other
country, and we want three of you birds to carry us there. We know we
are asking a great favor, but it's the only way we can think of--excep'
walkin', an' I'm not much good at that because I've got a wooden leg.
Besides, Trot an' Button-Bright are too small to undertake a long and
tiresome journey. Now tell me, which three of you birds will consent to
carry us?"
The birds looked at one another as if greatly astonished. Then
one of them replied, "You must be crazy, old man. Not one of us is big
enough to fly with even the smallest of your party."'
"I'll fix the matter of size," promised Cap'n Bill. "If three of
you will agree to carry us, I'll make you big an' strong enough to do it,
so it won't worry you a bit."
The birds considered this gravely. Living in a magic country,
they had no doubt but that the strange one-legged man could do what he
said. After a little, one of them asked, "If you make us big, would we
stay big always?"
"I think so," replied Cap'n Bill.
They chattered a while among themselves, and then the bird that
had first spoken said, "I'll go, for one."
"So will I," said another. And after a pause, a third said, "I'll
go, too."
Perhaps more would have volunteered, for it seemed that for some
reason they all longed to be bigger than they were, but three were enough
for Cap'n Bill's purpose, and so he promptly released all the others, who
immediately flew away. The three that remained were cousins, and all
were of the same brilliant plumage and in size about as large as eagles.
When Trot questioned them, she found they were quite young, having only
abandoned their nests a few weeks before. They were strong, young birds
with clear, brave eyes, and the little girl decided they were the most
beautiful of all the feathered creatures she had ever seen.
Cap'n Bill now took from his pocket the wooden box with the
sliding cover and removed the three purple berries, which were still in
good condition. "Eat these," he said, and gave one to each of the birds.
They obeyed, finding the fruit very pleasant to taste. In a few seconds
they began to grow in size and grew so fast that Trot feared they would
never stop. But they finally did stop growing, and then they were much
larger than the Ork, and nearly the size of full-grown ostriches. Cap'n
Bill was much pleased by this result. "You can carry us now, all right,"
said he.
The birds strutted around with pride, highly pleased with their
immense size. "I don't see, though," said Trot doubtfully, "how we're
going to ride on their backs without falling off."
"We're not going to ride on their backs," answered Cap'n Bill.
"I'm going to make swings for us to ride in."
He then asked the Bumpy Man for some rope, but the man had no
rope. He had, however, an old suit of gray clothes which he gladly
presented to Cap'n Bill, who cut the cloth into strips and twisted it so
that it was almost as strong as rope. With this material he attached to
each bird a swing that dangled below its feet, and Button-Bright made a
trial flight in one of them to prove that it was safe and comfortable.
When all this had been arranged, one of the birds asked, "Where do you
wish us to take you?"
"Why, just follow the Ork," said Cap'n Bill. "He will be our
leader, and wherever the Ork flies, you are to fly, and wherever the Ork
lands, you are to land. Is that satisfactory?"
The birds declared it was quite satisfactory, so Cap'n Bill took
counsel with the Ork. "On our way here," said that peculiar creature, "I
noticed a broad, sandy desert at the left of me, on which was no living
thing."
"Then we'd better keep away from it," replied the sailor.
"Not so," insisted the Ork. "I have found, on my travels, that
the most pleasant countries often lie in the midst of deserts, so I think
it would be wise for us to fly over this desert and discover what lies
beyond it. For in the direction we came from lies the ocean, as we well
know, and beyond here is this strange Land of Mo, which we do not care to
explore. On one side, as we can see from this mountain, is a broad
expanse of plain, and on the other the desert. For my part, I vote for
the desert."
"What do you say, Trot?" inquired Cap'n Bill.
"It's all the same to me," she replied.
No one thought of asking Button-Bright's opinion, so it was
decided to fly over the desert. They bade g odbye to the Bumpy Man and
thanked him for his kindness and hospitality. Then they seated
themselves in the swings--one for each bird--and told the Ork to start
away and they would follow. The whirl of the Ork's tail astonished the
birds at first, but after he had gone a short distance they rose in the
air, carrying their passengers easily, and flew with strong, regular
strokes of their great wings in the wake of their leader.
CHAPTER 9
THE KINGDOM OF JINXLAND
Trot rode with more comfort than she had expected, although the
swing swayed so much that she had to hold on tight with both hands.
Cap'n Bill's bird followed the Ork, and Trot came next, with
Button-Bright trailing behind her. It was quite an imposing procession,
but unfortunately there was no one to see it, for the Ork had headed
straight for the great, sandy desert, and in a few minutes after starting
they were flying high over the broad waste, where no living thing could
exist. The little girl thought this would be a bad place for the birds
to lose strength or for the cloth ropes to give way, but although she
could not help feeling a trifle nervous and fidgety, she had confidence
in the huge and brilliantly plumaged bird that bore her, as well as in
Cap'n Bill's knowledge of how to twist and fasten a rope so it would hold.
That was a remarkably big desert. There was nothing to relieve
the monotony of view, and every minute seemed an hour and every hour a
day. Disagreeable fumes and gases rose from the sands, which would have
been deadly to the travelers had they not been so high in the air. As it
was, Trot was beginning to feel sick when a breath of fresher air filled
her nostrils, and on looking ahead she saw a great cloud of pink-tinted
mist. Even while she wondered what it could be, the Ork plunged boldly
into the mist, and the other birds followed. She could see nothing for a
time, nor could the bird which carried her see where the Ork had gone,
but it kept flying as sturdily as ever, and in a few moments the mist was
passed and the girl saw a most beautiful landscape spread out below her,
extending as far as her eye could reach.
She saw bits of forest, verdure-clothed hills, fields of waving
grains, fountains, rivers and lakes, and throughout the scene were
scattered groups of pretty houses and a few grand castles and palaces.
Over all this delightful landscape--which from Trot's high perch seemed
like a magnificent painted picture--was a rosy glow such as we sometimes
see in the west at sunset. In this case, however, it was not in the west
only, but everywhere. No wonder the Ork paused to circle slowly over
this lovely country. The other birds followed his action, all eyeing the
place with equal delight. Then, as with one accord, the four formed a
group and slowly sailed downward. This brought them to that part of the
newly discovered land which bordered on the desert's edge. But it was
just as pretty here as anywhere, so the Ork and the birds alighted, and
the three passengers at once got out of their swings. "Oh, Cap'n Bill,
isn't this fine an' dandy?" exclaimed Trot rapturously. "How lucky we
were to discover this beautiful country!"
"The country seems rather high class, I'll admit, Trot," replied
the old sailor man, looking around him, "but we don't know, as yet, what
its people are like."
"No one could live in such a country without being happy and
good, I'm sure of that," she said earnestly. "Don't you think so,
Button-Bright?"
"I'm not thinking just now," answered the little boy. "It tires
me to think, and I never seem to gain anything by it. When we see the
people who live here, we will know what they are like, and no 'mount of
thinking will make them any different."
"That's true enough," said the Ork. "But now I want to make a
proposal. While you are getting acquainted with this new country, which
looks as if it contains everything to make one happy, I would like to fly
along all by myself and see if I can find my home on the other side of
the great desert. If I do, I will stay there, of course. But if I fail
to find Orkland, I will return to you in a week to see if I can do
anything more to assist you."
They were sorry to lose their queer companion, but could offer no
objection to the plan, so the Ork bade them goodbye, and rising swiftly
in the air, he flew over the country and was soon lost to view in the
distance. The three birds which had carried our friends now begged
permission to return by the way they had come to their own homes, saying
they were anxious to show their families how big they had become. So
Cap'n Bill and Trot and Button-Bright all thanked them gratefully for
their assistance, and soon the birds began their long flight toward the
Land of Mo.
Being now left to themselves in this strange land, the three
comrades selected a pretty pathway and began walking along it. They
believed this path would lead them to a splendid castle which they espied
in the distance, the turrets of which towered far above the tops of the
trees which surrounded it. It did not seem very far away, so they
sauntered on slowly, admiring the beautiful ferns and flowers that lined
the pathway and listening to the singing of the birds and the soft
chirping of the grasshoppers.
Presently the path wound over a little hill. In a valley that
lay beyond the hill was a tiny cottage surrounded by flower beds and
fruit trees. On the shady porch of the cottage they saw, as they
approached, a pleasant-faced woman sitting amidst a group of children, to
whom she was telling stories. The children quickly discovered the
strangers and ran toward them with exclamations of astonishment, so that
Trot and her friends became the center of a curious group, all chattering
excitedly. Cap'n Bill's wooden leg seemed to arouse the wonder of the
children, as they could not understand why he had not two meat legs.
This attention seemed to please the old sailor, who patted the heads of
the children kindly and then, raising his hat to the woman, he inquired,
"Can you tell us, madam, just what country this is?"
She stared hard at all three of the strangers as she replied
briefly, "Jinxland."
"Oh!" exclaimed Cap'n Bill with a puzzled look. "And where is
Jinxland, please?"
"In the Quadling Country," said she.
"What!" cried Trot in sudden excitement. "Do you mean to say this
is the Quadling Country of the Land of Oz?"
"To be sure I do," the woman answered. "Every bit of land that is
surrounded by the great desert is the Land of Oz, as you ought to know as
well as I do. But I'm sorry to say that Jinxland is separated from the
rest of the Quadling Country by that row of high mountains you see
yonder, which have such steep sides that no one can cross them. So we
live here all by ourselves and are ruled by our own King instead of by
Ozma of Oz."
"I've been to the Land of Oz before," said Button-Bright, "but
I've never been here."
"Did you ever hear of Jinxland before?" asked Trot.
"No," said Button-Bright.
"It is on the Map of Oz, though," asserted the woman, "and it's a
fine country, I assure you. If only," she added, and then paused to look
around her with a frightened expression. "If only--" Here she stopped
again, as if not daring to go on with her speech.
"If only what, ma'am?" asked Cap'n Bill.
The woman sent the children into the house. Then she came closer
to the strangers and whispered, "If only we had a different King, we
would be very happy and contented."
"What's the matter with your King?" asked Trot curiously. But
the woman seemed frightened to have said so much. She retreated to her
porch, merely saying, "The King punishes severely any treason on the part
of his subjects."
"What's treason?" asked Button-Bright.
"In this case," replied Cap'n Bill, "treason seems to consist of
knockin' the King, but I guess we know his disposition now as well as if
the lady had said more."
"I wonder," said Trot, going up to the woman, "if you could spare
us something to eat. We haven't had anything but popcorn and lemonade
for a long time."
"Bless your heart! Of course I can spare you some food," the
woman answered, and entering her cottage she soon returned with a tray
loaded with sandwiches, cakes and cheese. One of the children drew a
bucket of clear, cold water from a spring, and the three wanderers ate
heartily and enjoyed the good things immensely. When Button-Bright could
eat no more, he filled the pockets of his jacket with cakes and cheese,
and not even the children objected to this. Indeed, they all seemed
pleased to see the strangers eat, so Cap'n Bill decided that no matter
what the King of Jinxland was like, the people would prove friendly and
hospitable.
"Whose castle is that yonder, ma'am?" he asked, waving his hand
toward the towers that rose above the trees.
"It belongs to his Majesty, King Krewl," she said.
"Oh, indeed. And does he live there?"
"When he is not out hunting with his fierce courtiers and war
captains," she replied.
"Is he hunting now?" Trot inquired.
"I do not know, my dear. The less we know about the King's
actions, the safer we are."
It was evident the woman did not like to talk about King Krewl
and so, having finished their meal, they said goodbye and continued along
the pathway. "Don't you think we'd better keep away from that King's
castle, Cap'n?" asked Trot.
"Well," said he, "King Krewl would find out sooner or later that
we are in his country, so we may as well face the music now. Perhaps he
isn't quite so bad as that woman thinks he is. Kings aren't always
popular with their people, you know, even if they do the best they know
how."
"Ozma is pop'lar," said Button-Bright.
"Ozma is diff'rent from any other Ruler, from all I've heard,"
remarked Trot musingly as she walked beside the boy. "And after all, we
are really in the Land of Oz, where Ozma rules ev'ry King and ev'rybody
else. I never heard of anybody getting hurt in her dominions, did you,
Button-Bright?"
"Not when she knows about it," he replied. "But those birds
landed us in just the wrong place, seems to me. They might have carried
us right on over that row of mountains to the Em'rald City."
"True enough," said Cap'n Bill, "but they didn't, an' so we must
make the best of Jinxland. Let's try not to be afraid."
"Oh, I'm not very scared," said Button-Bright, pausing to look at
a pink rabbit that popped its head out of a hole in the field nearby.
"Nor am I," added Trot. "Really, Cap'n, I'm so glad to be
anywhere at all in the wonderful fairyland of Oz that I think I'm the
luckiest girl in all the world. Dorothy lives in the Em'rald City, you
know, and so does the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman and Tik-Tok and the
Shaggy Man--and all the rest of 'em that we've heard so much about--not
to mention Ozma, who must be the sweetest and loveliest girl in the
world!"
"Take your time, Trot," advised Button-Bright. "You don't have
to say it all in one breath, you know. And you haven't mentioned half of
the curious people in the Em'rald City."
"That 'ere Em'rald City," said Cap'n Bill impressively, "happens
to be on the other side o' those mountains that we're told no one is able
to cross. I don't want to discourage of you, Trot, (sic) but we're
a'most as much separated from your Ozma an' Dorothy as we were when we
lived in Californy."
There was so much truth in this statement that they all walked on
in silence for some time. Finally, they reached the grove of stately
trees that bordered the grounds of the King's castle. They had gone
halfway through it when the sound of sobbing, as of someone in bitter
distress, reached their ears and caused them to halt abruptly.
CHAPTER 10
PON, THE GARDENER'S BOY
It was Button-Bright who first discovered, lying on his face
beneath a broad, spreading tree near the pathway, a young man whose body
shook with the force of his sobs. He was dressed in a long, brown smock
and had sandals on his feet, betokening one in humble life. His head was
bare and showed a shock of brown, curly hair. Button-Bright looked down
on the young man and said, "Who cares, anyhow?"
"I do!" cried the young man, interrupting his sobs to roll over,
face upward that he might see who had spoken. "I care, for my heart is
broken!"
"Can't you get another one?" asked the little boy.
"I don't want another!" wailed the young man.
By this time Trot and Cap'n Bill arrived at the spot, and the
girl leaned over and said in a sympathetic voice, "Tell us your troubles
and perhaps we may help you."
The youth sat up, then, and bowed politely. Afterward he got upon
his feet, but still kept wringing his hands as he tried to choke down his
sobs. Trot thought he was very brave to control such awful agony so
well. "My name is Pon," he began. "I'm the gardener's boy."
"Then the gardener of the King is your father, I suppose," said Trot.
"Not my father, but my master," was the reply. "I do the work
and the gardener gives the orders. And it was not my fault in the least
that the Princess Gloria fell in love with me."
"Did she, really?" asked the little girl.
"I don't see why," remarked Button-Bright, staring at the youth.
"And who may the Princess Gloria be?" inquired Cap'n Bill.
"She is the niece of King Krewl, who is her guardian. The
Princess lives in the castle and is the loveliest and sweetest maiden in
all Jinxland. She is fond of flowers and used to walk in the gardens
with her attendants. At such times, if I was working at my tasks, I used
to cast down my eyes as Gloria passed me. But one day I glanced up and
found her gazing at me with a very tender look in her eyes. The next day
she dismissed her attendants and, coming to my side, began to talk with
me. She said I had touched her heart as no other young man had ever
done. I kissed her hand. Just then, the King came around a bend in the
walk. He struck me with his fist and kicked me with his foot. Then he
seized the arm of the Princess and rudely dragged her into the castle."
"Wasn't he awful!" gasped Trot indignantly.
"He is a very abrupt King," said Pon, "so it was the least I
could expect. Up to that time I had not thought of loving Princess
Gloria, but realizing it would be impolite not to return her love, I did
so. We met at evening, now and then, and she told me the King wanted her
to marry a rich courtier named Googly-Goo, who is old enough to be
Gloria's father. She has refused Googly-Goo thirty-nine times, but he
still persists and has brought many rich presents to bribe the King. On
that account, King Krewl had commanded his niece to marry the old man,
but the Princess has assured me time and again that she will wed only me.
This morning we happened to meet in the grape arbor, and as I was
respectfully saluting the cheek of the Princess, two of the King's
guards seized me and beat me terribly before the very eyes of Gloria,
whom the King himself held back so she could not interfere."
"Why, this King must be a monster!" cried Trot.
"He is far worse than that," said Pon mournfully.
"But see here," interrupted Cap'n Bill, who had listened carefully
to Pon. "This King may not be so much to blame, after all. Kings are
proud folks, because they're so high an' mighty, an' it isn't reasonable
for a royal Princess to marry a common gardener's boy."
"It isn't right," declared Button-Bright. "A Princess should
marry a Prince."
"I'm not a common gardener's boy," protested Pon. "If I had my
rights, I would be the King instead of Krewl. As it is, I'm a Prince,
and as royal as any man in Jinxland."
"How does that come?" asked Cap'n Bill.
"My father used to be the King, and Krewl was his Prime Minister.
But one day while out hunting, King Phearse--that was my father's
name--had a quarrel with Krewl and tapped him gently on the nose with the
knuckles of his closed hand. This so provoked the wicked Krewl that he
tripped my father backward so that he fell into a deep pond. At once,
Krewl threw in a mass of heavy stones, which so weighted down my poor
father that his body could not rise again to the surface. It is
impossible to kill anyone in this land, as perhaps you know, but when my
father was pressed down into the mud at the bottom of the deep pool and
the stones held him so he could never escape, he was of no more use to
himself or the world than if he had died. Knowing this, Krewl proclaimed
himself King, taking possession of the royal castle and driving all my
father's people out. I was a small boy then, but when I grew up I became
a gardener. I have served King Krewl without his knowing that I am the
son of the same King Phearse whom he so cruelly made away with."
"My, but that's a terr'bly exciting story!" said Trot, drawing a
long breath. "But tell us, Pon, who was Gloria's father?"
"Oh, he was the King before my father," replied Pon. "Father was
Prime Minister for King Kynd, who was Gloria's father. She was only a
baby when King Kynd fell into the Great Gulf that lies just this side of
the mountains--the same mountains that separate Jinxland from the rest of
the Land of Oz. It is said the Great Gulf has no bottom, but however that
may be, King Kynd has never been seen again, and my father became King in
his place."
"Seems to me," said Trot, "that if Gloria had her rights, she
would be Queen of Jinxland."
"Well, her father was a King," admitted Pon, "and so was my
father, so we are of equal rank, although she's a great lady and I'm a
humble gardener's boy. I can't see why we should not marry if we want
to--except that King Krewl won't let us."
"It's a sort of mixed-up mess, taken altogether," remarked Cap'n
Bill. "But we are on our way to visit King Krewl, and if we get a chance,
young man, we'll put in a good word for you."
"Do, please!" begged Pon.
"Was it the flogging you got that broke your heart?" inquired
Button-Bright.
"Why, it helped to break it, of course," said Pon.
"I'd get it fixed up, if I were you," advised the boy, tossing a
pebble at a chipmunk in a tree. "You ought to give Gloria just as good a
heart as she gives you."
"That's common sense," agreed Cap'n Bill. So they left the
gardener's boy standing beside the path and resumed their journey toward
the castle.
CHAPTER 11
THE WICKED KING AND GOOGLY-GOO
When our friends approached the great doorway of the castle, they
found it guarded by several soldiers dressed in splendid uniforms. They
were armed with swords and lances. Cap'n Bill walked straight up to them
and asked, "Does the King happen to be at home?"
"His Magnificent and Glorious Majesty King Krewl is at present
inhabiting his Royal Castle," was the stiff reply.
"Then I guess we'll go in an' say how-d'ye-do," continued Cap'n
Bill, attempting to enter the doorway. But a soldier barred his way with
a lance.
"Who are you, what are your names, and where do you come from?"
demanded the soldier.
"You wouldn't know if we told you," returned the sailor, "seein'
as we're strangers in a strange land."
"Or, if you are strangers, you will be permitted to enter," said
the soldier, lowering his lance. "His Majesty is very fond of
strangers."
"Do many strangers come here?" asked Trot.
"You are the first that ever came to our country," said the man.
"But his Majesty has often said that if strangers ever arrived in
Jinxland, he would see that they had a very exciting time."
Cap'n Bill scratched his chin thoughtfully. He wasn't very
favorably impressed by this last remark. But he decided that as there
was no way of escape from Jinxland, it would be wise to confront the King
boldly and try to win his favor. So they entered the castle, escorted by
one of the soldiers.
It was certainly a fine castle, with many large rooms, all
beautifully furnished. The passages were winding and handsomely
decorated, and after following several of these, the soldier led them
into an open court that occupied the very center of the huge building.
It was surrounded on every side by high, turreted walls, and contained
beds of flowers, fountains and walks of many-colored marbles which were
matched together in quaint designs. In an open space near the middle of
the court they saw a group of courtiers and their ladies who surrounded a
lean man who wore upon his head a jeweled crown. His face was hard and
sullen, and through the slits of his half-closed eyelids the eyes glowed
like coals of fire. He was dressed in brilliant satins and velvets and
was seated in a golden throne chair.
This personage was King Krewl, and as soon as Cap'n Bill saw him,
the old sailor knew at once that he was not going to like the King of
Jinxland. "Hello! Who's here?" said his Majesty with a deep scowl.
"Strangers, Sire," answered the soldier, bowing so low that his
forehead touched the marble tiles.
"Strangers, eh? Well, well, what an unexpected visit! Advance,
strangers, and give an account of yourselves."
The King's voice was as harsh as his features. Trot shuddered a
little, but Cap'n Bill calmly replied, "There ain't much for us to say,
'cept as we've arrived to look over your country an' see how we like it.
Judgin' from the way you speak, you don't know who we are, or you'd be
jumpin' up to shake hands an' offer us seats. Kings usually treat us
pretty well in the great big Outside World where we come from, but in
this little kingdom--which don't amount to much, anyhow--folks don't seem
to 'a' got much culchure." (sic)
The King listened with amazement to this bold speech, first with
a frown and then gazing at the two children and the old sailor with
evident curiosity. The courtiers were dumb with fear, for no one had
ever dared speak in such a manner to their self-willed, cruel King
before. His Majesty, however, was somewhat frightened, for cruel people
are always cowards, and he feared these mysterious strangers might
possess magic powers that would destroy him unless he treated them well.
So he commanded his people to give the new arrivals seats, and they
obeyed with trembling haste.
After being seated, Cap'n Bill lighted his pipe and began puffing
smoke from it, a sight so strange to them that it filled them with
wonder. Presently, the King asked, "How did you penetrate to this hidden
country? Did you cross the desert or the mountains?"
"Desert," answered Cap'n Bill, talking as if the task were too
easy to be worth talking about.
"Indeed! No one has ever been able to do that before," said the
King.
"Well, it's easy enough if you know how," asserted Cap'n Bill so
carelessly that it greatly impressed his hearers. The King shifted in
his throne uneasily. He was more afraid of these strangers than before.
"Do you intend to stay long in Jinxland?" was his next anxious
question.
"Depends on how we like it," said Cap'n Bill. "Just now I might
suggest to your Majesty to order some rooms got ready for us in your
dinky little castle here. And a royal banquet, with some fried onions
an' pickled tripe, would set easy on our stomicks (sic) an' make us a bit
happier than we are now."
"Your wishes shall be attended to," said King Krewl, but his eyes
flashed from between their slits in a wicked way that made Trot hope the
food wouldn't be poisoned. At the King's command several of the
attendants hastened away to give the proper orders to the castle
servants, and no sooner were they gone than a skinny old man entered the
courtyard and bowed before the King. This disagreeable person was
dressed in rich velvets, with many furbelows and laces. He was covered
with golden chains, finely wrought rings and jeweled ornaments. He
walked with mincing steps and glared at all of the courtiers as if he
considered himself far superior to any or all of them.
"Well, well, your Majesty, what news, what news?" he demanded in
a shrill, cracked voice.
The King gave him a surly look. "No news, Lord Googly-Goo,
except that strangers have arrived."
Googly-Goo cast a contemptuous glance at Cap'n Bill and a
disdainful one at Trot and Button-Bright. Then he said, "Strangers do
not interest me, your Majesty. But the Princess Gloria is very
interesting, very interesting indeed! What does she say, Sire? Will she
marry me?"
"Ask her," retorted the King.
"I have, many times, and every time she has refused."
"Well?" said the King harshly.
"Well," said Googly-Goo in a jaunty tone, "a bird that CAN sing
and WON'T sing must be MADE to sing."
"Huh!" sneered the King. "That's easy, with a bird. But a girl
is harder to manage."
"Still," persisted Googly-Goo, "we must overcome difficulties.
The chief trouble is that Gloria fancies she loves that miserable
gardener's boy, Pon. Suppose we throw Pon into the Great Gulf, your
Majesty?"
"It would do you no good," returned the King. "She would still
love him."
"Too bad, too bad!" sighed Googly-Goo. "I have laid aside more
than a bushel of precious gems, each worth a king's ransom, to present to
your Majesty on the day I wed Gloria."
The King's eyes sparkled, for he loved wealth above everything,
but the next moment he frowned deeply again. "It won't help to kill
Pon," he muttered. "What we must do is kill Gloria's love for Pon."
"That is better, if you can find a way to do it," agreed
Googly-Goo. "Everything would come right if you could kill Gloria's love
for that gardener's boy. Really, Sire, now that I come to think of it,
there must be fully a bushel and a half of those jewels!"
Just then a messenger entered the court to say that the banquet
was prepared for the strangers. So Cap'n Bill, Trot and Button-Bright
entered the castle and were taken to a room where a fine feast was spread
upon the table.
"I don't like that Lord Googly-Goo," remarked Trot as she was
busily eating.
"Nor I," said Cap'n Bill. "But from the talk I heard, I guess
the gardener's boy won't get the Princess."
"Perhaps not," returned the girl, "but I hope old Googly doesn't
get her, either."
"The King means to sell her for all those jewels," observed
Button-Bright, his mouth half full of cake and jam.
"Poor Princess!" sighed Trot. "I'm sorry for her, although I've
never seen her. But if she says no to Googly-Goo and means it, what can
they do?"
"Don't let us worry about a strange Princess," advised Cap'n
Bill. "I've a notion we're not too safe ourselves with this cruel King."
The two children felt the same way, and all three were rather
solemn during the remainder of the meal. When they had eaten, the
servants escorted them to their rooms. Cap'n Bill's room was way to one
end of the castle, very high up, and Trot's room was at the opposite end,
rather low down. As for Button-Bright, they placed him in the middle so
that all were as far apart as they could possibly be. They didn't like
this arrangement very well, but all the rooms were handsomely furnished,
and being guests of the King, they dared not complain.
After the strangers had left the courtyard, the King and
Googly-Goo had a long talk together, and the King said, "I cannot force
Gloria to marry you just now, because these strangers may interfere. I
suspect that the wooden-legged man possesses great magical powers, or he
would never have been able to carry himself and those children across the
deadly desert."
"I don't like him; he looks dangerous," answered Googly-Goo.
"But perhaps you are mistaken about his being a wizard. Why don't you
test his powers?"
"How?" asked the King.
"Send for the Wicked Witch. She will tell you in a moment
whether that wooden-legged person is a common man or a magician."
"Ha! That's a good idea," cried the King. "Why didn't I think
of the Wicked Witch before? But the woman demands rich rewards for her
services."
"Never mind. I will pay her," promised the wealthy Googly-Goo.
So a servant was dispatched to summon the Wicked Witch, who lived
but a few leagues from King Krewl's castle. While they awaited her, the
withered old courtier proposed that they pay a visit to Princess Gloria
and see if she was not now in a more complaisant mood. So the two
started away together and searched the castle over without finding
Gloria. At last Googly-Goo suggested she might be in the rear garden,
which was a large park filled with bushes and trees and surrounded by a
high wall. And what was their anger when they turned a corner of the
path to find, in a quiet nook, the beautiful Princess and kneeling before
her Pon, the gardener's boy!
With a roar of rage, the King dashed forward, but Pon had scaled
the wall by means of a ladder, which still stood in its place, and when
he saw the King coming, he ran up the ladder and made good his escape.
But this left Gloria confronted by her angry guardian, the King, and by
old Googly-Goo, who was trembling with a fury he could not express in
words. Seizing the Princess by her arm, the King dragged her back to the
castle. Pushing her into a room on the lower floor, he locked the door
upon the unhappy girl. And at that moment the arrival of the Wicked
Witch was announced.
Hearing this, the King smiled as a tiger smiles, showing his
teeth. And Googly-Goo smiled as a serpent smiles, for he had no teeth
except a couple of fangs. And having frightened each other with these
smiles, the two dreadful men went away to the Royal Council Chamber to
meet the Wicked Witch.
CHAPTER 12
THE WOODEN-LEGGED GRASSHOPPER
Now it so happened that Trot, from the window of her room, had
witnessed the meeting of the lovers in the garden and had seen the King
come and drag Gloria away. The little girl's heart went out in sympathy
for the poor Princess, who seemed to her to be one of the sweetest and
loveliest young ladies she had ever seen, so she crept along the passages
and from a hidden niche saw Gloria locked in her room. The key was still
in the lock, so when the King had gone away followed by Googly-Goo, Trot
stole up to the door, turned the key and entered. The Princess lay prone
upon a couch, sobbing bitterly. Trot went up to her and smoothed her
hair and tried to comfort her.
"Don't cry," she said. "I've unlocked the door, so you can go
away any time you want to."
"It isn't that," sobbed the Princess. "I am unhappy because they
will not let me love Pon, the gardener's boy!"
"Well, never mind. Pon isn't any great shakes, anyhow, seems to
me," said Trot soothingly. "There are lots of other people you can love."
Gloria rolled over on the couch and looked at the little girl
reproachfully. "Pon has won my heart, and I can't help loving him," she
explained. Then with sudden indignation she added, "But I'll never love
Googly-Goo, never as long as I live!"
"I should say not!" replied Trot. "Pon may not be much good, but
old Googly is very, very bad. Hunt around and I'm sure you'll find
someone worth your love. You're very pretty, you know, and almost anyone
ought to love you."
"You don't understand, my dear," said Gloria as she wiped the
tears from her eyes with a dainty lace handkerchief bordered with pearls.
"When you are older, you will realize that a young lady cannot decide
whom she will love, or choose the most worthy. Her heart alone decides
for her, and whomsoever her heart selects, she must love, whether he
amounts to much or not."
Trot was a little puzzled by this speech, which seemed to her
unreasonable, but she made no reply and presently Gloria's grief softened
and she began to question the little girl about herself and her
adventures. Trot told her how they had happened to come to Jinxland, and
all about Cap'n Bill and the Ork and Pessim and the Bumpy Man.
While they were thus conversing together, getting more and more
friendly as they became better acquainted, in the Council Chamber the
King and Googly-Goo were talking with the Wicked Witch. This evil
creature was old and ugly. She had lost one eye and wore a black patch
over it, so the people of Jinxland had named her "Blinkie." Of course,
witches are forbidden to exist in the Land of Oz, but Jinxland was so far
removed from the center of Ozma's dominions and so absolutely cut off
from it by the steep mountains and the bottomless gulf that the laws of
Oz were not obeyed very well in that country. So there were several
witches in Jinxland who were the terror of the people, but King Krewl
favored them and permitted them to exercise their evil sorcery.
Blinkie was the leader of all the other witches and therefore the
most hated and feared. The King used her witchcraft at times to assist
him in carrying out his cruelties and revenge, but he was always obliged
to pay Blinkie large sums of money or heaps of precious jewels before she
would undertake an enchantment. This made him hate the old woman almost
as much as his subjects did, but today Lord Googly-Goo had agreed to pay
the witch's price, so the King greeted her with gracious favor. "Can you
destroy the love of Princess Gloria for the gardener's boy?" inquired his
Majesty.
The Wicked Witch thought about it before she replied, "That's a
hard question to answer. I can do lots of clever magic, but love is a
stubborn thing to conquer. When you think you've killed it, it's liable
to bob up again as strong as ever. I believe love and cats have nine
lives. In other words, killing love is a hard job, even for a skillful
witch, but I believe I can do something that will answer your purpose
just as well."
"What is that?" asked the King.
"I can freeze the girl's heart. I've got a special incantation
for that, and when Gloria's heart is thoroughly frozen, she can no longer
love Pon."
"Just the thing!" exclaimed Googly-Goo, and the King was likewise
much pleased. They bargained a long time as to the price, but finally
the old courtier agreed to pay the Wicked Witch's demands. It was
arranged that they should take Gloria to Blinkie's house the next day to
have her heart frozen.
Then King Krewl mentioned to the old hag the strangers who had
that day arrived in Jinxland, and said to her, "I think the two
children--the boy and the girl--are unable to harm me, but I have a
suspicion that the wooden-legged man is a powerful wizard."
The witch's face wore a troubled look when she heard this. "If
you are right," she said, "this wizard might spoil my incantation and
interfere with me in other ways. So it will be best for me to meet this
stranger at once and match my magic against his, to decide which is the
stronger."
"All right," said the King. "Come with me, and I will lead you
to the man's room." Googly-Goo did not accompany them, as he was obliged
to go home to get the money and jewels he had promised to pay old
Blinkie, so the other two climbed several flights of stairs and went
through many passages until they came to the room occupied by Cap'n Bill.
The sailor man, finding his bed soft and inviting and being tired
with the adventures he had experienced, had decided to take a nap. When
the Wicked Witch and the King softly opened his door and entered, Cap'n
Bill was snoring with such vigor that he did not hear them at all.
Blinkie approached the bed and with her one eye anxiously stared at the
sleeping stranger. "Ah," she said in a soft whisper, "I believe you are
right, King Krewl. The man looks to me like a very powerful wizard. But
by good luck I have caught him asleep, so I shall transform him before he
wakes up, giving him such a form that he will be unable to oppose me."
"Careful!" cautioned the King, also speaking low. "If he
discovers what you are doing, he may destroy you, and that would annoy me
because I need you to attend to Gloria."
But the Wicked Witch realized as well as he did that she must be
careful. She carried over her arm a black bag, from which she now drew
several packages carefully wrapped in paper. Three of these she
selected, replacing the others in the bag. Two of the packets she mixed
together, and then she cautiously opened the third. "Better stand back,
your Majesty," she advised, "for if this powder falls on you, you might
be transformed yourself."
The King hastily retreated to the end of the room. As Blinkie
mixed the third powder with the others, she waved her hands over it,
mumbled a few words, and then backed away as quickly as she could. Cap'n
Bill was slumbering peacefully, all unconscious of what was going on.
Puff! A great cloud of smoke rolled over the bed and completely hid him
from view. When the smoke rolled away, both Blinkie and the King saw
that the body of the stranger had quite disappeared, while in his place,
crouching in the middle of the bed, was a little gray grasshopper. One
curious thing about this grasshopper was that the last joint of its left
leg was made of wood. Another curious thing--considering it was a
grasshopper--was that it began talking, crying out in a tiny but sharp
voice, "Here, you people! What do you mean by treating me so? Put me
back where I belong at once, or you'll be sorry!"
The cruel King turned pale at hearing the grasshopper's threats,
but the Wicked Witch merely laughed in derision. Then she raised her
stick and aimed a vicious blow at the grasshopper, but before the stick
struck the bed the tiny hopper made a marvelous jump--marvelous, indeed,
when we consider that it had a wooden leg. It rose in the air and sailed
across the room and passed right through the open window, where it
disappeared from their view.
"Good!" shouted the King. "We are well rid of this desperate
wizard." And then they both laughed heartily at the success of the
incantation and went away to complete their horrid plans.
After Trot had visited a time with Princess Gloria, the little
girl went to Button-Bright's room, but did not find him there. Then she
went to Cap'n Bill's room, but he was not there because the witch and the
King had been there before her. So she made her way downstairs and
questioned the servants. They said they had seen the little boy go out
into the garden some time ago, but the old man with the wooden leg they
had not seen at all. Therefore Trot, not knowing what else to do,
rambled through the great gardens seeking for Button-Bright or Cap'n Bill
and not finding either of them. This part of the garden, which lay
before the castle, was not walled in but extended to the roadway, and the
paths were open to the edge of the forest, so after two hours of vain
search for her friends, the little girl returned to the castle. But at
the doorway a soldier stopped her. "I live here," said Trot, "so it's
all right to let me in. The King has given me a room."
"Well, he has taken it back again," was the soldier's reply.
"His Majesty's orders are to turn you away if you attempt to enter. I am
also ordered to forbid the boy, your companion, to again enter the King's
castle."
"How 'bout Cap'n Bill?" she inquired.
"Why, it seems he has mysteriously disappeared," replied the
soldier, shaking his head ominously. "Where he has gone to I can't make
out, but I can assure you he is no longer in this castle. I'm sorry,
little girl, to disappoint you. Don't blame me; I must obey my master's
orders."
Now all her life Trot had been accustomed to depend on Cap'n
Bill, so when this good friend was suddenly taken away from her, she felt
very miserable and forlorn indeed. She was brave enough not to cry
before the soldier, or even to let him see her grief and anxiety, but
after she was turned away from the castle she sought a quiet bench in the
garden and for a time sobbed as if her heart would break. It was
Button-Bright who found her at last, just as the sun had set and the
shades of evening were falling. He also had been turned away from the
King's castle when he tried to enter it, and in the park he came across
Trot.
"Never mind," said the boy. "We can find a place to sleep."
"I want Cap'n Bill," wailed the girl.
"Well, so do I," was the reply. "But we haven't got him. Where
do you s'pose he is, Trot?"
"I don't s'pose anything. He's gone, an' that's all I know 'bout it."
Button-Bright sat on the bench beside her and thrust his hands in
the pockets of his knickerbockers. Then he reflected somewhat gravely
for him. "Cap'n Bill isn't around here," he said, letting his eyes
wander over the dim garden, "so we must go somewhere else if we want to
find him. Besides, it's fast getting dark, and if we want to find a
place to sleep, we must get busy while we can see where to go."
He rose from the bench as he said this, and Trot also jumped up,
drying her eyes on her apron. Then she walked beside him out of the
grounds of the King's castle. They did not go by the main path, but
passed through an opening in a hedge and found themselves in a small but
well-worn roadway. Following this for some distance along a winding way,
they came upon no house or building that would afford them refuge for the
night. It became so dark that they could scarcely see their way, and
finally Trot stopped and suggested that they camp under a tree. "All
right," said Button-Bright. "I've often found that leaves make a good,
warm blanket. But look there, Trot! Isn't that a light flashing over
yonder?"
"It certainly is, Button-Bright. Let's go over and see if it's a
house. Whoever lives there couldn't treat us worse than the King did."
To reach the light they had to leave the road, so they stumbled
over hillocks and brushwood, hand in hand, keeping the tiny speck of
light always in sight. They were rather forlorn little waifs, outcasts
in a strange country and forsaken by their only friend and guardian,
Cap'n Bill. So they were very glad when finally they reached a small
cottage and, looking in through its one window, saw Pon, the gardener's
boy, sitting by a fire of twigs. As Trot opened the door and walked
boldly in, Pon sprang up to greet them. They told him of Cap'n Bill's
disappearance and how they had been turned out of the King's castle. As
they finished the story, Pon shook his head sadly. "King Krewl is
plotting mischief, I fear," said he, "for today he sent for old Blinkie,
the Wicked Witch, and with my own eyes I saw her come from the castle and
hobble away toward her hut. She had been with the King and Googly-Goo,
and I was afraid they were going to work some enchantment on Gloria so
she would no longer love me. But perhaps the Witch was only called to
the castle to enchant your friend, Cap'n Bill."
"Could she do that?" asked Trot, horrified by the suggestion.
"I suppose so, for old Blinkie can do a lot of wicked magical
things."
"What sort of an enchantment could she put on Cap'n Bill?"
"I don't know. But he has disappeared, so I'm pretty certain she
has done something dreadful to him. But don't worry. If it has
happened, it can't be helped, and if it hasn't happened, we may be able
to find him in the morning."
With this, Pon went to the cupboard and brought food for them to
eat. Trot was far too worried to eat, but Button-Bright made a good
supper from the simple food and then lay down before the fire and went to
sleep. The little girl and the gardener's boy, however, sat for a long
time staring into the fire, busy with their thoughts. But at last Trot,
too, became sleepy, and Pon covered her with the one blanket he
possessed. Then he threw more wood on the fire and laid himself down
before it, next to Button-Bright. Soon all three were fast asleep. They
were in a good deal of trouble; but they were young, and sleep was good
to them because for a time it made them forget.
CHAPTER 13
GLINDA THE GOOD AND THE SCARECROW OF OZ
That country south of the Emerald City in the Land of Oz is known
as the Quadling Country, and in the very southernmost part of it stands a
splendid palace in which lives Glinda the Good. Glinda is the Royal
Sorceress of Oz. She has wonderful magical powers and uses them only to
benefit the subjects of Ozma's kingdom. Even the famous Wizard of Oz
pays tribute to her, for Glinda taught him all the real magic he knows,
and she is his superior in all sorts of sorcery.
Everyone loves Glinda, from the dainty and exquisite Ruler, Ozma,
down to the humblest inhabitant of Oz, for she is always kindly and
helpful and willing to listen to their troubles, however busy she may be.
No one knows her age, but all can see how beautiful and stately she is.
Her hair is like red gold and finer than the finest silken strands. Her
eyes are blue as the sky and always frank and smiling. Her cheeks are
the envy of peach-blows, and her mouth is enticing as a rosebud. Glinda
is tall and wears splendid gowns that trail behind her as she walks. She
wears no jewels, for her beauty would shame them.
For attendants Glinda has half a hundred of the loveliest girls
in Oz. They are gathered from all over Oz, from among the Winkies, the
Munchkins, the Gillikins and the Quadlings, as well as from Ozma's
magnificent Emerald City, and it is considered a great favor to serve the
Royal Sorceress.
Among the many wonderful things in Glinda's palace is the Great
Book of Records. In this book is inscribed everything that takes place
in all the world, just the instant it happens; so that by referring to
its pages Glinda knows what is taking place far and near, in every
country that exists. In this way she learns when and where she can help
any in distress or danger, and although her duties are confined to
assisting those who inhabit the Land of Oz, she is always interested in
what takes place in the unprotected outside world.
So it was that on a certain evening Glinda sat in her library,
surrounded by a bevy of her maids, who were engaged in spinning, weaving
and embroidery, when an attendant announced the arrival at the palace of
the Scarecrow. This personage was one of the most famous and popular in
all the Land of Oz. His body was merely a suit of Munchkin clothes
stuffed with straw, but his head was a round sack filled with bran with
which the Wizard of Oz had mixed some magic brains of a very superior
sort. The eyes, nose and mouth of the Scarecrow were painted upon the
front of the sack, as were his ears, and since this quaint being had been
endowed with life, the expression of his face was very interesting, if
somewhat comical.
The Scarecrow was good all through, even to his brains, and while
he was naturally awkward in his movements and lacked the neat symmetry of
other people, his disposition was so kind and considerate and he was so
obliging and honest that all who knew him loved him, and there were few
people in Oz who had not met our Scarecrow and made his acquaintance. He
lived part of the time in Ozma's palace at the Emerald City, part of the
time in his own corncob castle in the Winkie Country, and part of the
time he traveled over all Oz, visiting with the people and playing with
the children, whom he dearly loved.
It was on one of his wandering journeys that the Scarecrow had
arrived at Glinda's palace, and the Sorceress at once made him welcome.
As he sat beside her talking of his adventures, he asked, "What's new in
the way of news?"
Glinda opened her Great Book of Records and read some of the last
pages. "Here is an item quite curious and interesting," she announced,
an accent of surprise in her voice. "Three people from the big Outside
World have arrived in Jinxland."
"Where is Jinxland?" inquired the Scarecrow.
"Very near here, a little to the east of us," she said. "In
fact, Jinxland is a little slice taken off the Quadling Country, but
separated from it by a range of high mountains at the foot of which lies
a wide, deep gulf that is supposed to be impassable."
"Then Jinxland is really a part of the Land of Oz," said he.
"Yes," returned Glinda, "but Oz people know nothing of it except
what is recorded here in my book."
"What does the Book say about it?" asked the Scarecrow.
"It is ruled by a wicked man called King Krewl, although he has
no right to the title. Most of the people are good, but they are very
timid and live in constant fear of their fierce ruler. There are also
several Wicked Witches who keep the inhabitants of Jinxland in a state of
terror."
"Do those witches have any magical powers?" inquired the Scarecrow.
"Yes, they seem to understand witchcraft in its most evil form,
for one of them has just transformed a respectable and honest old
sailor--one of the strangers who arrived here--into a grasshopper. This
same witch, Blinkie by name, is also planning to freeze the heart of a
beautiful Jinxland girl named Princess Gloria."
"Why, that's a dreadful thing to do!" exclaimed the Scarecrow.
Glinda's face was very grave. She read in her book how Trot and
Button-Bright were turned out of the King's castle, and how they found
refuge in the hut of Pon, the gardener's boy. "I'm afraid these helpless
earth people will endure much suffering in Jinxland, even if the wicked
King and the witches permit them to live," said the good Sorceress
thoughtfully. "I wish I might help them."
"Can I do anything?" asked the Scarecrow anxiously. "If so, tell
me what to do, and I'll do it."
For a few moments Glinda did not reply, but sat musing over the
records. Then she said, "I am going to send you to Jinxland to protect
Trot and Button-Bright and Cap'n Bill."
"All right," answered the Scarecrow in a cheerful voice. "I know
Button-Bright already, for he has been in the Land of Oz before. You
remember he went away from the Land of Oz in one of our Wizard's big
bubbles."
"Yes," said Glinda. "I remember that." Then she carefully
instructed the Scarecrow what to do and gave him certain magical things
which he placed in the pockets of his ragged Munchkin coat. "As you have
no need to sleep," said she, "you may as well start at once."
"The night is the same as day to me," he replied, "except that I
cannot see my way so well in the dark."
"I will furnish a light to guide you," promised the Sorceress.
So the Scarecrow bade her goodbye and at once started on his
journey. By morning he had reached the mountains that separated the
Quadling Country from Jinxland. The sides of these mountains were too
steep to climb, but the Scarecrow took a small rope from his pocket and
tossed one end upward into the air. The rope unwound itself for hundreds
of feet until it caught upon a peak of rock at the very top of a
mountain, for it was a magic rope furnished him by Glinda. The Scarecrow
climbed the rope and, after pulling it up, let it down on the other side
of the mountain range. When he descended the rope on this side he found
himself in Jinxland, but at his feet yawned the Great Gulf, which must be
crossed before he could proceed any farther.
The Scarecrow knelt down and examined the ground carefully, and
in a moment he discovered a fuzzy brown spider that had rolled itself
into a ball. So he took two tiny pills from his pocket and laid them
beside the spider, which unrolled itself and quickly ate up the pills.
Then the Scarecrow said in a voice of command, "Spin!" and the spider
obeyed instantly. In a few moments the little creature had spun two
slender but strong strands that reached way across the gulf, one being
five or six feet above the other. When these were completed, the
Scarecrow started across the tiny bridge, walking upon one strand as a
person walks upon a rope, and holding to the upper strand with his hands
to prevent him from losing his balance and toppling over into the gulf.
The tiny threads held him safely, thanks to the strength given them by
the magic pills. Presently he was safe across and standing on the plains
of Jinxland. Far away he could see the towers of the King's castle, and
toward this he at once began to walk.
CHAPTER 14
THE FROZEN HEART
In the hut of Pon, the gardener's boy, Button-Bright was the first
to waken in the morning. Leaving his companions still asleep, he went
out into the fresh morning air and saw some blackberries growing on
bushes in a field not far away. Going to the bushes, he found the
berries ripe and sweet, so he began eating them. More bushes were
scattered over the fields, so the boy wandered on from bush to bush
without paying any heed to where he was wandering. Then a butterfly
fluttered by. He gave chase to it and followed it a long way. When
finally he paused to look around him, Button-Bright could see no sign of
Pon's house, nor had he the slightest idea in which direction it lay.
"Well, I'm lost again," he remarked to himself. "But never mind. I've
been lost lots of times. Someone is sure to find me."
Trot was a little worried about Button-Bright when she awoke and
found him gone. Knowing how careless he was, she believed that he had
strayed away, but felt that he would come back in time because he had a
habit of not staying lost. Pon got the little girl some food for her
breakfast, and then together they went out of the hut and stood in the
sunshine.
Pon's house was some distance off the road, but they could see it
from where they stood, and both gave a start of surprise when they
discovered two soldiers walking along the roadway and escorting Princess
Gloria between them. The poor girl had her hands bound together to
prevent her from struggling, and the soldiers rudely dragged her forward
when her steps seemed to lag. Behind the group came King Krewl, wearing
his jeweled crown and swinging in his hand a slender, golden staff with a
ball of clustered gems at one end. "Where are they going?" asked Trot.
"To the house of the Wicked Witch, I fear," Pon replied. "Come,
let us follow them, for I am sure they intend to harm my dear Gloria."
"Won't they see us?" she asked timidly.
"We won't let them. I know a short cut through the trees to
Blinkie's house," said he. So they hurried away through the trees and
reached the house of the witch ahead of the King and his soldiers.
Hiding themselves in the shrubbery, they watched the approach of poor
Gloria and her escort, all of whom passed so near to them that Pon could
have put out a hand and touched his sweetheart had he dared to.
Blinkie's house had eight sides, with a door and a window in each
side. Smoke was coming out of the chimney, and as the guards brought
Gloria to one of the doors, it was opened by the old witch in person. She
chuckled with evil glee and rubbed her skinny hands together to show the
delight with which she greeted her victim, for Blinkie was pleased to be
able to perform her wicked rites on one so fair and sweet as the
Princess. Gloria struggled to resist when they bade her enter the house,
so the soldiers forced her through the doorway, and even the King gave
her a shove as he followed close behind. Pon was so incensed at the
cruelty shown Gloria that he forgot all caution and rushed forward to
enter the house also, but one of the soldiers prevented him, pushing the
gardener's boy away with violence and slamming the door in his face.
"Never mind," said Trot soothingly as Pon rose from where he had
fallen. "You couldn't do much to help the poor Princess if you were
inside. How unfortunate it is that you are in love with her!"
"True," he answered sadly, "it is indeed my misfortune. If I did
not love her, it would be none of my business what the King did to his
niece Gloria, but the unlucky circumstance of my loving her makes it my
duty to defend her."
"I don't see how you can, duty or no duty," observed Trot.
"No, I am powerless, for they are stronger than I. But we might
peek in through the window and see what they are doing." Trot was
somewhat curious, too, so they crept up to one of the windows and looked
in, and it so happened that those inside the witch's house were so busy
they did not notice that Pon and Trot were watching them.
Gloria had been tied to a stout post in the center of the room,
and the King was giving the Wicked Witch a quantity of money and jewels
which Googly-Goo had provided in payment. When this had been done, the
King said to her, "Are you perfectly sure you can freeze this maiden's
heart so that she will no longer love that low gardener's boy?"
"Sure as witchcraft, your Majesty," the creature replied.
"Then get to work," said the King. "There may be some unpleasant
features about the ceremony that would annoy me, so I'll bid you good day
and leave you to carry out your contract. One word, however: if you
fail, I shall burn you at the stake!" Then he beckoned to his soldiers
to follow him, and throwing wide the door of the house, walked out.
This action was so sudden that King Krewl almost caught Trot and
Pon eavesdropping, but they managed to run around the house before he saw
them. Away he marched, up the road, followed by his men, heartlessly
leaving Gloria to the mercies of old Blinkie. When they again crept up
to the window, Trot and Pon saw Blinkie gloating over her victim.
Although nearly fainting from fear, the proud Princess gazed with haughty
defiance into the face of the wicked creature, but she was bound so
tightly to the post that she could do no more to express her loathing.
Pretty soon Blinkie went to a kettle that was swinging by a chain
over the fire and tossed into it several magical compounds. The kettle
gave three flashes, and at every flash another witch appeared in the
room. These hags were very ugly, but when one-eyed Blinkie whispered her
orders to them, they grinned with joy as they began dancing around
Gloria. First one and then another cast something into the kettle, when
to the astonishment of the watchers at the window all three of the old
women were instantly transformed into maidens of exquisite beauty,
dressed in the daintiest costumes imaginable. Only their eyes could not
be disguised, and an evil glare still shone in their depths. But if the
eyes were cast down or hidden, one could not help but admire these
beautiful creatures, even with the knowledge that they were mere
illusions of witchcraft.
Trot certainly admired them, for she had never seen anything so
dainty and bewitching, but her attention was quickly drawn to their deeds
instead of their persons, and then horror replaced admiration. Into the
kettle old Blinkie poured another mess from a big brass bottle she took
from a chest, and this made the kettle begin to bubble and smoke
violently. One by one the beautiful witches approached to stir the
contents of the kettle and to mutter a magic charm. Their movements were
graceful and rhythmic, and the Wicked Witch who had called them to her
aid watched them with an evil grin upon her wrinkled face. Finally the
incantation was complete. The kettle ceased bubbling, and together the
witches lifted it from the fire. Then Blinkie brought a wooden ladle and
filled it from the contents of the kettle. Going with the spoon to
Princess Gloria, she cried,
"Love no more! Magic art
Now will freeze your mortal heart!"
With this, she dashed the contents of the ladle full upon Gloria's
breast.
Trot saw the body of the Princess become transparent, so that her
beating heart showed plainly. But now the heart turned from a vivid red
to gray, and then to white. A layer of frost formed about it, and tiny
icicles clung to its surface. Then slowly the body of the girl became
visible again, and the heart was hidden from view. Gloria seemed to have
fainted, but now she recovered and, opening her beautiful eyes, stared
coldly and without emotion at the group of witches confronting her.
Blinkie and the others knew by that one cold look that their charm had
been successful. They burst into a chorus of wild laughter, and the
three beautiful ones began dancing again, while Blinkie unbound the
Princess and set her free.
Trot rubbed her eyes to prove that she was wide awake and seeing
clearly, for her astonishment was great when the three lovely maidens
turned into ugly, crooked hags again, leaning on broomsticks and canes.
They jeered at Gloria, but the Princess regarded them with cold disdain.
Being now free, she walked to a door, opened it and passed out. And the
witches let her go. Trot and Pon had been so intent upon this scene that
in their eagerness they had pressed quite hard against the window. Just
as Gloria went out of the house, the window sash broke loose from its
fastenings and fell with a crash into the room. The witches uttered a
chorus of screams, and then, seeing that their magical incantation had
been observed, they rushed for the open window with uplifted broomsticks
and canes. But Pon was off like the wind, and Trot followed at his
heels. Fear lent them strength to run, to leap across ditches, to speed
up the hills and to vault the low fences as a deer would.
The band of witches had dashed through the window in pursuit, but
Blinkie was so old and the others so crooked and awkward that they soon
realized they would be unable to overtake the fugitives. So the three
who had been summoned by the Wicked Witch put their canes or broomsticks
between their legs and flew away through the air, quickly disappearing
against the blue sky. Blinkie, however, was so enraged at Pon and Trot
that she hobbled on in the direction they had taken, fully determined to
catch them, in time, and to punish them severely for spying upon her
witchcraft.
When Pon and Trot had run so far they were confident they had
made good their escape, they sat down near the edge of a forest to get
their breath again, for both were panting hard from their exertions. Trot
was the first to recover speech, and she said to her companion, "My!
Wasn't it terr'ble?"
"The most terrible thing I ever saw," Pon agreed.
"And they froze Gloria's heart, so now she can't love you any
more."
"Well, they froze her heart, to be sure," admitted Pon, "but I'm
in hopes I can melt it with my love."
"Where do you s'pose Gloria is?" asked the girl after a pause.
"She left the witch's house just before we did. Perhaps she has
gone back to the King's castle," he said.
"I'm pretty sure she started off in a diff'rent direction,"
declared Trot. "I looked over my shoulder as I ran to see how close the
witches were, and I'm sure I saw Gloria walking slowly away toward the
north."
"Then let us circle around that way," proposed Pon, "and perhaps
we shall meet her."
Trot agreed to this, and they left the grove and began to circle
around toward the north, thus drawing nearer and nearer to old Blinkie's
house again. The Wicked Witch did not suspect this change of direction,
so when she came to the grove she passed through it and continued on.
Pon and Trot had reached a place less than half a mile from the witch's
house when they saw Gloria walking toward them. The Princess moved with
great dignity and with no show of haste whatever, holding her head high
and looking neither to right nor left. Pon rushed forward, holding out
his arms as if to embrace her and calling her sweet names. But Gloria
gazed upon him coldly and repelled him with a haughty gesture. At this,
the poor gardener's boy sank upon his knees and hid his face in his arms,
weeping bitter tears, but the Princess was not at all moved by this
distress. Passing him by, she drew her skirts aside as if unwilling they
should touch him, and then she walked up the path a way and hesitated, as
if uncertain where to go next.
Trot was grieved by Pon's sobs and indignant because Gloria
treated him so badly. But she remembered why. "I guess your heart is
frozen, all right," she said to the Princess. Gloria nodded gravely in
reply, and then turned her back upon the little girl. "Can't you like
even me?" asked Trot, half pleadingly.
"No," said Gloria.
"Your voice sounds like a refrig'rator," sighed the little girl.
"I'm awful sorry for you, 'cause you were sweet an' nice to me before
this happened. You can't help it, of course, but it's a dreadful thing
jus' the same."
"My heart is frozen to all mortal loves," announced Gloria
calmly. "I do not love even myself."
"That's too bad," said Trot, "for if you can't love anybody, you
can't expect anybody to love you."
"I do!" cried Pon. "I shall always love her."
"Well, you're just a gardener's boy," replied Trot, "and I didn't
think you 'mounted to much from the first. I can love the old Princess
Gloria with a warm heart an' nice manners, but this one gives me the
shivers."
"It's her icy heart, that's all," said Pon.
"That's enough," insisted Trot. "Seeing her heart isn't big
enough to skate on, I can't see that she's of any use to anyone. For my
part, I'm goin' to try to find Button-Bright and Cap'n Bill."
"I will go with you," decided Pon. "It is evident that Gloria no
longer loves me and that her heart is frozen too stiff for me to melt it
with my own love, therefore I may as well help you to find your friends."
As Trot started off, Pon cast one more imploring look at the
Princess, who returned it with a chilly stare. So he followed after the
little girl. As for the Princess, she hesitated a moment and then turned
in the same direction the others had taken, but going far more slowly.
Soon she heard footsteps pattering behind her, and up came Googly-Goo, a
little out of breath with running.
"Stop, Gloria!" he cried. "I have come to take you back to my
mansion, where we are to be married."
She looked at him wonderingly a moment, then tossed her head
disdainfully and walked on. But Googly-Goo kept beside her. "What does
this mean?" he demanded. "Haven't you discovered that you no longer love
that gardener's boy who stood in my way?"
"Yes, I have discovered it," she replied. "My heart is frozen to
all mortal loves. I cannot love you, or Pon, or the cruel King my uncle,
or even myself. Go your way, Googly-Goo, for I shall wed no one at all."
He stopped in dismay when he heard this, but in another minute he
exclaimed angrily, "You MUST wed me, Princess Gloria, whether you want to
or not! I paid to have your heart frozen, I also paid the King to permit
our marriage. If you now refuse me, it will mean that I have been
robbed, robbed, robbed of my precious money and jewels!"
He almost wept with despair, but she laughed a cold, bitter laugh
and passed on. Googly-Goo caught at her arm as if to restrain her, but
she whirled and dealt him a blow that sent him reeling into a ditch
beside the path. Here he lay for a long time, half covered by muddy
water, dazed with surprise. Finally the old courtier arose, dripping,
and climbed from the ditch. The Princess had gone, so, muttering threats
of vengeance upon her, upon the King and upon Blinkie, old Googly-Goo
hobbled back to his mansion to have the mud removed from his costly
velvet clothes.
CHAPTER 15
TROT MEETS THE SCARECROW
Trot and Pon covered many leagues of ground, marching through
forests, in fields and in many of the little villages of Jinxland, but
could find no trace of either Cap'n Bill or Button-Bright. Finally they
paused beside a cornfield and sat upon a stile to rest. Pon took some
apples from his pocket and gave one to Trot. Then he began eating
another himself, for this was their time for luncheon. When his apple
was finished, Pon tossed the core into the field. "Tchuk-tchuk!" said a
strange voice. "What do you mean by hitting me in the eye with an apple
core?"
Then rose up the form of the Scarecrow, who had hidden himself in
the cornfield while he examined Pon and Trot and decided whether they
were worthy to be helped.
"Excuse me," said Pon. "I didn't know you were there."
"How did you happen to be there, anyhow?" asked Trot.
The Scarecrow came forward with awkward steps and stood beside
them. "Ah, you are the gardener's boy," he said to Pon. Then he turned
to Trot. "And you are the little girl who came to Jinxland riding on a
big bird and who has had the misfortune to lose her friend, Cap'n Bill,
and her chum, Button-Bright."
"Why, how did you know all that?" she inquired.
"I know a lot of things," replied the Scarecrow, winking at her
comically. "My brains are the Carefully Assorted, Double-Distilled,
High-Efficiency sort that the Wizard of Oz makes. He admits, himself,
that my brains are the best he ever manufactured."
"I think I've heard of you," said Trot slowly as she looked the
Scarecrow over with much interest, "but you used to live in the Land of Oz."
"Oh, I do now," he replied cheerfully. "I've just come over the
mountains from the Quadling Country to see if I can be of any help to you."
"Who, me?" asked Pon.
"No, the strangers from the big world. It seems they need
looking after."
"I'm doing that myself," said Pon a little ungraciously. "If you
will pardon me for saying so, I don't see how a Scarecrow with painted
eyes can look after anyone."
"If you don't see that, you are more blind than the Scarecrow,"
asserted Trot. "He's a fairy man, Pon, and comes from the fairyland of
Oz, so he can do 'most anything. I hope," she added, turning to the
Scarecrow, "you can find Cap'n Bill for me."
"I will try, anyhow," he promised. "But who is that old woman who
is running toward us and shaking her stick at us?"
Trot and Pon turned around and both uttered an exclamation of
fear. The next instant they took to their heels and ran fast up the path.
For it was old Blinkie, the Wicked Witch, who had at last traced them to
this place. Her anger was so great that she was determined not to
abandon the chase of Pon and Trot until she had caught and punished them.
The Scarecrow understood at once that the old woman meant harm to
his new friends, so as she drew near he stepped before her. His
appearance was so sudden and unexpected that Blinkie ran into him and
toppled him over, but she tripped on his straw body and went rolling in
the path beside him.
The Scarecrow sat up and said, "I beg your pardon!" but she
whacked him with her stick and knocked him flat again. Then, furious
with rage, the old witch sprang upon the body of her victim and began
pulling the straw out of his body. The poor Scarecrow was helpless to
resist, and in a few moments all that was left of him was an empty suit
of clothes and a heap of straw beside it. Fortunately, Blinkie did not
harm his head, for it rolled into a little hollow and escaped her notice.
Fearing that Pon and Trot would escape her, she quickly resumed the chase
and disappeared over the brow of a hill, following the direction in which
she had seen them go.
Only a short time elapsed before a gray grasshopper with a wooden
leg came hopping along and lit directly on the upturned face of the
Scarecrow's head. "Pardon me, but you are resting your self upon my
nose," remarked the Scarecrow.
"Oh! Are you alive?" asked the grasshopper.
"That is a question I have never been able to decide," said the
Scarecrow's head. "When my body is properly stuffed, I have animation
and can move around as well as any live person. The brains in the head
you are now occupying as a throne are of very superior quality and do a
lot of very clever thinking. But whether that is being alive or not, I
cannot prove to you, for one who lives is liable to death, while I am
only liable to destruction."
"Seems to me," said the grasshopper, rubbing his nose with his
front legs, "that in your case it doesn't matter--unless you're destroyed
already."
"I am not. All I need is re-stuffing," declared the Scarecrow,
"and if Pon and Trot escape the witch and come back here, I am sure they
will do me that favor."
"Tell me! Are Trot and Pon around here?" inquired the
grasshopper, its small voice trembling with excitement. The Scarecrow
did not answer at once, for both his eyes were staring straight upward at
a beautiful face that was slightly bent over his head. It was, indeed,
Princess Gloria, who had wandered to this spot, very much surprised when
she heard the Scarecrow's head talk and the tiny gray grasshopper answer
it."
"This," said the Scarecrow, still staring at her, "must be the
Princess who loves Pon, the gardener's boy."
"Oh indeed!" exclaimed the grasshopper, who of course was Cap'n
Bill, as he examined the young lady curiously.
"No," said Gloria frigidly, "I do not love Pon or anyone else,
for the Wicked Witch has frozen my heart."
"What a shame!" cried the Scarecrow. "One so lovely should be
able to love. But would you mind, my dear, stuffing that straw into my
body again?"
The dainty Princess glanced at the straw and at the well-worn,
blue Munchkin clothes and shrank back in disdain. But she was spared
from refusing the Scarecrow's request by the appearance of Trot and Pon,
who had hidden in some bushes just over the brow of the hill and waited
until old Blinkie had passed them by. Their hiding place was on the same
side as the witch's blind eye, and she rushed on in the chase of the girl
and the youth without being aware that they had tricked her.
Trot was shocked at the Scarecrow's sad condition and at once
began putting the straw back into his body. Pon, at sight of Gloria,
again appealed to her to take pity on him, but the frozen-hearted
Princess turned coldly away, and with a sigh the gardener's boy began to
assist Trot. Neither of them at first noticed the small grasshopper,
which at their appearance had skipped off the Scarecrow's nose and was now
clinging to a wisp of grass beside the path where he was not likely to be
stepped on. Not until the Scarecrow had been neatly restuffed and set
upon his feet again--when he bowed to his restorers and expressed his
thanks--did the grasshopper move from his perch. Then he leaped lightly
into the path and called out, "Trot, Trot! Look at me. I'm Cap'n Bill!
See what the Wicked Witch has done to me."
The voice was small, to be sure, but it reached Trot's ears and
startled her greatly. She looked intently at the grasshopper, her eyes
wide with fear at first, then she knelt down, and noticing the wooden leg
she began to weep sorrowfully. "Oh, Cap'n Bill, dear Cap'n Bill! What a
cruel thing to do!" she sobbed.
"Don't cry, Trot," begged the grasshopper. "It didn't hurt any,
and it doesn't hurt now. But it's mighty inconvenient an' humiliatin',
to say the least."
"I wish," said the girl indignantly while trying to restrain her
tears, "that I was big 'nough an' strong 'nough to give that horrid witch
a good beating. She ought to be turned into a toad for doing this to
you, Cap'n Bill!"
"Never mind," urged the Scarecrow in a comforting voice, "such a
transformation doesn't last always, and as a general thing there's some
way to break the enchantment. I'm sure Glinda could do it in a jiffy."
"Who is Glinda?" inquired Cap'n Bill.
Then the Scarecrow told them all about Glinda, not forgetting to
mention her beauty and goodness and her wonderful powers of magic. He
also explained how the Royal Sorceress had sent him to Jinxland
especially to help the strangers, whom she knew to be in danger because
of the wiles of the cruel King and the Wicked Witch.
CHAPTER 16
PON SUMMONS THE KING TO SURRENDER
Gloria had drawn near to the group to listen to their talk, and
it seemed to interest her in spite of her frigid manner. They knew, of
course, that the poor Princess could not help being cold and reserved, so
they tried not to blame her. "I ought to have come here a little sooner,"
said the Scarecrow regretfully, "but Glinda sent me as soon as she
discovered you were here and were likely to get into trouble. And now
that we are all together--except Button-Bright, over whom it is useless
to worry--I propose we hold a council of war to decide what is best to be
done."
That seemed a wise thing to do, so they all sat down upon the
grass, including Gloria, and the grasshopper perched upon Trot's shoulder
and allowed her to stroke him gently with her hand. "In the first
place," began the Scarecrow, "this King Krewl is a usurper who has no
right to rule this Kingdom of Jinxland."
"That is true," said Pon eagerly. "My father was King before
him, and I--"
"You are a gardener's boy," interrupted the Scarecrow. "Your
father had no right to rule, either, for the rightful King of this land
was the father of Princess Gloria, and only she is entitled to sit upon
the throne of Jinxland."
"Good!" exclaimed Trot. "But what'll we do with King Krewl? I
s'pose he won't give up the throne unless he has to."
"No, of course not," said the Scarecrow. "Therefore it will be
our duty to MAKE him give up the throne."
"How?" asked Trot.
"Give me time to think," was the reply. "That's what my brains
are for. I don't know whether you people ever think or not, but my
brains are the best that the Wizard of Oz ever turned out, and if I give
them plenty of time to work, the result usually surprises me."
"Take your time, then," suggested Trot. "There's no hurry."
"Thank you," said the straw man, and sat perfectly still for half
an hour. During this interval, the grasshopper whispered in Trot's ear,
to which he was very close, and Trot whispered back to the grasshopper
sitting upon her shoulder. Pon cast loving glances at Gloria, who paid
not the slightest heed to them. Finally the Scarecrow laughed aloud.
"Brains working?" inquired Trot.
"Yes, they seem in fine order today. We will conquer King Krewl
and put Gloria upon his throne as Queen of Jinxland."
"Fine!" cried the little girl, clapping her hands together
gleefully. "But how?"
"Leave the HOW to me," said the Scarecrow proudly. "As a
conqueror I'm a wonder. We will first of all write a message to send to
King Krewl, asking him to surrender. If he refuses, then we will make
him surrender."
"Why ask him when we KNOW he'll refuse?" inquired Pon.
"Why, we must be polite, whatever we do," explained the
Scarecrow. "It would be very rude to conquer a King without proper
notice."
They found it difficult to write a message without paper, pen and
ink, none of which was at hand, so it was decided to send Pon as a
messenger with instructions to ask the King, politely but firmly, to
surrender. Pon was not anxious to be the messenger. Indeed, he hinted
that it might prove a dangerous mission. But the Scarecrow was the
acknowledged head of the Army of Conquest, and he would listen to no
refusal. So off Pon started for the King's castle, and the others
accompanied him as far as his hut, where they had decided to await the
gardener's boy's return.
I think it was because Pon had known the Scarecrow such a short
time that he lacked confidence in the straw man's wisdom. It was easy to
say, "We will conquer King Krewl," but when Pon drew near to the great
castle, he began to doubt the ability of a straw-stuffed man, a girl, a
grasshopper and a frozen-hearted Princess to do it. As for himself, he
had never thought of defying the King before.
That was why the gardener's boy was not very bold when he entered
the castle and passed through to the enclosed court where the King was
just then seated with his favorite courtiers around him. None prevented
Pon's entrance, because he was known to be the gardener's boy, but when
the King saw him, he began to frown fiercely. He considered Pon to be to
blame for all his trouble with Princess Gloria, who since her heart had
been frozen had escaped to some unknown place instead of returning to the
castle to wed Googly-Goo as she had been expected to do. So the King
bared his teeth angrily as he demanded, "What have you done with Princess
Gloria?"
"Nothing, your Majesty! I have done nothing at all," answered Pon
in a faltering voice. "She does not love me any more and even refuses to
speak to me."
"Then why are you here, you rascal?" roared the King.
Pon looked first one way and then another, but saw no means of
escape, so he plucked up courage. "I am here to summon your Majesty to
surrender."
"What!" shouted the King. "Surrender? Surrender to whom?"
Pon's heart sank to his boots. "To the Scarecrow," he replied.
Some of the courtiers began to titter, but King Krewl was greatly
annoyed. He sprang up and began to beat poor Pon with the golden staff
he carried. Pon howled lustily and would have run away had not two of
the soldiers held him until his Majesty was exhausted with punishing the
boy. They they let him go, and he left the castle and returned along the
road, sobbing at every step because his body was so sore and aching.
"Well," said the Scarecrow, "did the King surrender?"
"No, but he gave me a good drubbing!" sobbed poor Pon.
Trot was very sorry for Pon, but Gloria did not seem affected in
any way by her lover's anguish. The grasshopper leaped to the
Scarecrow's shoulder and asked him what he was going to do next.
"Conquer," was the reply. "But I will go alone this time, for beatings
cannot hurt me at all, nor can lance thrusts or sword cuts or arrow pricks."
"Why is that?" inquired Trot.
"Because I have no nerves such as you meat people possess. Even
grasshoppers have nerves, but straw doesn't, so whatever they do--except
one thing--they cannot injure me. Therefore I expect to conquer King
Krewl with ease."
"What is that one thing you excepted?" asked Trot.
"They will never think of it, so never mind. And now, if you
will kindly excuse me for a time, I'll go over to the castle and do my
conquering."
"You have no weapons," Pon reminded him.
"True," said the Scarecrow. "But if I carried weapons, I might
injure someone, perhaps seriously, and that would make me unhappy. I
will just borrow that riding whip which I see in the corner of your hut,
if you don't mind. It isn't exactly proper to walk with a riding whip,
but I trust you will excuse the inconsistency."
Pon handed him the whip, and the Scarecrow bowed to all the party
and left the hut, proceeding leisurely along the way to the King's
castle.
CHAPTER 17
THE ORK RESCUES BUTTON-BRIGHT
I must now tell you what had become of Button-Bright since he
wandered away in the morning and got lost. This small boy, as perhaps
you have discovered, was almost as destitute of nerves as the Scarecrow.
Nothing ever astonished him much; nothing ever worried him or made him
unhappy. Good fortune or bad fortune he accepted with a quiet smile,
never complaining whatever happened. This was one reason why
Button-Bright was a favorite with all who knew him, and perhaps it was
the reason why he so often got into difficulties or found himself lost.
Today, as he wandered here and there, over hill and down dale, he
missed Trot and Cap'n Bill, of whom he was very fond, but nevertheless he
was not unhappy. The birds sang merrily and the wildflowers were
beautiful and the breeze had a fragrance of new-mown hay. "The only bad
thing about this country is its King," he reflected, "but the country
isn't to blame for that."
A prairie dog stuck its round head out of a mound of earth and
looked at the boy with bright eyes. "Walk around my house, please," it
said, "and then you won't harm it or disturb the babies."
"All right," answered Button-Bright, and took care not to step on
the mound. He went on, whistling merrily, until a petulant voice cried,
"Oh stop it! Please stop that noise. It gets on my nerves."
Button-Bright saw an old gray owl sitting in the crotch of a
tree, and he replied with a laugh, "All right, old Fussy," and stopped
whistling until he had passed out of the owl's hearing. At noon he came
to a farmhouse where an aged couple lived. They gave him a good dinner
and treated him kindly, but the man was deaf and the woman was dumb, so
they could answer no questions to guide him on the way to Pon's house.
When he left them, he was just as much lost as he had been before.
Every grove of trees he saw from a distance he visited, for he
remembered that the King's castle was near a grove of trees and Pon's hut
was near the King's castle, but always he met with disappointment.
Finally, passing through one of these groves, he came out into the open
and found himself face to face with the Ork. "Hello!" said
Button-Bright. "Where did YOU come from?"
"From Orkland," was the reply. "I've found my own country at
last, and it is not far from here, either. I would have come back to you
sooner to see how you are getting along had not my family and friends
welcomed my return so royally that a great celebration was held in my
honor. So I couldn't very well leave Orkland again until the excitement
was over."
"Can you find your way back home again?" asked the boy.
"Yes, easily, for now I know exactly where it is. But where are
Trot and Cap'n Bill?"
Button-Bright related to the Ork their adventures since it had
left them in Jinxland, telling of Trot's fear that the King had done
something wicked to Cap'n Bill, and of Pon's love for Gloria, and how
Trot and Button-Bright had been turned out of the King's castle. That was
all the news the boy had, but it made the Ork anxious for the safety of
his friends. "We must go to them at once, for they may need us," he
said.
"I don't know where to go," confessed Button-Bright. "I'm lost."
"Well, I can take you back to the hut of the gardener's boy,"
promised the Ork, "for when I fly high in the air I can look down and
easily spy the King's castle. That was how I happened to spy you just
entering the grove, so I flew down and waited until you came out."
"How can you carry me?" asked the boy.
"You'll have to sit straddle my shoulders and put your arms
around my neck. Do you think you can keep from falling off?"
"I'll try," said Button-Bright. So the Ork squatted down and the
boy took his seat and held on tight. Then the skinny creature's tail
began whirling and up they went, far above all the treetops. After the
Ork had circled around once or twice, its sharp eyes located the towers
of the castle, and away it flew, straight toward the palace. As it
hovered in the air nearby the castle, Button-Bright pointed out Pon's
hut, so they landed just before it and Trot came running out to greet
them. Gloria was introduced to the Ork, who was surprised to find Cap'n
Bill transformed into a grasshopper.
"How do you like it?" asked the creature.
"Why, it worries me a good deal," answered Cap'n Bill, perched
upon Trot's shoulder. "I'm always afraid o' bein' stepped on, and I
don't like the flavor of grass an' can't seem to get used to it. It's my
nature to eat grass, you know, but I begin to suspect it's an acquired
taste."
"Can you give molasses?" asked the Ork.
"I guess I'm not that kind of a grasshopper," replied Cap'n Bill,
"but I can't say what I might do if I was squeezed--which I hope I won't be."
"Well," said the Ork, "it's a great pity, and I'd like to meet
that cruel King and his Wicked Witch and punish them severely. You're
awfully small, Cap'n Bill, but I think I would recognize you anywhere by
your wooden leg."
Then the Ork and Button-Bright were told all about Gloria's
frozen heart and how the Scarecrow had come from the Land of Oz to help
them. The Ork seemed rather disturbed when it learned that the Scarecrow
had gone alone to conquer King Krewl. "I'm afraid he'll make a fizzle of
it," said the skinny creature, "and there's no telling what that terrible
King might do to the poor Scarecrow, who seems like a very interesting
person. So I believe I'll take a hand in this conquest myself."
"How?" asked Trot.
"Wait and see," was the reply. "But first of all I must fly home
again, back to my own country, so if you'll forgive my leaving you so
soon, I'll be off at once. Stand away from my tail, please, so that the
wind from it when it revolves won't knock you over."
They gave the creature plenty of room, and away it went like a
flash and soon disappeared in the sky. "I wonder," said Button-Bright,
looking solemnly after the Ork, "whether he'll ever come back again."
"Of course he will!" returned Trot. "The Ork's a pretty good
fellow, and we can depend on him. An' mark my words, Button-Bright,
whenever our Ork does come back, there's one cruel King in Jinxland
that'll wish he hadn't."
CHAPTER 18
THE SCARECROW MEETS AN ENEMY
The Scarecrow was not a bit afraid of King Krewl. Indeed, he
rather enjoyed the prospect of conquering the evil King and putting
Gloria on the throne of Jinxland in his place. So he advanced boldly to
the royal castle and demanded admittance.
Seeing that he was a stranger, the soldiers allowed him to enter.
He made his way straight to the throne room, where at that time his
Majesty was settling the disputes among his subjects. "Who are you?"
demanded the King.
"I'm the Scarecrow of Oz, and I command you to surrender yourself
my prisoner."
"Why should I do that?" inquired the King, much astonished at the
straw man's audacity.
"Because I've decided you are too cruel a King to rule so
beautiful a country. You must remember that Jinxland is a part of Oz,
and therefore you owe allegiance to Ozma of Oz, whose friend and servant
I am."
Now when he heard this, King Krewl was much disturbed in mind, for
he knew the Scarecrow spoke the truth. But no one had ever before come
to Jinxland from the Land of Oz, and the King did not intend to be put
out of his throne if he could help it. Therefore he gave a harsh, wicked
laugh of derision and said, "I'm busy now. Stand out of my way,
Scarecrow, and I'll talk with you by and by."
But the Scarecrow turned to the assembled courtiers and people
and called in a loud voice, "I hereby declare, in the name of Ozma of Oz,
that this man is no longer ruler of Jinxland. From this moment Princess
Gloria is your rightful Queen, and I ask all of you to be loyal to her and
to obey her commands."
The people looked fearfully at the King, whom they all hated in
their hearts, but likewise feared. Krewl was now in a terrible rage, and
he raised his golden scepter and struck the Scarecrow so heavy a blow
that he fell to the floor. But he was up again in an instant, and with
Pon's riding whip he switched the King so hard that the wicked monarch
roared with pain as much as with rage, calling on his soldiers to capture
the Scarecrow. They tried to do that, and thrust their lances and swords
into the straw body, but without doing any damage except to make holes in
the Scarecrow's clothes. However, they were many against one, and
finally old Googly-Goo brought a rope which he wound around the
Scarecrow, binding his legs together and his arms to his sides, and after
that the fight was over.
The King stormed and danced around in a dreadful fury, for he had
never been so switched since he was a boy--and perhaps not then. He
ordered the Scarecrow thrust into the castle prison, which was no task at
all because one man could carry him easily, bound as he was. Even after
the prisoner was removed, the King could not control his anger. He tried
to figure out some way to be revenged upon the straw man, but could think
of nothing that could hurt him. At last, when the terrified people and
the frightened courtiers had all slunk away, old Googly-Goo approached
the king with a malicious grin upon his face. "I'll tell you what to do,"
said he. "Build a big bonfire and burn the Scarecrow up, and that will
be the end of him."
The King was so delighted with this suggestion that he hugged old
Googly-Goo in his joy. "Of course!" he cried. "The very thing. Why did
I not think of it myself?"
So he summoned his soldiers and retainers and bade them prepare a
great bonfire in an open space in the castle park. Also, he sent word to
all his people to assemble and witness the destruction of the Scarecrow,
who had dared to defy his power. Before long, a vast throng gathered in
the park and the servants had heaped up enough fuel to make a fire that
might be seen for miles away, even in the daytime. When all was prepared,
the King had his throne brought out for him to sit upon and enjoy the
spectacle, and then he sent his soldiers to fetch the Scarecrow.
Now the one thing in all the world that the straw man really
feared was fire. He knew he would burn very easily and that his ashes
wouldn't amount to much afterward. It wouldn't hurt him to be destroyed
in such a manner, but he realized that many people in the Land of Oz, and
especially Dorothy and the Royal Ozma, would feel sad if they learned
that their old friend the Scarecrow was no longer in existence. In spite
of this, the straw man was brave and faced his fiery fate like a hero.
When they marched him out before the concourse of people, he turned to
the King with great calmness and said, "This wicked deed will cost you
your throne as well as much suffering, for my friends will avenge my
destruction."
"Your friends are not here, nor will they know what I have done
to you when you are gone and cannot tell them," answered the King in a
scornful voice. Then he ordered the Scarecrow bound to a stout stake
that he had had driven into the ground, and the materials for the fire
were heaped all around him. When this had been done, the King's brass
band struck up a lively tune, and old Googly-Goo came forward with a
lighted match and set fire to the pile. At once the flames shot up and
crept closer and closer toward the Scarecrow. The King and all the
people were so intent upon this terrible spectacle that none of then
noticed how the sky grew suddenly dark. Perhaps they thought that the
loud buzzing sound--like the noise of a dozen moving railway trains--came
from the blazing faggots, that the rush of wind was merely a breeze. But
suddenly, down swept a flock of Orks, half a hundred of them at the
least, and the powerful currents of air caused by their revolving tails
sent the bonfire scattering in every direction, so that not one burning
strand ever touched the Scarecrow.
But that was not the only effect of this sudden tornado. King
Krewl was blown out of his throne and went tumbling heels over head until
he landed with a bump against the stone wall of his own castle, and
before he could rise, a big Ork sat upon him and held him pressed to the
ground. Old Googly-Goo shot up into the air like a rocket and landed on
a tree, where he hung by the middle on a high limb, kicking the air with
his feet and clawing the air with his hands and howling for mercy like
the coward he was.
The people pressed back until they were jammed close together,
while all the soldiers were knocked over and sent sprawling to the earth.
The excitement was great for a few minutes, and every frightened
inhabitant of Jinxland looked with awe and amazement at the great Orks
whose descent had served to rescue the Scarecrow and conquer King Krewl
at one and the same time. The Ork, who was the leader of the band, soon
had the Scarecrow free of his bonds. Then he said, "Well, we were just in
time to save you, which is better than being a minute too late. You are
now the master here, and we are determined to see your orders obeyed."
With this, the Ork picked up Krewl's golden crown, which had
fallen off his head, and placed it upon the head of the Scarecrow, who in
his awkward way then shuffled over to the throne and sat down in it.
Seeing this, a rousing cheer broke from the crowd of people, who tossed
their hats and waved their handkerchiefs and hailed the Scarecrow as
their King. The soldiers joined the people in the cheering, for now they
fully realized that their hated master was conquered and it would be wise
to show their good will to the conqueror. Some of them bound Krewl with
ropes and dragged him forward, dumping his body on the ground before the
Scarecrow's throne. Googly-Goo struggled until he finally slid off the
limb of the tree and came tumbling to the ground. He then tried to sneak
away and escape, but the soldiers seized and bound him beside Krewl.
"The tables are turned," said the Scarecrow, swelling out his
chest until the straw within it crackled pleasantly, for he was highly
pleased. "But it was you and your people who did it, friend Ork, and
from this time you may count me your humble servant."
CHAPTER 19
THE CONQUEST OF THE WITCH
Now as soon as the conquest of King Krewl had taken place, one of
the Orks had been dispatched to Pon's house with the joyful news. At
once, Gloria and Pon and Trot and Button-Bright hastened toward the
castle. They were somewhat surprised by the sight that met their eyes,
for there was the Scarecrow crowned King and all the people kneeling
humbly before him. So they likewise bowed low to the new ruler and then
stood beside the throne. Cap'n Bill, as the gray grasshopper, was still
perched upon Trot's shoulder, but now he hopped to the shoulder of the
Scarecrow and whispered into the painted ear, "I thought Gloria was to be
Queen of Jinxland."
The Scarecrow shook his head. "Not yet," he answered. "No Queen
with a frozen heart is fit to rule any country." Then he turned to his
new friend, the Ork, who was strutting about, very proud of what he had
done, and said, "Do you suppose you or your followers could find old
Blinkie the Witch?"
"Where is she?" asked the Ork.
"Somewhere in Jinxland, I'm sure."
"Then," said the Ork, "we shall certainly be able to find her."
"It will give me great pleasure," declared the Scarecrow. "When
you have found her, bring her here to me, and I will then decide what to
do with her."
The Ork called his followers together and spoke a few words to
them in a low tone. A moment later they rose into the air, so suddenly
that the Scarecrow, who was very light in weight, was blown quite out of
his throne and into the arms of Pon, who replaced him carefully upon his
seat. There was an eddy of dust and ashes, too, and the grasshopper only
saved himself from being whirled into the crowd of people by jumping into
a tree, from where a series of hops soon brought him back to Trot's
shoulder again. The Orks were quite out of sight by this time, so the
Scarecrow made a speech to the people and presented Gloria to them, whom
they knew well already and were fond of. But not all of them knew of her
frozen heart, and when the Scarecrow related the story of the Wicked
Witch's misdeeds, which had been encouraged and paid for by Krewl and
Googly-Goo, the people were very indignant.
Meantime, the fifty Orks had scattered all over Jinxland, which
is not a very big country, and their sharp eyes were peering into every
valley and grove and gully. Finally, one of them spied a pair of heels
sticking out from underneath some bushes, and with a shrill whistle to
warn his comrades that the witch was found, the Ork flew down and dragged
old Blinkie from her hiding place. Then two or three of the Orks seized
the clothing of the wicked woman in their strong claws and, lifting her
high in the air, where she struggled and screamed to no avail, they flew
with her straight to the royal castle and set her down before the throne
of the Scarecrow.
"Good!" exclaimed the straw man, nodding his stuffed head with
satisfaction. "Now we can proceed to business. Mistress Witch, I am
obliged to request, gently but firmly, that you undo all the wrongs you
have done by means of your witchcraft."
"Pah!" cried old Blinkie in a scornful voice. "I defy you all!
By my magic powers I can turn you all into pigs, rooting in the mud, and
I'll do it if you are not careful."
"I think you are mistaken about that," said the Scarecrow, and
rising from his throne, he walked with wobbling steps to the side of the
Wicked Witch. "Before I left the Land of Oz, Glinda the Royal Sorceress
gave me a box which I was not to open except in an emergency. But I feel
pretty sure that this occasion is an emergency, don't you, Trot?" he
asked, turning toward the little girl.
"Why, we've got to do SOMETHING," replied Trot seriously.
"Things seem in an awful muddle here jus' now, and they'll be worse if we
don't stop this witch from doing more harm to people."
"That is my idea exactly," said the Scarecrow, and taking a small
box from his pocket, he opened the cover and tossed the contents toward
Blinkie. The old woman shrank back, pale and trembling, as a fine, white
dust settled all about her. Under its influence she seemed to the eyes
of all observers to shrivel and grow smaller.
"Oh dear, oh dear!" she wailed, wringing her hands in fear.
"Haven't you the antidote, Scarecrow? Didn't the great Sorceress give
you another box?"
"She did," answered the Scarecrow.
"Then give it me, quick!" pleaded the witch. "Give it me, and
I'll do anything you ask me to!"
"You will do what I ask first," declared the Scarecrow firmly.
"Be quick, then!" she cried. "Tell me what I must do and let me
do it, or it will be too late."
"You made Trot's friend, Cap'n Bill, a grasshopper. I command
you to give him back his proper form again," said the Scarecrow.
"Where is he? Where's the grasshopper? Quick, quick!" she
screamed.
Cap'n Bill, who had been deeply interested in this conversation,
gave a great leap from Trot's shoulder and landed on that of the
Scarecrow. Blinkie saw him alight and at once began to make magic passes
and to mumble magic incantations. She was in a desperate hurry, knowing
that she had no time to waste, and the grasshopper was so suddenly
transformed into the old sailor man, Cap'n Bill, that he had no
opportunity to jump off the Scarecrow's shoulder, so his great weight
bore the stuffed Scarecrow to the ground. No harm was done, however, and
the straw man got up and brushed the dust from his clothes while Trot
delightedly embraced Cap'n Bill.
"The other box! Quick! Give me the other box," begged Blinkie,
who had now shrunk to half her former size.
"Not yet," said the Scarecrow. "You must first melt Princess
Gloria's frozen heart."
"I can't. It's an awful job to do that! I can't," asserted the
witch in an agony of fear, for still she was growing smaller.
"You must!" declared the Scarecrow firmly.
The witch cast a shrewd look at him and saw that he meant it, so
she began dancing around Gloria in a frantic manner. The Princess looked
coldly on as if not at all interested in the proceedings, while Blinkie
tore a handful of hair from her own head and ripped a strip of cloth from
the bottom of her gown. Then the witch sank upon her knees, took a
purple powder from her black bag and sprinkled it over the hair and
cloth. "I hate to do it, I hate to do it!" she wailed. "For there is no
more of this magic compound in all the world. But I must sacrifice it to
save my own life. A match! Give me a match, quick!" And panting from
lack of breath, she gazed imploringly from one to another.
Cap'n Bill was the only one who had a match, but he lost no time
in handing it to Blinkie, who quickly set fire to the hair and the cloth
and the purple powder. At once a purple cloud enveloped Gloria, and this
gradually turned to a rosy pink color, brilliant and quite transparent.
Through the rosy cloud they could all see the beautiful Princess,
standing proud and erect. Then her heart became visible, at first
frosted with ice, but slowly growing brighter and warmer until all the
frost had disappeared and it was beating as softly and regularly as any
other heart. And now the cloud dispersed and disclosed Gloria, her face
suffused with joy, smiling tenderly upon the friends who were grouped
about her. Poor Pon stepped forward timidly, fearing a repulse, but with
pleading eyes and arms fondly outstretched toward his former sweetheart,
and the Princess saw him and her sweet face lighted with a radiant smile.
Without an instant's hesitation, she threw herself into Pon's arms, and
this reunion of two loving hearts was so affecting that the people turned
away and lowered their eyes to as not to mar the sacred joy of the
faithful lovers.
But Blinkie's small voice was shouting to the Scarecrow for help.
"The antidote!" she screamed. "Give me the other box, quick!"
The Scarecrow looked at the witch with his quaint, painted eyes
and saw that she was now no taller than his knee. So he took from his
pocket the second box and scattered its contents on Blinkie. She ceased
to grow any smaller, but she could never regain her former size again,
and this the wicked old woman well knew. She did not know, however, that
the second powder had destroyed all her power to work magic, and seeking
to be revenged upon the Scarecrow and his friends she at once began to
mumble a charm so terrible in its effect that it would have destroyed
half the population of Jinxland--had it worked. But it did not work at
all, to the amazement of old Blinkie. And by this time the Scarecrow
noticed what the little witch was trying to do and said to her, "Go home,
Blinkie, and behave yourself. You are no longer a witch, but an ordinary
old woman, and since you are powerless to do more evil I advise you to
try to do some good in the world. Believe me, it is more fun to
accomplish a good act than an evil one, as you will discover when once
you have tried it."
But Blinkie was at that moment filled with grief and chagrin at
losing her magic powers. She started away toward her home, sobbing and
bewailing her fate, and not one who saw her go was at all sorry for her.
CHAPTER 20
QUEEN GLORIA
Next morning, the Scarecrow called upon all the courtiers and the
people to assemble in the throne room of the castle, where there was room
enough for all that were able to attend. They found the straw man seated
upon the velvet cushions of the throne, with the King's glittering crown
still upon his stuffed head. On one side of the throne, in a lower
chair, sat Gloria, looking radiantly beautiful and fresh as a new-blown
rose. On the other side sat Pon, the gardener's boy, still dressed in
his old smock frock and looking sad and solemn, for Pon could not make
himself believe that so splendid a Princess would condescend to love him
when she had come to her own and was seated upon a throne. Trot and
Cap'n Bill sat at the feet of the Scarecrow and were much interested in
the proceedings. Button-Bright had lost himself before breakfast, but
came into the throne room before the ceremonies were over. Back of the
throne stood a row of the great Orks, with their leader in the center,
and the entrance to the palace was guarded by more Orks, who were
regarded with wonder and awe.
When all were assembled, the Scarecrow stood up and made a
speech. He told how Gloria's father, the good King Kynd, who had once
ruled over them and been loved by everyone, had been destroyed by King
Phearse, the father of Pon, and how King Phearse had been destroyed by
King Krewl. This last King had been a bad ruler, as they knew very well,
and the Scarecrow declared that the only one in all Jinxland who had the
right to sit upon the throne was Princess Gloria, the daughter of King
Kynd. "But," he added, "it is not for me, a stranger, to say who shall
rule you. You must decide for yourselves, or you will not be content.
So choose now who shall be your future ruler."
And they all shouted, "The Scarecrow! The Scarecrow shall rule
us!" Which proved that the stuffed man had made himself very popular by
his conquest of King Krewl, and the people thought they would like him
for their King. But the Scarecrow shook his head so vigorously that it
became loose, and Trot had to pin it firmly to his body again.
"No," said he, "I belong in the Land of Oz, where I am the humble
servant of the lovely girl who rules us all, the royal Ozma. You must
choose one of your own inhabitants to rule over Jinxland. Who shall it be?"
They hesitated for a moment, and some few cried "Pon!" but many
more shouted "Gloria!"
So the Scarecrow took Gloria's hand and led her to the throne,
where he first seated her and then took the glittering crown off his own
head and placed it upon that of the young lady, where it nestled prettily
amongst her soft curls. The people cheered and shouted then, kneeling
before their new Queen, but Gloria leaned down and took Pon's hand in
both her own and raised him to the seat beside her. "You shall have both
a King and a Queen to care for you and to protect you, my dear subjects,"
she said in a sweet voice, while her face glowed with happiness, "for Pon
was a King's son before he became a gardener's boy, and because I love
him he is to be my Royal Consort."
That pleased them all, especially Pon, who realized that this was
the most important moment of his life. Trot and Button-Bright and Cap'n
Bill all congratulated him on winning the beautiful Gloria, but the Ork
sneezed twice and said that in his opinion the young lady might have done
better. Then the Scarecrow ordered the guards to bring in the wicked
Krewl, King no longer, and when he appeared loaded with chains and
dressed in fustian, the people hissed him and drew back as he passed so
their garments would not touch him.
Krewl was not haughty or overbearing any more; on the contrary,
he seemed very meek and in great fear of the fate his conquerors had in
store for him. But Gloria and Pon were too happy to be revengeful, and
so they offered to appoint Krewl to the position of gardener's boy at the
castle, Pon having resigned to become King. But they said he must
promise to reform his wicked ways and to do his duty faithfully, and he
must change his name from Krewl to Grewl. All this the man eagerly
promised to do, and so when Pon retired to a room in the castle to put on
princely rainment, the old brown smock he had formerly worn was given to
Grewl, who then went out into the garden to water the roses.
The remainder of that famous day, which was long remembered in
Jinxland, was given over to feasting and merrymaking. In the evening
there was a grand dance in the courtyard, where the brass band played a
new piece of music called the "Ork Trot," which was dedicated to "Our
Glorious Gloria, the Queen." While the Queen and Pon were leading this
dance and all the Jinxland people were having a good time, the strangers
were gathered in a group in the park outside the castle. Cap'n Bill,
Trot, Button-Bright and the Scarecrow were there, and so was their old
friend the Ork; but of all the great flock of Orks which had assisted in
the conquest but three remained in Jinxland, besides their leader, the
others having returned to their own country as soon as Gloria was crowned
Queen. To the young Ork who had accompanied them in their adventures,
Cap'n Bill said, "You've surely been a friend in need, and we're mighty
grateful to you for helping us. I might have been a grasshopper yet if
it hadn't been for you, an' I might remark that bein' a grasshopper isn't
much fun."
"If it hadn't been for you, friend Ork," said the Scarecrow, "I
fear I could not have conquered King Krewl."
"No," agreed Trot, "you'd have been just a heap of ashes by this
time."
"And I might have been lost yet," added Button-Bright. "Much
obliged, Mr. Ork."
"Oh, that's all right," replied the Ork. "Friends must stand
together, you know, or they wouldn't be friends. But now I must leave
you and be off to my own country, where there's going to be a surprise
party on my uncle, and I've promised to attend it."
"Dear me," said the Scarecrow regretfully, "that is very
unfortunate."
"Why so?" asked the Ork.
"I hoped you would consent to carry us over those mountains into
the Land of Oz. My mission here is now finished, and I want to get back
to the Emerald City."
"How did you come across the mountains before?" inquired the Ork.
"I scaled the cliffs by means of a rope and crossed the Great Gulf
on a strand of spider web. Of course, I can return in the same manner,
but it would be a hard journey--and perhaps an impossible one for Trot
and Button-Bright and Cap'n Bill. So I thought that if you had the time
you and your people would carry us over the mountains and land us all
safely on the other side, in the Land of Oz."
The Ork thoughtfully considered the matter for a while. Then he
said, "I musn't break my promise to be present at the surprise party, but
tell me, could you go to Oz tonight?"
"What, now?" exclaimed Trot.
"It is a fine moonlight night," said the Ork, "and I've found in
my experience that there's no time so good as right away. The fact is,"
he explained, "it's a long journey to Orkland, and I and my cousins here
are all rather tired by our day's work. But if you will start now and be
content to allow us to carry you over the mountains and dump you on the
other side, just say the word and off we go!"
Cap'n Bill and Trot looked at one another questioningly. The
little girl was eager to visit the famous fairyland of Oz, and the old
sailor had endured such hardships in Jinxland that he would be glad to be
out of it.
"It's rather impolite of us not to say goodbye to the new King
and Queen," remarked the Scarecrow, "but I'm sure they're too happy to
miss us, and I assure you it will be much easier to fly on the backs of
the Orks over those steep mountains than to climb them as I did."
"All right, let's go!" Trot decided. "But where's
Button-Bright?" Just at this important moment Button-Bright was lost
again, and they all scattered in search of him. He had been standing
beside them just a few minutes before, but his friends had an exciting
hunt for him before they finally discovered the boy seated among the
members of the band, beating the end of the bass drum with the bone of a
turkey leg that he had taken from the table in the banquet room.
"Hello, Trot," he said, looking up at the little girl when she
found him. "This is the first chance I ever had to pound a drum with a
reg'lar drumstick. And I ate all the meat off the bone myself."
"Come quick. We're going to the Land of Oz."
"Oh, what's the hurry?" said Button-Bright. But she seized his
arm and dragged him away to the park, where the others were waiting.
Trot climbed upon the back of her old friend, the Ork leader, and
the others took their seats on the backs of his three cousins. As soon
as all were placed and clinging to the skinny necks of the creatures, the
revolving tails began to whirl and up rose the four monster Orks and
sailed away toward the mountains. They were so high in the air that when
they passed the crest of the highest peak it seemed far below them. No
sooner were they well across the barrier than the Orks swooped downward
and landed their passengers upon the ground.
"Here we are, safe in the Land of Oz!" cried the Scarecrow
joyfully.
"Oh, are we?" asked Trot, looking around her curiously. She
could see the shadows of stately trees and the outlines of rolling hills;
beneath her feet was soft turf, but otherwise the subdued light of the
moon disclosed nothing clearly.
"Seems jus' like any other country," was Cap'n Bill's comment.
"But it isn't," the Scarecrow assured him. "You are now within
the borders of the most glorious fairyland in all the world. This part
of it is just a corner of the Quadling Country, and the least interesting
portion of it. It's not very thickly settled around here, I'll admit,
but--"
He was interrupted by a sudden whir and a rush of air as the four
Orks mounted into the sky.
"Good night!" called the shrill voices of the strange creatures,
and although Trot shouted "Good night!" as loudly as she could, the
little girl was almost ready to cry because the Orks had not waited to be
properly thanked for all their kindness to her and to Cap'n Bill. But
the Orks were gone, and thanks for good deeds do not amount to much
except to prove one's politeness.
"Well, friends," said the Scarecrow, "we musn't stay here in the
meadows all night, so let us find a pleasant place to sleep. Not that it
matters to me in the least, for I never sleep, but I know that meat
people like to shut their eyes and lie still during the dark hours."
"I'm pretty tired," admitted Trot, frowning as she followed the
straw man along a tiny path, "so if you don't find a house handy, Cap'n
Bill and I will sleep under the trees, or even on this soft grass."
But a house was not very far off, although when the Scarecrow
stumbled upon it there was no light in it whatever. Cap'n Bill knocked
on the door several times, and there being no response the Scarecrow
boldly lifted the latch and walked in, followed by the others. And no
sooner had they entered than a soft light filled the room. Trot couldn't
tell where it came from, for no lamp of any sort was visible, but she did
not waste much time on this problem, because directly in the center of
the room stood a table set for three, with lots of good food on it and
several of the dishes smoking hot.
The little girl and Button-Bright both uttered exclamations of
pleasure, but they looked in vain for any cookstove or fireplace or for
any person who might have prepared for them this delicious feast. "It's
fairyland," muttered the boy, tossing his cap in a corner and seating
himself at the table. "This supper smells 'most as good as that turkey
leg I had in Jinxland. Please pass the muffins, Cap'n Bill."
Trot thought it was strange that no people but themselves were in
the house, but on the wall opposite the door was a gold frame bearing in
big letters the word "WELCOME." So she had no further hesitation in
eating of the food so mysteriously prepared for them. "But there are
only places for three!" she exclaimed.
"Three are quite enough," said the Scarecrow. "I never eat,
because I am stuffed full already, and I like my nice clean straw better
than I do food."
Trot and the sailor man were hungry and made a hearty meal, for
not since they had left home had they tasted such good food. It was
surprising that Button-Bright could eat so soon after his feast in
Jinxland, but the boy always ate whenever there was an opportunity. "If I
don't eat now," he said, "the next time I'm hungry I'll wish I had."
"Really, Cap'n," remarked Trot when she found a dish of ice cream
appear beside her plate, "I b'lieve this is fairyland, sure enough."
"There's no doubt of it, Trot," he answered gravely.
"I've been here before," said Button-Bright, "so I know."
After supper they discovered three tiny bedrooms adjoining the
big living room of the house, and in each room was a comfortable white
bed with downy pillows. You may be sure that the tired mortals were not
long in bidding the Scarecrow good night and creeping into their beds,
where they slept soundly until morning.
For the first time since they set eyes on the terrible whirlpool,
Trot and Cap'n Bill were free from anxiety and care. Button-Bright never
worried about anything. The Scarecrow, not being able to sleep, looked
out of the window and tried to count the stars.
CHAPTER 21
DOROTHY, BETSY AND OZMA
I suppose many of my readers have read descriptions of the
beautiful and magnificent Emerald City of Oz, so I need not describe it
here except to state that never has any city in any fairyland ever
equalled this one in stately splendor. It lies almost exactly in the
center of the Land of Oz, and in the center of the Emerald City rises the
wall of glistening emeralds that surrounds the palace of Ozma. The
palace is almost a city in itself and is inhabited by many of the Ruler's
especial friends and those who have won her confidence and favor.
As for Ozma herself, there are no words in any dictionary I can
find that are fitted to describe this young girl's beauty of mind and
person. Merely to see her is to love her for her charming face and
manners; to know her is to love her for her tender sympathy, her generous
nature, her truth and honor. Born of a long line of Fairy Queens, Ozma
is as nearly perfect as any fairy may be, and she is noted for her wisdom
as well as for her other qualities. Her happy subjects adore their girl
Ruler, and each one considers her a comrade and protector.
At the time of which I write, Ozma's best friend and most
constant companion was a little Kansas girl named Dorothy, a mortal who
had come to the Land of Oz in a very curious manner and had been offered
a home in Ozma's palace. Furthermore, Dorothy had been made a Princess
of Oz and was as much at home in the royal palace as was the gentle
Ruler. She knew almost every part of the great country and almost all of
its numerous inhabitants. Next to Ozma she was loved better than anyone
in all Oz, for Dorothy was simple and sweet, seldom became angry, and had
such a friendly, chummy way that she made friends wherever she wandered.
It was she who first brought the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman and the
Cowardly Lion to the Emerald City. Dorothy had also introduced to Ozma
the Shaggy Man and the Hungry Tiger, as well as Billina the Yellow Hen,
Eureka the Pink Kitten, and many other delightful characters and
creatures. Coming as she did from our world, Dorothy was much like many
other girls we know; so there were times when she was not so wise as she
might have been, and other times when she was obstinate and got herself
into trouble. But life in a fairyland had taught the little girl to
accept all sorts of surprising things as matters-of-course, for while
Dorothy was no fairy--but just as mortal as we are--she had seen more
wonders than most mortals ever do.
Another little girl from our outside world also lived in Ozma's
palace. This was Betsy Bobbin, whose strange adventures had brought her
to the Emerald City, where Ozma had cordially welcomed her. Betsy was a
shy little thing and could never get used to the marvels that surrounded
her, but she and Dorothy were firm friends and thought themselves very
fortunate in being together in this delightful country.
One day, Dorothy and Betsy were visiting Ozma in the girl Ruler's
private apartment, and among the things that especially interested them
was Ozma's Magic Picture, set in a handsome frame and hung upon the wall
of the room. This picture was a magic one because it constantly changed
its scenes and showed events and adventures happening in all parts of the
world. Thus it was really a "moving picture" of life, and if the one who
stood before it wished to know what any absent person was doing, the
picture instantly showed that person with his or her surrounding. The
two girls were not wishing to see anyone in particular on this occasion,
but merely enjoyed watching the shifting scenes, some of which were
exceedingly curious and remarkable. Suddenly, Dorothy exclaimed, "Why,
there's Button-Bright!" and this drew Ozma also to look at the picture,
for she and Dorothy knew the boy well.
"Who is Button-Bright?" asked Betsy, who had never met him.
"Why, he's the little boy who is just getting off the back of
that strange flying creature," exclaimed Dorothy. Then she turned to
Ozma and asked, "What is that thing, Ozma? A bird? I've never seen
anything like it before."
"It is an Ork," answered Ozma, for they were watching the scene
where the Ork and the three big birds were first landing their passengers
in Jinxland after the long flight across the desert. "I wonder," added
the girl Ruler musingly, "why those strangers dare venture into that
unfortunate country, which is ruled by a wicked King."
"That girl and the one-legged man seem to be mortals from the
outside world," said Dorothy.
"The man isn't one-legged," corrected Betsy, "he has one wooden
leg."
"It's almost as bad," declared Dorothy, watching Cap'n Bill stump
around.
"They are three mortal adventurers," said Ozma, "and they seem
worthy and honest. But I fear they will be treated badly in Jinxland,
and if they meet with any misfortune there, it will reflect upon me, for
Jinxland is a part of my dominions."
"Can't we help them in any way?" inquired Dorothy. "That seems
like a nice little girl. I'd be sorry if anything happened to her."
"Let us watch the picture for a while," suggested Ozma, and so
they all drew chairs before the Magic Picture and followed the adventures
of Trot and Cap'n bill and Button-Bright. Presently, the scene shifted
and showed their friend the Scarecrow crossing the mountains into
Jinxland, and that somewhat relieved Ozma's anxiety, for she knew at once
that Glinda the Good had sent the Scarecrow to protect the strangers.
The adventures in Jinxland proved very interesting to the three
girls in Ozma's palace, who during the succeeding days spent much of
their time in watching the picture. It was like a story to them. "That
girl's a reg'lar trump!" exclaimed Dorothy, referring to Trot, and Ozma
answered:
"She's a dear little thing, and I'm sure nothing very bad will
happen to her. The old sailor is a fine character, too, for he has never
once grumbled over being a grasshopper, as so many would have done."
When the Scarecrow was so nearly burned up, the girls all
shivered a little, and they clapped their hands when the flock of Orks
came and saved him. So it was that when all the exciting adventures in
Jinxland were over and the four Orks had begun their flight across the
mountains to carry the mortals into the Land of Oz, Ozma called the
Wizard to her and asked him to prepare a place for the strangers to
sleep. The famous Wizard of Oz was a quaint little man who inhabited the
royal palace and attended to all the magical things that Ozma wanted
done. He was not as powerful as Glinda, to be sure, but he could do a
great many wonderful things. He proved that by placing a house in the
uninhabited part of the Quadling Country where the Orks landed Cap'n Bill
and Trot and Button-Bright and fitting it with all the comforts I have
described in the last chapter.
Next morning Dorothy said to Ozma, "Oughtn't we to go meet the
strangers so we can show them the way to the Emerald City? I'm sure that
little girl will feel shy in this beautiful land, and I know if 'twas me,
I'd like somebody to give me a welcome."
Ozma smiled at her little friend and answered, "You and Betsy may
go to meet them if you wish, but I can not leave my palace just now, as I
am to have a conference with Jack Pumpkinhead and Professor Wogglebug on
important matters. You may take the Sawhorse and the Red Wagon, and if
you start soon, you will be able to meet the Scarecrow and the strangers
at Glinda's palace."
"Oh, thank you!" cried Dorothy, and went away to tell Betsy and
to make preparations for the journey.
CHAPTER 22
THE WATERFALL
Glinda's castle was a long way from the mountains, but the
Scarecrow began the journey cheerfully, since time was of no great
importance in the Land of Oz and he had recently made the trip and knew
the way. It never mattered much to Button-Bright where he was or what he
was doing; the boy was content in being alive and having good companions
to share his wanderings. As for Trot and Cap'n Bill, they now found
themselves so comfortable and free from danger in this fine fairyland,
and they were so awed and amazed by the adventures they were encountering
that the journey to Glinda's palace was more like a pleasure trip than a
hardship, so many wonderful things were there to see.
Button-Bright had been in Oz before, but never in this part of
it, so the Scarecrow was the only one who knew the paths and could lead
them. They had eaten a hearty breakfast, which they found already
prepared for them and awaiting them on the table when they arose from
their refreshing sleep, so they left the magic house in a contented mood
and with hearts lighter and more happy than they had known for many a
day. As they marched along through the fields, the sun shone brightly and
the breeze was laden with delicious fragrance, for it carried with it the
breath of millions of wildflowers.
At noon, when they stopped to rest by the banks of a pretty
river, Trot said with a long-drawn breath that was much like a sigh, "I
wish we'd brought with us some of the food that was left from our
breakfast, for I'm getting hungry again."
Scarcely had she spoken when a table rose up before them as if
from the ground itself, and it was loaded with fruits and nuts and cakes
and many other good things to eat. The little girl's eyes opened wide at
this display of magic, and Cap'n Bill was not sure that the things were
actually there and fit to eat until he had taken them in his hand and
tasted them. But the Scarecrow said with a laugh, "Someone is looking
after your welfare, that is certain, and from the looks of this table, I
suspect my friend the Wizard has taken us in his charge. I've known him
to do things like this before, and if we are in the Wizard's care, you
need not worry about your future."
"Who's worrying?" inquired Button-Bright, already at the table and
busily eating.
The Scarecrow looked around the place while the others were
feasting, and finding many things unfamiliar to him, he shook his head
and remarked, "I must have taken the wrong path back at that last valley,
for on my way to Jinxland I remember that I passed around the foot of
this river, where there was a great waterfall."
"Did the river make a bend after the waterfall?" asked Cap'n Bill.
"No, the river disappeared. Only a pool of whirling water showed
what had become of the river; but I suppose it is underground somewhere
and will come to the surface again in another part of the country."
"Well," suggested Trot as she finished her luncheon, "as there is
no way to cross this river, I s'pose we'll have to find that waterfall
and go around it."
"Exactly," replied the Scarecrow; so they soon renewed their
journey, following the river for a long time until the roar of the
waterfall sounded in their ears. By and by they came to the waterfall
itself, a sheet of silver dropping far, far down into a tiny lake which
seemed to have no outlet. From the top of the fall where they stood, the
banks gradually sloped away so that the descent by land was quite easy,
while the river could do nothing but glide over an edge of rock and
tumble straight down to the depths below.
"You see," said the Scarecrow, leaning over the brink, "this is
called by our Oz people the Great Waterfall because it is certainly the
highest one in all the land; but I think--Help!" He had lost his balance
and pitched head foremost into the river. They saw a flash of straw and
blue clothes and the painted face looking upward in surprise. The next
moment the Scarecrow was swept over the waterfall and plunged into the
basin below. The accident had happened so suddenly that for a moment
they were all too horrified to speak or move.
"Quick! We must go to help him, or he will be drowned," Trot
exclaimed. Even while speaking, she began to descend the bank to the
pool below, and Cap'n Bill followed as swiftly as his wooden leg would
let him.
Button-Bright came more slowly, calling to the girl, "He can't
drown, Trot. He's a Scarecrow."
But she wasn't sure a Scarecrow couldn't drown and never relaxed
her speed until she stood on the edge of the pool with the spray dashing
in her face. Cap'n Bill, puffing and panting, had just voice enough to
ask as he reached her side, "See him, Trot?"
"Not a speck of him. Oh, Cap'n what do you s'pose has become of
him?"
"I s'pose," replied the sailor, "that he's in that water, more or
less far down, and I'm 'fraid it'll make his straw pretty soggy. But as
fer his bein' drowned, I agree with Button-Bright that it can't be done."
There was small comfort in this assurance, and Trot stood for some
time searching with her eyes the bubbling water in the hope that the
Scarecrow would finally come to the surface. Presently she heard
Button-Bright calling, "Come here, Trot!" and looking around she saw that
the boy had crept over the wet rocks to the edge of the waterfall and
seemed to be peering behind it.
Making her way toward him, she asked, "What do you see?"
"A cave," he answered. "Let's go in, P'r'aps we'll find the
Scarecrow there."
She was a little doubtful of that, but the cave interested her,
and so did it Cap'n Bill. There was just space enough at the edge of the
sheet of water for them to crowd in behind it, but after that dangerous
entrance they found room enough to walk upright and after a time they
came to an opening in the wall of rock. Approaching this opening, they
gazed within it and found a series of steps cut so that they might easily
descend into the cavern. Trot turned to look inquiringly at her
companions. The falling water made such din and roaring that her voice
could not be heard. Cap'n Bill nodded his head, but before he could
enter the cave, Button-Bright was before him, clambering down the steps
without a particle of fear. So the others followed the boy. The first
steps were wet with spray, and slippery, but the remainder were quite
dry. A rosy light seemed to come from the interior of the cave, and this
lighted their way. After the steps there was a short tunnel, high enough
for them to walk erect in, and then they reached the cave itself and
paused in wonder and admiration.
They stood on the edge of a vast cavern, the walls and domed roof
of which were lined with countless rubies, exquisitely cut and flashing
sparkling rays from one to another. This caused a radiant light that
permitted the entire cavern to be distinctly seen, and the effect was so
marvelous that Trot drew in her breath with a sort of gasp and stood
quite still in wonder. But the walls and roof of the cavern were merely
a setting for a more wonderful scene. In the center was a bubbling
cauldron of water, for here the river rose again, splashing and dashing
till its spray rose high in the air, where it took the ruby color of the
jewels and seemed like a seething mass of flame. And while they gazed
into the tumbling, tossing water, the body of the Scarecrow suddenly rose
in the center, struggling and kicking, and the next instant wholly
disappeared from view.
"My, but he's wet!" exclaimed Button-Bright; but none of the
others heard him.
Trot and Cap'n Bill discovered that a broad ledge--covered, like
the walls, with glittering rubies--ran all around the cavern, so they
followed this gorgeous path to the rear and found where the water made
its final dive underground before it disappeared entirely. Where it
plunged into this dim abyss, the river was black and dreary looking, and
they stood gazing in awe until just beside them the body of the Scarecrow
again popped up from the water.
CHAPTER 23
THE LAND OF OZ
The straw man's appearance on the water was so sudden that it
startled Trot, but Cap'n Bill had the presence of mind to stick his
wooden leg out over the water, and the Scarecrow made a desperate clutch
and grabbed the leg with both hands. He managed to hold on until Trot
and Button-Bright knelt down and seized his clothing, but the children
would have been powerless to drag the soaked Scarecrow ashore had not
Cap'n Bill now assisted them. When they laid him on the ledge of rubies,
he was the most useless looking Scarecrow you can imagine--his straw
sodden and dripping with water, his clothing wet and crumpled, while even
the sack upon which his face was painted had become so wrinkled that the
old jolly expression of their stuffed friend's features was entirely
gone. But he could still speak, and when Trot bent down her ear, she
heard him say, "Get me out of here as soon as you can."
That seemed a wise thing to do, so Cap'n Bill lifted his head and
shoulders and Trot and Button-Bright each took a leg; among them, they
partly carried and partly dragged the damp Scarecrow out of the Ruby
Cavern, along the tunnel, and up the flight of rock steps. It was
somewhat difficult to get him past the edge of the waterfall, but they
succeeded after much effort, and a few minutes later laid their poor
comrade on a grassy bank where the sun shone upon him freely and he was
beyond the reach of the spray. Cap'n Bill now knelt down and examined
the straw that the Scarecrow was stuffed with.
"I don't believe it'll be of much use to him any more," said he,
"for it's full of polliwogs an' fish eggs, an' the water has took all the
crinkle out o' the straw an' ruined it. I guess, Trot, that the best
thing for us to do is to empty out all his body an' carry his head an'
clothes along the road till we come to a field or a house where we can
get some fresh straw."
"Yes, Cap'n," she agreed, "there's nothing else to be done. But
how shall we ever find the road to Glinda's palace without the Scarecrow
to guide us?"
"That's easy," said the Scarecrow, speaking in a rather feeble but
distinct voice. "If Cap'n Bill will carry my head on his shoulders, eyes
front, I can tell him which way to go."
So they followed that plan and emptied all the old, wet straw out
of the Scarecrow's body. Then the sailor-man wrung out the clothes and
laid them in the sun till they were quite dry. Trot took charge of the
head and pressed the wrinkles out of the face as it dried so that after a
while the Scarecrow's expression became natural again, and as jolly as
before. This work consumed some time, but when it was completed they
again started upon their journey, Button-Bright carrying the boots and
hat, Trot the bundle of clothes, and Cap'n Bill the head. The Scarecrow,
having regained his composure and being now in a good humor despite his
recent mishaps, beguiled their way with stories of the Land of Oz. It
was not until the next morning, however, that they found straw with which
to restuff the Scarecrow. That evening they came to the same little house
they had slept in before, only now it was magically transferred to a new
place. The same bountiful supper as before was found smoking hot upon
the table, and the same cozy beds were ready for them to sleep in.
They rose early and after breakfast went out of doors, and there,
lying just beside the house, was a heap of clean, crisp straw. Ozma had
noticed the Scarecrow's accident in her Magic Picture and had notified
the Wizard to provide the straw, for she knew the adventurers were not
likely to find straw in the country through which they were now
traveling. They lost no time in stuffing the Scarecrow anew, and he was
greatly delighted at being able to walk around again and to assume the
leadership of the little party.
"Really," said Trot, "I think you're better than you were before,
for you are fresh and sweet all through and rustle beautifully when you
move."
"Thank you, my dear," he replied gratefully. "I always feel like
a new man when I'm freshly stuffed. No one likes to get musty, you know,
and even good straw may be spoiled by age."
"It was water that spoiled you the last time," remarked
Button-Bright, "which proves that too much bathing is as bad as too
little. But after all, Scarecrow, water is not as dangerous for you as
fire."
"All things are good in moderation," declared the Scarecrow. "But
now, let us hurry on, or we shall not reach Glinda's palace by nightfall."
CHAPTER 24
THE ROYAL RECEPTION
At about four o'clock of that same day, the Red Wagon drew up at
the entrance of Glinda's palace and Dorothy and Betsy jumped out. Ozma's
Red Wagon was almost a chariot, being inlaid with rubies and pearls, and
it was drawn by Ozma's favorite steed, the wooden Sawhorse. "Shall I
unharness you," asked Dorothy, "so you can come in and visit?"
"No," replied the Sawhorse. "I'll just stand here and think.
Take your time. Thinking doesn't seem to bore me at all."
"What will you think of?" inquired Betsy.
"Of the acorn that grew the tree from which I was made."
So they left the wooden animal and went in to see Glinda, who
welcomed the little girls in her most cordial manner. "I knew you were
on your way," said the good Sorceress when they were seated in her
library, "for I learned from my Record Book that you intended to meet
Trot and Button-Bright on their arrival here."
"Is the strange little girl named Trot?" asked Dorothy.
"Yes; and her companion, the old sailor, is named Cap'n Bill. I
think we shall like them very much, for they are just the kind of people
to enjoy and appreciate our fairyland, and I do not see any way at
present for them to return again to the outside world."
"Well, there's room enough here for them, I'm sure," said
Dorothy. "Betsy and I are already eager to welcome Trot. It will keep us
busy for a year, at least, showing her all the wonderful things in Oz."
Glinda smiled. "I have lived here many years," said she, "and I
have not seen all the wonders of Oz yet."
Meantime, the travelers were drawing near to the palace, and when
they first caught sight of its towers, Trot realized that it was far more
grand and imposing than was the King's castle in Jinxland. The nearer
they came, the more beautiful the palace appeared, and when finally the
Scarecrow led them up the great marble steps, even Button-Bright was
filled with awe.
"I don't see any soldiers to guard the place," said the little
girl.
"There is no need to guard Glinda's palace," replied the
Scarecrow. "We have no wicked people in Oz that we know of, and even if
there were any, Glinda's magic would be powerful enough to protect her."
Button-Bright was now standing on the top steps of the entrance,
and he suddenly exclaimed, "Why, there's the Sawhorse and the Red Wagon.
Hip, hooray!" and next moment he was rushing down to throw his arms
around the neck of the Sawhorse, which good-naturedly permitted this
familiarity when it recognized in the boy an old friend. Button-Bright's
shout had been heard inside the palace, so now Dorothy and Betsy came
running out to embrace their beloved friend, the Scarecrow, and to
welcome Trot and Cap'n Bill to the Land of Oz.
"We've been watching you for a long time in Ozma's Magic
Picture," said Dorothy, "and Ozma has sent us to invite you to her own
palace in the Em'rald City. I don't know if you realize how lucky you
are to get that invitation, but you'll understand it better after you've
seen the royal palace and the Em'rald City."
Glinda now appeared in person to lead all the party into her
Azure Reception Room. Trot was a little afraid of the stately Sorceress,
but gained courage by holding fast to the hands of Betsy and Dorothy.
Cap'n Bill had no one to help him feel at ease, so the old sailor sat
stiffly on the edge of his chair and said, "Yes, ma'am," or "No, ma'am,"
when he was spoken to and was greatly embarrassed by so much splendor.
The Scarecrow had lived so much in palaces that he felt quite at home,
and he chatted to Glinda and the Oz girls in a merry, light-hearted way.
He told all about his adventures in Jinxland and at the Great Waterfall
and on the journey hither--most of which his hearers knew already--and
then he asked Dorothy and Betsy what had happened in the Emerald City
since he had left there.
They all passed the evening and night at Glinda's palace, and the
Sorceress was so gracious to Cap'n Bill that the old man by degrees
regained his self-possession and began to enjoy himself. Trot had
already come to the conclusion that in Dorothy and Betsy she had found
two delightful comrades, and Button-Bright was just as much at home here
as he had been in the fields of Jinxland or when he was buried in the
popcorn snow of the Land of Mo. The next morning they arose bright and
early and after breakfast bade goodbye to the kind Sorceress, whom Trot
and Cap'n Bill thanked earnestly for sending the Scarecrow to Jinxland to
rescue them. Then they all climbed into the Red Wagon.
There was room for all on the broad seats, and when all had taken
their places--Dorothy, Trot and Betsy on the rear seat and Cap'n Bill,
Button-Bright and the Scarecrow in front--they called "Gid-dap!" to the
Sawhorse, and the wooden steed moved briskly away, pulling the Red Wagon
with ease. It was now that the strangers began to perceive the real
beauties of the Land of Oz, for they were passing through a more thickly
settled part of the country, and the population grew more dense as they
drew nearer to the Emerald City. Everyone they met had a cheery word or
a smile for the Scarecrow, Dorothy and Betsy Bobbin, and some of them
remembered Button-Bright and welcomed him back to their country.
It was a happy party indeed that journeyed in the Red Wagon to
the Emerald City, and Trot already began to hope that Ozma would permit
her and Cap'n Bill to live always in the Land of Oz. When they reached
the great city, they were more amazed than ever, both by the concourse of
people in their quaint and picturesque costumes and by the splendor of the
city itself. But the magnificence of the Royal Palace quite took their
breath away, until Ozma received them in her own pretty apartment and by
her charming manners and assuring smiles made them feel they were no
longer strangers. Trot was given a lovely little room next to that of
Dorothy, while Cap'n Bill had the coziest sort of a room next to Trot's
and overlooking the gardens. And that evening Ozma gave a grand banquet
and reception in honor of the new arrivals. While Trot had read of many
of the people she then met, Cap'n Bill was less familiar with them, and
many of the unusual characters introduced to him that evening caused the
old sailor to open his eyes wide in astonishment.
He had thought the live Scarecrow about as curious as anyone
could be, but now he met the Tin Woodman, who was all made of tin, even to
his heart, and carried a gleaming axe over his shoulder wherever he went.
Then there was Jack Pumpkinhead, whose head was a real pumpkin with the
face carved upon it; and Professor Wogglebug,who had the shape of an
enormous bug but was dressed in neat-fitting garments. The Professor was
an interesting talker and had very polite manners, but his face was so
comical that it made Cap'n Bill smile to look at it. A great friend of
Dorothy and Ozma seemed to be a machine man called Tik-Tok, who ran down
several times during the evening and had to be wound up again by someone
before he could move or speak.
At the reception appeared the Shaggy Man and his brother, both
very popular in Oz, as well as Dorothy's Uncle Henry and Aunt Em, two
happy old people who lived in a pretty cottage near the palace. But what
perhaps seemed most surprising to both Trot and Cap'n Bill was the number
of peculiar animals admitted into Ozma's parlors, where they not only
conducted themselves quite properly, but were able to talk as well as
anyone. There was the Cowardly Lion, an immense beast with a beautiful
mane; and the Hungry Tiger, who smiled continually; and Eureka the Pink
Kitten, who lay curled upon a cushion and had rather supercilious manners;
and the wooden Sawhorse; and nine tiny piglets that belonged to the
Wizard; and a mule named Hank who belonged to Betsy Bobbin. A fuzzy
little terrier dog named Toto lay at Dorothy's feet but seldom took part
in the conversation, although he listened to every word that was said.
But the most wonderful of all to Trot was a square beast with a winning
smile, that squatted in a corner of the room and wagged his square head
at everyone in quite a jolly way. Betsy told Trot that this unique beast
was called the Woozy, and there was no other like him in all the world.
Cap'n Bill and Trot had both looked around expectantly for the
Wizard of Oz, but the evening was far advanced before the famous little
man entered the room. But he went up to the strangers at once and said,
"I know you, but you don't know me; so let's get acquainted."
And they did get acquainted in a very short time, and before the
evening was over, Trot felt that she knew every person and animal present
at the reception and that they were all her good friends.
Suddenly they looked around for Button-Bright, but he was nowhere
to be found.
"Dear me!" cried Trot. "He's lost again."
"Never mind, my dear," said Ozma with her charming smile. "No one
can go far astray in the Land of Oz, and if Button-Bright isn't lost
occasionally, he isn't happy."
THE END