For a considerable distance
the way led straight upward
in a gentle incline, and the
wanderers made such good progress
that they grew hopeful and
eager, thinking they might
see sunshine at any minute.
But at length they came unexpectedly
upon a huge rock that shut
off the passage and blocked
them from proceeding a single
step farther.
This rock was separate from
the rest of the mountain and
was in motion, turning slowly
around and around as if upon
a pivot. When first they came
to it there was a solid wall
before them; but presently
it revolved until there was
exposed a wide, smooth path
across it to the other side.
This appeared so unexpectedly
that they were unprepared to
take advantage of it at first,
and allowed the rocky wall
to swing around again before
they had decided to pass over.
But they knew now that there
was a means of escape and so
waited patiently until the
path appeared for the second
time.
The children and the Wizard
rushed across the moving rock
and sprang into the passage
beyond, landing safely though
a little out of breath. Jim
the cab-horse came last, and
the rocky wall almost caught
him; for just as he leaped
to the floor of the further
passage the wall swung across
it and a loose stone that the
buggy wheels knocked against
fell into the narrow crack
where the rock turned, and
became wedged there.
They heard a crunching, grinding
sound, a loud snap, and the
turn-table came to a stop with
its broadest surface shutting
off the path from which they
had come.
"Never mind," said Zeb, "we
don't want to get back, anyhow."
"I'm not so sure of that," returned
Dorothy. "The mother dragon
may come down and catch us
here."
"It is possible," agreed
the Wizard, "if this proves
to be the path she usually
takes. But I have been examining
this tunnel, and I do not see
any signs of so large a beast
having passed through it."
"Then we're all right," said
the girl, "for if the dragon
went the other way she can't
poss'bly get to us now."
"Of course not, my dear.
But there is another thing
to consider. The mother dragon
probably knows the road to
the earth's surface, and if
she went the other way then
we have come the wrong way," said
the Wizard, thoughtfully.
"Dear me!" cried Dorothy. "That
would be unlucky, wouldn't
it?"
"Very. Unless this passage
also leads to the top of the
earth," said Zeb. "For my part,
if we manage to get out of
here I'll be glad it isn't
the way the dragon goes."
"So will I," returned Dorothy. "It's
enough to have your pedigree
flung in your face by those
saucy dragonettes. No one knows
what the mother might do."
They now moved on again,
creeping slowly up another
steep incline. The lanterns
were beginning to grow dim,
and the Wizard poured the remaining
oil from one into the other,
so that the one light would
last longer. But their journey
was almost over, for in a short
time they reached a small cave
from which there was no further
outlet.
They did not realize their
ill fortune at first, for their
hearts were gladdened by the
sight of a ray of sunshine
coming through a small crack
in the roof of the cave, far
overhead. That meant that their
world--the real world--was
not very far away, and that
the succession of perilous
adventures they had encountered
had at last brought them near
the earth's surface, which
meant home to them. But when
the adventurers looked more
carefully around them they
discovered that there were
in a strong prison from which
there was no hope of escape.
"But we're ALMOST on earth
again," cried Dorothy, "for
there is the sun--the most
BEAU'FUL sun that shines!" and
she pointed eagerly at the
crack in the distant roof.
"Almost on earth isn't being
there," said the kitten, in
a discontented tone. "It wouldn't
be possible for even me to
get up to that crack--or through
it if I got there."
"It appears that the path
ends here," announced the Wizard,
gloomily.
"And there is no way to go
back," added Zeb, with a low
whistle of perplexity.
"I was sure it would come
to this, in the end," remarked
the old cab-horse. "Folks don't
fall into the middle of the
earth and then get back again
to tell of their adventures--not
in real life. And the whole
thing has been unnatural because
that cat and I are both able
to talk your language, and
to understand the words you
say."
"And so can the nine tiny
piglets," added Eureka. "Don't
forget them, for I may have
to eat them, after all."
"I've heard animals talk
before," said Dorothy, "and
no harm came of it."
"Were you ever before shut
up in a cave, far under the
earth, with no way of getting
out?" enquired the horse, seriously.
"No," answered Dorothy. "But
don't you lose heart, Jim,
for I'm sure this isn't the
end of our story, by any means."
The reference to the piglets
reminded the Wizard that his
pets had not enjoyed much exercise
lately, and must be tired of
their prison in his pocket.
So he sat down upon the floor
of the cave, brought the piglets
out one by one, and allowed
them to run around as much
as they pleased.
"My dears," he said to them, "I'm
afraid I've got you into a
lot of trouble, and that you
will never again be able to
leave this gloomy cave."
"What's wrong?" asked a piglet. "We've
been in the dark quite a while,
and you may as well explain
what has happened."
The Wizard told them of the
misfortune that had overtaken
the wanderers.
"Well," said another piglet, "you
are a wizard, are you not?"
"I am," replied
the little
man.
"Then you can do a few wizzes
and get us out of this hole," declared
the tiny one, with much confidence.
"I could if I happened to
be a real wizard," returned
the master sadly. "But I'm
not, my piggy-wees; I'm a humbug
wizard."
"Nonsense!" cried
several
of the piglets, together.
"You can ask Dorothy," said
the little man, in an injured
tone.
"It's true enough," returned
the girl, earnestly. "Our friend
Oz is merely a humbug wizard,
for he once proved it to me.
He can do several very wonderful
things--if he knows how. But
he can't wiz a single thing
if he hasn't the tools and
machinery to work with."
"Thank you, my dear, for
doing me justice," responded
the Wizard, gratefully. "To
be accused of being a real
wizard, when I'm not, is a
slander I will not tamely submit
to. But I am one of the greatest
humbug wizards that ever lived,
and you will realize this when
we have all starved together
and our bones are scattered
over the floor of this lonely
cave."
"I don't believe we'll realize
anything, when it comes to
that," remarked Dorothy, who
had been deep in thought. "But
I'm not going to scatter my
bones just yet, because I need
them, and you prob'ly need
yours, too."
"We are helpless to escape," sighed
the Wizard.
"WE may be helpless," answered
Dorothy, smiling at him, "but
there are others who can do
more than we can. Cheer up,
friends. "I'm sure Ozma will
help us."
"Ozma!" exclaimed the Wizard. "Who
is Ozma?"
"The girl that rules the
marvelous Land of Oz," was
the reply. "She's a friend
of mine, for I met her in the
Land of Ev, not long ago, and
went to Oz with her."
"For the second time?" asked
the Wizard, with great interest.
"Yes.
The first
time I
went to
Oz I found
you there,
ruling
the Emerald City. After you
went up in a balloon, and escaped
us, I got back to Kansas by
means of a pair of magical
silver shoes."
"I remember those shoes," said
the little man, nodding. "They
once belonged to the Wicked
Witch. Have you them here with
you?"
"No; I lost them somewhere
in the air," explained the
child. "But the second time
I went to the Land of Oz I
owned the Nome King's Magic
Belt, which is much more powerful
than were the Silver Shoes."
"Where is that Magic Belt?" enquired
the Wizard, who had listened
with great interest.
"Ozma
has it;
for its
powers
won't work
in a common,
ordinary
country like the United States.
Anyone in a fairy country like
the Land of Oz can do anything
with it; so I left it with
my friend the Princess Ozma,
who used it to wish me in Australia
with Uncle Henry."
"And were you?" asked
Zeb, astonished
at what
he heard.
"Of
course;
in just
a jiffy.
And Ozma has an enchanted picture
hanging in her room that shows
her the exact scene where any
of her friends may be, at any
time she chooses. All she has
to do is to say: 'I wonder
what So-and-so is doing,' and
at once the picture shows where
her friend is and what the
friend is doing. That's REAL
magic, Mr. Wizard; isn't it?
Well, every day at four o'clock
Ozma has promised to look at
me in that picture, and if
I am in need of help I am to
make her a certain sign and
she will put on the Nome King's
Magic Belt and wish me to be
with her in Oz."
"Do you mean that Princess
Ozma will see this cave in
her enchanted picture, and
see all of us here, and what
we are doing?" demanded Zeb.
"Of course; when it is four
o'clock," she replied, with
a laugh at his startled expression.
"And when you make a sign
she will bring you to her in
the Land of Oz?" continued
the boy.
"That's
it, exactly;
by means
of the Magic Belt."
"Then," said the Wizard, "you
will be saved, little Dorothy;
and I am very glad of it. The
rest of us will die much more
cheerfully when we know you
have escaped our sad fate."
"I won't die cheerfully!" protested
the kitten. "There's nothing
cheerful about dying that I
could ever see, although they
say a cat has nine lives, and
so must die nine times."
"Have you ever died yet?" enquired
the boy.
"No, and I'm not anxious
to begin," said Eureka.
"Don't worry, dear," Dorothy
exclaimed, "I'll hold you in
my arms, and take you with
me."
"Take us, too!" cried
the nine
tiny piglets,
all in
one
breath.
"Perhaps I can," answered
Dorothy. "I'll try."
"Couldn't you manage to hold
me in your arms?" asked the
cab-horse.
Dorothy laughed.
"I'll do better than that," she
promised, "for I can easily
save you all, once I am myself
in the Land of Oz."
"How?" they
asked.
"By
using the
Magic Belt.
All I need do is to wish you
with me, and there you'll be--safe
in the royal palace!"
"Good!" cried
Zeb.
"I built that palace, and
the Emerald City, too," remarked
the Wizard, in a thoughtful
tone, "and I'd like to see
them again, for I was very
happy among the Munchkins and
Winkies and Quadlings and Gillikins."
"Who are they?" asked
the boy.
"The four nations that inhabit
the Land of Oz," was the reply. "I
wonder if they would treat
me nicely if I went there again."
"Of course they would!" declared
Dorothy. "They are still proud
of their former Wizard, and
often speak of you kindly."
"Do you happen to know whatever
became of the Tin Woodman and
the Scarecrow?" he enquired.
"They live in Oz yet," said
the girl, "and are very important
people."
"And
the Cowardly
Lion?"
"Oh,
he lives
there too,
with his friend the Hungry
Tiger; and Billina is there,
because she liked the place
better than Kansas, and wouldn't
go with me to Australia."
"I'm afraid I don't know
the Hungry Tiger and Billina," said
the Wizard, shaking his head. "Is
Billina a girl?"
"No; she's a yellow hen,
and a great friend of mine.
You're sure to like Billina,
when you know her," asserted
Dorothy.
"Your friends sound like
a menagerie," remarked Zeb,
uneasily. "Couldn't you wish
me in some safer place than
Oz."
"Don't worry," replied the
girl. "You'll just love the
folks in Oz, when you get acquainted.
What time is it, Mr. Wizard?"
The little man looked at
his watch--a big silver one
that he carried in his vest
pocket.
"Half-past three," he
said.
"Then we must wait for half
an hour," she continued; "but
it won't take long, after that,
to carry us all to the Emerald
City."
They sat silently thinking
for a time. Then Jim suddenly
asked:
"Are
there any
horses
in Oz?"
"Only one," replied Dorothy, "and
he's a sawhorse."
"A
what?"
"A
sawhorse.
Princess
Ozma once
brought
him to
life with
a witch-powder, when she was
a boy."
"Was Ozma once a boy?" asked
Zeb, wonderingly.
"Yes;
a wicked
witch enchanted
her, so she could not rule
her kingdom. But she's a girl
now, and the sweetest, loveliest
girl in all the world."
"A sawhorse is a thing they
saw boards on," remarked Jim,
with a sniff.
"It is when it's not alive," acknowledged
the girl. "But this sawhorse
can trot as fast as you can,
Jim; and he's very wise, too."
"Pah! I'll race the miserable
wooden donkey any day in the
week!" cried the cab-horse.
Dorothy did not reply to
that. She felt that Jim would
know more about the Saw-Horse
later on.
The time dragged wearily
enough to the eager watchers,
but finally the Wizard announced
that four o'clock had arrived,
and Dorothy caught up the kitten
and began to make the signal
that had been agreed upon to
the far-away invisible Ozma.
"Nothing seems to happen," said
Zeb, doubtfully.
"Oh, we must give Ozma time
to put on the Magic Belt," replied
the girl.
She had scarcely spoken the
words then she suddenly disappeared
from the cave, and with her
went the kitten. There had
been no sound of any kind and
no warning. One moment Dorothy
sat beside them with the kitten
in her lap, and a moment later
the horse, the piglets, the
Wizard and the boy were all
that remained in the underground
prison.
"I believe we will soon follow
her," announced the Wizard,
in a tone of great relief; "for
I know something about the
magic of the fairyland that
is called the Land of Oz. Let
us be ready, for we may be
sent for any minute."
He put the piglets safely
away in his pocket again and
then he and Zeb got into the
buggy and sat expectantly upon
the seat.
"Will it hurt?" asked
the boy,
in a voice
that trembled
a little.
"Not at all," replied the
Wizard. "It will all happen
as quick as a wink."
And that was the way it did
happen.
The cab-horse gave a nervous
start and Zeb began to rub
his eyes to make sure he was
not asleep. For they were in
the streets of a beautiful
emerald-green city, bathed
in a grateful green light that
was especially pleasing to
their eyes, and surrounded
by merry faced people in gorgeous
green-and-gold costumes of
many extraordinary designs.
Before them were the jewel-studded
gates of a magnificent palace,
and now the gates opened slowly
as if inviting them to enter
the courtyard, where splendid
flowers were blooming and pretty
fountains shot their silvery
sprays into the air.
Zeb shook the reins to rouse
the cab-horse from his stupor
of amazement, for the people
were beginning to gather around
and stare at the strangers.
"Gid-dap!" cried
the boy,
and at the word Jim slowly
trotted into the courtyard
and drew the buggy along the
jewelled driveway to the great
entrance of the royal palace.
|