Tip awoke soon after dawn,
but the Scarecrow had already
risen and plucked, with his clumsy
fingers, a double-handful of
ripe berries from some bushes
near by. These the boy ate greedily, finding them an ample breakfast, and
afterward the little party resumed its Journey.
After an hour's ride they reached
the summit of a hill from whence
they espied the City of the Winkies
and noted the tall domes of the
Emperor's palace rising from
the clusters of more modest dwellings.
The Scarecrow became greatly
animated at this sight, and exclaimed:
"How
delighted I
shall be to
see my old friend the Tin Woodman
again! I hope that he rules his
people more successfully than
I have ruled mine!"
Is
the Tin Woodman
the Emperor
of the Winkies?" asked the horse.
"Yes,
indeed. They
invited him
to rule over
them soon after
the Wicked Witch was destroyed;
and as Nick Chopper has the best
heart in all the world I am sure
he has proved an excellent and
able emperor."
"I thought that 'Emperor' was
the title of a person who rules
an empire," said Tip, "and the
Country of the Winkies is only
a Kingdom."
"Don't mention that to the
Tin Woodman!" exclaimed the Scarecrow,
earnestly. "You would hurt his
feelings terribly. He is a proud
man, as he has every reason to
be, and it pleases him to be
termed Emperor rather than King."
"I'm sure it makes no difference
to me," replied the boy.
The Saw-Horse now ambled forward
at a pace so fast that its riders
had hard work to stick upon its
back; so there was little further
conversation until they drew
up beside the palace steps.
An aged Winkie, dressed in
a uniform of silver cloth, came
forward to assist them to alight.
Said the Scarecrow to his personage:
"Show
us at once
to your master,
the Emperor."
The man looked from one to
another of the party in an embarrassed
way, and finally answered:
"I
fear I must
ask you to
wait for a
time. The Emperor
is not
receiving this morning."
"How is that?" enquired the
Scarecrow, anxiously." I hope
nothing has happened to him."
"Oh, no; nothing serious," returned
the man. "But this is his Majesty's
day for being polished; and just
now his august presence is thickly
smeared with putz-pomade."
"Oh, I see!" cried the Scarecrow,
greatly reassured. "My friend
was ever inclined to be a dandy,
and I suppose he is now more
proud than ever of his personal
appearance."
"He is, indeed," said the man,
with a polite bow. "Our mighty
Emperor has lately caused himself
to be nickel-plated."
"Good Gracious!" the Scarecrow
exclaimed at hearing this. "If
his wit bears the same polish,
how sparkling it must be! But
show us in -- I'm sure the Emperor
will receive us, even in his
present state"
"The Emperor's state is always
magnificent," said the man. "But
I will venture to tell him of
your arrival, and will receive
his commands concerning you."
So the party followed the servant
into a splendid ante-room, and
the Saw- Horse ambled awkwardly
after them, having no knowledge
that a horse might be expected
to remain outside.
The travelers were at first
somewhat awed by their surroundings,
and even the Scarecrow seemed
impressed as he examined the
rich hangings of silver cloth
caught up into knots and fastened
with tiny silver axes. Upon a
handsome center-table stood a
large silver oil-can, richly
engraved with scenes from the
past adventures of the Tin Woodman,
Dorothy, the Cowardly Lion and
the Scarecrow: the lines of the
engraving being traced upon the
silver in yellow gold. On the
walls hung several portraits,
that of the Scarecrow seeming
to be the most prominent and
carefully executed, while a the
large painting of the famous
Wizard of Oz, in act of presenting
the Tin Woodman with a heart,
covered almost one entire end
of the room.
While the visitors gazed at
these things in silent admiration
they suddenly heard a loud voice
in the next room exclaim:
"Well!
well! well!
What a great
surprise!"
And then the door burst open
and Nick Chopper rushed into
their midst and caught the Scarecrow
in a close and loving embrace
that creased him into many folds
and wrinkles.
"My dear old friend! My noble
comrade!" cried the Tin Woodman,
joyfully. "how delighted!," I
am to meet you once again.
And then he released the Scarecrow
and held him at arms' length
while he surveyed the beloved,
painted features.
But, alas! the face of the
Scarecrow and many portions of
his body bore great blotches
of putz-pomade; for the Tin Woodman,
in his eagerness to welcome his
friend, had quite forgotten the
condition of his toilet and had
rubbed the thick coating of paste
from his own body to that of
his comrade.
"Dear me!" said the Scarecrow
dolefully. "What a mess I'm in!"
"Never mind, my friend," returned
the Tin Woodman," I'll send you
to my Imperial Laundry, and you'll
come out as good as new."
"Won't I be mangled?" asked
the Scarecrow.
"No, indeed!" was the reply. "But
tell me, how came your Majesty
here? and who are your companions?"
The Scarecrow, with great politeness,
introduced Tip and Jack Pumpkinhead,
and the latter personage seemed
to interest the Tin Woodman greatly.
"You are not very substantial,
I must admit," said the Emperor. "but
you are certainly unusual, and
therefore worthy to become a
member of our select society."
"I
thank your
Majesty, said
Jack, humbly.
"I hope you are enjoying good
health?" continued the Woodman.
"At present, yes;" replied
the Pumpkinhead, with a sigh; "but
I am in constant terror of the
day when I shall spoil."
"Nonsense!" said the Emperor
-- but in a kindly, sympathetic
tone. "Do not, I beg of you,
dampen today's sun with the showers
of tomorrow. For before your
head has time to spoil you can
have it canned, and in that way
it may be preserved indefinitely."
Tip, during this conversation,
was looking at the Woodman with
undisguised amazement, and noticed
that the celebrated Emperor of
the Winkies was composed entirely
of pieces of tin, neatly soldered
and riveted together into the
form of a man. He rattled and
clanked a little, as he moved,
but in the main he seemed to
be most cleverly constructed,
and his appearance was only marred
by the thick coating of polishing-paste
that covered him from head to
foot.
The boy's intent gaze caused
the Tin Woodman to remember that
he was not in the most presentable
condition, so he begged his friends
to excuse him while he retired
to his private apartment and
allowed his servants to polish
him. This was accomplished in
a short time, and when the emperor
returned his nickel-plated body
shone so magnificently that the
Scarecrow heartily congratulated
him on his improved appearance.
"That nickel-plate was, I confess,
a happy thought," said Nick; "and
it was the more necessary because
I had become somewhat scratched
during my adventurous experiences.
You will observe this engraved
star upon my left breast. It
not only indicates where my excellent
heart lies, but covers very neatly
the patch made by the Wonderful
Wizard when he placed that valued
organ in my breast with his own
skillful hands."
"Is your heart, then, a hand-organ?" asked
the Pumpkinhead, curiously.
"By no means," responded the
emperor, with dignity. "It is,
I am convinced, a strictly orthodox
heart, although somewhat larger
and warmer than most people possess."
Then he turned to the Scarecrow
and asked:
"Are
your subjects
happy and contented,
my dear friend?"
"I cannot, say" was the reply. "for
the girls of Oz have risen in
revolt and driven me out of the
emerald City."
"Great Goodness!" cried the
Tin Woodman, "What a calamity!
They surely do not complain of
your wise and gracious rule?"
"No; but they say it is a poor
rule that don't work both ways," answered
the Scarecrow; "and these females
are also of the opinion that
men have ruled the land long
enough. So they have captured
my city, robbed the treasury
of all its jewels, and are running
things to suit themselves."
"Dear me! What an extraordinary
idea!" cried the Emperor, who
was both shocked and surprised.
"And I heard some of them say," said
Tip, "that they intend to march
here and capture the castle and
city of the Tin Woodman."
"Ah! we must not give them
time to do that," said the Emperor,
quickly; "we will go at once
and recapture the Emerald City
and place the Scarecrow again
upon his throne."
"I was sure you would help
me," remarked the Scarecrow in
a pleased voice. "How large an
army can you assemble?"
"We do not need an army," replied
the Woodman. "We four, with the
aid of my gleaming axe, are enough
to strike terror into the hearts
of the rebels."
"We five," corrected
the Pumpkinhead.
"Five?" repeated
the Tin Woodman.
"Yes; the Saw-Horse is brave
and fearless," answered Jack,
forgetting his recent quarrel
with the quadruped.
The Tin Woodman looked around
him in a puzzled way, for the
Saw-Horse had until now remained
quietly standing in a corner,
where the Emperor had not noticed
him. Tip immediately called the
odd-looking creature to them,
and it approached so awkwardly
that it nearly upset the beautiful
center-table and the engraved
oil-can.
"I begin to think," remarked
the Tin Woodman as he looked
earnestly at the Saw-Horse, "that
wonders will never cease! How
came this creature alive?"
"I did it with a magic powder," modestly
asserted the boy. "and the Saw-
Horse has been very useful to
us."
"He enabled us to escape the
rebels," added the Scarecrow.
"Then we must surely accept
him as a comrade," declared the
emperor. "A live Saw-Horse is
a distinct novelty, and should
prove an interesting study. Does
he know anything?"
"Well, I cannot claim any great
experience in life," the Saw-Horse
answered for himself. "but I
seem to learn very quickly, and
often it occurs to me that I
know more than any of those around
me."
"Perhaps you do," said the
emperor; "for experience does
not always mean wisdom. But time
is precious Just now, so let
us quickly make preparations
to start upon our Journey.
The emperor called his Lord
High Chancellor and instructed
him how to run the kingdom during
his absence. Meanwhile the Scarecrow
was taken apart and the painted
sack that served him for a head
was carefully laundered and restuffed
with the brains originally given
him by the great Wizard. His
clothes were also cleaned and
pressed by the Imperial tailors,
and his crown polished and again
sewed upon his head, for the
Tin Woodman insisted he should
not renounce this badge of royalty.
The Scarecrow now presented a
very respectable appearance,
and although in no way addicted
to vanity he was quite pleased
with himself and strutted a trifle
as he walked. While this was
being done Tip mended the wooden
limbs of Jack Pumpkinhead and
made them stronger than before,
and the Saw-Horse was also inspected
to see if he was in good working
order.
Then bright and early the next
morning they set out upon the
return Journey to the emerald
City, the Tin Woodman bearing
upon his shoulder a gleaming
axe and leading the way, while
the Pumpkinhead rode upon the
Saw-Horse and Tip and the Scarecrow
walked upon either side to make
sure that he didn't fall off
or become damaged.
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