Oz 17: The Cowardly Lion of Oz by Ruth Plumly Thompson
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released from its string . up, up, up they went, till the . wild screams of_the Uns could no longer be heard . up, up, and ' round and ' round, plunging now this_way and now that, till Notta, Bob and_the cowardly lion were too shaken and dizzy to_know or care what_was happening .

but Snorer, more used to flying than_the others, kept his head and, waiting his opportunity, seized a long lever that swung loosely to and fro in_the front of_the bus . he had never been in_the Flyaboutabus before, but something told him that_the lever must guide the movements of_the strange vehicle . sure enough, as_soon_as he_took hold of it, the darting about stopped and it flew quite steadily .

" are we still going up ? " quavered Notta, without opening his eyes . the clown lay flat on_his back in_the bottom of_the bus with Bob sprawled on top of him . the cowardly lion had become wedged under a seat and was heaving and puffing unhappily .

" yes, but there's some way to bring it down," chirped nick ." come have a look . I_know how to fly myself, but I don't know how to fly aFlyaboutabus ."

chapter 13 Mustafa's blue magic

NOTTA rose unsteadily and lifted Bob into one_of_the side seats . then he staggered over to_the front of_the bus and, holding his head with one hand, peered down at_the gear and machinery . there_was a row of buttons under the steering wheel and_the first button said " slower ." Notta hastily pushed this_one and_the great feather wheels on each side immediately slackened their frantic whirling, and while nick held the lever Notta investigated their strange flying machine still further . it_was shaped like an immense hollowed- out goose, with seats on each side and a high seat near the head . the head turned with_the steering wheel and honked loudly when_you pushed the button marked " blow ." the tail of_the goose moved from side to side, and_the four powerful wheels whirled around continuously, so that_the noise, when_the bus flew swiftly, was terrific . now, however, it_was running more quietly, and Bob, no longer feeling giddy, began to look around with keen interest .

Notta had pressed another button marked " middle air- down," and_they were slanting gently toward the earth, floating almost without movement of_the great feather wheels .

"Isn't this fun ? " cried Bob, giving the clown a little hug as he sat down in_the seat ahead ." well," chuckled Notta, "I don't usually fly before breakfast, but I'd fly from Un any_time ." Snorer, who still held the lever, beamed over his shoulder at_the clown .

"Didn't I manage well ? " he chirped happily ." I_say, when anything's to_be_done just leave it to old Nickadoodle ."

" we_can never thank_you enough," declared Notta ." but how will_you get back ? will_you fly ? " "I'm not going back," exulted Snorer, flapping his wings ."I'd be unusual anywhere and I_am never going to leave you, you beautiful creature ."

" then our fortune is made," said the clown, with a wink at Bob, " for in a circus you'd be more than half the show ."

"I'll show them how to snore," chuckled nick ."I do_that better than anything else . but I'd do anything for_you, for I love you with all my heart," continued Snorer calmly, " and_the boy, too . and I love-"

"Don't you dare love me," rumbled the cowardly lion, wrathfully jerking his head from beneath the seat ."I won't allow it ! "

" all right," sighed nick, adjusting his nose ."I'll try not to love you, but it's going to_be hard work, you're so handsome ."

" there ! there ! " interrupted the cowardly lion gruffly, but he couldn't help looking pleased ." you_may like me if_you_wish," he added mildly ." any land in sight ? "

Notta leaned far over the edge of_the bus ." i_think I_see a village of some kind far down below . here, Bob, you come help steer ." so, while nick grasped the lever to hold the bus steady, Bob sat in_the high seat and turned the great goose head as Notta directed, now to_the left and now to_the right, and in less_than an hour, they were floating slowly over a quaint blue city .

" we're still in_the Munchkin country," rumbled the cowardly lion, standing on_his hind legs and looking over the side .

" well, we'll just fly over this town and land in one of_those fields," puffed Notta uneasily . he_was not sure he wouldn't impale the Flyaboutabus on a steeple, or run over some_of_the inhabitants, if he attempted to land in_the city itself . as it_was they flew quite a distance before he located all the buttons necessary to_make alanding . the Flyaboutabus came to earth with_such a bounce that_they all flew up like rubber balls, while the bus continued to fly and bump around the field until Notta ran after it and tied it to a tree .

" and now what ? " asked nick, carefully putting his troublesome nose on its hook .

" breakfast ! " wheezed the cowardly lion, rolling out of a huge bramble bush ."Aren't you hungry, Bob ? "

Bob nodded ." but where are we going to_get it ? " he asked, looking rather puzzled .

" one never knows in Oz, but if_we look carefully, we'll be_sure to_find something," answered the lion easily .

" let's make it a game," suggested Notta, patting his figure in various important places to_see whether his disguises were still safe ." now then, all ready for a breakfast hunt .I'll take this field, nick can take_the air and Bob and_the cowardly lion may_have the woods ." Bob smiled a little to himself .Hunting breakfast in_the woods did seem ridiculous but, as_the cowardly lion went poking his head in bushes and sniffing around trees in a business- like manner, Bob began to look too . there were plenty of flowers in_the woods, and for a time Bob found nothing else . at last pushing through a tangle of vines, the little boy found himself standing under a stout little tree that rattled curiously when_the wind passed through_its branches . there_was a sign on_the tree .Standing on_his toes Bob spelled it out laboriously . then he_called Notta in excited little shrieks .

" what_is it ? " panted the clown, breaking through_the vines with_the cowardly lion one leap behind him ." are_you hurt ? "

" no," cried Bob, " but I've won ! " he pointed gleefully to_the tree .

'Travelers' tree,' " read Notta, " ' planted by_the wizard Wam in_the year 1120 0 .Z .' well, hurrah for Wam ! " chortled the clown, and began walking all around the tree, while the cowardly lion sat down and panted a little from_his long run .

the lower branches were gay with many pink cups and on_the next, poised over the cups, were the sauciest little tea, cocoa and coffee pots imaginable . higher up grew clusters of covered dishes of every kind . in_the very top of_the tree was a large nest of some sort .Snorer, who came flying back just then, declared it_was full of eggs . instead of leaves, the tree flaunted many bright paper napkin blossoms .

" be_sure to plant your dishes when_you have finished eating," directed another sign quite sternly . with a happy little chuckle, Bob picked a napkin for each, and three for_the cowardly lion . then Notta broke a coffee cup from its stem, and no sooner had he touched the cup than_the coffee pot on_the next branch tilted gently and filled the cup with fragrant hot coffee . the clown was so startled that he accidentally brushed off another cup, at which a cocoa pot poured a cup full of cocoa over his head before he had time to duck .Spluttering and coughing, Notta drew back, but that was_the only accident, and as_the clown said, it saved him from washing his face . the cowardly lion drank a dozen cups of coffee, one right after_the other .Bob had two cups of cocoa, and Snorer, holding a tea cup in one claw, sipped the beverage suspiciously, then flew off to_find something more to_his taste . next, Notta picked five dishes of Ozish stew for_the cowardly lion, a plate full of meat hash for himself and a chop and baked potato for Bob up . nothing could_have_been jollier than that breakfast . the cowardly lion forgot to worry about his feathers, Bob forgot he had ever been an orphan, and Notta forgot that he_was lost in a strange magic country and in_the power of_the wicked monarch of Mudge . when they_could_not eat another bite, Snorer flew to_the top of a tree and brought down dozens of eggs from_the nest . strangely enough, they were hard boiled and Bob filled his blouse with_them, for as Notta said, there_was no telling where they_would_be by noon . the cowardly lion now dug a deep hole and_they buried all the dishes, which_was lots less trouble than washing them, then back they went to_the Flyaboutabus .

Bob chattered quite gaily to Nickadoodle, but Notta and_the cowardly lion walked along in silence .Notta, after_the valiant way the lion had defended them from_the Uns, could_not bear the idea of betraying this strange new friend . better a thousand times turn blue than have the kind-hearted cowardly lion fall into_the merciless hands of Mustafa .

" perhaps the old Mudger's ring will not work any_way," reflected Notta uncomfortably ." perhaps it_was just a threat to frighten us ." if they_could just reach this wonderful emerald city and tell their story to Dorothy, everything would turn out happily . and_that, decided Notta, was what he_would do .

the cowardly lion, on_his part, was thinking how terrible it would_have_been had he eaten Notta on_that first morning of_their meeting . he_felt guilty every time he looked at_the jolly, companionable clown . the more he thought about_the patchwork girl's suggestion, the more ashamed of himself he_felt . why it_was perfectly unish, this idea of devouring a brave man . no wonder he had grown a larger bunch of feathers than Notta and Bob ! if there_was no other way to acquire courage, he_would stay a coward forever and_that was_the end of_that ! no sooner had the cowardly lion reached this conclusion, than he, too, felt lighthearted and happy again and began to roar with appreciation at Notta's funny antics and jokes .

when_they reached the Flyaboutabus, it_was jerking at its rope as if_it_was anxious to_be off, and so were they all for_that matter .

" which_way is_the emerald city from here ? " asked Notta, turning to_the cowardly lion ."I've lost my bearings ." the cowardly lion looked first north, then south . he_knew they were in_the Munchkin country, but their flight to Un had confused him terribly .

" i_think it's straight ahead," he roared uncertainly ." let's run along the ground for a while till we're sure ."

" all right," agreed the clown and, calling to Bob, started for_the bus . but half way he stopped in horror .Bob, though perfectly unconscious of it, had turned as blue as washday . at_the same time Notta caught the cowardly lion staring at him fixedly .

" what's the matter ? " choked Notta ."Am I blue, too ? "

" not very," faltered the lion, whose heart was in_his throat at_the awful change in_his friends .Notta looked down at his hands with a shudder ."I'm as blue as_the Danube," he muttered unhappily ." but that's all the better . why, a blue clown ought_to_be the greatest curiosity yet . wait till I reach America with my new skin and feathers ." Notta went on trying to_make a joke of it, but his voice shook a little in_spite of himself, and when he tried a light double somersault an even worse thing happened . halfway around he_found himself unable to move, and there he stood on_his head, powerless to straighten his arms or legs .

there_was no_doubt about_it, Mustafa had taken off his magic ring . for when Bob tried to run to Notta's assistance he_was caught with one foot in_the air .

" help, help ! " croaked Snorer, flying frantically from one to_the other . his nose came off the hook and hung straight down, but he never even noticed it .

" fly up a tree, can't you ! " roared the cowardly lion, as Snorer flapped into his face and almsot blinded him with_his wings .

with a quick spring he reached Notta's side ." better lift me down," puffed the clown, for under the blue he_was turning crimson from standing so_long upside down . the cowardly lion obeyed, and placed him gently on_the ground, where he lay as stiff as a statue ." it's magic ! " growled the lion ." blue magic ! "

" it's Mustafa ! " groaned Notta, looking dismally at Bob ."I guess I'll have to_tell you the whole story ." in short jerks and gasps, for he_could barely move his lips, he_told how Mustafa had sent them to capture the cowardly lion and of how he had threatened them with_the magic ring if_they failed to obey him .

" but you_did disobey him," breathed the lion, lashing his tail ." even when_you knew what would happen, you_made no attempt to capture me ! " Tears of gratitude rolled down his nose ." you're the bravest man in Oz," he choked miserably, " but look what it has brought you to ? "

"Weren't you looking for_the bravest man in Oz ? " asked Notta, suddenly remembering their first conversation ." that's how we happened to meet you, i_think ."

the cowardly lion nodded gloomily, for it_was now his turn to confess . with many apologies and sighs he_told Notta of_his quest for courage and_his determination to devour a brave man, the bravest man that he met .

" but you didn't do_it ! " shouted Notta triumphantly ." and many a chance you've had if_you had cared to_take it . cheer up, old fellow, there's some way out of it ."

Snorer with suppressed gurgles and sobs had listened to both stories . now he held

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