Oz 04: Dorthy and the Wizard in Oz by L. Frank Baum
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bear . the worst thing was their terror of reaching the bottom of_this great crack in_the earth, and_the natural fear that sudden death was about to overtake them at any moment . crash after crash echoed far above their heads, as_the earth came together where it had split, and stones and chunks of clay rattled around them on every side . these they_could_not see, but they_could feel them pelting the buggy top, and Jim screamed almost like a human being when a stone overtook him and struck his boney body . they_did_not really hurt the poor horse, because everything was falling together; only the stones and rubbish fell faster than_the horse and buggy, which were held back by_the pressure of_the air, so that_the terrified animal was actually more frightened than he_was injured .

how long this state of things continued Dorothy could_not even guess, she was so greatly bewildered . but bye and bye, as she stared ahead into_the black chasm with abeating heart, she began to dimly see the form of_the horse Jim-- his head up in_the air, his ears erect and_his long legs sprawling in every direction as he tumbled through space . also, turning her head, she found that she_could see the boy beside her, who had until now remained as still and silent as she herself .

Dorothy sighed and commenced to breathe easier . she began to realize_that death was not in store for her, after all, but that she had merely started upon another adventure, which promised to_be just as queer and unusual as were those she had before encountered .

with_this thought in mind the girl took heart and leaned her head over the side of_the buggy to_see where the strange light was coming from . far below her she found six great glowing balls suspended in_the air . the central and largest one was white, and reminded her of_the sun . around it were arranged, like the five points of a star, the other five brilliant balls; one being rose colored, one violet, one yellow, one blue and one orange . this splendid group of colored suns sent rays darting in every direction, and as_the horse and buggy-- with Dorothy and Zeb-- sank steadily downward and came nearer to_the lights, the rays began to_take on all the delicate tintings of a rainbow, growing more and more distinct every moment until all the space was brilliantly illuminated .

Dorothy was too dazed to_say much, but she watched one of Jim's big ears turn to violet and_the other to rose, and wondered that his tail should_be yellow and_his body striped with blue and orange like the stripes of a zebra . then she looked at Zeb, whose face was blue and whose hair was pink, and gave a little laugh that sounded a bit nervous .

"Isn't it funny ? " she said .

the boy was startled and_his eyes were big . Dorothy had a green streak through_the center of her face where the blue and yellow lights came together, and her appearance seemed to add to_his fright .

"I--I don't s-s- see any- thing funny--' bout it ! " he stammered .

just then the buggy tipped slowly over upon its side, the body of_the horse tipping also . but they continued to_fall, all together, and_the boy and girl had no difficulty in remaining upon_the seat, just as_they were before . then they turned bottom side up, and continued to roll slowly over until they were right side up again . during this_time Jim struggled frantically, all his legs kicking the air; but on finding himself in_his former position the horse said, in a relieved tone of voice:

" well, that's better ! "

Dorothy and Zeb looked at one another in wonder .

" can your horse talk ? " she asked .

" never knew him to, before," replied the boy .

" those were the first words I ever said," called out the horse, who had overheard them, " and I_can't explain why I happened to_speak then . this_is a nice scrape you've got me into, isn't it ? "

" as for_that, we_are in_the same scrape ourselves," answered Dorothy, cheerfully ." but never mind; something will happen pretty soon ."

" of_course," growled the horse, " and then we_shall_be sorry it happened ."

Zeb gave a shiver . all this_was so terrible and unreal that he_could_not understand it at all, and so had good reason to_be afraid .

swiftly they drew near to_the flaming colored suns, and passed close beside them . the light was then so bright that_it dazzled their eyes, and_they covered their faces with their hands to escape being blinded . there_was no heat in_the colored suns, however, and after they had passed below them the top of_the buggy shut out many_of_the piercing rays so that_the boy and girl could open their eyes again .

" we've got to_come to_the bottom some_time," remarked Zeb, with a deep sigh ." we_can't keep falling forever, you_know ."

" of_course not," said Dorothy ." we_are somewhere in_the middle of_the earth, and_the chances are we'll reach the other side of it before long . but it's a big hollow, isn't it ? "

" awful big ! " answered the boy .

" we're coming to something now," announced the horse .

at_this they both put their heads over the side of_the buggy and looked down . yes; there_was land below them; and not so very far away, either . but they were floating very, very slowly-- so slowly that_it could no longer be called a fall-- and_the children had ample time to_take heart and look about_them .

they saw a landscape with mountains and plains, lakes and rivers, very like those upon_the earth's surface; but all the scene was splendidly colored by_the variegated lights from_the six suns . here and there were groups of houses that seemed made of clear glass, because they sparkled so brightly .

"I'm sure we_are in no danger," said Dorothy, in a sober voice ." we_are falling so slowly that we_can't be dashed to pieces when we land, and this country that we_are coming to seems quite pretty ."

" we'll never get home again, though ! " declared Zeb, with a groan .

"Oh, I'm not so sure of_that," replied the girl ." but don't let_us worry over such things, Zeb; we_can't help ourselves just now, you_know, and I've always been told it's foolish to borrow trouble ."

the boy became silent, having no reply to so sensible a speech, and soon both were fully occupied in staring at_the strange scenes spread out below them . they seemed to_be falling right into_the middle of a big city which had many tall buildings with glass domes and sharp- pointed spires . these spires were like great spear-points, and if_they tumbled upon one_of_them they were likely to suffer serious injury .

Jim the horse had seen these spires, also, and_his ears stood straight up with fear, while Dorothy and Zeb held their breaths in suspense . but no; they floated gently down upon a broad, flat roof, and came to a stop at last .

when Jim felt something firm under his feet the poor beast's legs trembled so_much that he_could hardly stand; but Zeb at once leaped out_of_the buggy to_the roof, and he_was so awkward and hasty that he kicked over Dorothy's bird- cage, which rolled out upon_the roof so that_the bottom came off . at once a pink kitten crept out_of_the upset cage, sat down upon_the glass roof, and yawned and blinked its round eyes .

"Oh," said Dorothy ." there's eureka ."

" first time I ever saw a pink cat," said Zeb .

" eureka isn't pink; she's white . it's this queer light that gives her that color ."

" where's my milk ? " asked the kitten, looking up into Dorothy's face ."I'm ' most starved to death ."

"Oh, eureka ! can_you talk ? "

" talk ! Am I talking ? good gracious, I believe I_am .Isn't it funny ? " asked the kitten .

" it's all wrong," said Zeb, gravely ."Animals ought not to_talk . but even old Jim has_been saying things since we had our accident ."

" I_can't see that_it's wrong," remarked Jim, in_his gruff tones ." at_least, it isn't as wrong as some other things . what's going to_become of us now ? "

"I don't know," answered the boy, looking around him curiously .

the houses of_the city were all made of glass, so clear and transparent that one could look through_the walls as easily as through a window . Dorothy saw, underneath the roof on_which she stood, several rooms used for rest chambers, and even thought she_could make out a number of queer forms huddled into_the corners of_these rooms .

the roof beside them had a great hole smashed through it, and pieces of glass were lying scattered in every direction .a nearby steeple had_been broken off short and_the fragments lay heaped beside it . other buildings were cracked in places or had corners chipped off from_them; but they_must_have been very beautiful before these accidents had happened to mar their perfection . the rainbow tints from_the colored suns fell upon_the glass city softly and gave to_the buildings many delicate, shifting hues which were very pretty to_see .

but not a sound had broken the stillness since_the strangers had arrived, except that of_their own voices . they began to wonder if there were no people to inhabit this magnificent city of_the inner world .

suddenly a man appeared through a hole in_the roof next to_the one they were on and stepped into plain view . he_was not a very large man, but was well formed and had a beautiful face-- calm and serene as_the face of a fine portrait . his clothing fitted his form snugly and was gorgeously colored in brilliant shades of green, which varied as_the sunbeams touched them but was not wholly influenced by_the solar rays .

the man had taken a step or two across the glass roof before he noticed the presence of_the strangers; but then he stopped abruptly . there_was no expression of either fear or surprise upon his tranquil face, yet he_must_have been both astonished and afraid; for after his eyes had rested upon_the ungainly form of_the horse for a moment he walked rapidly to_the furthest edge of_the roof, his head turned back over his shoulder to gaze at_the strange animal .

" look out ! " cried Dorothy, who noticed that_the beautiful man did_not look where he_was going; " be careful, or you'll fall off ! "

but he paid no attention to her warning . he reached the edge of_the tall roof, stepped one foot out into_the air, and walked into space as calmly as_if he were on firm ground .

the girl, greatly astonished, ran to lean over the edge of_the roof, and saw the man walking rapidly through_the air toward the ground . soon he reached the street and disappeared through a glass doorway into one_of_the glass buildings .

" how strange ! " she exclaimed, drawing a long breath .

" yes; but it's lots of fun, if_it_is strange," remarked the small voice of_the kitten, and Dorothy turned to_find her pet walking in_the air a foot or so away from_the edge of_the roof .

" come back, eureka ! " she called, in distress, " you'll certainly be killed ."

" I_have nine lives," said the kitten, purring softly as it walked around in a circle and then came back to_the roof; " but I_can't lose even one_of_them by falling in_this country, because I really couldn't manage to_fall if i_wanted to ."

"Does the air bear up your weight ? " asked the girl .

" of_course; can't you_see ? " and again the kitten wandered into_the air and back to_the edge of_the roof .

" it's wonderful ! " said Dorothy .

" suppose we let eureka go down to_the street and get some one to help_us," suggested Zeb, who had_been even more amazed than Dorothy at_these strange happenings .

" perhaps we_can walk on_the air ourselves," replied the girl .

Zeb drew back with a shiver .

"I wouldn't dare try," he_said .

" maybe Jim will go," continued Dorothy, looking at_the horse .

" and maybe he won't ! " answered Jim ."I've tumbled through_the air long enough to_make me contented on_this roof ."

" but we didn't tumble to_the roof," said the girl; " by_the_time we reached here we were floating very slowly, and I'm almost sure we_could float down to_the street without getting hurt . eureka walks on_the air all right ."

" eureka weights only about half a pound," replied the horse, in a scornful tone, " while I weigh about half a ton ."

" you don't weigh as_much as_you ought to, Jim," remarked the girl, shaking her head as she looked at_the animal ." you're dreadfully skinny ."

"Oh, well; I'm old," said the horse, hanging his head despondently, " and I've had lots of trouble in my day, little one . for a good_many years I drew a public cab in Chicago, and_that's enough to_make anyone skinny ."

" he eats enough to_get fat, I'm sure," said the boy, gravely .

" do I ? can_you remember any breakfast that I've had today ? " growled Jim, as_if he resented Zeb's speech .

" none of us has had breakfast," said the boy; " and in a time of danger like this it's foolish to_talk about eating ."

" nothing is more dangerous than being without food," declared the horse, with a sniff at_the rebuke of_his young master; " and just at present no one can

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