Oz 04: Dorthy and the Wizard in Oz by L. Frank Baum
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in a great cloud that almost darkened the sky .

13 . the den of_the Dragonettes

our friends had a good start and were able to maintain it, for with their eight wings they_could go just as fast as could the Gargoyles . all the way to_the great rock the wooden people followed them, and when Jim finally alighted at_the mouth of_the cavern the pursuers were still some distance away .

" but, I'm afraid they'll catch us yet," said Dorothy, greatly excited .

" no; we_must stop them," declared the wizard ." quick Zeb, help me pull off these wooden wings ! "

they tore off the wings, for_which they had no further use, and_the wizard piled them in a heap just outside the entrance to_the cavern . then he poured over them all the kerosene oil that was left in_his oil- can, and lighting a match set fire to_the pile .

the flames leaped up at once and_the bonfire began to smoke and roar and crackle just as_the great army of wooden Gargoyles arrived . the creatures drew back at once, being filled with fear and horror; for such as dreadful thing as a fire they had never before known in all the history of_their wooden land .

inside the archway were several doors, leading to different rooms built into_the mountain, and Zeb and_the wizard lifted these wooden doors from their hinges and tossed them all on_the flames .

" that_will prove a barrier for some_time to_come," said the little man, smiling pleasantly all over his wrinkled face at_the success of_their stratagem ." perhaps the flames will set fire to all that miserable wooden country, and if_it does the loss will_be very_small and_the Gargoyles never will_be missed . but come, my children; let_us explore the mountain and discover which_way we_must go in_order to escape from_this cavern, which_is getting to_be almost as hot as a bake- oven ."

to_their disappointment there_was within this mountain no regular flight of steps by_means of_which they_could mount to_the earth's surface .a sort of inclined tunnel led upward for a way, and_they found the floor of it both rough and steep . then a sudden turn brought them to a narrow gallery where the buggy could_not pass . this delayed and bothered them for a while, because they_did_not wish to leave the buggy behind them . it carried their baggage and was useful to ride in wherever there were good roads, and since it had accompanied them so_far in their travels they felt it their duty to preserve it . so Zeb and_the wizard set to work and took off the wheels and_the top, and then they put the buggy edgewise, so it would take up the smallest space . in_this position they managed, with_the aid of_the patient cab- horse, to drag the vehicle through_the narrow part of_the passage . it_was not a great distance, fortunately, and when_the path grew broader they put the buggy together again and proceeded more comfortably . but the road was nothing more than a series of rifts or cracks in_the mountain, and it went zig-zag in every direction, slanting first up and then down until they were puzzled as_to whether they were any nearer to_the top of_the earth than when_they had started, hours before .

"Anyhow," said Dorothy, " we've 'scaped those awful Gurgles, and_that's one comfort ! "

" probably the Gargoyles are still busy trying to_put out the fire," returned the wizard ." but even if_they succeeded in doing that_it would_be very difficult for_them to fly amongst these rocks; so I_am_sure we_need fear them no longer ."

once in a while they_would come to a deep crack in_the floor, which made the way quite dangerous; but there_was still enough oil in_the lanterns to_give them light, and_the cracks were_not so wide but that_they were able to jump over them .Sometimes they had to climb over heaps of loose rock, where Jim could scarcely drag the buggy . at such times Dorothy, Zeb and_the wizard all pushed behind, and lifted the wheels over the roughest places; so they managed, by dint of hard work, to_keep going . but the little party was both weary and discouraged when at last, on turning a sharp corner, the wanderers found themselves in a vast cave arching high over their heads and having a smooth, level floor .

the cave was circular in shape, and all around its edge, near to_the ground, appeared groups of dull yellow lights, two of_them being always side by side . these were motionless at first, but soon began to flicker more brightly and to sway slowly from side to side and then up and down .

" what sort of place is_this ? " asked the boy, trying to_see more clearly through_the gloom .

" I_cannot imagine, I'm sure," answered the wizard, also peering about .

"Woogh ! " snarled eureka, arching her back until her hair stood straight on end; " it's den of alligators, or crocodiles, or some other dreadful creatures ! Don't you_see their terrible eyes ? "

" eureka sees better in_the dark than we_can," whispered Dorothy ." tell us, dear, what do_the creatures look like ? " she asked, addressing her pet .

"I simply can't describe 'em," answered the kitten, shuddering ." their eyes are like pie-plates and their mouths like coal-scuttles . but their bodies don't seem very big ."

" where are they ? " enquired the girl .

" they_are in little pockets all around the edge of_this cavern .Oh, Dorothy-- you_can't imagine what horrid things they_are ! they're uglier than_the Gargoyles ."

"Tut-tut ! be careful how you criticise your neighbors," spoke arasping voice near by ." as a matter of fact you_are rather ugly- looking creatures yourselves, and I'm sure mother has often told us we were the loveliest and prettiest things in all the world ."

Hearing these words our friends turned in_the direction of_the sound, and_the wizard held his lanterns so_that their light would flood one_of_the little pockets in_the rock .

" why, it's a dragon ! " he exclaimed .

" no," answered the owner of_the big yellow eyes which were blinking at them so steadily; " you_are wrong about_that . we_hope to grow to_be dragons some day, but just now we're only dragonettes ."

" what's that ? " asked Dorothy, gazing fearfully at_the great scaley head, the yawning mouth and_the big eyes .

" young dragons, of_course; but we_are_not allowed to_call ourselves real dragons until we get our full growth," was_the reply ." the big dragons are very proud, and don't think children amount to much; but mother says that some day we_will all be very powerful and important ."

" where is your mother ? " asked the wizard, anxiously looking around .

" she has gone up_to_the top of_the earth to hunt for_our dinner . if she has good luck she will bring us an elephant, or a brace of rhinoceri, or perhaps a few dozen people to stay our hunger ."

"Oh; are_you hungry ? " enquired Dorothy, drawing back .

" very," said the dragonette, snapping its jaws .

" and-- and-- do_you eat people ? "

" to_be_sure, when we_can get them . but they've been very scarce for a few years and we usually have to_be content with elephants or buffaloes," answered the creature, in a regretful tone .

" how old are_you ? " enquired Zeb, who stared at_the yellow eyes as_if fascinated .

" quite young, I grieve to_say; and all of_my brothers and sisters that you_see here are practically my own age . if I remember rightly, we were sixty-six years old the day before yesterday ."

" but that isn't young ! " cried Dorothy, in amazement .

" no ? " drawled the dragonette; " it seems to_me very babyish ."

" how old is your mother ? " asked the girl .

" mother's about two thousand years old; but she carelessly lost track of her age a few centuries_ago and skipped several hundreds . she's a little fussy, you_know, and afraid of growing old, being a widow and still in her prime ."

" i_should think she_would be," agreed Dorothy . then, after a moment's thought, she asked: " are we friends or enemies ? I mean, will_you be good to_us, or do_you intend to eat us ? "

" as for_that, we dragonettes would love to eat you, my child; but unfortunately mother has tied all our tails around the rocks at_the back of_our individual caves, so_that we_can not crawl out to_get you . if_you choose to_come nearer we_will make a mouthful of you in a wink; but unless you_do you_will remain quite safe ."

there_was a regretful accent in_the creature's voice, and at_the words all the other dragonettes sighed dismally .

Dorothy felt relieved . presently she asked:

" why did your mother tie your tails ? "

"Oh, she_is sometimes gone for several weeks on her hunting trips, and if_we were_not tied we_would crawl all over the mountain and fight with each_other and get into alot of mischief . mother usually knows what she_is about, but she made a mistake this_time; for you_are_sure to escape us unless you come too near, and you probably won't do_that ."

" no, indeed ! " said the little girl ." we don't wish to_be eaten by such awful beasts ."

" permit me to_say," returned the dragonette, " that you_are rather impolite to_call us names, knowing that we_cannot resent your insults . we consider ourselves very beautiful in appearance, for mother has told us so, and she knows . and we_are of an excellent family and_have a pedigree that I challenge any humans to equal, as it extends back about twenty thousand years, to_the time of_the famous green dragon of Atlantis, who lived in a time when humans had_not yet been created . can_you match that pedigree, little girl ? "

" well," said Dorothy, " i_was born on a farm in Kansas, and I guess that's being just as 'spectable and haughty as living in a cave with your tail tied to a rock . if_it isn't I'll have to stand it, that's all ."

"Tastes differ," murmured the dragonette, slowly drooping its scaley eyelids over its yellow eyes, until they looked like half-moons .

being reassured by_the fact that_the creatures could_not crawl out of_their rock-pockets, the children and_the wizard now took time to examine them more closely . the heads of_the dragonettes were as big as barrels and covered with hard, greenish scales that glittered brightly under the light of_the lanterns . their front legs, which grew just back of_their heads, were also strong and big; but their bodies were smaller around than their heads, and dwindled away in a long line until their tails were slim as a shoe- string . Dorothy thought, if_it had taken them sixty-six years to grow to_this size, that_it would_be fully a hundred years more before_they could hope to_call themselves dragons, and_that seemed like a good while to wait to grow up .

" it occurs to_me," said the wizard, " that we ought to_get out of_this place before_the mother dragon comes back ."

"Don't hurry," called one_of_the dragonettes; " mother will_be_glad to meet you, I'm sure ."

" you_may_be right," replied the wizard, " but we're a little particular about associating with strangers . will_you kindly tell us which_way your mother went to_get on top the earth ? "

" that_is_not a fair question to ask us," declared another dragonette ." for, if_we told you truly, you_might escape us altogether; and if_we told you an untruth we_would_be naughty and deserve to_be punished ."

" then," decided Dorothy, " we_must find our way out the best we_can ."

they circled all around the cavern, keeping a good distance away from_the blinking yellow eyes of_the dragonettes, and presently discovered that there were two paths leading from_the wall opposite to_the place where they had entered . they selected one_of_these at a venture and hurried along it as fast as they_could go, for they had no idea when_the mother dragon would_be back and were very anxious not to_make her acquaintance .

14 .Ozma uses the magic belt

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 ameans 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 acrunching, 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

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