Oz 06: Emerald City of Oz by L. Frank Baum
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people together," said the kangaroo ." i_think they_are together yet, and if_you go softly, without making any noise, perhaps they won't scatter ."

" let's try it," suggested the wizard .

so they stopped the sawhorse and got out_of_the wagon, and, after bidding good bye to_the kangaroo, who hopped away home, they entered the field and very cautiously approached the group of houses .

so silently did they move that soon they saw through_the windows of_the houses, people moving around, while others were passing to and fro in_the yards between_the buildings . they seemed much like other people from a distance, and apparently they_did_not notice the little party so quietly approaching .

they had almost reached the nearest house when Toto saw a large beetle crossing the path and barked loudly at it . instantly a wild clatter was heard from_the houses and yards . Dorothy thought it sounded like a sudden hailstorm, and_the visitors, knowing that caution was no longer necessary, hurried forward to_see what had happened .

after_the clatter an intense stillness reigned in_the town . the strangers entered the first house they came to, which_was also the largest, and found the floor strewn with pieces of_the people who lived there . they looked much like fragments of wood neatly painted, and were of all sorts of curious and fantastic shapes, no two pieces being in any_way alike .

they picked up some_of_these pieces and looked at them carefully . on one which Dorothy held was an eye, which looked at her pleasantly but with an interested expression, as_if it wondered what she was going to_do with it . quite near by she discovered and picked up a nose, and by matching the two pieces together found that_they were part of a face .

" if I_could find the mouth," she said, " this fuddle might_be able to_talk, and tell us what to_do next ."

" then let_us find it," replied the wizard, and so all got down on their hands and knees and began examining the scattered pieces .

"I've found it ! " cried the shaggy man, and ran to Dorothy with a queer- shaped piece that had a mouth on_it . but when_they tried to fit it to_the eye and nose they found the parts wouldn't match together .

" that mouth belongs to some other person," said Dorothy ." you_see we_need a curve here and a point there, to_make it fit the face ."

" well, it must_be here some place," declared the wizard; " so if_we search long enough we_shall find it ."

Dorothy fitted an ear on next, and_the ear had a little patch of red hair above it . so while the others were searching for_the mouth she hunted for pieces with red hair, and found several of_them which, when matched to_the other pieces, formed the top of a man's head . she had also found the other eye and_the ear by_the_time Omby Amby in a far corner discovered the mouth . when_the face was thus completed, all the parts joined together with a nicety that was astonishing .

" why, it's like a picture puzzle ! " exclaimed the little girl ." let's find the rest of him, and get him all together ."

" what's the rest of him like ? " asked the wizard ." here are some pieces of blue legs and green arms, but I don't know whether they_are his or not ."

" look for a white shirt and a white apron," said the head which had_been put together, speaking in a rather faint voice ."I'm the cook ."

"Oh, thank_you," said Dorothy ." it's lucky we started you first, for I'm hungry, and you_can_be cooking something for_us to eat while we match the other folks together ."

it_was not so very difficult, now that_they had a hint as_to how the man was dressed, to_find the other pieces belonging to him, and as all of_them now worked on_the cook, trying piece after piece to_see if_it would fit, they finally had the cook set up complete .

when he_was finished he_made them a low bow and said:

" i_will go at once to_the kitchen to_prepare your dinner . you_will_find it something of a job to_get all the Fuddles together, so I advise you to_begin on_the lord high Chigglewitz, whose first name is Larry . he's a bald- headed fat man and_is dressed in a blue coat with brass buttons, a pink vest and drab breeches .a piece of_his left knee is missing, having been lost years_ago when he scattered himself too carelessly . that makes him limp a little, but he gets along very_well with half aknee . as he is_the chief personage in_this town of Fuddlecumjig, he_will_be_able to welcome you and assist you with_the others . so it_will_be best to work on him while I'm getting your dinner ."

" we_will," said the wizard; " and thank_you very_much, Cook, for_the suggestion ."

aunt Em was_the first to discover a piece of_the lord high Chigglewitz .

" it seems to_me like a fool business, this matching folks together," she remarked; " but as_we haven't anything to_do till dinner's ready, we_may as_well get rid of some_of_this rubbish . here, Henry, get busy and look for Larry's bald head .I've got his pink vest, all right ."

they worked with eager interest, and Billina proved a great help to_them . the yellow Hen had sharp eyes and could put her head close to_the various pieces that lay scattered around . she_would examine the lord high Chigglewitz and_see which piece of him was next needed, and then hunt around until she found it . so before an hour had passed old Larry was standing complete before them .

"I congratulate you, my friends," he_said, speaking in a cheerful voice ." you_are certainly the cleverest people who ever visited us . i_was never matched together so quickly in my life .I'm considered a great puzzle, usually ."

" well," said Dorothy, " there used to_be a picture puzzle craze in Kansas, and so I've had some 'sperience matching puzzles . but the pictures were flat, while you_are round, and_that makes you harder to figure out ."

" thank_you, my dear," replied old Larry, greatly pleased ." I_feel highly complimented . were I not a really good puzzle, there would_be no object in my scattering myself ."

" why do_you do_it ? " asked aunt Em, severely ." why don't you behave yourself, and stay put together ? "

the lord high Chigglewitz seemed annoyed by_this speech; but he replied, politely:

" madam, you_have perhaps noticed that every person has some peculiarity . mine is to scatter myself . what your own peculiarity is i_will_not venture to_say; but I_shall never find fault with_you, whatever you_do ."

" now you've got your diploma, Em," said uncle Henry, with a laugh, " and I'm glad of it . this_is a queer country, and we_may as_well take people as we_find them ."

" if we_did, we'd leave these folks scattered," she returned, and this retort made everybody laugh good-naturedly .

just then Omby Amby found a hand with aknitting needle in_it, and_they decided to_put grandmother Gnit together . she proved an easier puzzle than old Larry, and when she was completed they found her a pleasant old lady who welcomed them cordially . Dorothy told her how the kangaroo had lost her mittens, and grandmother Gnit promised to set to work at once and make_the poor animal another pair .

then the cook came to_call them to dinner, and_they found an inviting meal prepared for_them . the lord high Chigglewitz sat at_the head of_the table and grandmother Gnit at_the foot, and_the guests had a merry time and thoroughly enjoyed themselves .

after dinner they went out into_the yard and matched several_other people together, and this work was so interesting that they_might have spent the entire day at Fuddlecumjig had_not the wizard suggested that_they resume their journey .

" but I don't like to leave all these poor people scattered," said Dorothy, undecided what to_do .

"Oh, don't mind us, my dear," returned old Larry ." every day or so some_of_the Gillikins, or Munchkins, or Winkies come here to amuse themselves by matching us together, so there_will_be no harm in leaving these pieces where they_are for a time . but I_hope_you_will visit us again, and if_you_do you_will always be welcome, I assure you ."

"Don't you ever match each_other ? " she inquired .

" never; for we_are no puzzles to ourselves, and so there wouldn't be any fun in_it ."

they now said goodbye to_the queer Fuddles and got into their wagon to_continue their journey .

" those are certainly strange people," remarked aunt Em, thoughtfully, as_they drove away from Fuddlecumjig, " but I really can't see what use they_are, at all ."

" why, they amused us all for several hours," replied the wizard ." that_is being of use to_us, I'm sure ."

" i_think they're more fun than playing solitaire or mumbletypeg," declared uncle Henry, soberly ." for_my part, I'm glad we visited the Fuddles ."

13 . how the general talked to_the king

when general Guph returned to_the cavern of_the Nome king his majesty asked:

" well, what luck ? will the Whimsies join us ? "

" they_will," answered the general ." they_will fight for_us with all their strength and cunning ."

" good ! " exclaimed the king ." what reward did you promise them ? "

" your majesty is to use the magic belt to_give each Whimsie a large, fine head, in place of_the small one he_is now obliged to wear ."

"I agree to_that," said the king ." this_is good news, Guph, and it makes me feel more certain of_the conquest of Oz ."

" but I_have other news for_you," announced the general .

" good or bad ? "

" good, your majesty ."

" then i_will hear it," said the king, with interest .

" the Growleywogs will join us ."

" no ! " cried the astonished king .

" yes, indeed," said the general ." I_have their promise ."

" but what reward do they demand ? " inquired the king, suspiciously, for he_knew how greedy the Growleywogs were .

" they_are to_take a few of_the Oz people for their slaves," replied Guph . he_did_not think it necessary to_tell Roquat that_the Growleywogs demanded twenty thousand slaves . it would_be time enough for_that when Oz was conquered .

"A very reasonable request, I'm sure," remarked the king ." I_must congratulate you, Guph, upon_the wonderful success of your journey ."

" but that_is_not all," said the general, proudly .

the king seemed astonished ." speak out, sir ! " he commanded .

" I_have_seen the first and foremost Phanfasm of_the mountain of Phantastico, and he_will bring his people to assist us ."

" what ! " cried the king ." the Phanfasms ! you don't mean it, Guph ! "

" it_is true," declared the general, proudly .

the king became thoughtful, and_his brows wrinkled .

"I'm afraid, Guph," he_said rather anxiously, " that_the first and foremost may prove as dangerous to_us as_to_the Oz people . if he and_his terrible band come down from_the mountain they_may take_the notion to conquer the Nomes ! "

"Pah ! that_is a foolish idea," retorted Guph, irritably, but he_knew in_his heart that_the king was right ." the first and foremost is a particular friend of_mine, and will do us no harm . why, when i_was there, he even invited me into his house ."

the general neglected to_tell the king how he had_been jerked into_the hut of_the first and foremost by_means of_the brass hoop . so Roquat the red looked at his general admiringly and said:

" you_are a wonderful Nome, Guph .I'm sorry I_did_not make you my general before . but what reward did the first and foremost demand ? "

" nothing at all," answered Guph ." even the magic belt itself could_not add to_his powers of sorcery . all the Phanfasms wish is to destroy the Oz people, who_are good and happy . this pleasure will amply repay them for assisting us ."

" when will they_come ? " asked Roquat, half fearfully .

" when_the tunnel is completed," said the general .

" we_are nearly halfway under the desert now," announced the king; " and_that is fast work, because the tunnel has_to be drilled through solid rock . but after we_have passed the desert it_will_not take us long to extend the tunnel to_the walls of_the emerald city ."

" well, whenever you_are ready, we_shall_be joined by_the Whimsies, the Growleywogs and_the Phanfasms," said Guph; " so the conquest of Oz is assured without a doubt ."

again, the king seemed thoughtful .

"I'm almost sorry we_did_not undertake the conquest alone," said he ." all of_these allies are dangerous people, and_they may demand more than you_have promised them . it might_have_been better to_have conquered Oz without any outside assistance ."

" we_could_not do_it," said the general, positively .

" why_not, Guph ? "

" you_know very_well . you_have_had one experience with_the Oz people, and_they defeated you ."

" that was because they rolled eggs at us," replied the king, with a shudder ." my Nomes cannot stand eggs, any more than I_can myself . they_are poison to all who live underground ."

" that_is true enough," agreed Guph .

" but we_might_have taken the Oz people by surprise, and conquered them before_they had a chance to_get any eggs . our former defeat was due to_the fact that_the girl Dorothy had a yellow Hen with her . I_do_not know what ever became of_that hen, but I believe there_are no hens at all in_the land of Oz, and so there could_be no eggs there ."

" on_the contrary," said Guph, " there_are now hundreds of chickens in Oz, and_they lay heaps of_those dangerous eggs .I met a goshawk on my way home, and_the bird informed me that he had lately been to Oz to

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