Oz 22: The Giant Horse of Oz by Ruth Plumly Thompson
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somebody you_have never seen, year after year ."

the Scarecrow nodded sympathetically and, talking of_this and_that, but especially of_the Ozure Isles, the three travelers crossed several meadows and finally came to a narrow blue highway . it_was so narrow they had to walk single file, but as_the Scarecrow declared that any road was better than none, they proceeded along the highway until the strawman, who was in_the lead, came to a full stop .

" what's the matter ? " demanded trot, who came next . the Scarecrow squeezed aside so the others could_see ahead and, peering anxiously over his shoulder, trot saw a curious blue turnstile .

" shall we go on ? " asked the Scarecrow uncertainly, " or shall we go back ? "

Standing on tip-toes, trot tried to_see where the road beyond the turnstile went to .

" let's go on," decided trot, who_could_not help feeling curious . so the Scarecrow stepped through_the turnstile and_the others quickly followed him .

round the first bend in_the road hung a big circular sign .

roundabout way

" maybe the longest way ' round is_the shortest way home," observed the Scarecrow, " and now that we_are on_it we_may as_well discover where this road goes ." but it_was impossible to_see far .Bushy trees grew on each side of_the blue pathway and it curved so_that they_could see only a few feet ahead .

" this makes me dizzy," confessed trot, after they had gone around dozens and dozens of curves ." do_you suppose it leads anywhere at all ? "

" well, here's a round house ! " exclaimed the Scarecrow ." shall we go in ? "

Coming ' round the last curve, trot and Benny saw an enormous wooden dome, larger than ten circus tents rolled into one . there were round windows in_the walls halfway up and in_the side toward them a swiftly revolving door . before_the others had quite decided what to_do, the Scarecrow stepped through_the swinging door and disappeared .

" now we'll have to_go in," decided trot, anxiously and, waiting her chance she dashed after_the Scarecrow and Benny stepped into_the section immediately back of trot .

chapter 13

the round-abouties

STEPPING into_the revolving door was one_thing, stepping out, another . it whirled and spun so rapidly that poor trot grew giddy and breathless, and when she did manage to escape she fell headlong . the Scarecrow and Benny, not being real persons, did_not suffer from giddiness, but they too lost their balance when_they stepped out and lay face down in_the sawdust that covered the floor of_the round house . the Scarecrow was first up, also first down again, for no sooner did they rise and try to walk forward before_they were violently flung on their noses .

" let's go back," said the Scarecrow, after his sixth tumble ." I_can't stand this ."

" I_can't stand at all," complained Benny, rolling over and looking appealingly at trot .

" neither can I," confessed trot, trying to wiggle backwards without getting up . but this proved impossible and, finding they_could_not move backward or forward, the three travelers sat up and looked blankly at one another .

" why_not try going ' round ? " suggested a roguish voice in trot's ear and, turning with a start, the little girl saw a perfectly round young man, smiling amiably down upon her . his head was round and covered with red ringlets, his legs and arms were short and round and_his hands and feet were regular tennis balls .

" see ! " cried the little man, bouncing easily to one side, " we go ' round in rings here . won't you join our family circle ? " he invited pleasantly .

for_the first time trot became aware of a great clamor and confusion in_the round house .a big ring of round-abouties was revolving merrily, twenty yards off . inside that, she_could see still another circle moving in_the opposite direction . the loud ringing voices of_these pudgy little people made her ears ring and, while she was considering the round-abouty's invitation, his head began to spin merrily upon his Peg neck .

"Oh, look ! " wailed trot, seizing the Scarecrow's arm ." whatever shall we_do ? everything's going ' round, even their heads ! " " your head will soon turn as easily as mine," promised the round-abouty, leaning down to_take trot's hand in_his own ." come around this_way please ."

in a panic, trot pulled the Scarecrow with her and he in turn took hold of Benny .Stepping rapidly to_the right, they moved toward the first circle and were quickly drawn into_the ring .

" did you once say you_wanted to dance ? " chuckled the Scarecrow, looking up mischievously at Benny ." well, now's your chance, old boulder, but don't step on my foot ." and dance they certainly did, ' round and ' round and ' round, till trot really began to suspect that her head was turning too .

"Don't you ever stop ? " panted the little girl, raising her voice above the shouts and yells of_the round-abouties, who seemed to_be enjoying themselves tremendously .

"Nope ! " Puffing out his cheeks, the little round-abouty beamed upon trot ." we never stop, we just keep on going ' round together .Isn't it fun ? "

trot shook her head violently and tried to break out_of_the circle, but the little fellows would_not let go . after circling so_many more times that she lost all count, a bell clanged out from_the center of_the ring . immediately trot and her friends were thrust into_the second circle which began revolving in_the opposite direction . the second circle was asinging circle and as each round-abouty was singing a different song you_can imagine the awful discords . trot groaned and would_have put her fingers in her ears, but her hands were held so tightly that_this was impossible . after discovering that there were two more circles and a merry- go- round in_the exact center, trot closed her eyes and skipped dizzily on .

" if anyone ever asks me to play a round game, reflected trot grimly, "I'll, I'll hit them- yes, i_will ."

Benny and_the Scarecrow did_not mind so_much, but even they grew tired of_the continuous turning and_the spinning heads of_their strange comrades ." we're close to_the center," called the Scarecrow, as_they were pushed into_the third circle ." maybe when we reach the middle, something will happen .I wouldn't mind riding on_the merry- go- round ."

" well," rasped the stone man, skipping stiffy as he spoke ."I've never ridden on a merry- go- round yet, but if riding on one is part of being alive I suppose I_shall_have to_try it .,'

"Whoops ! Whoops ! of_course you_will ! wait till our ring leader sees you," chortled the round-abouty next to him . trot opened her eyes as_they were propelled into_the last circle . at any_other time she might_have enjoyed a merry- go- round ride, but as she went skipping giddily around the really splendid carrousel in_the center of_the round house, she wished herself safely outside or in any place where she_could be still and quiet . when_the bell sounded, the merry- go- round stopped . the round-abouties who had_been on_it sidled off and_the round-abouties in trot's circle climbed on .Pushed upward by two of_the merry little men, trot found herself seated on a zebra before she_could say a word . the Scarecrow was already mounted on a tiger . it looked so_much like the hungry tiger of Oz it made him quite homesick .Benny, after several unsuccessful attempts to mount a wooden elephant, stood stiffly beside trot's zebra .

the merry- go- round was so immense that_the ' round and ' round motion grew less_and_less noticible and presently trot, becoming less dizzy, began to_be more interested in her suroundings . in_the hollow center of_the merry- go- round stood a large round table and seated about was a whole company of round-abouties . one had merry- go- round rings in both ears and one through his nose . he held a large silver bell and trot immediately decided that he_must_be the ring leader of_the riotous band . his head turned more slowly than_the heads of_his subjects, and as trot passed, he smiled at her pleasantly . beside the round table, a round tower rose from_the floor to_the ceiling of_the round house . trot glanced at it curiously each_time she went by and finally made out a round door with a black ring in_the center at_the bottom of_the tower . she had just made this interesting discovery when_the ring leader rang his bell .Taking Benny's hand and motioning for_the Scarecrow to_follow, trot jumped off on_the inside of_the merry- go- round and politely approached the ring leader .

" could you please show us the way out of your house ? " asked trot, bowing nervously .

" we're on an important mission," put in_the Scarecrow, " and must reach the emerald city tonight ."

" your mission from now on is to_make me laugh," roared the ring leader, holding his head still with both hands so he_could better observe the Scarecrow ."Ha, ha ! you're enough to_make aKookaroo laugh ."

"I don't care acat's whisker for your opinion," exclaimed the Scarecrow indignantly, as all the other round-abouties began to roar with their little round ruler .

" shall I hit somebody ? " asked Benny, stepping close to_the round table and bringing his fist down with a thump that shook the house .

" ring the bell ! ring the bell ! " cried the round-abouty next to_the ring leader ." keep 'em going ' round, that's the way to_keep them ' round here ." as_the leader lifted his arm to ring the silver bell, trot broke away and, being careful to run sideways, rushed toward the door in_the round tower .Seizing the ring, she jerked it open and plunged up the spiral stairway curling aloft . almost instantly there_was a thump behind her, and turning about, she saw that Benny and_the Scarecrow were right at her heels .' round and ' round, up and up, tore trot, not daring to look back and growing more breathless at every step . she_could hear the screams and shouts of_the round-abouties down below and_the thud of_their rubber soles on_the stair . frightened as she was and determined though she was to escape, at_the one hundred and tenth step trot's breath failed her .Sinking down, she covered her face with her hands and waited for_the mischievous little men to seize her . instead, two hard arms caught her up and Benny, who never grew tired nor lost his breath, pounded ' round and ' round, and up and up_to_the very top of_the flight .Butting a trap door in_the center of_the tower open with_his head, he ran up the last three steps of_the spiral stairway, leaned down, dragged the Scarecrow through_the opening, then slammed down the trap door and sat on_it just as_the first round-abouty reached the top .

" that ! " declared the Scarecrow solemnly, " was_the funniest race I ever was in . and now that we're up here, how shall we get down ? " the trap door was bumping up and down from_the furious thumps of_the round-abouties and even Benny's great weight could_not hold it down indefinitely .

" we'll have to slide to earth," muttered the Scarecrow, after an earnest glance all around ." do_you_think you_could stand sliding, my dear ? I tell you ! " as trot looked uncertainly down the curving surface of_the huge wooden roof ." let me sit in Benny's lap and you, trot, shall sit in mine, then altogether we'll slide . the splinters won't hurt Benny ."

" better hurry up," advised the stone man, blinking his round eyes furiously as_the thumps on_the trap door grew more and more determined ." hurry up ! "

" you mean hurry down, don't you ? " smiled the Scarecrow, dropping into Benny's lap . then trot sat carefully on top, Benny clasped his arms around them both and shoved off . next instant they were tobogganing down the round house roof, faster and faster and faster ! when_they reached the edge they had gained such speed and momentum that_they shot over an entire forest before_they came to a stop . stunned by_the terrific force of_their landing, but thanks to_the Scarecrow, quite unhurt, trot sat up and looked inquiringly around .

" well, we're still in_the Munchkin country," panted the little girl, pointing to a blue farm house not far away .

" and we certainly covered alot of ground, I mean air," coughed the Scarecrow, making an unsuccessful effort to arise ." shake me up trot, I'm flat as a fritter . are_you all right, Benny, my boulder ? "

" my coat tails are a bit chipped," answered the stone man calmly, " but that_is a small price to_pay for freedom . this_is a curious country, my dear," he observed, turning to trot ." everyone wishes to_make us into a being like himself ."

"A fault you_will_find with people everywhere, even in your own world," puffed the Scarecrow, as trot shook and pounded him into shape ." everybody thinks his way is_the right way .

" let's take a straight road this_time," interrupted trot, who disliked long arguments and, giving the Scarecrow a final pat, pulled him expertly to_his feet ." have we lost our way, Scarecrow ? " the straw man looked long and earnestly in every direction .

" there's a road," he_called finally, waving toward the east, " and I'll wager it leads right to Jinjur's door ."

" come on then," rumbled Benny impatiently ." i_should like to meet the girl who conquered a city ."

chapter 14

aMeeting of Celebrities

CONQUERING a city is_not so_much," observed the Scarecrow as_they started across the blue field ." trot conquered an island in_the sky and has a whole book of history written about her adventures there ."

" did you really ? " Staring down at_the little girl with wonder and admiration, Benny begged her to_tell the

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