Oz 22: The Giant Horse of Oz by Ruth Plumly Thompson
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fastened his shutters, he glared out at_the travelers . the face back of_the blue shutters was pale, flat and disagreeable . after a long, horrified look at high boy and_the others, the out keeper jumped a foot into_the air and then ran screaming down the street, his shutters flapping and slamming against the sides of_his head ."Bandits ! Robbers ! Donkeys and thieves ! " he cried shrilly ." here they_come ! shut the shutters ! bolt the windows and lock the doors . shut up ! shut up ! everybody shut up ! "

" shut up your ownself ! " yelled the Scarecrow gleefully, as high boy, letting himself down to a lower level, cantered mischievously after_the frightened little man . although the whole town was shut up to_begin with, at_the gate keeper's loud cries the travelers could hear extra bolts being shot into place .

" what's the matter, Tighty ? " called a gruff voice . looking up in surprise, trot saw a huge shutter face, sitting cross legged on a tall chimney .

"Bandits, your majesty ! " Panting with exhaustion, the out keeper looked imploringly up at_the chimney .

" how did they get in ? " asked the chimney squatter, opening the slats on one side so he_could hear .

" stepped over the wall," choked Tighty, looking apprehensively over his shoulder at high boy .

" ridiculous and impossible," sniffed his majesty, crossing his legs comfortably ."I neither saw nor heard anyone come over the wall ."

" how do_you expect to_see or hear, hid behind those blue blinkers ? " inquired the Scarecrow, as high boy came to a stop in front of_the chimney .

" fall down the chimney ! fall down the chimney ! " quavered the out keeper, dashing into a doorway ." and don't say I never warned you ! " for a moment trot thought his majesty was going to_follow Tighty's advice, but thinking better of it, the king called pompously: "I refuse to hear, see or believe such nonsense ! " Shutting the slats in_his shutters the king folded his arms and continued to sit defiantly on_the chimney .

" shall I shove him down ? " whispered high boy, looking around at Philador ." if he cannot_see or hear, perhaps he_can feel ."

" no ! " laughed the little prince, " they've really done us no harm, so why should we hurt them ? look ! everything's shutting up, even the hedges ! " the hedges surounding the small, closely shuttered houses were real box hedges and as high boy clattered through_the streets they began slamming their lids as fast as they_could . even the flowers growing in_the stiff little gardens promptly shut up as_the travelers passed and it_was with real relief that_they reached the other side of_the town .

not a shutter face was in sight and_the dingy houses, with their blue shuttered windows and doors, gave the town such a very gloomy appearance .

" the poor silly things look half starved ! " exclaimed trot, glancing down and back at shutter town, as high boy, without bothering to shorten his legs, stepped over the wall and briskly down the road on_the other side .

" they're worse than_the round-abouties," decided Benny, " and I suppose if_we had stayed any longer they_would_have insisted upon us growing shutters, too ! "

" not a bad idea, when_you come to_think of it," observed the Scarecrow ." with shutters one need never be bored or shocked ."

"Shutters would_be extremely becoming to_you," chuckled high boy, with a vigorous shake of_his umbrella tail .

" hush ! " whispered trot, who did_not like anyone to_make fun of her old friend .

" you mean shut up, I suppose ? " wheezed high boy ." but remember, I'm not a shutter face, my girl ."

" that's so," giggled trot ." if anyone tells them to shut up, they really can .I'm going to bring Dorothy and Betsy back here some day and_see what they_do to_us ."

" here's a river," announced Philador, who was looking anxiously for_the first signs of_the emerald city ." and I_have a magic jumping rope to help_us cross ." Holding up the good witch's rope, the little prince quickly explained how it worked . high boy listened in silence, and when Philador finished tossed his head impatiently .

"I've never jumped rope in my life," declared high boy stubbornly, " and I'm not going to_begin now . besides it's not necessary . stay where you_are ! keep quiet and hold tight ! "

rather worried and undecided whether to stay on or tumble off, the little company looked uncertainly at one another . but before_they could dismount, high boy shot up two hundred feet and then carefully stepped down into_the river . trot gasped and expected to_find herself under water . but only the toes of her shoes touched the water . and when high boy, looking around, saw this, he raised himself higher still and, with_his whole body out_of_the water and_his feet on_the river bed, carried them safely and slowly across .

" why, you're better than a bridge ! " exclaimed Philador, leaning forward to_give him a good hug ." i_wish I_could keep you always ."

"Joe couldn't spare me, announced high boy, self- consciously, " but I'll come to_see you often, Phil, when_this adventure is over . hold on now, I'm going to step out ."

the great length of high boy's legs made his body almost vertical, as he scrambled up the bank . but so tightly did his riders hold onto the saddle and to one another, nobody fell off .Bringing his legs down with a few sharp clicks, high boy put up his umbrella tail and was about to start on when a series of splutters made him look back . the high horse had closed his umbrella tail when he stepped into_the river, but in_spite of_this alot of water had got in . therefore, when he snapped it up, a perfect deluge had come down on_his luckless passengers .

" this_is_the third shower I've had today," coughed the Scarecrow dolefully .Benny didn't mind the water at all and Herby, after peering into his medicine chest and discovering that none_of_the contents were wet, merely gave himself a good shake . as for Philador and trot- what could they_do but laughingly accept high boy's apologies ? it_was late afternoon by now, and_the sun sinking lower and lower behind the hills . since their meeting on_the blue highway, high boy had come many a long mile, and everyone but Benny and_the Scarecrow began to_feel tired as_well as hungry .

"I'd give my gold tooth for a pail of yummy jummy," confessed high boy, as he slowly mounted a small hill ."I'm hungry enough to eat a- he_did_not finish his sentence, but glanced longingly over his shoulder at_the Scarecrow, who immediately ducked behind Benny and began feverishly stuffing in_his stray wisps of straw .

" how about a sandwich ? " suggested Philador, pulling out the lunch basket queen hyacinth had filled so generously .

"A sandwich would_be no more than a cracker crumb to_me," exclaimed high boy disdainfully .

" well, what's yummy jummy ? " asked trot, accepting with a smile the chicken sandwich the little prince held out to her .

"Oats, hay, bran, brown sugar and grape juice," explained high boy, smacking his lips and closing his eyes ." do_you_think they'd mix me up a pail when we reach this emerald city of yours ? "

" of_course they_will," promised trot, " but couldn't you stop and eat a little grass or tree leaves ? "

" grass is too short, besides, I never eat grass or leaves at night," announced high boy, turning up his nose ."Gives me grasstreetus ." for a time the little company progressed in silence, Herby, trot and Philador contentedly munching the dainty sandwiches and Benny enjoying the scenery . as it grew darker, an overpowering drowsiness stole over trot and Philador . high boy, too, began to yawn so terrifically that his passengers were nearly thrown out_of_the saddle .

" if he_does that again, I'll fall off," quavered the Scarecrow, clasping his arms ' round Benny's waist .

" wait," whispered Herby, " I_have a remedy ." Unbuckling trot's belt, Herby opened his medicine chest and drew out a box of pills ." these are my famous ' keep awake' pills," he explained proudly, swallowing two, " and these others will prevent yawning ."

"Whoa ! " gasped Philador as high boy's last "hah, hoh, hum ! " lifted them a foot into_the air ."Whoa ! " the high horse was glad enough to whoa and, looking around with half closed eyes, inquired the reason for their stop .

" take these," directed Philador, slipping two keep awake pills and three yawn lozenges ' down high boy's throat . sleepily high boy swallowed the dose . the effect was startling and instantaneous . his eyes opened wide, his teeth clicked together and next minute he_was streaking down the road so fast that trot's hair blew straight out behind and_the little prince's cloak snapped in_the wind .

" better take some yourselves," advised Herby holding out the boxes to trot ." for if_you fall asleep you'll fall off and then where'll you be ? "

a little nervously, trot swallowed the keep awake pills and yawn lozenges .Philador then took two of each and immediately they both felt wide awake and full of energy .

" you_are a real wizard, Herby" admitted the Scarecrow, noting admiringly the effect of_the pills, " and ought to_make a great hit at_the capital ."

" do_you_think so ? " puffed Herby breathlessly, as he bounced up and down ." are we almost there ? " it_was hard to_see, for it_was night and only a few stars twinkled in_the sky . but presently trot gave a little shout of relief and satisfaction .

" see that green glow ? " cried the little girl with an excited wave ." they're the tower lights of_the castle . hurry up, high boy . we're almost there ! " at trot's words, high boy gathered his long legs together and fairly flew over hills and across fields, so_that in less_than an hour they reached the emerald city itself . it_was still fairly early, and_the lovely capital, of Oz shimmered as only a jeweled city can .

chapter 16

the lost queen Returns

on_the same evening that trot and her companions were arriving at_the emerald city, Cheeriobed and_his councilors sat talking in_the great blue throne room of_the palace . all day the king had watched for_the coming of Ozma and_the return of Philador, and as_the hours dragged on he had become more and more restless and uneasy . shortly after lunch, as he_was pacing anxiously up and down one_of_the garden paths, he_was amazed to_see Orpah hobbling rapidly toward him .

it_was nearly twenty years since_the keeper of_the king's sea horses had_been carried off by Quiberon, and Cheeriobed had never expected to_see his faithful servitor again .Rubbing his eyes to_make sure he_was not dreaming, the astounded monarch rushed forward to greet the old mer- man . after a hearty embrace, which wet his majesty considerably, Orpah having stepped directly out_of_the water, they sat down on a sapphire bench and_the king begged Orpah to_tell him at once all that had happened .

Brushing over his long weary imprisonment in cave city, Orpah hurried on to_the coming of trot and her strange friends . his lively description of_their encounter with_the cave men, the way they had outwitted and trapped Quiberon in_the narrow passageway, filled Cheeriobed with wonder and relief . and when_the mer- man went on to_tell him of_the explosion of_the blue ray that had carried them across the bottom of_the lake to_the mainland, Cheeriobed smiled for_the first time since Quiberon had threatened his kingdom .

" now," declared the good king, slapping his knee happily, " we_have nothing to worry us .Quiberon is a prisoner, the mortal child has escaped injury and Akbad has saved my son and persuaded Ozma to_come here, save the kingdom, and restore the queen ."

here he stopped to_tell Orpah how the court soothsayer had picked the golden pear and flown with Philador to_the capital, invoking Ozma's aid and carrying the mortal maid to Quiberon's cavern .

"I expect Ozma any moment now," puffed Cheeriobed, shading his eyes and looking out over the lake . at_these words, Akbad, who was hiding behind the king's bench, covered his ears and slunk miserably away . how could he ever explain the failure of Ozma to appear, or account for_the strange disappearance of_the little prince ? again and again he tried to fly away from_the Ozure Isles, but the golden wings refused to carry him beyond the edge of_the beach and when in despair he cast himself into_the water, they kept him afloat, so_that even drowning was denied the cowardly fellow .Dragging his wings disconsolately behind him, he trailed about_the palace, or perched forlornly in_the tree tops, and when, in_the late evening, Cheeriobed summoned all of_his advisors to_the throne room, the soothsayer came slowly and unwillingly to_the conference .Orpah, with_his tail in a bucket of salt water, sat on_the king's right and Toddledy, thumbing anxiously over an old book of maps, sat on_the king's left .Umtillio, nearby, strummed idly on a golden harp and Akbad, after alonging glance at_the chair set out for him, flew up on_the chandelier where he_would_have plenty of space for_his wings and where he_could sit down with some comfort . ranged ' round the conference table were the officers of_the guard and members of_the king's household, and_they all listened attentively as Cheeriobed began his address .

" tomorrow is_the day Quiberon has threatened to destroy us," began his majesty gravely, " and as he_may escape it were best to devise some means of defense ."

" they all nodded approvingly at_these words but said nothing ." has anyone a suggestion to_make ? " asked Cheeriobed, folding his hands on_his stomach and looking inquiringly over his spectacles .

"I suggest_that we all go to bed," yawned the captain of_the guard ." then we'll be rested and ready for a battle, if a battle there is_to_be ! "

" why bother to_plan when Quiberon is stuck fast in_the cavern ? " asked Akbad impatiently .

" that's so," mused Toddledy ." at_least not before Ozma arrives . when did her highness say she_would

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