Oz 14: Glinda of Oz by L. Frank Baum
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the little wizard of Oz last is because he was_the most important man in_the land of Oz . he wasn't a big man in size but he_was a man in power and intelligence and second only to Glinda the good in all the mystic arts of magic .Glinda had taught him, and_the wizard and_the sorceress were the only ones in Oz permitted by law to practice wizardry and sorcery, which they applied only to good uses and for_the benefit of_the people .

the wizard wasn't exactly handsome but he_was pleasant to look at . his bald head was as shiny as_if it had_been varnished; there_was always a merry twinkle in_his eyes and he_was as spry as aschoolboy . Dorothy says the reason the wizard is_not as powerful as Glinda is because Glinda didn't teach him all she knows, but what the wizard knows he_knows very_well and so he performs some very remarkable magic . the ten I_have mentioned assembled, with_the Scarecrow and Glinda, in Ozma's throne room, right after dinner that evening, and_the sorceress told them all she knew of_the plight of Ozma and Dorothy

" of_course we_must rescue them," she continued, " and_the sooner they_are rescued the better pleased they_will_be; but what we_must now determine is how they_can_be saved . that_is why I_have called you together in council ."

" the easiest way," remarked the shaggy man, " is to raise the sunken island of_the Skeezers to_the top of_the water again ."

" tell me how ? " said Glinda .

"I don't know how, your highness, for I_have never raised a sunken island ."

" we_might all get under it and lift," suggested professor Wogglebug .

" how can we get under it when it rests on_the bottom of_the lake ? " asked the sorceress .

"Couldn't we throw a rope around it and pull it ashore ? " inquired jack Pumpkinhead .

" why_not pump the water out_of_the lake ? " suggested the patchwork girl with a laugh .

" do be sensible ! " pleaded Glinda ." this_is a serious matter, and we_must give it serious thought ."

" how big is_the lake and how big is_the island ? " was_the Frogman's question .

" none of us can tell, for we_have_not_been there ."

" in_that case," said the Scarecrow, " it appears to_me we ought to_go to_the Skeezer country and examine it carefully ."

" quite right," agreed the tin woodman .

" we- will- have- to- go- there- any- how," remarked Tik-Tok in_his jerky machine voice .

" the question is which of us shall go, and how_many of us ? " said the wizard .

" I_shall go of_course," declared the Scarecrow .

" and I," said Scraps .

" it_is my duty to Ozma to_go," asserted the tin woodman .

" I_could_not stay away, knowing our loved princess is in danger," said the wizard .

" we all feel like that," uncle Henry said .

finally one and all present decided to_go to_the Skeezer country, with Glinda and_the little wizard to lead them . magic must meet magic in_order to conquer it, so these two skillful magic-workers were necessary to insure the success of_the expedition .

they were all ready to start at a moment's notice, for none had any affairs of importance to attend to . jack was wearing a newly made pumpkin- head and_the Scarecrow had recently been stuffed with fresh straw .Tik-Tok's machinery was in good running order and_the tin woodman always was well oiled .

" it_is quite a long journey," said Glinda, " and while I_might travel quickly to_the Skeezer country by_means of_my stork chariot the rest of you_will_be obliged to walk . so, as we_must keep together, i_will send my chariot back to my castle and we_will plan to leave the emerald city at sunrise to- morrow ."

chapter Fifteen

the great sorceress

Betsy and trot, when_they heard of_the rescue expedition, begged the wizard to permit them to join it and he consented . the glass Cat, overhearing the conversation, wanted to_go also and to_this the wizard made no objection .

this glass Cat was one_of_the real curiosities of Oz . it had_been made and brought to life by a clever magician named Dr .Pipt, who was not now permitted to work magic and was an ordinary citizen of_the emerald city . the cat was of transparent glass, through which one could plainly see its ruby heart beating and its pink brains whirling around in_the top of_the head .

the glass Cat's eyes were emeralds; its fluffy tail was of spun glass and very beautiful . the ruby heart, while pretty to look at, was hard and cold and_the glass Cat's disposition was not pleasant at all times . it scorned to catch mice, did_not eat, and was extremely lazy . if_you complimented the remarkable cat on her beauty, she_would be very friendly, for she loved admiration above everything . the pink brains were always working and their owner was indeed more intelligent than most common cats .

three other additions to_the rescue party were made the next morning, just as_they were setting out upon their journey . the first was a little boy called button bright, because he had no other name that anyone could remember . he_was a fine, manly little fellow, well mannered and good humored, who had only_one bad fault . he_was continually getting lost . to_be_sure, button bright got found as often as he got lost, but when he_was missing his friends could_not help being anxious about him .

" some day," predicted the patchwork girl, " he won't be found, and that_will_be the last of him ." but that didn't worry button bright, who was so careless that he_did_not seem to_be_able to break the habit of getting lost .

the second addition to_the party was aMunchkin boy of about button bright's age, named Ojo . he_was often called "Ojo the lucky," because good fortune followed him wherever he went . he and button bright were close friends, although of_such different natures, and trot and Betsy were fond of both .

the third and last to join the expedition was an enormous lion, one of Ozma's regular guardians and_the most important and intelligent beast in all Oz . he_called himself the cowardly lion, saying that every little danger scared him so badly that his heart thumped against his ribs, but all who knew him knew that_the cowardly lion's fears were coupled with bravery and_that however much he_might_be frightened he summoned courage to meet every danger he encountered . often he had saved Dorothy and Ozma in times of peril, but afterward he moaned and trembled and wept because he had_been so scared .

" if Ozma needs help, I'm going to help her," said the great beast ." also, I suspect the rest of you_may need me on_the journey -- especially trot and Betsy -- for you_may pass through a dangerous part of_the country . I_know that wild Gillikin country pretty well . its forests harbor many ferocious beasts ."

they were glad the cowardly lion was to join them, and in good spirits the entire party formed a procession and marched out_of_the emerald city amid the shouts of_the people, who wished them success and a safe return with their beloved ruler .

they followed a different route from_that taken by Ozma and Dorothy, for they went through_the Winkie country and up north toward Oogaboo . but before_they got there they swerved to_the left and entered the great Gillikin forest, the nearest thing to a wilderness in all Oz . even the cowardly lion had to admit that certain parts of_this forest were unknown to him, although he had often wandered among_the trees, and_the Scarecrow and tin woodman, who were great travelers, never had_been there at all .

the forest was only reached after a tedious tramp, for some_of_the rescue expedition were quite awkward on their feet . the patchwork girl was as light as a feather and very spry; the tin woodman covered the ground as easily as uncle Henry and_the wizard; but Tik-Tok moved slowly and_the slightest obstruction in_the road would halt him until the others cleared it away . then, too, Tik-Tok's machinery kept running down, so Betsy and trot took turns in winding it up .

the Scarecrow was more clumsy but less bother, for although he often stumbled and fell he_could scramble up again and a little patting of_his straw- stuffed body would put him in good shape again .

another awkward one was jack Pumpkinhead, for walking would jar his head around on_his neck and then he_would_be likely to_go in_the wrong direction . but the Frogman took jack's arm and then he followed the path more easily .

Cap'n bill's wooden leg didn't prevent him from keeping up with_the others and_the old sailor could walk as far as any of_them .

when_they entered the forest the cowardly lion took the lead . there_was no path here for men, but many beasts had made paths of_their own which only the eyes of_the lion, practiced in woodcraft, could discern . so he stalked ahead and wound his way in and out, the others following in single file, Glinda being next to_the lion .

there_are dangers in_the forest, of_course, but as_the huge lion headed the party he kept the wild denizens of_the wilderness from bothering the travelers . once, to_be_sure, an enormous leopard sprang upon_the glass Cat and caught her in_his powerful jaws, but he broke several of_his teeth and with howls of pain and dismay dropped his prey and vanished among_the trees .

" are_you hurt ? " trot anxiously inquired of_the glass Cat .

" how silly ! " exclaimed the creature in an irritated tone of voice; " nothing can hurt glass, and I'm too solid to break easily . but I'm annoyed at_that leopard's impudence . he has no respect for beauty or intelligence . if he had noticed my pink brains work, I'm sure he_would_have realized I'm too important to_be grabbed in a wild beast's jaws ."

" never mind," said trot consolingly; "I'm sure he won't do_it again ."

they were almost in_the center of_the forest when Ojo, the Munchkin boy, suddenly said: " why, where's button bright ? "

they halted and looked around them . button bright was not with_the party .

dear me," remarked Betsy, "I expect he's lost again ! "

" when did you_see him last, Ojo ? " inquired Glinda .

" it_was some_time_ago," replied Ojo ." he_was trailing along at_the end and throwing twigs at_the squirrels in_the trees . then I went to_talk to Betsy and trot, and just now I noticed he_was gone ."

" this_is too bad," declared the wizard, " for_it is sure to delay our journey . we_must find button bright before we go any farther, for_this forest is full of ferocious beasts that_would not hesitate to tear the boy to pieces ."

" but what shall we_do ? " asked the Scarecrow ." if any of us leaves the party to search for button bright he or she might fall a victim to_the beasts, and if_the lion leaves us we_will_have no protector .

" the glass Cat could go," suggested the Frogman ." the beasts can do her no harm, as we_have discovered ."

the wizard turned to Glinda .

"Cannot your sorcery discover where button bright is ? " he asked .

" i_think so," replied the sorceress .

she called to uncle Henry, who had_been carrying her wicker box, to bring it to her, and when he obeyed she opened it and drew out a small round mirror . on_the surface of_the glass she dusted a white powder and then wiped it away with her handkerchief and looked in_the mirror . it reflected a part of_the forest, and there, beneath a wide-spreading tree, button bright was lying asleep . on one side of him crouched a tiger, ready to spring; on_the other side was a big gray wolf, its bared fangs glistening in a wicked way .

" goodness me ! " cried trot, looking over Glinda's shoulder ." they'll catch and kill him sure ."

everyone crowded around for a glimpse at_the magic mirror .

" pretty bad -- pretty bad ! " said the Scarecrow sorrowfully .

"Comes of getting lost ! " said Cap'n bill, sighing .

" guess he's agoner ! " said the Frogman, wiping his eyes on_his purple silk handkerchief .

" but where is he ? can't we save him ? " asked Ojo the lucky .

" if we_knew where he_is we_could probably save him," replied the little wizard, " but that tree looks so_much like all the other trees, that we_can't tell whether it's far away or near by ."

" look at Glinda ! " exclaimed Betsy

Glinda, having handed the mirror to_the wizard, had stepped aside and was making strange passes with her outstretched arms and reciting in low, sweet tones a mystical incantation . most of_them watched the sorceress with anxious eyes, despair giving way to_the hope_that she might_be able to save their friend . the wizard, however, watched the scene in_the mirror, while over his shoulders peered trot, the Scarecrow and_the shaggy man .

what they saw was more strange than Glinda's actions . the tiger started to spring on_the sleeping boy, but suddenly lost its power to move and lay flat upon_the ground . the gray wolf seemed unable to lift its feet from_the ground . it pulled first at one leg and then at another, and finding itself strangely confined to_the spot began to back and snarl angrily . they couldn't hear the barkings and snarls, but they_could see the creature's mouth open and its thick lips move . button bright, however, being but a few feet away from_the wolf, heard its cries of rage, which wakened him from_his untroubled sleep . the boy sat up and looked first at_the tiger and then at_the wolf . his face showed that for a moment he_was quite frightened, but he soon saw that_the beasts were unable to approach him and so he got upon his feet and examined them

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