Oz 18: Grandpa in Oz by Ruth Plumly Thompson
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his shoulder ." farther and farther away is what I'll be ." Grampa laughed a little at his joke ." but we_can't go without bill," he muttered suddenly, as_they passed the rock under which the robbers had thrust the valiant weather cock . with some difficulty they lifted off the rock and, first whispering strict orders for silence, unwound bill from_the various coats and cloaks . then Tatters, fearing the creak of bill's wings would arouse the bandits, stuck him under one arm .

" wish I_knew where they kept their supplies," whispered the old soldier as_they pushed on through_the heavy underbrush and made their way around gnarled old trees ." my teeth need some exercise ."

" what a dreadful lot of crows there_are in_this forest," mused the prince, who had scarcely heard Grampa's last remark ." why the trees are black with_them ! "

" well, do_you expect me to eat crow ? " sniffed the old soldier, waving his sword to disperse a flock of_the birds that were circling around his head .

" no, but-" Tatters got no further, for at_that instant crows of an entirely different nature made them both leap into_the air . the sun had risen and as_the first rays penetrated into_the dim forest bill flew out of Tatters' arms and, perching on a low branch, burst into such a brazen clamor of cock-a-doodle-doos that_the whole forest rang with it .

" hush ! halt ! stop that alarm ! " gasped Grampa ." now, you've done it ! "

"Oh, bill, how could you ! " groaned the prince .Snatching off the skin of_the thread bear, he flung it over the iron weather cock and seizing him unceremoniously began to run after Grampa . they had already put a goodly distance between themselves and_the bandits, but a few_minutes after bill's crowing shots came echoing through_the wood and_the next instant they_could hear the outlaws crashing through_the brush . they sounded like a herd of elephants .

" we'll have to hide," panted the old soldier ." here, crawl into_this hollow tree ." without a moment's hesitation, Grampa dove into_the tree himself and Tatters, taking a firmer hold on bill and_the red umbrella, followed .

" is_there room ? " gasped the prince ."Grampa, are_you there ? " but Grampa was not there . neither, for_that matter, was Tatters himself, for_his feet instead of resting on earth, rested on nothing .a great wind whistled past his ears and blew his hair straight on end .

" the temperature's falling ! " the voice of_the weather cock came stuffily through_the bear skin .

" everything's falling ! " gasped the prince of Ragbad, hugging bill and_the red umbrella close to_his chest ." everything ! "

you_can easily understand what had happened . there_was no bottom to_the hollow tree . when Grampa, prince Tatters and bill crawled into_the hole, they simply disappeared . they dropped down down down !

chapter 5

down the hollow tree

now falling, when_you first start, is a hair-raising business, but after you_have fallen for a mile and twenty minutes and nothing serious happens you grow rather used to_the feel of it . and_that's how it_was with Tatters .

" bill," he shouted presently- he had to shout for_the rush of air carried away his words as fast as_they were spoken-" bill, where do_you suppose we're falling to ? "

" south by west," crowed the weather cock promptly . the prince would_have liked to_continue the conversation, but it took too_much breath, so he began planning how he_should land without breaking Grampa, for certainly Grampa was somewhere below . rather sorrowfully he reflected that_they were falling farther away from_the emerald city every_minute . he wondered where his father's head was, and what Mrs sew- and- sew would think if she_could see them tumbling down this hollow tree . would it never grow lighter ? would they never reach the bottom and what would happen when_they did ? just as he_came to_this point in_his wonderings, Tatters dropped into a clump of pink bushes so hard that for several seconds he_could do nothing but gasp .

" well," crowed bill, beginning to flutter restlessly about in_the bear- skin, " are we here ? "

" yes, thanks to_you . you're discharged ! " roared the old soldier, as prince Tatters picked up himself and_his red umbrella .Grampa had_been less fortunate in_his landing . he sat in_the middle of a cinder path, blinking rapidly, and as bill scrambled out_of_the bear- skin and hopped after Tatters, he raised his gun threateningly .

" you're discharged without pay," repeated Grampa angrily ." what do_you_mean by crowing and betraying us to_the enemy ? "

"I couldn't help it," answered bill in an injured tone ." it_is_the nature of acock to crow and I've helped the sun to rise ."

" and us to_fall," scolded Grampa ." well, you're discharged ! " Rolling over with a groan, he drew the bottle of patent medicine from_his pocket .Fortunately it_was not broken, but it had made a dreadful dent in Grampa .

" but wherever in Oz are we ? " exclaimed prince Tatters, trying to_change the subject, for he_did_not intend to_have bill sent off in_this hasty fashion . the old soldier pretended not to hear and continued to stare resentfully at_the bottle of medicine . on one side was pasted a green label and Tatters looking over his shoulder read, with some surprise:

sure cure for everything . follow the directions on_the bottle .

beneath in tiny printing was a long list of ailments .Grampa ran his finger hastily down the list until he_came to breaks, sprains and bruises ." one spoonfull immediately after fall-ing," directed the bottle . without a word, Grampa took a tin spoon from_his knapsack, uncorked the bottle and swallowed the dose .

" why, it's the wizard's medicine ! " cried Tatters, watching him anxiously, for no sooner was_the stuff down than a broad grin overspread Grampa's face ." good thing I brought it along-works just like magic- never know I'd fallen," puffed Grampa, completely restored to good humor ." better have some, boys ." the old soldier smiled at his companions .

Tatters, who was not hurt at all, shook his head and bill, who had flown into_the air to examine the bottle, shook his wings .

" well- good-bye ! " wheezed the weather cock hoarsely ." you don't need me to direct you now- you_can follow the directions on_the bottle . here I go," he finished sulkily, " here I go by_the name of bill ! "

"Don't go," begged Tatters, looking pleadingly at_the old soldier . now Grampa, remem-bering the splendid way bill had fallen upon_the bandits, had already relented, but he never apologized .

" company fall in ! " he commanded gruffly, putting the wizard's medicine in_his pocket .Tatters winked at bill and bill, muttering something about having fallen in already, began to march down the cinder path . they had dropped into a small park surrounded by a hedge that grew up as high as they_could see .a soft glow shone through_the hedge and by its rosy light the three adventurers began to examine their surroundings with great interest . the park itself was pretty enough, but after marching entirely around it and finding no break in_the hedge, Grampa looked rather worried .

" it's a good enough place for a picnic," puffed the old soldier, dusting his game leg, " but then we're not on a picnic ! "

" no," sighed Tatters, sinking down on a bench, " we're not on a picnic, for there's nothing to eat ."

" if_you were made of iron like I_am you_would never be hungry," crowed the weather cock, proudly ." I_am_glad I_am cast in iron, but what shall we_do now, Mr Grampa ? "

" fly up and_see how high the hedge is," directed the old soldier, " while Tatters and I try to cut an opening ." pleased to_be of some service, bill hurled himself upward, and Grampa with_his sword and Tatters with_his rusty pen knife began hacking at_the hedge . but as fast as_they cut away the twigs, others grew and after ten minutes hard work they gave up in despair . then down came bill with_the discouraging news that he had flown as high as he_could, and_the top of_the hedge was still nowhere in sight ." but the wind is blowing north," finished the weather cock calmly .

" bother the wind ! " sputtered Grampa .

" must we stay here till we starve," groaned Tatters, " and never find my father's head or the fortune at all ? "

" fortune," repeated bill, putting his head on one side as if_the word brought something to_his mind ."Don't worry about_that, for I_have already found the fortune ." and while Grampa and_the prince stared at him in amazement, he touched with_his claw a tiny golden key . it_was suspended on a thin chain round his neck and neither of_them had noticed it before .

" why, where did you get that ? " asked Tatters .

"I picked it out_of_the robber chief's pocket," explained bill, rolling his eyes from one to_the other .

" you'd make a fine bandit," chuckled Grampa, " but that's not a fortune, old fellow ! "

" then what_is a fortune ? " asked bill, looking terribly disappointed .

Grampa pulled his whiskers thoughtfully, for a fortune, when_you come right down to_it, is hard to explain .

" well," he began slowly, " it might_be gold, or jewels, or land . anything precious and rare," he finished hastily .

"Isn't this gold ? " demanded bill, holding up the key .

"Oh, Grandpa, maybe it's the key to_the bandit's treasure chest," interrupted Tatters excitedly ." let's go back and hunt for_it ."

" and how are_you going ? " inquired the old soldier sarcastically ."Falling down trees is easy enough, but you_can't fall up trees like you_can fall up steps . however," he added quickly, seeing Tatters' downcast face, " there_must_be some way out . let's look again ."

"I'm going to_keep this key," mused Tatters in a more cheerful voice, " for I believe it_will help_us ." he_gave bill a little pat on_the head as he_took the chain off his neck, and somewhat comforted, but still mightily puzzled, the iron weather cock hopped after Grampa . this_time they circled the hedge more slowly, the old soldier taking one side and Tatters and bill the other . it_was bill who_made the discovery- for shining through_the leaves on_the left side the weather cock caught the gleam of gold !

" the fortune ! " he crowed loudly ." the fortune ! "

it_was not a fortune, but a golden gate, and pushing aside the leaves and twigs Grampa and Tatters stared through_the bars into_the loveliest garden they had ever seen . the gate was unlocked, and when Grampa pressed upon it with_his shoulder it swung noiselessly inward . fairly holding his breath, Tatters stepped in after_the old soldier, and bill had just time to hop thorugh before_the gate swung shut again .Grampa gave a low whistle and Tatters an involuntary cry of admiration .Flowering vines and bushes filled the air with a delicate fragrance; paths of silvery sand wound in and out among_the trees and arbors; crystal fountains splashed between_the flower beds; and bordering each path and grass grown lane were trees glowing with magic lanterns, lanterns that bloomed as gayly as_the blossoms themselves and lighted up the garden with a hundred rainbow sheens . it_was all so strange and beautiful that Tatters and Grampa scarcely dared breath but bill, having been alive only two days, seemed to_think magic gardens quite usual affairs .

" come on," he_called excitedly, " let's find the fortune ! " but a golden sign on_the nearest magic tree had caught Tatters' eye and, paying no attention to bill, he tiptoed over to_it .

" this_is_the garden of Gorba," announced the sign ." mystery and magic in all its branches ."

Grampa had come up behind Tatters ."Gorba," muttered the old soldier softly ." now where ? " he pulled the bottle of patent medicine from_his pocket and squinted first at_the sign and then at_the bottle ." the same ! " puffed Grampa, for written in gold letters at_the end of_the list of ailments was_the name Gorba .

" this must_be the garden of_the wizard that rascally bandit was telling us about," muttered Grampa uneasily ." he_must_have been on_his way here when_they held him up . maybe he's here now ! hush ! be careful ! watch out now ! I wouldn't trust a wizard as far as I_could swing a chimney by_the smoke ! "

chapter 6

the wizard's garden

" maybe he_will tell me where to_find my father's head," whispered Tatters excitedly .

" well," admitted Grampa, starting cautiously down one_of_the silver paths, " that_would_be a good turn, but a wizard's more likely to_turn us to good gate posts or caterpillars ."

"I refuse to_be a caterpillar," rasped the weather cock . he had flown down and was hopping close to Grampa's heels ."I'll give him a peck in_the eye ! " Rattling his iron wings, bill looked around anxiously .

" well, don't forget you're under orders," snapped Grampa severely ." no forward falling, crowing or pecking till I_give the word, understand ? "

"I don't believe he's a bad wizard," observed the prince quietly, " his garden is too pretty ."

" pretty is as pretty does," sniffed Grampa ." he's practising magic, which_is against the law, and you_can't get around that, besides-" just here Grampa trod upon a small flagstone path that led across a broad stretch of lawn and never finished his sentence at all, for_the stone rose a foot into_the air and started bouncing across the green at such a rate the old soldier teetered backward and forward and did a regular toe dance to_keep his balance .

" wait ! " shouted Tatters in alarm, and running after Grampa, himself stepped upon one_of_the lively flag stones . up rose the stone and_the next thing the prince of Ragbad was bouncing after_the old soldier, waving his red umbrella and calling frantically for bill . but bill was already aboard the third stone, and before any of_them had sense enough to jump, the stones bounced straight under a silver fountain, dumped off their three startled passengers and went skipping back to_their places in_the walk .

" variable winds and heavy showers," crowed bill dismally .

"Scaps and scribbage ! " sputtered the old soldier ." i_told

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