Oz 18: Grandpa in Oz by Ruth Plumly Thompson
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i_told you that wizard was a villain . company fall out ! " he commanded gruffly . this the company lost no time in doing .

"Oh, well," laughed Tatters, rolling from under the drenching spray, " it saves us the trouble of washing our faces . but what made them do_it Grampa ? "

Grampa gave himself an angry shake and marched stiffly over to_the flagstone path . carved neatly on_the last stone were these words:

Gorba's Stepping Stones, Guaranteed for seven centuries . stand on_the right foot to_go east, on_the left to_go west . stand on both feet to_go south . to_go north stand on_your head .

" well, north's the way we_want to_go cried Tatters eagerly as Grampa finished reading ." maybe they'll carry us all the way to emerald city ."

" not me ! " snorted the old soldier, taking a pinch of snuff ." stand on_your head if_you like, but I'm going to travel right side up or not at all . do_you_want to break your neck ? " he demanded indignantly .

" it would_be a little rough," admitted Tatters, remembering the way the stones had bumped, " but it's pretty good magic just the same .Grampa grunted contemptuously and tightened the fastenings of_his game leg, but even the old soldier could_not stay cross long in_this enchanting garden, and when a moment later they happened upon a cluster of peach trees he grew quite cheerful again .

" always did like peaches for breakfast," he sighed, impaling one on_his sword .Twirling the sword and taking little bites all round, he looked with half closed eyes down the long vistas of lantern lanes ." i_wish Mrs sew- and- sew could_see this," sighed the old soldier pensively .Tatters nodded, but he_was impatient to_see more of_the wizard's garden, so filling his pocket with peaches, he ran down the narrowest of_the lanes after bill, who had already flown ahead to_have another look for_the fortune .Opening out from_this lane was a smaller and enclosed garden filled with_the strangest bushes Tatters ever had seen . each_one grew in_the shape of an animal . there were bears, tigers, lions, elephants and deer and_the eyes, noses and mouths were marked by blossoms of_the proper size and shape, that grew cunningly just where they were needed . they looked so life- like that for a moment the prince was frightened, but after he had prodded a lion bush with_his umbrella and it neither roared nor lashed its green tail he proceeded from one to_the other quite as_if he were in a museum . and certainly Gorba's animals were queer enough to grace any museum .

" wonder how he makes 'em grow this_way ? " murmured Tatters, finishing his last peach .

" might as_well wonder how he happens to_be a wizard," chuckled Grampa, who had come up quietly behind him ." why, this_is better than a zoo, it's a whole blooming menagerie, and if we_knew the secret of it we_could travel all over Oz growing deer and rabbit bushes in_the castle gardens and your fortune would_be made in no time . but as_we don't know the secret of it," concluded Grampa, squinting at his old silver watch, " we'd better forward march and_see if_we_can find a way out of here ." with many backward glances, Tatters followed him down another of_the lantern lanes, but they had scarcely gone half way when_the hoarse voice of_the weather cock came screeching overhead .

" the princess ! the princess ! I_have found the princess ! " crowed bill, falling with an iron clang in_the path before them .

" be quiet," warned the old soldier anxiously, " do_you_want the wizard to_get you ? now then, what's all this nonsense about a princess ? " Grampa winked at Tatters and Tatters winked back, for neither of_them had much faith in bill's discoveries . but the weather cock was too excited to mind .Hopping stiffly ahead and pausing every few seconds to urge them forward with a wave of_his wing, he led them to_the very center of_the enchanted garden . there, on a bed of softest moss, surrounded by a rose blown hedge, lay the loveliest little maiden you_could ever imagine !

" the princess," repeated bill huskily ." the princess ! "

" you're wrong," breathed the old soldier, pushing back his cap and tip-toeing forward, " you're wrong . it's the queen of_the may ! " and it surely seemed that Grampa had guessed correctly, for bill's princess was a little lady of Flowers . her face, hands and neck were of_the tiniest white blossoms, her eyes, deep blue violets, her mouth a rose bud and her nose and brows delicately marked with pink stems . her hair, blowing backward and forward in_the fragrant breeze, was_the finest spray of flowering fern, and her dress was most enchanting of all . the waist was of every soft, silken flower you_could think of, buttoned all the way down the front with pansies, while her skirts-a thick cluster of blossoming vines- fluttered gayly about her tiny lady slippers .

" why ! " exclaimed the prince of Ragbad, " she's growing in_the flower bed .Oh, Grampa, if she were only alive ! "

" i_wish she were myself," sighed the old soldier ." this wizard must know a deal of magic to grow a little fairy like that . mind what you're about there," he_called sharply to bill . the weather cock had flown over the hedge and was hopping so close to_the flower girl it made Grampa nervous .

" but look ! " crowed bill, "Looky look ! " under the hedge and padlocked to a small iron ring in_the ground was a gold watering can . it did_not take Grampa and Tatters long to leap over the hedge after_that, for as_the old soldier said himself, the wizard was doubtless away and it_was their plain duty to_see that_this little flower maid had afreshening spray before_they left the garden . first Tatters tried to wrench the can loose . the golden chain on_the padlock was so slender it should_have broken on_the first tug, but it held like iron . then Grampa tried his hand, but with no better luck, next both Grampa and Tatters tugged together, bill doing his bit by jerking out the prince's coat tails .

" more magic ! " panted Grampa, sucking his thumb ." the only way to_get it loose is to_find the key ."

" the key," shrilled Tatters, suddenly diving into his pocket ." why, I wonder if this_is_the key ? " Jubilantly he produced the tiny gold key bill had taken from_the bandit and_the next instant he had fitted it in_the padlock .

"Vaga must_have stolen that from_the wizard when he_took the medicine," mused Grampa, " and_that wizard's mighty particular with_his old gold can ." he sniffed scornfully as Tatters slid it from its chain ." here, I'll fill it at_the fountain ."

" but it's already full," answered the prince of Ragbad, giving it a little shake .

Running over to_the mossy bed, he tilted the gold can forward and sprayed the little flower lady from top to toe .Stars ! no sooner had the last drop fallen than a perfectly amazing thing happened- so amazing that Grampa and Tatters clutched each_other to_keep from tumbling over backwards and bill flew screaming into_the nearest tree . for_the little flower maiden slowly and gracefully rose from her bed, poised a moment on tiptoe and then, with a merry little laugh, bounded over to Grampa and Tatters and seized their hands . next thing they were whirling round and round in_the jolliest fashion imaginable, faster and faster and faster, till everything grew blurred and all three tumbled down in a heap .

"Oh, forget- me-nots-isn't that fun ! " trilled the little flower girl, jumping lightly to her feet ."Oh, I've wanted to do_that always ! "

" who- who_are you ? " gasped Tatters, for Grampa, between loss of breath and astonishment, was perfectly speechless .

" why, just my own self," smiled the little creature, flinging back her feathery hair .

" how do_you blow ? how do_you blow ? " shrieked bill, falling in a heap beside her .

" he means how do_you do," puffed Grampa, laughing in_spite of himself ." you'll have to excuse him for he's a weather cock and used to talking to Augusta ." then as_the little maiden still seemed puzzled, Grampa finished his sentence ." Augusta wind," chuckled the old soldier, with a wink that made them all laugh, except bill, who continued to regard the flower girl intently .

" are_you a princess ? " asked bill, with_his head anxiously on one side .

" no," mused the little girl slowly, "I don't think I'm a princess, let- me- see .Oh, I remember now the old wizard telling the birds my name was Urtha, because I'm made of earth ! "

" go along with_you then," snapped bill crossly ." we're looking for a princess ."

"Don't mind him," begged Tatters jumping up hastily .

" tell us about yourself, miss posy," cried Grampa, straightening his cap and feeling his game leg slyly . in_the dance it had turned completely around ."I declare you're the loveliest little lady I've met in all my travels ."

the roses in Urtha's cheeks seemed to grow pinker at Grampa's words .

" there isn't much to_tell," she began softly ."I don't seem to remember anything but this garden .I guess I just grew, she finished with a little bounce that sent her skirts flying out in every direction .

" and whatever was in_that gold watering can brought you to life .I believe you're a fairy," said the old soldier solemnly .

" no ! no ! " laughed the little flower girl, seizing a long trailing vine ."I'm just Urtha ." and using the vine as askipping rope she flashed up and down the silver paths so swiftly that_it made Tatters and Grampa blink just to_follow her dancing steps .

" what_are you going to_do now that you_are alive ? " asked Tatters as she paused for a moment beside him .

" just going to_be happy in_this garden," replied Urtha with a little shake of her lovely fern hair .

" i_wish we_could stay too," sighed Tatters, for he_could think of no end of games he_could teach Urtha, and even the emerald city, he reflected, could_not_be lovelier than this enchanted garden .Grampa gave a start at Tatters' words and, suddenly recalled to_his duty, gathered up his gun and knapsack .

" it's been a pleasure to_know you, my dear," said Grampa gallantly, taking off his cap, " but we'll have to_be marching on now, for we've a long journey before_us .

"Oh ! " Urtha gave a little cry of dismay ."Didn't you grow in_the garden too ? " Grampa shook his head and as quickly as he_could told her how king Fumbo had lost his head and how he and Tatters had set out to seek it and_the prince's fortune .Urtha was almost as_much puzzled over a fortune as bill . indeed, the whole of Grampa's story was confusing- for you_see it was_the first story the little flower maiden had ever heard . but prince Tatters and_the old soldier interested her tremendously . she touched Grampa's medals shyly and could_not admire Tatters' patched and many colored suit enough . as for bill, she blew him so_many kisses that_the embarrassed weather cock flew and hid himself in an oleander bush .Saying good-bye to dear little Urtha was a difficult business, but at last Grampa, with a very determined expression, shouldered his gun and Tatters reluctantly picked up his red umbrella .

" come on ! " shouted bill, impatiently sticking his head out_of_the bush ." come on, or we'll never find the head, the fortune and_the princess ." as Urtha had_not turned out a princess he had lost all interest in her .

" but I'll miss you," sighed Urtha, and drooped so sadly against a tree that Tatters promptly fell out of line and began to comfort her .

" you won't miss us," said Grampa, looking uneasily at his watch, " you_can't miss people you've just met, you_know ." the old soldier was faced with a problem the like of_which he had never before encountered, and he_was plainly at a loss to_know what to_do .

"I've known you longer than anyone else .I've known you my whole life," sighed Urtha wistfully .

" but you've only been alive five minutes," smiled the old soldier indulgently .

" why don't you join the army like I_did ? " inquired bill, who was anxious to_be off .

"Oh, couldn't she ? " begged Tatters eagerly .Grampa shifted his feet and looked uncertainly at_the little flower maiden . she seemed too frail and delicate to set out on ajourney of adventure ." but," reflected the old soldier, " if she's a fairy nothing can harm her and if she's not, someone ought to look out for her . as_we brought her to life we're responsible ."

" come along with_you," cried Grampa recklessly . so away through_the wizard's garden marched this strange little army, the patched flag of Ragbad fluttering from_the top of Tatters' red umbrella and_the little flower maiden falling out of line every few_minutes to dance gaily round a tree or skip merrily through a fountain .

she fairly seemed to float above the flowers that blossomed along the way, as her dainty feet slipped from daisy to daisy . prince Tatters could hardly keep his eyes away from Urtha as she danced along the way . and Grampa smiled happily at_the delight of_the two happy young people .

chapter 7

the Winding stairway

it_was twilight in_the wizard's garden . all the lanterns burned low and_the birds twittered drowsily in_the tree tops .Grampa and Tatters sat wearily upon a golden bench- for after a whole day's march they were no nearer the emerald city than before . indeed, there seemed no way out_of_the enchanted garden . they had lunched satisfactorily on_the fruit of a bread and butter bush, and Grampa's knapsack was full of nicely spread slices, but for all that each one_of_them felt tired and downhearted

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