Oz 18: Grandpa in Oz by Ruth Plumly Thompson
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old Abrog, the prophet, and finally of_the disappearance of both the princess and_the prophet .

Percy himself had fallen down the steep craggy sides of maybe mountain, arriving in a scratched and bruised heap at_the bottom . all morning he had_been wandering through_the fields and lanes of_the Winkie land and Dorothy was_the first person he had encountered .

" well, i_think you were just splendid," breathed the little girl, as_the forgetful poet finished his story .Percy had tried to gloss over the young men's refusal to_go in search of_the princess, but Dorothy had guessed quite correctly what had happened .

"I'll bet that old prophet carried her off himself," she declared positively .

" i_think so two, i_think so three, i_think so four, where can they- ? "

Percy mopped his brow and looked appealingly at_the little girl .

" be," supplied Dorothy obligingly ."I'm sure I don't know but we_can soon find out . you just come to_the emerald city with me and we'll look in Ozma's magic picture ."

" why you_are wise as_you_are pretty; let's hasten to_the emerald city ! "

Smiling all over because he had actually finished his own verse, the forgetful poet helped Dorothy to her feet and both started gaily down the lane, Dorothy telling the poet all about_the interesting folk in_the capitol and Percy Vere telling Dorothy all about_the city of gold on maybe mountain . Dorothy's idea of looking in Ozma's picture, like all of her other ideas, was a mighty good one, for_this picture has a magical power enabling a person to_see whomever he wishes, so_that one look would disclose the whereabouts of_the lost princess of perhaps city . but at every step, they were putting a longer distance between themselves and_that look . for at every step, thanks to_that little baconfly, they were going farther and farther away from_the emerald city of Oz .

they had eaten the lunch the tin woodman had thoughtfully put up for Dorothy, and now, as_the afternoon shadows began to lengthen, the little girl looked anxiously ahead for familiar landmarks . but instead the lane- which should_have led straight to_the Scarecrow's tower, which_is halfway between_the tin woodman's palace and_the emerald city- the lane suddenly came to a stop in ascraggly little woods .

" that's funny ! " mused Dorothy, looking around in surprise .

" are we lost ? " asked Percy, leaning wearily against a tree .

"Hello ! Hello, why here's a sign tacked up upon_this prickly- prickly-"

without bothering to finish the verse, Dorothy hurried over to_the pine .

" look out for_the Runaway," advised the sign, in large red letters .

"Runaway ! " cried Dorothy, snatching Toto up in her arms ." good gracious ! I wonder what kind of arunaway it_is ? " they were_not long left in doubt, for while Percy was still staring nervously all ' round, there came ahiss and a snap and ' round a big rock shot the runaway itself, scooping up the two travellers before_they had time to even wink a single eyelash .

" this_is p- perfectly preposterous," blustered the forgetful poet . both he and Dorothy were sitting in_the middle of_the runaway and Percy Vere hastily slipped his arm around the little girl to_keep her from falling off . the runaway road itself was humping along like some dreadful sort of serpent, jouncing and bouncing them so terribly that talking was almost impossible .

" wonder where it's running ! " gasped Dorothy, hugging Toto so tight he began to growl a little . from somewhere ahead a gritty voice answered her .

"I'm running straight to a pepper mine," roared the runaway, " and you'll make a hand- some pair of pepper diggers ."

"P- pepper diggers ! " groaned Percy Vere .

" pepper diggers, not that please, the very idea makes me, makes me--"

"Ha-ha-ka kachoo," sneezed Percy miserably .

" pepper doesn't grow in mines . it's a plant," shouted Dorothy indignantly .

" well, this pepper mine of_mine was planted," replied the road, twisting ' round to stare at Dorothy with its stony eyes . neither Dorothy nor the forgetful poet answered this_time, for_the bumping and bouncing had grown so_much worse that_it_was all they_could do to hold on to each_other and keep from biting their tongues off . nothing like this had ever happened to_the forgetful poet before . he_was simply stunned . but Dorothy had_been in so_many strange adventures and had had so_many odd experiences in_the land of Oz, that she was already planning to outwit the runaway .

" it wouldn't be safe to jump off," thought the little girl, " for we'd probably be broken to bits, but-" her eyes travelled upward to_the trees and bushes that were flashing past as_the runaway flung itself recklessly through_the forest-" if_we caught hold of a low branch the old road would go on without us," she reflected triumphantly .

as_well as she_could, for bumps and bounces, she whispered her plan to Percy Vere . he nodded enthusiastically and transferred Toto to_his blouse, so_that Dorothy would_have both hands free . then, when a huge tree loomed up ahead, they both began to count, and as its branches stretched over the runaway, they hurled themselves upward and held on for dear life . beneath slithered the road and not until the last yellow length of it had flashed by did Dorothy and Percy Vere let go .Percy dropped to_the ground first, gently lifted Dorothy down, and took the frightened, wiggling little Toto out of_his blouse .

"Whew ! " breathed Dorothy, leaning dizzily against Percy, " that's the worst ride I've had for_a_long_time . wonder where we_are ? " " do we do_this often ? " panted the forgetful poet, looking at Dorothy with round eyes "I'm perfectly pulverized ! "

" well, I never met arunaway before," confessed Dorothy, " but you never can tell what's going to happen in Oz, so first thing we'd better do is to_find out where we_are ! "

" we're in a forest dark and deep, I_hope the bears are all- are all-"

" asleep ! so do I ! " sighed Dorothy, and began tip-toeing along under the great lonesome trees, Toto keeping close at her side and Percy Vere treading softly behind her .

chapter 10

prince forge John of fire island

before Grampa and_his little company had recovered from_the shock of winding down instead of up, the strange stairway gathered itself together, and, with a sudden jerk, shook them all off .

" break ranks ! " roared the old soldier, kicking out wildly with_his game leg .

"I don't want to break my ranks," said bill crossly .Tatters and Urtha were too startled to_say anything and for a few seconds they simply fell in surprised silence . the hollow down which they were tumbling was wide and dimly lighted with a soft, spooky glow . the air was thick and heavy and_they were falling much slower than Grampa and Tatters had fallen down the hollow tree . first fell Urtha, her flowery skirts fluttering gracefully around her; then fell Tatters, clinging to bill with one arm and_his red umbrella with_the other; then the old soldier, his gun, drum, sword and knapsack rattling like a box full of marbles .

" I_feel exactly like a butterfly . are we flying, dear_Mr soldier ? " laughed the flower maiden presently .

" no, my poor child," puffed Grampa, staring down at her anxiously ." we're falling ! "

"Falling asleep ? " asked Urtha contentedly .

"Depends on how we land, groaned the old soldier, and suddenly remembering his last landing he snatched the wizard's medicine bottle from_his pocket .

" is_there anything on_the label about falling ? " panted Tatters, who was close enough to notice the old soldier's action .Grampa held the bottle close to_his eyes, and though reading while falling is one_of_the hardest things I_know of to_do, after a deal of squinting the old soldier read out the following: " for falling hairs, one drop in full glass of water ! "

" but we're not hares," wheezed bill indignantly .

" and if our hair stopped falling and we fell on, we'd be scalped ! " puffed Grampa hoarsely ." besides there isn't any water, so there's nothing to_do but fall ! "

" stormy weather ! stormy weather ! " predicted bill gloomily ." look out below, look out, look out, look out ! " as_the weather cock came to_his last look out, the air grew suddenly lighter, the speed of_the four fallers increased and next thing, with a great splash and splutter, they had plunged into a deep underground lake .Blowing like a porpoise, Grampa rose to_the surface .

" one drop in water," choked the old soldier and, treading water furiously, he began to look around for_his little army . in_the dim green light he could_see Urtha floating like a tiny island of flowers on_the top of_the water- her fine spray of hair spread out ' round her lovely little face .a short distance away Tatters was making frantic efforts to_keep afloat but, with_the iron weather cock and_the enormous umbrella, it_was a difficult business and every few_minutes the poor prince of Ragbad would disappear under the waves .Grampa himself, handicapped as he_was by a game leg and so_many weapons, found swimming a dreadful exertion and by_the_time he reached Tatters he_was completely exhausted . he still grasped the wizard's bottle in one hand .

" wet- very wet ! " the head of bill appeared above the water and then went under, as Tatters took another drive toward the bottom .

"Grampa, I'm drowning ! " gulped the poor prince, reappearing for a second on_the surface . it never occurred to_the prince to drop bill or his father's umbrella .Grampa himself had shipped so_much water he had no breath to_speak, but he flung his hand out desperately toward the prince and, as luck would_have it, it was_the hand holding the wizard's medicine .

"Don't drown ! " begged Grampa, his eye fixed desperately on_the green label ." wait, there's a cure for_it ." Treading water again, he clutched Tatters by_the hair and pressed the bottle to_his lips ." one swallow and you'll swim like a fish," promised Grampa .

" my head's swimming already," muttered Tatters weakly . it_was all the prince could do to_get the stuff down, for he had swallowed quarts of_the lake already .Grampa was so interested in watching the effects of_the dose that he forgot to move his feet and went down himself . but just as_the water closed over his head he put the wizard's bottle to_his own lips, took a hasty mouthful and jammed in_the Cork . immediately he bobbed to_the surface and, with a great sigh of relief, saw Tatters floating on top of_the waves, bill perched precariously upon his chest .Grampa felt as buoyant as a Cork and, using his gun as an oar, steered toward Tatters and Urtha and soon all three were bobbing along side by side .

" this medicine's the only good thing that wizard ever invented," said Grampa, sticking the bottle through his belt ."Feeling better, old boy ? "

Tatters shook his head feebly . he_could_not help thinking how far out of_their way they had fallen, and how very far they were from_the emerald city and even from Ragbad itself . he blinked hastily at_the thought of Mrs sew- and- sew and_the cozy red castle on_the hill, and he hoped Pudge had remembered to feed his pigeons .Tatters himself never expected to_see them again . only Urtha seemed really to_be enjoying the adventure . her little flower face was wreathed in smiles and her lovely flower frock fairly sparkled with freshness .

"Isn't this fun ! " she kept repeating merrily ."Isn't this fun ? " Grampa nodded, but not very enthusiastically .

" do_you_think we'll ever get back on top again ? " asked Tatters gloomily .

" of_course," spluttered Grampa ." we've fallen down about as far as_we_can fall and from now on things will take an upward turn, you_see .Hello, this water's kinda hot ! great swordfish, what's that noise ? "

" the fortune ! the fortune ! " shrieked bill, jumping up and down upon Tatters' thin chest and ducking the prince at every jump ." the fortune ! "

with a great effort, Grampa sat up in_the water, which_was already beginning to steam, and then fell backward with a terrific splash .

" halt ! " commanded Grampa, trying to push against the current with_his sword ." stop ! halt ! " a great roaring was in their ears and_the green light had changed to a red hot glow . now Tatters sat up . then he, too, began to kick wildly about in an effort to stop himself . and no wonder ! they were being carried straight toward aroaring red island of fire !

" the fortune ! the fortune ! " screeched bill, more excited than ever .

" fortune ! " groaned Grampa, reaching out to catch Urtha, who was floating rapidly past ." misfortune ! halt ! stop ! everybody back ! "

" better stop backing and look on_that bottle," gulped the prince of Ragbad ." better see if there's any cure for- for_this ! " he waved desperately ahead . and Grampa, with a little choke of fright, pulled out the wizard's medicine ." Burns, scalds and heat strokes," faltered Grampa ." well, we'd better take_the cure for ' all three ." a teaspoonful was prescribed in each_case and with trembling hands the old soldier measured out the doses . bill could_not swallow, so the old soldier dashed the medicine over his head .

" i_think you're a fairy," puffed Grampa, throwing a dose in_the face of_the surprised little flower girl, " but if anything should happen I'd never forgive myself ." Tatters came next and by_this_time the water was so hot that Grampa himself began to groan with discomfort . so he hastily swallowed his three spoonfuls, corked the bottle and prepared for_the worst . but immediately everything grew better . the waves of heat from_the island seemed only pleasant breezes now and_the steaming water did_not even feel hot . before_they had time to wonder at all this, they were washed up on_the burning sands of fire island itself .

" is_it the fortune ? " asked bill, hopping out of Tatters' arms ." you said land-- or gold, and this_is a golden land ."

Grampa was too dazed to answer .Finding himself completely fire proof was strange enough, but actually walking on an island of fire seemed

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