Oz 18: Grandpa in Oz by Ruth Plumly Thompson
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chased Enorma . they were towering men of snow, with faces of roughly cut ice and so cruel and forbidding in appearance that just to_think of_them makes me shudder .Fortunately Grampa was not so easily frightened as I_am .

"Animals indeed ! " spluttered the old soldier ." company ! forward march ! " and Grampa rushed through_the trees so fast that Tatters and Urtha had to run to_keep up . so suddenly did they burst out upon_the little group of islanders that several of_the snow men fell over backwards .

" where is_the king ? " shouted Grampa, giving his drum such a whack that three more of_the company collapsed . but they quickly recovered themselves and, instead of answering, the tallest snow man flung out his arms toward Urtha .

" stand still ! " he commanded angrily ." you're ruining my island . look at_the foolish creature cluttering up the place with flowers ! "

Urtha shrank back toward Tatters and_the young prince, speechless with indignation, grasped his umbrella and prepared to attack . but Grampa restrained him and with another resounding whack of_his drum strode up_to_the speaker .

" is_this your island ? " asked the old soldier, stamping his game foot .

" yes, and what_are you doing on_it ? " demanded chin chilly, stamping his snow foot ." just to look at you makes me want to melt ! "

" go ahead and melt," advised Grampa coldly- by_this_time he_was very cold-" but before_you do and before_you give_us any more of your chin music, hand over the reward .I lay claim to half the kingdom and_the princess in_the name of prince Tatters of Ragbad ! "

" has he slain the dragon ? " asked the king, with a gasp of surprise . his manner changed at once and, looking as pleasant as a fellow with icicle whiskers well can, he turned to Tatters . the prince of Ragbad nodded shortly, for he had_not forgotten the king's rudeness to Urtha, and Grampa waved his sword toward the body of Enorma, still floating half in and half out_of_the water .Running down to_the edge of_the stream, the snow men began to hug one another and dance up and down with excitement .

" this_way ! this_way ! " chuckled chin chilly, rubbing his hands together gleefully .Grampa, his head held high and_his chest thrust out proudly, followed- for Grampa felt that_this was a great day in_the history of Ragbad- but Tatters was beginning to_have misgivings about_the princess of Isa Poso .

chapter 13

Tatters Receives the reward

prince TATTERS had little time to_think of either the ship or the fortune, for after a short march over the snow, chin chilly stepped across a small neck of land and_the little army found themselves on a great block of ice, only connected with_the island itself by_the narrow strip on_which they had crossed .a messenger had already been dispatched for_the princess and, standing first on one foot then on_the other, Tatters impatiently awaited her approach .Urtha, remembering chin chilly's distaste for flowers, kept perfectly still, holding fast to Tatters' coat-tails and peering anxiously in_the direction the messenger had taken .

" just like the old days; just like the old days ! " boasted Grampa, stamping up and down to_keep warm . but when, a moment later, the princess of Isa Poso actually appeared, the old soldier nearly fell from under his hat . yes, really ! for_the Princenss was a maiden of ice and, wrapped in her robes of snow, she stared at_the prince of Ragbad so frigidly and with_such cold and dreadful disdain that a chill ran down his spine and icicles formed on_his lashes .

" my boy," stuttered Grampa, rushing over to_his side, "I'm afraid we've been a bit hasty . let_us consider this_matter a little further ."

" none of_that," fumed chin chilly, bustling forward hastily ." none of_that . my word is my word .I insist upon keeping it ."

" we'll take your word if_you'll keep your daughter," began Grampa quickly . but, ad-vancing with mincing little steps, the icy princess held out her hand . her nose was so_long and sharp that_it made Tatters squint but before he_could make any objection she seized his hand in her cold clasp . at_the same moment all the snow men except chin chilly sprang back across the little neck of land .

" run ! " panted Grampa, tugging Tatters by_the coat .

" run ! " gasped Urtha . but before Tatters could run there_was ablinding flash . chin chilly had raised his sword, snapped off his daughter's hand and, seizing her by_the other one, he dragged her back across the strip of land . then, before a body could wink, the snow men with their sharp axes chopped away this connecting link leaving Grampa and_his company marooned on_the desolate iceberg .

" you_have my daughter's hand, but she's already grown another," shouted chin chilly maliciously . and so she had ! the little party on_the ice could plainly see that for themselves ." you_have my daughter's hand and_that is your half of_the kingdom," shrieked the wretched old snow king, nearly bending double at his own joke .

" half the kingdom and_the princess' hand ! " snorted the old soldier in a fury ."I'll snap off his whiskers ! I'll pound him to snow flakes ! "

Gathering himself together, Grampa prepared to jump back to Isa Poso . but Tatters, flinging the hand of_the princess as far as he_could, seized Grampa around the waist . and it_is well that he_did, for already there_was a great stretch of tumbling waters between_the iceberg and_the island .

" he has no more honor than a sword- fish ! " spluttered Grampa, breaking away from_the prince ."I've never been so insulted in my life ! "

" where is_the golden ship ? " demanded an indignant voice ." where are the diamonds ? what have_you done with_the princess ? "

Dropping with a thud that sent a shower of ice splinters into_the air, the weather cock planted himself before Grampa . he had_been looking all over Isa Poso for chin chilly and had arrived just in_time to_see his friends sailing off on_the iceberg .

"Oh, bill ! " cried Urtha, giving the iron bird an impulsive hug, " i_thought you were lost ! "

" where is_the golden ship ? where are the diamonds ? " insisted the weather cock, slipping out of Urtha's embrace .

"Oh, go crack yourself some icicles," mut-tered the old soldier crossly . he_did_not like to_be reminded of_his cheerful prophecy ." go crack yourself some icicles, bill, that's all the diamonds you'll get ."

" there isn't any ship- nor any diamonds- nor anything ! " said Tatters, wrapping the skin of_the old thread bear more tightly about him and staring drearily over the tossing waters of_the Nonestic ocean .

" but you don't have to marry the princess," Urtha reminded him softly, " and even if_this isn't a golden ship couldn't we dance and be happy ? "

" well, if_we don't dance, we'll freeze," fumed Grampa, beginning to stamp up and down ." we'll freeze anyway," he predicted gloomily ." look pleasant, my boy . we_might as_well freeze as attractively as possible . they'll carve us a monument on a block of ice, no_doubt: ' frozen in_the line of duty ! '

Tatters coughed plaintively and began to tramp sadly up and down after Grampa .

"Don't freeze," begged the little flower fairy, clasping her hands in distress and keeping step with_the down-hearted adventurers ." why, where's that funny bottle ? " she asked suddenly .

" the medicine ! what have_you done with_the wizard's medicine ? " crowed the weather cock, flapping his wings . now so_much had happened to_the old soldier since_the eruption that he had entirely forgotten Gorba's cure for everything . but at Urtha's words he snatched it out and, there, listed under colds, chills, frost bites and exposure, Grampa found a remedy for their troubles .

" you've saved our lives, my dear," sighed the old soldier, measuring out four drops for Tatters on a spoonful of snow . and everything was better after_that, for as_soon_as Grampa and_the prince swallowed the marvelous mixture they began to tingle with warmth and even an iceberg could_not long be cheerless with a little fairy like Urtha aboard . everywhere she stepped gay posies blossomed and soon there were circles and circles of_them bobbing in_the bright sunshine .Urtha and bill did_not feel the cold, and as Grampa and Tatters were now frost proof, their whole outlook changed . the huge iceberg was sliding along through_the choppy waves at high speed and_the sensation was not_only pleasant but highly exhilarating .

" which_way are we going ? " asked the old soldier, sitting down recklessly on a cake of ice .

" east," announced the weather cock, after twirling around three times like a top .

" that's good," sighed Grampa, " for east of us lies Oz and_the nearer we come to Oz, the farther we get from Isa Poso ."

"I never want_to_see it again ! and if that_is a sample of your Princesses, I'll be like you, Grampa, and never marry," said the prince, taking a seat beside the old soldier ." i_think, myself, that if_we_can find my father's head, we'd better just go home anyway . we_could work hard in_the gingham gardens, raise bigger crops and-"

" and I'll help_you," smiled Urtha, drifting about over the ice like an old- fashioned bouquet and filling the frosty air with a lovely fragrance .

" but the fortune," objected bill, staring at_the prince in horror ." we_have to_find the fortune ."

" that's right," agreed the old soldier, remem-bering Mrs sew- and- sew's words about refur-nishing the castle ." we mustn't give up yet, just because we've bumped into some odd and chilly places . just wait- there_are lots of Princesses in Oz, and fortunes too ! "

" well I prefer fairies," sighed Tatters, with a smile at Urtha .

" look ! " cried the little flower girl delightedly ." let's pretend this_is a' silver ship and there-" as a spray of crystal drops dashed over the side of_the iceberg-" there_are the diamonds ! let's dance ! " she looked so coaxing and so cunning that Tatters sprang up impulsively and_the two went skipping, sliding and twirling all over the ice until they were dancing on a perfect carpet of flowers .

" teach her the Ragbad quadrille," called Grampa ." if_we're going back with a fortune, there'll be high old times in_the red castle and Urtha will want to_know the dances the same as_the other girls . wait, I'll play it for_you .

Seizing his drum sticks, the old soldier broke into_the spirited measures of_the Ragbad quadrille and soon Tatters and Urtha were bowing and gliding, turning three times to_the left and four to_the right, pretending to_change partners with a dozen imaginary courtiers- all troubles and dangers forgotten .

" this reminds me of old times," said Grampa, stopping at last from lack of breath ." and you'll never be a wall- flower, my dear ! " chuckled the old soldier, wagging his finger at_the little fairy .

" let's play scrum," proposed Tatters, who was perfectly breathless too .

"Oh let's ! " cried Urtha . so Grampa obligingly unfastened his game leg, and_the prince and little flower girl were soon deep in_the mysteries of_the queer old game of scrum, bill keeping score on_the ice and_the old soldier, with half closed eyes, thinking of_the good old days when he_was alad and a hero to all the pretty girls in Ragbad .

" first peaceful moment we've had since we left the old country," mused Grampa and, reaching down, he picked up his pipe and tobacco .Tatters had removed them from_the game leg before_they started to play . absently Grampa filled his pipe from one_of_the pouches- the blue pouch he had taken from Vaga, the bandit . all this_time it had lain forgotten in Grampa's game leg . without realizing that he had used the robber's tobacco, Grampa felt for a match . at_the same moment Urtha and Tatters finished their fifth game of scrum and, closing up the game leg, they buckled it back in place .

" now tell me all about Ragbad," begged Urtha, leaning against Grampa's knee . this Tatters was only too delighted to_do, for_the young Pnnce was heartily homesick and, as he_could_not be in Ragbad, talking about_it was_the next best thing . so he_told little Urtha all about his pigeons and_the Redsmith and Pudge's tower- where you_could_see clear out into Jinxland- and of_the fun he and Grampa had in_the old castle and of Mrs sew- and- sew's garden . the old soldier nodded from_time to_time and at last, taking up his pipe, he began to smoke . I_say began, for at_the third puff a simply astonishing thing happened . bill vanished instanter [ and you_know how quick that_is] .Tatters turned to a great black crow, Urtha to a crow of vari- colored feathers, and Grampa, himself, to an old crow with a game leg .

" help ! " cawed the old soldier, dropping the pipe from_his bill and beginning to hop wildly over the ice .

"Daisies and dahlias, I_can fly ! " twittered Urtha, circling aloft ." come on Tatters and try it ! "

" he's a crow ! " shrieked Grampa ."I'm a crow, you're a crow ! what's happened and where's bill ? "

" here I_am," screamed a frightened voice . but though they stared and stared they_could see nothing at all- for bill had turned to acock's crow, which of_course can only be heard and not seen .

" poor bill, there's nothing left but his crow," cawed Grampa .

" it's magic," gasped Tatters .

" it's that pesky wizard," added the old soldier, stamping his game foot and ruffling up all his feathers, for Grampa did_not realize he'd smoked Vaga's tobacco .

" but now that we're crows why_not fly ? " asked Urtha merrily . she did_not seem to mind her feathers at all ." let's fly back to Oz ! "

" why, so we_can ! " cried Tatters ." all the way over the Nonestic ocean and sandy desert, straight to_the emerald city itself . someone's helping us, Grampa," finished the prince of Ragbad, fluttering into_the air .

" wish they'd mind their own business," croaked Grampa crossly ." being a crow is no help to_me . but come on . we_might as_well fly while we_can . bill, you lead the way and_see that you keep us pointed east and crow every few_minutes, will_you, so we_can hear where you_are .

" all right," agreed the weather cock readily, and they_could tell from_the flutter of_his iron wings that_the puzzled bird had gotten under

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