Oz 20: The Hungry Tiger of Oz by Ruth Plumly Thompson
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to rise . but the more he coaxed and blamed himself, the harder Ozma wept, so_that neither of_them heard the approaching steps of a stranger .

"Hello ! " cried a bluff voice suddenly ." what's the matter here ? did you bust your balloon, little girl, or what ? " Glancing up, Ozma saw a tall red faced fellow in a leather apron just behind her . the head of_the airman did look like a great balloon, and while Ozma quickly dried her tears, Atmos simply stared at_the newcomer, almost forgetting his misfortune in_his curiosity .

" what_is this ? " he whispered huskily ." i_thought earth was inhabited by Princesses like yourself . is_this a princess, too ? "

"Hah, hah, hah ! " roared the stranger, slap-ping his greath thigh ." do I look like a princess ? " then, as_the curiousness of a balloon's conversing struck him, his eyes grew rounder and rounder and_his mouth hung open with astonishment .

" it's an airman," explained Ozma with dignity, " and I_am the princess of Oz ."

" airman ! " muttered the big fellow under his breath ."Oz ? well, I've heard of Oz, but you're a long way from home, little lady, and where on earth did you pick up this fellow ? "

" he's from_the sky," Ozma hastened to inform him .

" and I've had a serious accident," added Atmos, to save the little fairy from telling her part in_the affair .

" you look like an accident," observed the stranger, kneeling down beside the collapsed form of_the airman ." was_it a puncture or an explosion ? "

"A-a puncture," sighed Atmos, with a sidelong glance at Ozma, " but what manner of earth creature are_you ? "

"I'm an ornamental iron worker," announced the stranger proudly ." there's my shack over yonder . rusty ore is my name, and say ! " he rose and looked triumphantly at_the little fairy ."I believe I_could blow this fellow up again .I've a bellows in_the shop . shall I try ? "

"Oh, could you ? would you ? " begged the little princess, clasping her hands eagerly . the more rusty looked at lovely little Ozma, the surer he became that he_could . everyone who saw Ozma had an immediate desire to_serve her, and_the ornamental iron worker was no exception .Rolling the airman into a neat bundle, he slung him over his shoulder . then, taking Qzma's hand, strode briskly across the fields .

" have_you anything to eat in your house ? " asked the little princess, skipping to_keep up with rusty's long strides ."I haven't had anything to eat for two days ! "

" two days ! " bellowed the iron worker indig-nantly, and sweeping Ozma up into his arms, he broke into a run, so_that almost before_they knew it, they had reached his queer little shop .

chapter 15

rusty ore to_the rescue

while Ozma, perched on rusty's rude bench, nibbled hungrily at_the big sandwich he had brought her, Atmos looked around him with interest and frank curiosity . the little shop was filled with iron deer, fire irons, iron dogs and weather cocks, too . rusty had placed the punctured airman on top of a scrap heap, while he went to search for_his bellows, that he might blow him up .

" is_this an earth castle ? " asked Atmos, as rusty disappeared through_the doorway ." are there many creatures like this at_the bottom of_the air ? "

" rusty is a man . there_are plenty of men, women, children, Kings, Queens and animals down here," answered Ozma, hardly knowing how to_begin to_tell an airman about_the real and unreal countries of_the earth ." everyone here does_not live in a castle," she went on seriously ." most people live in houses or on farms ."

" what's a farm ? " asked Atmos, with a puzzled frown ." do_you_know, little princess, i_think I had better explore this country a bit further before I'm blown up . think what a lecture I_can give on_the wonders at_the bottom of_the sky' ."

" why don't you ? " asked Ozma, swallowing the last bite of_the sandwich .

" what ? " inquired rusty, returning just then with_the bellows .

" i_was just remarking to_the princess that I'd like to_see more of your earth before I return to_the sky," confided Atmos, blinking his round eyes at_the iron worker ." but as_soon_as I'm blown up and patched I'll fly straight upward ."

" how did you manage before ? " questioned rusty, sitting down on_the bench beside Ozma .

" well," said Atmos, "a friend of_mine who lives on_the Mountains of_the moon, made me a pair of iron boots . these enabled me to sink through_the air and walk about_the bottom of_the sky which you call the earth . i_wanted to_find out if_the earth was inhabited .Putting on_the boots, I dove from_the tip of_the moon and landed in a strange and lovely garden, where the first object that met my eyes was_the lovely little lady before_us . delighted with my find, I picked this princess from_the garden, kicked off my boots and flew back to_the sky, carrying her along as proof ."

" proof ? " blustered rusty, jumping up indignantly ." how dare you steal a princess for proof, you old rascal ! what shall I_do to him ? " he puffed, turning angrily to Ozma .

"Oh, nothing, please do nothing ! " begged the little fairy in alarm ." he_did_not really mean any harm and I'm down on earth again . besides-" (Ozma's voice sank to a low whis-per), " besides, I punctured him with a pin ."

" you_did ! " exclaimed rusty admiringly ." well, good for_you ! "

" yes ! " sighed Atmos sorrowfully ." it_was good for her, but exceedingly bad for_me . still, I_can_see now that_it_was wrong for_me to carry her away, and if_you'll find some way to blow me up and keep me down, I'll take her safely back to her castle ."

" now you're talking like a real man instead of a wind bag," said rusty approvingly ."I'll tell you what I'll do .I'll make you a pair of iron shoes myself, blow you up, patch you up and start you in_the right direction . how would that be ? "

Ozma was so delighted with_the iron worker's plan that she gave him a hearty hug, and as rusty started to work on_the boots at once, it_was not long before_they were finished and standing in_the doorway to cool .

Blowing Atmos up was a ticklish and dangerous operation .Carrying the airman outside, rusty placed him on_the ground . then, placing the bellows in_his side, he began to work it slowly and carefully, while Ozma watched to_see that each arm and leg had the same amount of air . before_they started, rusty had weighted Atmos down with an iron bucket and an iron stag, but as_the body of_the airman filled out, he grew so light and buoyant they had to add the anchor and a couple of chains .

" not too_much, now," warned Ozma, anx-iously untying the ribbon from_the airman's throat ." not too_much, or he'll burst ! "

but Atmos did_not burst, and when rusty saw he had exactly filled out his strange silken skin, he pulled out the bellows, clapped a neat patch over the puncture and stood back to admire this curious citizen of_the air .Atmos, himself, began to bounce, swing his arms and sing aloud for pure joy ." excuse my singing," chuckled the airman, " but I'm full of fresh air and you_have no idea how fine it feels ."

" well, don't put on airs with_us," muttered rusty, who was really alarmed at_the airman's size ." do_you_think he's safe ? " he whispered nervously to Ozma .Ozma nodded enthusiastically and, somewhat reassured, rusty went off to pack her a lunch for_the journey back home .

by_this_time, the boots had cooled and, with great difficulty, rusty fitted them to_the airman's puffy feet, released him from_the iron weights and chains and helped him to rise .

Ozma watched with great interest, for she was not at all sure the boots would keep Atmos on_the earth . but after a few skips and flutters the airman began to walk soberly up and down, and with a pleased smile declared himself ready to start .

rusty was sorry to_have the little princess go, but when she explained the strange disappearance of Betsy bobbin and how she_must return at once to_the emerald city and try to discover her whereabouts in_the magic picture, he reluctantly bade her good-bye .

" you_are on_the edge of_the gnome king's dominions," said rusty, " and if_you travel straight ahead you_will come to_the deadly desert . with iron boots Atmos should_have no trouble crossing the burning sands, and if he carries you on_his shoulder no harm will come to_you .

" I_have never seen a desert," said Atmos eagerly, " for there_are no deserts in_the sky . come, little princess, let_us go at once ." Giving rusty a farewell embrace and thanking him again for all his kindness, Ozma ran after_the airman, who had already started toward the south .

" good-bye ! " called rusty, as_they turned to wave to him from a little hill ." be careful not to tread on her toes ! "

the country through which they were passing was barren and wild and not at all interesting to Ozma, but the airman stopped and exclaimed over every tree and boulder, collecting so_many leaves, flowers, sticks and small stones, that his air pockets were soon bulging .

"I'm really quite glad i_was punctured," he remarked happily ." otherwise i_should_have missed all this ."

Ozma nodded, a bit impatiently, for she was thinking of all she had missed during her strange two days in_the air, and wondering what had become of Betsy bobbin .

" maybe she's been home all the time," sighed the little princess, " and won't she be astonished when I tell her where I_have_been .Oh, dear, I_do wish he_would hurry . if_you put any more stones in your pocket you'll never be_able to fly," she cautioned gently, " and if_we don't walk a little faster, we'll never reach the emerald city at all ."

" that's so," puffed the airman, and straightening up he reluctantly dropped a handful of pebbles ." but walking is so monotonous . in_the air, we_can drift, float, swim or fly and so we never grow tired ."

" it must_be very nice," agreed Ozma politely, " but don't you_think you_could walk a little faster ? we're going to_have a storm," she added, glancing up at_the sky, which_was full of dark clouds ."Oh, Atmos, let's run and maybe we'll reach a house before it breaks ."

"Breaks ? " panted the airman, clumping clum-sily after_the light- footed little fairy ." what_will it break ? us ? "

"Don't you ever have any storms in_the sky ? " called Ozma over her shoulder .

Atmos shook his head solemnly ." we're above all that sort of thing," grunted the airman, trying his best to_keep up with Ozma ." dear me, how dreadfully disagreeable ." the sky had grown dark by_this_time and_the rain was falling in torrents .Blinding flashes of lightning and loud crashes of thunder added to_the confusion and when large hail Stones came pelting down upon their heads, Atmos stopped in positive alarm .

" princess ! princess ! " choked the airman, groping toward Ozma in_the dark, " get me out of_this or I'll be punctured ! "

" if I only had my magic belt ! " gasped Ozma, pushing back her wet hair, " I_could wish us both to_the emerald city .Oh, dear, I_do wish there_was a house somewhere ! "

scarcely had the words been spoken before a house sprang up at_the little girl's feet- so suddenly, in_fact, that_it tumbled her over backwards . the morning before she left her castle, Ozma had slipped one_of_the wizard's wishing powders into her pocket .

but, shoe strings and button hooks ! the little girl had_not_been careful to_say what kind of house she wanted and there, perched askew on_the dripping rocks, stood a dog house . while Atmos stared at it in adaze, thinking it, too, had fallen from_the sky, and Ozma picked herself up in astonishment, a cross doggie face appeared in_the doorway .

"Gr- woof ! " rumbled the dog threateningly . where he had_been wished from I_can not say, but the journey had_been unexpected and rough, and seeing two total strangers standing outside, the dog immediately decided they were responsible for_the accident .Paying no attention to_the rain or hail, he dashed furiously out and tried to bury his teeth in_the airman's leg . thanks to_his iron boots, Atmos was not punctured, and as_the dog made a spring at Ozma, the airman snatched the little fairy up in_his arms and began running in a way he had_not believed possible . so swiftly did Atmos run that_the barks of_the dog soon died away in_the distance and_the storm was left far behind them .

" stop ! stop ! " begged Ozma, when she_could finally make_the airman hear her ." stop, Atmos dear .Atmos Fere, you're running the wrong way .Oh ! Oh ! do take care, there's something queer about_this country ."

with a final puff, Atmos brought himself to a stop, or at_least he tried to . but the earth beneath his feet was behaving most unaccountably, moving along in big brown waves and carrying him tumbling along with it . they had unluckily run into_the great rolling country of_the east, mentioned by a few explorers, but seldom crossed by ordinary travellers .Standing first on one foot and then the other, Atmos tried wildly to_keep his balance, but in a moment a heavy mud wave struck him behind the knees and rolled him over, so_that he and_the little princess of Oz were soon being buffeted along like tiny ships on an unruly ocean . when_the waves broke, which they frequently did, sticks, stones, pebbles and dust showered over their heads . in_fact, a more miserable mode of travel cannot_be imagined .

" let_us fly," choked the frightened airman, clutching Ozma's hand ." say the word little princess, and I'll kick off my boots and carry you up_to safety ."

"

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