Oz 16: Kabumpo in Oz by Ruth Plumly Thompson
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are_you going out, sir ? " murmured the little Pumperdinkian, hastening to a great chest in_the corner of_the big marble room, to_get out_of_the robe .

" not unless disappearing is going out," said Kabumpo more mildly, for he_was quite fond of_this little man who waited on him ." but I'm liable to disappear any minute . so are_you . so is everybody, and I, for_my part, wish to_do_the thing well and disappear with as_much elegance as possible . have_you heard about_the magic scroll, Spezzle ? "

" yes sir ! " quavered Spezzle, mounting a ladder to adjust the elegant elephant's pearls and gorgeous robe of state ." yes, sir, and my head's going round and round like--"

" like what ? " asked Kabumpo, looking approvingly at his reflection in_the long mirror .

" I_can't rightly say, sir," sighed Spezzle ." this disappearing has me that mixed up I don't know what I'm doing ."

" well, don't start by losing your head," chuckled Kabumpo ." there-- that_will do very_well ." he lifted the little man down from_the ladder .

" good-bye, Spezzle . if you_should disappear before I should_see you again, try to_do_it in style ."

" yes, sir ! " gulped Spezzle . then taking out a bright red handkerchief he blew his nose violently and rushed out_of_the room .

Kabumpo walked up and down before_the mirror, surveying himself from all angles .a very gorgeous appearance he presented, in_his purple plush robe of state, all embroidered in silver, and_his head bands of shining pearls . in_the left side of_his robe there_was a deep pocket . into_this the elegant elephant slipped all the jewels he possessed, taking them from a drawer in_the chest .

" I_must get that gold door knob," he rumbled thoughtfully ." and_the mirror ." Noiselessly( for all his tremendous size, Kabumpo could move without a sound) he_made his way back to_the banquet hall and loomed up suddenly behind the prime Pumper . the old fellow was staring with popping eyes into_the gold mirror .

"Ho, Ho ! " roared Kabumpo ."Ho, Ho ! Kerumph ! "

" no wonder ! above the shocked reflection of_the foolish statesman stood the words " old goose ! "

"A truthful mirror, indeed," wheezed the elegant elephant .

"Heh ? what ? " stuttered the prime Pumper slapping the mirror down on_the table in a hurry ." where'd you come from ? what_are you all dressed up for ? "

" for_my disappearance," said Kabumpo, sweeping the door knob and mirror into his pocket ."I'm getting ready to disappear . how do I look ? "

before_the prime Pumper had time to answer, the elegant elephant was gone .

back in_his own room, Kabumpo paced impatiently up and down waiting for night ." I_do_not_see how she_could refuse us," he mumbled every now_and_then to himself .

that was an anxious afternoon and evening in_the palace of Pumperdink . every few_minutes the Courtiers felt themselves nervously to_see if_they were still there . the servants went about on tip- toe, looking fearfully over their shoulders for_the first signs of disappearance . as it grew darker the gates and windows were securely barred and not a candle was lighted ." the less the castle shows, the less likely it_is to disappear," reasoned the king .

the darkness suited Kabumpo . he waited until everyone in_the palace had retired and a full hour longer . then he stepped softly down the passage to_the prince's apartment .Pompadore, without undressing, had flung himself upon a couch and fallen into an uneasy slumber .

without making a sound, Kabumpo took the prince's crown from adressing cabinet, slipped it carefully into_the pocket of_his robe, and then carefully lifted the sleeping prince in_his curling trunk and started cautiously down the great hall .Setting him gently on_the floor as he reached the palace doors, he pushed back the golden bolts and stepped out into_the garden .

the voices of_the watchmen calling to each_other from_the great wall came faintly through_the darkness, but the elegant elephant hurried to a secret unguarded entrance known only to himself and Pompadore and passed like a great shadow through_the swinging gates . once outside, he swung the sleeping prince to_his broad back and ran swiftly and silently through_the night .

" what_are we doing ? " murmured the prince drowsily in_his sleep .

"Disappearing," chuckled Kabumpo under his breath ."Disappearing from Pumperdink, my lad ."

chapter 4 the curious Cottabus Appears

"Ouch ! " prince Pompadore stirred uneasily and rolled over ."Ouch ! " he groaned again, giving his pillow a fretful thump ."Ouch ! " this_time his eyes flew wide open, for_his knuckles were tingling with pain .

"A rock ! " gasped the prince sitting up indignantly .

"A rock under my head ! no wonder it aches ! great Gilikens ! where am I ? " he stared about wildly . there_was not a familiar object in sight . indeed he_was in a dim, deep forest, and from_the distance came the sound of someone sawing wood .

"Oh ! Oh ! I_know ! " muttered the prince, rubbing his head miserably ." it's that wretched scroll .I've disappeared and this_is_the place I've disappeared to ." Stiffly he got to_his feet and started to walk in_the direction of_the sawing, but had only gone a few steps before he_gave a cry of joy, for there, learning up against a tree, snoring like twenty wood-cutters at work, was Kabumpo .

" wake up ! " cried Pompadore, pounding him with all his might ." wake up, Kabumpo . we've disappeared ! "

" have we ? " yawned the elegant elephant, opening one eye . you don't say ? Hah, Hoh, hum ! " with a tremendous yawn he opened the other eye and began to chuckle and shake all over .

" we stole a march on 'em, Pompa I'd like to_see the king's face when he finds us gone . old Pumper will_be Oyezing all over the palace . he'll think we've disappeared by magic ."

" well, didn't we ? " asked Pompadore in amazement .

" not unless you call me magic .I carried you off in_the night . did you suppose old Kabumpo was going to stand quietly by while they married you to afagotty old fairy like Faleero ? not much," wheezed the elegant elephant ." I_have other plans for_you, little one ! "

" but this_is terrible ! " cried the prince, catching hold of a tree ." here you_have left my poor old father, my lovely mother, and_the whole kingdom of Pumperdink to disappear . we'll have to_go right straight back-- right straight back to Pumperdink . do_you hear ? "

" do have a little sense ! " Kabumpo shook himself crossly ." you_can't save them by going back . the thing to_do is to_go forward, find the proper princess and marry her . no scroll magic takes effect for seven days, anyway ! "

" how do_you_know ? " asked Pompa anxiously .

" read it in a witch book," answered Kabumpo promptly ." now, that gives us plenty of_time to_go to_the emerald city and present ourselves to_the lovely ruler of OZ . there's a proper princess for_you, Pompa ! "

" but suppose she refuses me," said the prince uncertainly .

" you're very handsome, Pompa, my boy ." the elegant elephant gave the prince a playful poke with_his trunk ."I've brought all my jewels as gifts and_the magic mirror and door knob as_well . if she refuses you and_the worst comes to_the worst"-- Kabumpo cleared his throat gravely--" well-- just leave it to_me ! "

after a bit more coaxing and after eating the breakfast Kabumpo had thoughtfully brought along, Pompa allowed the elegant elephant to lift him on_his head and off they set at Kabumpo's best speed for_the emerald city of Oz .

neither the prince nor the elegant elephant had ever been out of Pumperdink, but Kabumpo had found an old map of Oz in_the palace library .According to_this map, the emerald city lay directly to_the south of_their own country ." so all we_have to_do is to_keep going south," chuckled Kabumpo softly .Pompadore nodded, but he_was trying to recall the exact words of_the mysterious scroll:

" know ye, that unless ye prince of ye ancient and honorable kingdom of Pumperdink shall wed ye proper fairy princess in ye proper span of_time ye kingdom of Pumperdink shall disappear forever and even longer from ye Gilliken country of Oz .J .G ."

Pompadore repeated the words solemnly; then fell a-thinking of all he had heard of Ozma of Oz, the loveliest little fairy imaginable .

" she wouldn't want one of her kingdom to disappear," reflected Pompadore sagely . now, as it happened, Ozma did_not even know of_the existence of Pumperdink .Oz is so large and inhabited by so_many strange and singular peoples that although fourteen books of history have_been written about_it only half the story has_been told . there_are no Oz railway or steamship lines and traveling is tedious and slow, owing to_the magic nature of_the land itself, its many mountains and fairy forests, so_that Pumperdink, like many_of_the small Kingdoms on_the outskirts of Oz, has never been explored by Ozma .

Oz itself is a huge oblong country divided into four parts, the north being the purple Gilliken country, the east the blue Munchkins country, the south the red lands of_the Quadlings, and_the west the pleasant yellow country of_the Winkies . in_the very center of Oz, as almost every boy and girl knows, is_the wonderful emerald city, and in its gorgeous green palace lives Ozma, the lovely little fairy princess, whom Kabumpo wanted Pompadore to marry .

" do_you_know," mused the prince, after they had traveled some_time through_the dim forest, "I believe that gold mirror has alot to_do with all this .I believe it_was put in_the cake to help me find the proper princess ."

" where would you find a more proper princess than Ozma ? " puffed Kabumpo indignantly ."Ozma is_the one-- depend upon it ! "

" just the same," said Pompa firmly, "I'm going to_try every princess we meet ! "

" do_you expect to_find 'em running wild in_the woods ? " snorted Kabumpo, who didn't like to_be contradicted .

" you never can tell ." the prince of Pumperdink settled back comfortably . now that_they were really started, he_was finding traveling extremely interesting ." i_should_have done this long_ago," murmured the prince to himself ." every prince should go on a journey of adventure ."

" how long will it take us to reach the emerald city ? " he asked presently .

" two days, if nothing happens," answered Kabumpo ." say-- what's that ? " he stopped short and spread his ears till they looked like sails . the underbrush at_the right was crackling from_the springs of some large animal, and next minute a hoarse voice roared:

" i_want to_know the which and what, the where and how and why ? a curious, luxurious old Cottabus am I !

i_want to_know the when and who, the whatfor and whyso, sir ! so please attend, there_is no end to things i_want to_know, sir ! "

"Aha ! " exulted the voice triumphantly ." there you_are ! " and a great round head was thrust out, almost in Kabumpo's face ."Oh ! I'm going to enjoy this .Don't move ! "

Kabumpo was too astonished to move, and_the next instant the Cottabus had flounced out_of_the bushes and settled itself directly in front of_the two travelers . it_was large as a pony, but shaped like a great overfed cat . its eyes bulged unpleasantly and_the end of_its tail ended in a large fan .

" well," grunted Kabumpo after_the strange creature had regarded them for a full minute without blinking .

" well," what ? " it asked, beginning to fan itself sulkily ." you act as if_you had never seen aCottabus before ."

" we never have," admitted Pompa, peering over Kabumpo's head and secretly wishing he had brought along his jeweled sword .

" why haven't you ? " asked the Cottabus, rolling up its eyes ." how frightfully ignorant ! " it closed its fan tail with a snap and looked up at them disapprovingly ." will_you kindly tell me who you_are, where you came from, when_you came, what you_are going for, how you_are going to_get it, why you_are going and what you_are going to_do when_you do get it ! "

"I don't see why we_should tell you all that," grumbled Kabumpo ." it's none of your affair ."

" wrong ! " shrieked the creature hysterically ." it_is_the business of aCottabus to_find out everything .I live on other people's affairs, and unless"-- here it paused, took a large handkerchief out of a pocket in its fur and began to wipe its eyes--" unless aCottabus asks fifty questions a day it curls up in its porch rocker and d-d-dies, and this_is my fifth questionless day ."

" curl up and die, then," said Kabumpo gruffly . but the kind-hearted prince felt sorry for_the foolish creature .

" if_we answer your questions, will_you answer ours ? "

"I'll try," sniffed the curious Cottabus, and leaning over it dragged arocking chair out_of_the bushes and seated itself comfortably .

" well, then," began Pompa, " this_is_the elegant elephant and I_am a prince . we came from Pumperdink because our kingdom was threatened with disappearance unless I marry a proper princess ."

" yes," murmured the Cottabus, rocking violently ." yes, yes ! "

" and we_are going to_the emerald city to ask princess Ozma for her hand," continued the prince .

" how do_you_know she is_the one ? when did this happen ? who brought the message ? what_are you going to_do if Ozma refuses you ? " asked the Cottabus, leaning forward breathlessly .

" are_you going to stand talking to_this ridiculous creature all day ? " grumbled Kabumpo . but Pompadore, perhaps because he_was so young, felt flattered that even a curious old Cottabus should take such an interest in_his affairs . so beginning at_the very beginning he_told the whole story of_his birthday party .

" yes, yes," gulped the Cottabus wildly each_time the prince paused for breath ." yes, yes," fluttering its fan excitedly . when Pompadore had finished the Cottabus leaned back, closed its eyes and put both paws on_the arms of_the rocker ."I never heard anything more curious in my life," said the curious one ." this_will keep me amused for three days ! "

" of_course-- that's what we're here for-- to amuse you ! " said Kabumpo scornfully ." let's be going, Pompa ! "

" perhaps the curious Cottabus can tell us something of_the country ahead . are there any Princesses living ' round here ? " the prince asked eagerly .

" never heard of any," said the Cottabus, opening its eyes ." can_you multiply-- add-- divide and subtract ? are_you good at fractions, prince ? "

" not very," admitted Pompadore, looking mystified .

" then you won't make much

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