Oz 16: Kabumpo in Oz by Ruth Plumly Thompson
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not a person awake in_that whole big palace . even the little mice in_the kitchen were fast asleep, with heads on their paws .

did I_say everyone ? well, not quite everyone had fallen under the strange spell .Tik Tok, Scraps, and_the Scarecrow, who had never slept in their lives, were still wide awake, and regarding their companions with astonishment and alarm . the tin woodman was taking things calmly, oiling up his joints and polishing his tin jacket with silver polish .

" this_is no time to sleep," cried the Scarecrow, shaking sir Hokus ." I_say- wake up ! " but all their efforts to arouse their companions were in vain .

"En- chant-ment," said the copper man ." some-" with a click and awhirr Tik Tok's machinery ran down, and as Scraps and_the Scarecrow were too upset to_think of winding him, he stood as silent and dumb as_the rest .

" what shall we_do ? " cried the Scarecrow, seizing Scraps' arm ." jump out_of_the window and go for help, or stay here and guard the palace ? " Scraps looked out_of_the window ." stay here," shuddered the patch work girl, drawing in her head quickly .

" then," said the Scarecrow, " let_us arm ourselves and prepare to withstand any attack ." he snatched up a pair of fire tongs and Scraps grasped the poker .Falling into step, the two marched from_the top to_the bottom of_the palace .

everywhere the same sight met their gaze; rooms turned topsy turvy, and spread over floors and sofas and chairs the sleeping figures of Ozma's once lively Courtiers and servants . the effect was so distressing that Scraps and_the Scarecrow found themselves whispering and treading about on tip- toe . after inspecting the whole palace they returned to Dorothy's room and placed themselves disconsolately in_the doorway .

" anyway, Ruggedo is quiet," sighed the Scarecrow, " and_that is something ." Scraps started to_make a verse, but the silence and_the ghostlike atmosphere of_the sleeping palace had dashed even the spirits of_the patch work girl and she subsided with an indistinct mumble .

Ruggedo was silent for a very_good reason .Ruggedo was asleep, to-- asleep sitting up as stiff as a stone image, for even in_his sleep he dreamed of_the dreaded bombardment of eggs .

all this had happened because the little man in gray had taken Ozma's palace for an air castle, and who_could blame him for_that ? even the sand man would_not expect to_find a regular palace set among_the clouds . there_are plenty of dream castles, to_be_sure, and one_of_the sand man's chief delights is to jump through them and admire their lovely furniture . but sure- enough castles- the little fellow could_not get over it .Sitting cross-legged on_the white cloud, which floated close to Ruggedo's head, he stared and stared .

" well, I never," chuckled the sand man, and turned a somersault for very amazement . then, not knowing what else to_do or think, he sensibly decided to hurry home and tell the whole affair to_his wife . his empty bag he_found on a tall treetop, and without one backward glance he bounded into_the air and disappeared . really, it_was quite lucky the little old gentleman spilled his bag of sand where he_did, for_the only safe giant is asleeping giant, and while Ozma and her friends lay dreaming they_could_not worry .

" will they sleep forever ? " sighed Scraps, after she and_the Scarecrow had sat silently for an hour .

"Seems likely," said the Scarecrow gloomily ." but even if they_do," he plucked three straws from_his chest, " we_shall stick to our post to_the very end ."

the Scarecrow regarded the sleeping figures of_the little girls affectionately .

" to_the end of forever ? " gulped Scraps, putting her cotton finger in her mouth ." how long is_that ? "

" that," said the Scarecrow resignedly and settling himself comfortably, " that_is what we_shall soon see .

chapter 16

Kabumpo Vanquishes the Twigs

D' you_think you were alive before ? " asked Kabumpo, squinting down his long trunk at Peg Amy . she had begged him to_take off his plush robe and, spreading it on_the grass, was beating it briskly with_the branch of a tree .

" yes," sighed the wooden doll, pausing with uplifted stick and regarding Kabumpo solemnly, " I_must_have been alive before ' cause I keep remembering things .

" what kind of things ? " asked the elegant elephant, rubbing himself lazily against a tree .

" well, this for instance," said Peg, holding up a corner of_the purple plush robe ."I once had a dress of it .I'm sure I had a dress of_this stuff ."

" when_you were a little doll ? " asked Kabumpo curiously .

" no," said Peg, giving the robe a few little shakes, " before_that . and I remember this country, too, and_the sun and_the wind and_the sky . if I'd only been alive one day I wouldn't remember them, would I ? "

" queer things happen in Oz," said Kabumpo comfortably ." but why bother ? you_are alive and very jolly . you_are traveling with_the most elegant elephant in Oz and in_the company of a prince .Isn't that enough ? "

Peg Amy did_not reply but kept on beating the plush robe with determined little thumps and staring off through_the trees with a very puzzled expression in her painted blue eyes . they had traveled swiftly all morning through_the fertile farmlands of_the Winkies and had paused for lunch in_this little grove . Peg, not needing food, and Kabumpo, finding plenty of tender branches handy, had remained together while wag and_the prince sought more nourishing fare .

many a little Winkie farmer had stared in amazement as Peg and Pompa passed that morning but so fast did Kabumpo and wag travel that before_the Winkies were half sure of what they had seen there_was nothing but a cloud of dust to wonder over and exclaim about .

" if_you had a pair of scissors, I_could cut off the burned part of your robe and make it more tidy," said Peg, when she had finished beating the dust out of Kabumpo's gorgeous blanket .

" there_might_be a pair in my pocket," said the elegant elephant ." here, let me get them," he added hastily ." for suppose she should look into_the magic mirror," he thought suddenly ." it might tell her something terrible ! "

even in_this short time Kabumpo had grown fond of queer wooden Peg and careless as he_was somehow he_did_not want to hurt her feelings again . sure enough, there_was a pair of silver scissors in with_the jewels he had tumbled into his pocket before leaving Pumper-dink . so Peg carefully cut away all the scorched part of Kabumpo's robe and pinned under the rough edges with three beautiful pearl pins .

" now lift me up into that small tree and I'll drop it over you, ' she laughed gaily . this Kabumpo did quite easily and after Peg Amy had smoothed and adjusted the robe, she crept out on_the end of_the branch and straightened the elegant elephant's pearl head dress and brushed all the dust from_his forehead with a handful of damp leaves .

" you're a good girl, Peg," said Kabumpo, sighing with contentment ."I don't care whether you never were alive before or not, you've more sense than some people who've lived for centuries .I'm going to_give that gnome something on my own account . dared to shake you, did he ? well, wait till I get through shaking him ! "

" it didn't hurt," said Peg reflectively, " but it ruined all my clothes . do_you_think prince Pompadore minds having me look so shabby ? "

Kabumpo shifted about uneasily ." will this help ? " he asked sheepishly, pulling a lovely pearl necklace from_his pocket ."Ozma doesn't need everything," he muttered to himself .

"Oh ! how perfectly pomiferous ! " cried Peg ." lift me down so I_can try it on ." in a trice Kabumpo swung her down from_the tree and awkwardly Peg Amy clasped the chain about her wooden neck . then she flung both arms round Kabumpo's trunk ." you're the biggest darling old elephant in Oz ! " cried Peg happily .

Kabumpo blinked . he_was accustomed to being called elegant and magnificent but no one- not even Pompa- had ever called him an old darling before and he_found he liked it immensely .

while Peg ran to look at her reflection in a small pool he resolved to_get the wooden doll a position at court, for, in_spite of her stiff fingers, Peg was very deft and clever ." and she shall_have a purple plush dress too," said Kabumpo grandly .

just then Pompa and wag returned in a high good humor . the prince had tapped on_the door of a small farm house and_the little Winkie lady had_been most hospitable . not_only had she given the prince all he_could eat, but she had allowed wag to_go into_the garden and pick two dozen of her best cabbages . his size had greatly astonished her and she had insisted upon measuring him twice with her yellow tape measure but finally, without revealing the purpose of_their journey, the two managed to_get away . as all were now refreshed and rested, they decided to start on again .

" we ought to reach Ev by evening," puffed wag, between hops .

" but i_wish we_could open the magic box," sighed Peg, holding on to wag's ear, " for in_that box there's Flying fluid ! "

" we'd make aremarkably nice lot of birds," chuckled Kabumpo, looking over his shoulder, now wouldn't we ? "

" you_would," laughed Pompa ." what else was in_the box, Peg ? "

it_was hard to_talk while they were being jolted along, but Peg, being of wood, did_not feel the bumps and Pompa, being a prince, pretended not to, so that_they continued their conversation in jerky sentences .

" there's Vanishing cream, a little tea kettle and some kind of rays and a question box," said Peg, holding up her wooden hand ."A question box that answers any question you ask it ."

" there_is ! " exclaimed Kabumpo, stopping short ." well, i_wish we_could ask it whether Pumperdink has disappeared ."

" and how to rescue Ozma, and who sent the scroll ! " cried Pompa ."Oh, do let me try to open it, Peg ! "

so Peg handed over Glegg's magic box and as_they pounded along the prince tried to pry it open with_his pearl pen knife ." it would save us such alot of trouble," he murmured, holding it up and screwing his eye to_the keyhole .

" better let it alone," advised wag, wiggling his ears nervously ." suppose you_should grow as big for_you as I_am for_me . suppose you_should explode or vanish ! "

" vanish ! " coughed Kabumpo ." great Grump ! put it away, Pompa . wait till we reach Ev and make that wicked little Ruggedo open it for_us . who is_this Glegg, anyway ? "

"A lawless magician, I guess," said wag, " or he wouldn't have owned a box of mixed magic .Ozma doesn't allow anyone to practice magic, you_know ."

" why, I'll bet he was_the person who sent the scroll ! " exclaimed the prince suddenly ."Don't you remember, Kabumpo, it_was signed J .G .? "

" not a doubt in_the_world," rumbled Kabumpo ."I'll throw him up a tree when I catch him and Ruggedo, too ! "

"Oh, please don't," begged Peg Amy ." perhaps they_are sorry .

" not half as sorry as_they_will be," wheezed Kabumpo, plowing ahead through_the long grass like a big ferryboat under full steam .

wag hopped close behind and Peg kept her eyes fixed upon Pompa's back . in_spite of_his scorched head, he_seemed to Peg the most delightful prince imaginable .

"I'll brush off his cloak and cut his hair all evenly," thought Peg ." then, perhaps Ozma will say yes when he tells her his story and asks for her hand . but I wonder what_will become of me," Peg sighed ever so softly and looked down with distaste at her wooden hands and torn old dress . nothing very exciting could happen to a shabby wooden doll .

" why, I haven't even any right to_be alive," she reflected sadly ."I'm only meant to_be funny . well, never mind ! perhaps I_can help Pompa and maybe that's why i_was brought to life ."

this thought, and_the gleam of_the lovely pearls Kabumpo had given her, so cheered Peg that she began to hum a queer, squeaky little song . the country was growing rougher and more hilly every_minute . the sunny farmlands lay far behind them now and as Peg finished her song they came to_the edge of a queer, dead- looking forest . the trees were dry and without leaves and there were quantities of stiff bushes and short stunted little trees standing under the taller ones .

Peg had an odd feeling that hundreds of eyes were staring out at them but the forest was so dim that she couldn't be_sure . there_was not a sound but the crackling of_the dead branches under wag's and Kabumpo's feet .

"I don't like this," choked wag ." my wocks and hoop soons ! what apleerful chase ! "

" it isn't very cheerful," shivered Peg ."Oh, look, wag ! that big tree has eyes ! " at Peg's remark the tree doubled up its branches into fists and stepped right out in front of_them . at_the same instant all the other trees and bushes moved closer, with dry crackling steps .

" now we have_you ! " snapped the tallest tree in a dreadful voice .

" now we have_you ! " crackled all the other skitter-witchy creatures, crowding closer .

"Pigs, pigs, we're the twigs; we'll tweak your ears and snatch your wigs ! "

they shouted all together . one taller than_the rest leaned over and seized wag by_the ear with its twisted fingers .

" help ! " screamed wag, kicking out with_his hind legs . immediately Kabumpo began laying about with_his trunk .

" stand back ! " he trumpeted angrily, " or I'll trample you to splinters ."

Pompa stood up on Kabumpo's back and began to wave his sword threateningly . at_this the ugly creatures grew simply furious . they snatched at_the prince with their long, claw- like branches, tearing at his sadly scorched hair and almost upsetting him .

" stop ! stop ! " cried Peg Amy, waving her

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