Oz 19: The Lost King of Oz by Ruth Plumly Thompson
Section [1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18]
suit .Oh ! Oh ! I_shall die laughing ! "

now snip's suit, like all the suits of_the button wood boys, was generously trimmed with buttons . he had always considered it quite handsome, but now, as_the trees continued to rock and roar with merriment, he began to_feel uncomfortable and a little provoked .

" quit your laughing ! " puffed Pajuka indignantly ." what right have trees to laugh at people ? "

" every right in Oz," chuckled the second tree, leaning down to tickle Mombi under the chin with one of_its twigs ." we're laughing willows, we_are, always looking for a good joke, Hah ! Hah ! and_the laugh is on us, Ho ! Ho ! Isn't that funny, tree he ? "

" well, we're not jokes," said snip stiffly ." come on, Pajuka ! " this set the willows to laughing so heartily that their leaves fell in perfect showers .Mombi, in a rage, clapped her hands to her ears and hobbled off and snip, after a few more remarks which only made the trees laugh harder, ran after her .

" I_must say I prefer weeping willows," wheezed Pajuka, catching up with snip and smoothing out his feathers with_his bill . one_of_the willows had actually had the temerity to tweak him by_the tail .

" when I_find the king, I'll have_you chopped down and up ! " screamed Mombi, turning to shake her stick at_the offending trees, but neither snip nor Pajuka bothered to listen to her . they were staring ahead in great astonishment, for_the_last zig in_the road had brought them quite suddenly to_the edges of asparkling inland sea .

" water ! " exulted the goose, instantly restored to good humor ."Oh, let's go swimming ! "

"Swimming ! " shuddered Mombi, whirling around in a hurry ."Don't you_know water is death and destruction to witches ? "

" is_it ? " asked snip in pleased surprise, and secretly wondered whether he hadn't better push Mombi in at once . but Pajuka, half guessing what_was in_his mind, shook his head reprovingly .

" but how are we to_get across ? " demanded the goose ."I don't see any boats or ferries and

" it's pretty wide to swim," ventured snip, shading his eyes with_his hands and looking anxiously over the tumbling waves . snip's only experience with swimming had_been in a small pool in_the button wood and he_was not at all sure he_would ever reach the other side .

" I_could tug you across, ' said Pajuka, " but what about Mombi ? "

" hold your bill ! " snapped the witch in her usual pleasant fashion, and sitting on a stone she scowled down at_the sandy beach . then all at once she hopped up and, hobbling over to snip, took the basket again .

" now what ? " whispered the little button boy .Pajuka shrugged his wings and rolled up his eyes . but they had_not long to wait or wonder, for Mombi, having found what she wanted, sprang on a big rock and hurled a small purple can as far as she_could into_the rippling blue waters . then with a grunt of satisfaction, she resumed her seat upon_the stone .

" well ? " wheezed Pajuka inquiringly .

" what_are we waiting for ? " demanded snip .

" for_the sea to jell, idiot ! " sniffed Mombi ." in that_can is_the strongest gelatin in Oz . it took me six years to refine and collect it . watch the sea and we_shall see .

" it_is jelling," marvelled snip, hopping up and down ." look, Pajuka, the waves have stopped rolling ! " this_was quite true . the dancing blue waters, caught in their liveliest tumbling, had stiffened with their white frills still upon them and_the whole sea was becoming smooth and glassy as a bowl of gelatin, only no gelatin snip ever had seen was half so beautiful, for_the blue sea, tinged in spots with purple and green, sparkled in_the sunshine like some large and lovely amethyst .

" well, do I_know any tricks or not ? " shrilled Mombi, snapping her fingers under Pajuka's bill ." come on ! let's cross ! " she rose stiffly and snip, taking up the basket, set one foot experimentally upon_the jelly . it shook a little under his weight, but seemed firm and solid, so the three stepped out and were soon half way over .

" how about_the fish ? " asked Pajuka, looking down through_the clear, jellied water .

" they'll be jelly fish for a while," snickered Mombi, who was in a fine humor at_the trick she had turned ." i_wish the wizard of Oz could_see this .I'll wager I_can get as_much magic out of acook book as he_can out of a whole library of sorcery ."

" it certainly looks good enough to eat," admitted snip ." wonder if_it_is ? " he scooped up a bit to taste, but it_was so salty it choked him . if_it_was not good to eat it_was surely fine to walk on and snip, bouncing along beside Pajuka, was quite sorry when_they reached the other side ." i_think traveling's pretty interesting," observed the little button boy, looking back over his shoulder ."Don't you Pajuka ? "

the goose sighed ."I used to_think so, snip, but I've traveled so_far searching for_the king, I'm homesick for_my slippers, a quiet old castle and my pipe . haven't had a smoke since i_was a goose," mourned the poor prime minister, rolling his eyes sadly . snip couldn't help thinking how funny Pajuka would look with a pipe and a pair of slippers . but he stifled this thought quickly .

"Don't you care ! " he whispered comfortingly ." you'll find the king and when we reach the emerald city, I'll tell Ozma all about you," he promised, lowering his voice so Mombi could_not hear ." I_am_sure she'll help_us .

" what_are you whispering about ? " snarled the witch, glaring back suspiciously .

" about a second," whistled Pajuka, soaring into_the air ."Hello, what's this ? "

" why, it's the Corners," cried snip, running ahead to read a large sign suspended from apussy willow under the great gray walls .

"Catty Corners," announced the sign, in black scratchy letters .

"Catty Corners," hissed the goose ." well, this_is no place for_me . let_us fly at once ! "

" but I adore cats," declared Mombi and, before anyone could stop her, she thumped hard upon_the gates . the walls surrounding Catty Corners formed a huge triangle and were so high that even by bending backward snip could_not_see the top . as he straightened up, a door in_the gray wall flew open and a simply enormous Tabby Cat, dressed as a guard, seized Pajuka by_the wing and Mombi by_the arm .

" no boys allowed ! " bawled the guard, bristling his whiskers at snip . before_the little button boy could even wink, the cat had dragged his two companions in and slammed the door . snip could hear Pajuka hissing and Mombi protesting in a shrill voice and next instant the door flew open and he, himself, was seized by acat guard and jerked through .

" he's my prisoner," cried Mombi defiantly, as snip was lined up beside her . she had no intention of letting snip out of her clutches . he_knew entirely too_much for_that .

" well, he's my prisoner now," snarled the guard, giving snip a shake . then, looking more closely at Mombi, his eyes began to sparkle with pleasure ." who_are you, beauteous being ? " purred the cat, doffing his cap .Pajuka, though badly scared by his predicament, could_not restrain a loud chuckle .

"I'm a witch ! " answered Mombi, drawing herself up proudly .

"A witch ! " cried the second cat guard, releasing his hold on Mombi's arm ."Oh cousin, how splendid ! the queen must know of_this ."

Throwing back his head he began to yowl in a hundred piercing and alarming cat cries .

" what's he saying ? " gasped snip .

"Sounds like cat fish to_me," gurgled Pajuka, ducking his head under his wing .

at_the cat guard's call, hundreds of cats began to race toward the prisoners . they were as large as snip himself, and of every kind and color imaginable . as_soon_as they saw Mombi, they began to purr with pleasure and delight, rubbing against her knees, knocking her hat sideways and pressing so close that snip and Pajuka were almost suffocated . then, forming a triumphant procession, they started for_the center of Catty Corners .Mombi, like all witches, was fonder of cats than of anything else and walked along fondling first one and then another, while snip and Pajuka, still in_the clutches of_the guards, followed in huge disgust . several of_the cats cast hungry looks at_the goose, but most of_them were too taken up with Mombi to even notice him .

" did you ever see such a place ? " sniffed the little button boy scornfully ." why, it's all fences ."

even as he spoke, his cat guard sprang up on a white fence, dragging him along . it_was so perfectly unexpected that snip nearly fell on_his nose but, glancing ahead, he_saw Mombi nimbly walking the fence between two black cats .Pajuka had no trouble walking the fence either, though he_was greatly inconvenienced by_the guard who had hold of_his wing .

" if I just had a pair of clothes props," sighed snip, balancing himself precariously .

" take hold of_my tail," advised the guard gruffly, " and if_you fall I'll scratch you ."

another cat sprang up behind him and put one paw under his arm, so between_the two snip managed fairly well . he had to_keep his eyes so closely on_the fence that he_did_not_see as_much of Catty Corners as he otherwise might_have . but he_saw enough to interest him tremendously .a perfect network of fences divided this curious city into a great_many little enclosures . snip would_have called them back yards . in each yard was a catnip bed, apussy willow tree, and a lovely fountain of cream . they passed many ponds well stocked with fish, and snip shivered uncomfortably as one_of_the Tabby Cats jumped down from_the fence, snatched a gold fish from a pond, and began eating it as_if it were a cracker, salting it generously from a shaker he carried around his neck .

" hateful things," thought the little button boy, looking anxiously ahead to_see how Pajuka was faring ." I_hope we don't have to stay here long ." a sudden yowling and waving of tails told him something was happening .Stretching his neck, he_saw that Mombi had reached the queen's garden .

" are_you prepared to meet the imperial and puissant Pussy ? " asked the guard, looking severely over his shoulder .

" another cat ? " groaned snip .

" scratch him," hissed a big grey Tom, but the Tabby Cat merely reached down, and clutching snip by_the front of_his jacket, jumped down from_the fence .

her majesty lay luxuriously under acatsup tree .Ten small kittens fanned her with large leaves and there_was aTabby Cat guard in every corner of_the garden . there_was not room for all the other cats, so they ranged themselves expectantly on_the surrounding fences while Mombi, Pajuka and snip were brought forward . the queen, a sleek Maltese, opened her eyes languidly as_they approached, but at sight of Mombi she sprang up so impulsively, she bumped her head on acatsup bottle .

" why, you dear, beautiful, dreadful old thing ! " purred the queen, clasping her paws delightedly .

" dear, beautiful, dreadful old thing ! " purred all the other cats, waving their tails approvingly .

" you shall stay and bewitch us forever," murmured her highness, stroking Mombi's wrinkled cheek affectionately ." but who let this boy in ? " she screamed furiously, catching a glimpse of snip .

" mean, horrid, naughty little wretch, puller of tails and thrower of stones ! " her eyes flashed so threateningly snip was really alarmed and began to look around for some way to escape .

" he never pulled acat- tail in_his life," blustered Pajuka indignantly, " except in a swamp ! "

" in a swamp ? " shrieked the queen ." what right has he to pull cat-tails in a swamp . who_are you ? "

"A prime minister when I_am myself," answered Pajuka promptly, " but unfortunately just now I_am not myself ."

"A goose ! " purred the cat queen, licking her lips hungrily ."Ah, it's years since I've tasted a goose . how old are_you ? how_much do_you weigh ? are_you tender ? "

at each dreadful question, her Maltese majesty drew nearer to Pajuka . snip looked appealingly at Mombi, but the old witch had forgotten them both and was seated blissfully under the catsup tree, her lap full of kittens .

" as a man i_was in my prime, but I'm a very old goose," panted Pajuka, edging nervously away from_the greedy queen .

"I don't believe it," said her majesty, giving Pajuka a playful poke ." what fun ! a guest ! a prisoner and a dinner ! the witch shall stay, the boy shall be publicly chased and scratched and_the goose, ah the goose shall be eaten ! you_may kiss my paw ! " purred her highness, advancing graciously toward snip .

"Mombi ! Mombi ! do_you hear that ? " screamed Pajuka wildly ."I'm to_be served up for dinner ! "

" serve you right," yawned the witch drowsily .

"I'll not let them eat you ! " shouted snip, brushing aside the queen's paw and struggling to free himself from_the cat guard .

" take them away ! " commanded the queen, with a wave of her tail ." and keep tabs on them until wanted ."

" you'll be sorry for_this ! " honked Pajuka ."I'm very bad for cats . if_you eat me I'll give_you fits ."

" hush ! " hissed her highness haughtily ." you_are now the dinner and_the dinner is_not supposed to converse ."

" come along, dinner ! " said the guard gruffly, and dragging Pajuka by_the wing and snip by_the arm, he marched them sternly away, while all the inhabitants of Catty Corners howled with derision and delight .

chapter 7

the magic Pudding

snip," wheezed Pajuka mournfully, " when I_am cooked and eaten, will_you save a few of_my feathers for Ozma ? and if_you find the king will_you tell him that old Pajuka was faithful to- to_the last ? "

in_spite of himself the poor goose's voice broke and ended in a great gulp .

" when_they get through with me there'll be just enough feathers left to stuff a pillow," choked Pajuka .

"Don't ! " begged the little button boy, flinging his arms around his friend's neck ." besides, if I'm to_be chased and scratched by all those cats, there won't be anything left of me

Section [1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18]