Oz 19: The Lost King of Oz by Ruth Plumly Thompson
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eyes so fast that Betsy bounded out of her chair .

" what's that ? " echoed the little queen of Oz, springing up in alarm . something gold and brilliant had flashed through_the air and fallen upon_the walk .

"A feather ! " puffed sir Hokus ."Odds goblins and hoblins, a feather ! " he stooped creakily to pick it up, but as he_did the golden quill righted itself and began to move rapidly across the marble walk .

" it's writing ! " gasped trot, clutching the Scarecrow by_the arm, and in dazed fascination - they watched the feather tracing a sentence . when it had set down five words, it made a little gold dot and fell lifelessly at Ozma's feet .

" danger-- go to morrow today ! " stuttered the Scarecrow, reading the golden message aloud .

" how now," thundered sir Hokus, letting his visor fall with a crash, " what means this message ? "

" go tomorrow ! " gulped the Scarecrow, clapping on_his hat and squinting down at_the golden legend on_the walk .

" not tomorrow, today," corrected Betsy bobbin breathlessly .

" but if_we go today, how can we go tomorrow ? " asked Ozma, growing more bewildered every_minute .

" danger ! " shuddered trot, pointing atrembling finger at_the first word .

" what's all the excitement ? " demanded Scraps, dancing up on one toe . then, seeing they were all staring down at_the marble, she bent over and read the message aloud herself .

" go to- morrow to- day . it can never be_done !

just to_think of it gives me a pain in_the bun ."

screamed the patch work girl, clapping her hand to her cotton forehead .

" hush, Scraps ! " begged Ozma ." this_is serious ! "

" someone is delirious, or they'd never write such nonsense, declared Scraps defiantly ." what_are you going to_do about_it ? "

" think ! " mumbled the Scarecrow, dropping down on a gold garden bench .

" send for_the wizard ! " advised Betsy bobbin, jumping up and down in her excitement ." wait ! I'll get him ! "

" it's a goose quill," announced sir Hokus, as Betsy ran off toward the palace . he had picked up the golden feather and was examining it carefully .

"A goose quill ? " gasped Ozma ." why what can that mean ? Oh dear, I_do wish Dorothy were back ."

" my gooseness ! " giggled Scraps ." no wonder it's a silly message . do_you_know any geese ? "

" none but you ! " sniffed trot, putting her arms about Ozma .

" silence, wench ! " commanded sir Hokus, pushing Scraps aside and seating himself beside the Scarecrow ." methinks dark deeds are brewing here .Hast thought of anything friend ? "

" not yet," sighed the Scarecrow, rubbing his forehead sadly with_his wobbly finger ." let me think some more .

all were silent until Betsy bobbin came hurrying back, bringing with her the wizard of Oz and Tik Tok . as everyone in Oz knows, Tik Tok is another great celebrity, a machine man of burnished copper who_can talk, walk and even think when properly wound .Betsy was winding up his thick key, as she ran along, for Tik Tok's brains, in_spite of_their wheels, worked quite as_well as_the Scarecrow's, and there certainly was alot of thinking to_be_done .

" you say it_was a golden goose feather ? " panted the little wizard of Oz, quickening his steps ."A goose feather ! Humph ! " next instant he_was bending over the strange inscription on_the walk, while Ozma and trot breathlessly explained just how and when it had all happened .

" to- morrow to- day ! " murmured the wizard, mopping his bald head with_his green hanky ." why that's impossible, there's some trick to_it ."

the wizard drew a small green book from_his pocket . it was_the book of magic messages and_the little company waited anxiously while he flipped over the pages . but although every_other kind of message was touched upon, there_was nothing at all about goose feathers . with a sigh, the wizard returned the book to_his pocket, and dropping upon his knees began to examine the letters through his smallifying glass .

Tik Tok, except for_the chug and whirr of_his machinery, had_been perfectly quiet . now, leaning over so_far he nearly tumbled on_his copper nose, he began to read the message aloud .

" go- to- morrow- to- day ! go-o- morrow- to- day ! " rasped Tik Tok, in_his harsh rasping voice, over and over and over, until Ozma and Betsy clapped hands to_their ears and trot begged him to stop ." that's funny-," ticked the copper man at last ." it tells us when to_go- but not- where . too many_times and- no- place, go- to-mor--

Whirr- click ! Tik Tok's voice ran down and_the sentence stopped in mid air .

" thank goodness ! " cried Betsy bobbin fervently .

" well, you'd better thank Tik Tok," spluttered the Scarecrow, leaping off the golden bench ."Hurrah ! I_have it now . one's a time and one's a place . is_there a kingdom called morrow anywhere in Oz, my dear ? "

" morrow ! " exclaimed Ozma, " why, that does sound familiar, somehow . morrow ? yes, I_feel_sure there_is ."

" get a map," ordered the Scarecrow in great excitement, and all but the wizard sat down and smiled at_the cleverness of_the wise straw man .

chapter 9

in_the castle of morrow

the wizard of Oz knew the geography of Ozma's wonderful land by heart and he remembered the kingdom of morrow perfectly . he_felt a bit jealous that_the Scarecrow was about to solve the mystery without his help and so he popped a small wishing pill into his mouth and began speaking rapidly in magic .

now magic is a language which I_do_not profess to understand, but the results of_the wizard's speech were instantaneous and astonishing . so swiftly that_the hair of_the three little girls was nearly jerked from their heads, so swiftly that sir Hokus lost his sword and Ozma her crown, they were all hurled through_the air and dashed down in a very short time on_the steps of an ancient and gloomy castle .

its once splendid garden was choked up with weeds .Vines had run up and over the entire structure, covering even the windows and chimneys with awaving curtain of green .Owls hooted dismally from_the towers and_the scurry and scamper of frightened feet told that many little forested animals had made themselves at home within .

" mercy," gasped Betsy bobbin, examining anxiously a long scratch on her knee, " how did we get here ? "

" where are we ? " inquired sir Hokus, blinkmg very fast from_his seat upon a stone lion, where he had landed a little too suddenly and emphatically for complete comfort .

" we_are in morrow," replied the wizard, rising from_the last step out_of_the castle and dusting off his green trousers ." in morrow, by my express wish and Dr .Nikidik's wishing pills ."

" well, you might_have told us we were coming," said trot a bit crossly, beginning to look around for her side comb .

" morrow ! " murmured Ozma, walking dreamily up the castle steps ." why I've been here before, dozens and dozens of times ."

" got another pill, wizard ? " asked Scraps grimly .

"Ahem ! no, I don't believe I_have," coughed the little man nervously ." why ? "

"I wanna go home," shuddered the patch work girl, looking fearfully at_the dismal forest surrounding the castle and a flock of black birds circling ominously overhead ."I wanna go home ! "

" you_should think before_you wish, old fellow," gulped the Scarecrow weakly ."Betsy, my dear, will_you give_me a shake . all of_my straw has fallen into my left boot . and where's Tik Tok, pray ? "

" i_thought he'd better stay home," replied the wizard, looking around uneasily . now that_they were really in morrow, he began to doubt the wisdom of_his quick wish . why had he not thought to bring his magic bag or another wishing pill in_case of danger ?

"A rare and imposing old edifice ! " observed sir Hokus, dismounting stiffly from_the stone lion, and looking up curiously at_the castle .

" well, now that we_are here, we_might as_well look around," puffed the Scarecrow, more cheerful since Betsy had shaken him up and smoothed out his stuffing ." come along ! "

Ozma was already standing before_the dull golden doors, the only portion of_the castle not overgrown with vines .Stepping up behind her, sir Hokus lifted the huge knocker and let it fall with a great clank against the tarnished metal .

" what ho, within ! " roared the good knight lustily . but only a hollow echo and_the derisive hoot of an owl came shivering out to_them .

" what makes you_think it_is aHo ? " chattered Scraps nervously .

" i_wish you'd never wished us here .

this castle's full of spooks, I_fear ! "

finished the patch work girl, shaking her finger reproachfully at_the wizard .

" fear nothing," boomed sir Hokus grandly, " i_will protect you ." Putting his mailed shoulder to_the doors, he pressed with all his might . the bolts had evidently not been drawn and when_the three little girls and_the wizard added their strength to_his, the doors flew open so suddenly they all tumbled through together . three jack rabbits and a tiny fawn leaped through a broken window pane as_the doors crashed open and several bats, shaken from their hold on_the beamed ceiling by_the jar, began to circle round and round, screeching dismally . the hall had once been furnished with great splendor and magnificence, but now everything was covered with cobwebs, dust and decay . the dim green light filtering in through_the vine covered windows made everything seem more ghastly still .

"I wanna go home ! " whispered Scraps plaintively .

"Oh ! " wailed Betsy bobbin, hiding her face in_the Scarecrow's coat, "I don't like this ."

"Shoo ! " couched the Scarecrow, stamping his foot at a flock of mice that came scurrying across the floor and whirling his hat about his head to_keep off the bats ."Shoo, I tell you ! "

" what do_you s' pose anyone wanted us to_come here for ? " groaned trot, clinging nervously to Scraps .

" well, there_must_be some reason," answered Ozma thoughtfully ."I seem to remember this castle ." Disregarding the grime and dust, the lovely little queen walked slowly across the hall and sat down on a golden chest beside the long table . sir Hokus, finding nothing better to fight than mice and bats, began briskly to clear the room of_the pests, while trot, Betsy and_the patch work girl tiptoed here and there talking in tense whispers, for in_the silence of_the deserted castle their words echoed and re- echoed unpleasantly .Having assured themselves that there_was nothing of interest in_the great hall, sir Hokus, the wizard and_the Scarecrow went bravely off to examine the rest of_the castle .

" i_wish they'd come back," whispered trot, after they'd been gone about five minutes ."Oooh, what's that ? "

" the wind," quavered Betsy doubtfully .

"I don't believe it," shuddered Scraps, tripping over the fire irons and sprawling upon_the hearth ." it's a spook .I wanna go home ! just look at me ! " Betsy and trot giggled nervously, for Scraps, covered with grime and soot from her fall, was enough to_make anyone laugh .

" never mind," comforted Ozma, "I'll have_you dry cleaned when we get back home, but now I'm trying to_think, so please do be quiet ."

quiet ! scarcely was_the word out of her mouth, before there_was such ashivering slam overhead that all three girls jumped with terror and Scraps, for greater security leaped clear onto the table, touching as she did so a hidden spring in_the top . at_this there_was ablinding flash and while Ozma, Betsy and trot clung desperately together and Scraps gave another jump that carried her clear to_the chandelier, the center of_the table rose up before their eyes, disclosing a long silver casket .

"Don't touch it ! " warned the patch work girl, swinging dizzily ' round and ' round .

"A goblin .a goblin will jump out and bite us, there's a giant upstairs and he's coming to smite us ! "

someone certainly was coming down the stairs . scarcely daring to look, they waited anxiously for_the next happening .

" what befell ? " it_was sir Hokus of Pokes and not a giant who stuck his head through_the doorway ." did'st call maidens ? " asked the knight, looking up at Scraps in vague disapproval .

without stopping to explain what had frightened them, Ozma pointed atrembling finger at_the silver casket and before any of_them could beg him not to, sir Hokus strode forward and opened the mysterious chest .Scraps hid her head in her arm . then, hearing no screams nor explosions, she finally screwed up enough courage to look down . the wizard of Oz and_the Scarecrow had returned and_they were all staring in amazement at a green velvet robe which sir Hokus had taken from_the chest .

" royal robe of_his majesty, the king of Oz ! " boomed the knight, reading from a small tag on_the ermine collar .

" the king of Oz ? " choked Ozma, clasping her hands in excitement .' why that's my father, and I remember now . this_is_the hunting lodge where we used to hide from Mombi when i_was a little girl ! "

" but i_thought Mombi destroyed your father when she turned you to a boy," puffed Betsy bobbin, her eyes sticking out with astonishment and surprise .

" so did I," muttered the little wizard . he always felt uneasy and unhappy when_the old witch was mentioned, for he, himself, had given Ozma into Mombi's keeping when he_took possession of_the kingdom . the old witch had already spirited away the little girl's father and Ozma herself was too young to rule . but the wizard, changed very_much since those old days, realized now how wrong it had_been and did_not like to recall the part he had played in_the affair at all .

" well, no wonder you remembered the castle," put in trot .

" but wait ! " cried sir Hokus hoarsely ." there_is more ." and turning over the tag he read: " this robe has_been preserved by_the fairy Lurline, and if placed upon_the king's shoulders with incantation no .986 from_the green book of magic, will restore him to_his proper shape . if_the incantation is used without the robe a great disaster will befall ."

" who's Lurline ? " asked trot, her eyes winking very fast indeed .

" why Lurline is my fairy godmother and_the queen of_the fairy band we_are all descended from," explained Ozma breathlessly ."Oh girls ! to_think my father is really alive ! " the delighted little ruler hugged Betsy

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