Oz 19: The Lost King of Oz by Ruth Plumly Thompson
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hear a faint buzzing and eyed the old gentleman's ears with growing interest and respect .

" there, there, that_will do," muttered the tailor at last, giving his left ear a little pinch ." i_wish to hear this young gentleman's story, so please be quiet and attend ."

immediately both ears tilted toward snip and, fearful lest they fly off before he_could finish, the little button boy poured out the whole history of_his adventures from_the time he left Kimbaloo to_his fall down the strange well .

"Ozma ! " sighed the tailor, brushing his hand absently across his brow ." is Ozma queen of Oz now ? I've been prisoner here so_long I've forgotten everything . you say that_this witch, Mombi, transformed and hid her father and now proposes to_find and restore him to_the throne ? and_the goose ? whom did you say he_was ? "

"Pajuka is_the prime minister," puffed snip hastily ." he's been trying for years and years to_find the king himself . if someone doesn't help him soon, and get him away from Mombi, he'll be roasted or eaten or lost ! "

snip opened his hand, where still clutched in_his moist grasp were the feathers he had pulled from Pajuka's wing as he fell down the well . the tailor leaned forward to examine them . as he_did so, a gold feather separated itself from_the white, fluttered for a moment in_the air and then sailed straight through_the window . it was_the golden feather that, we_know, took the magic message to_the emerald city, but as neither snip nor the old tailor could follow its flight, they stood gaping after it in perfect astonishment .

" why I didn't know Pajuka had any gold feathers . how did it fly off by itself ? Oh dear, i_wish someone would help me find him," wailed the little button boy dismally ."Couldn't you, Mister-Mister- ? "

" just plain Tora," put in_the tailor, rubbing his forehead absently ." well, it's a mighty queer business, snip .I'd like to help_you, but I've all this work to_do ." the old man waved wearily toward the racks and stacks of unfinished cloaks and waistcoats .

" do_you_mean to_say you make clothes for_them ? " snip jerked his thumb indignantly over his shoulder .

the tailor nodded ." have to," he added miserably ." been at it for years and years ."

" do they pay you ? " asked the little button boy in surprise .

" well, they let me live in_this house, and_they give_me plenty to eat . besides, I_can't get away," finished the old man, sinking down on a three-legged stool and letting his head drop heavily in_his hands .

" but you're not invisible like they_are . how did you happen to_come here anyway ? "

the tailor pushed his specs up on_his forehead ."Seems as_if I'd always been here," he mourned dolefully, "stitching, stitching, stitching and never getting done . if I try to_pass through_that gate," he pointed through_the window into a small yard, " if I try to_pass through_that gate some invisible force holds me back . so what can I_do ? but I_have my ears, he continued more cheerfully ." they_can go off whenever they please and_they tell me what's going on and keep me pretty happy ."

" well, I wouldn't stand it," exclaimed snip, thrusting his hands deep into his pockets and staring down sympathetically at_the old man . in_spite of_his strange ears, there_was something so gentle and lovable about_the old tailor that snip could_not bear to_have him unhappy ."I'd get away somehow," declared the little boy earnestly .

Tora shook his head hopelessly ." the thing to_do, is to_get you away before_they come back," he sighed, taking an old silver watch from_his vest pocket ." the Blanks are great eaters and wouldn't miss their breakfasts for a fortune . so now's the best time for_you to_go . come on, I'll show you the way to_the farewell . you_can see it from_the gate ."

" is that_the only way out ? " groaned snip . he_felt that one experience with a well would_be quite enough for him .

" only way I_know," answered Tora, taking down his coat from a Peg ." you reach Blanken-burg by_the well- come and leave by_the fare- well ."

Sticking his needle in_his lapel, he started rapidly for_the door and, feeling very mixed up indeed, snip hurried after him . there_was not a blank in sight as_they stepped into Tora's yard and snip, looking at_the handsome dwellings on both sides of_the street, thought he_would like to_see more of_this strange city .a bright pink blanket flew from a castle which stood at_the end of_the square and Tora explained that_this was_the national emblem of_the Blanks .

there were a hundred questions on_the tip of snip's tongue . for instance, he_wanted to_know how the Blanks had come to_be invisible and how Tora himself had come to_have such wonderful ears, but the old gentleman was so anxious for him to_get safely off that he had_not time for a single question .

" if_they capture you before_you reach the well, be_sure not to let them wash your face," warned Tora earnestly, " for if_they wash your face, it_will disappear . remember don't wash your face, whatever happens ."

this_was an easy promise for a little boy to_make and, following the direction of Tora's long finger, snip saw a stone well in_the small park at_the corner of_the street .

" good-bye ! " sighed the old man, giving him a wistful pat on_the shoulder ." if_you ever find this king or reach the emerald city, tell someone about old Tora, will_you ? "

"I'll tell Ozma; I'll tell everybody ! " promised the little button boy settling his cap determinedly . then, because he hated to leave Tora looking so sad, he seized him suddenly by_the hand ." why don't you try to_get through_the gate now ? " urged snip ." come on, I'll help_you ! " as he spoke, he kicked open the gate with_his heel, stepped out and began to tug at_the tailor's coat .

" no use," began the old man ." no use for_me to_try to_get away

before he_could finish the sentence snip had dragged him entirely through . for an instant he stood staring back uncertainly at his little shop with its shabby sign, " the tired tailor of Oz ." he had printed it to amuse himself one stormy evening .Snatching a piece of chalk from_his pocket, while snip danced up and down with anxiety and impatience, Tora dashed back and scribbled two letters before_the second word .

" the Re- tired tailor of Oz," said the sign now, and with a long, gusty chuckle, the old man grasped snip by_the hand and ran with all his might toward the fare- well .

the Blanks were evidently still at breakfast, and Tora and snip made their way through_the deserted streets of Blankenburg without meeting a soul . in ajiffy they came to_the fare- well, both out of breath but happy to_be near to freedom .

chapter 14

the old tailor's story

snip was just gathering his courage for a jump down the well when Tora lifted him up and dropped him gently over the edge . again that terrifying swoop into_the darkness ." after_this," gulped snip dizzily, as he turned over and over, " I_shall think nothing of falling out of a button tree, or down a flight of steps . perhaps I'll try a fall every day just to_keep in practice ." with a breathless bump, snip landed in_the padded bucket, putting an end to_these curious thoughts . before he had time for any others, he had shot through another underground passage and up and out_of_the well with_such force that he rolled like a ball on_the soft green moss . when he stopped rolling he_saw Tora sitting beside him, smoothing down his long silver locks and untangling his whiskers .

" are your ears on tight ? " asked snip anxiously, for_it would certainly be a dreadful thing if_the tailor's ears had_been left behind .Tora put up his hand quickly to touch them and then, with a pleased nod, arose to_his feet .

" you've brought me good luck, snip," smiled the old gentleman ."I've tried a hundred times to escape from_the Blanks, but never could get through_that gate ."

" well, I_am_glad I_could help_you, for_you helped me," said snip ." now that you_have escaped, where will_you go ? do_you remember where you lived before ? "

"I remember nothing," acknowledged the tailor sorrowfully, " so I'm going with_you and after we_find this good goose you speak of and_the king, I'll just look around for another shop .a tailor has no cause to worry, and I've all my tools right with me ." he chuckled, jingling his pockets cheerfully .

snip had to smile himself, for Tora certainly did look like awalking workshop . around his neck were three long tape measures . through tapes in_his vest there hung a dozen pairs of scissors and shears of all sizes . fastened to_his coat was a huge pin cushion and both lapels were stuck full of needles . as for_his pockets, they simply bulged with spools of silk, beeswax and thread .

snip thought he had never seen a more interesting traveller and, feeling happier than he had since he left Kimbaloo, and quite hopeful of finding Pajuka, he began to examine the surrounding country . the fare- well had spilled them into a large field of wheat and, from several purple barns in_the distance, snip knew they were still in_the land of_the Gillikens .

" you'll have to_be guide, snip," sighed the tailor, gazing around with a bewildered expression ."I've lived so_long with_the Blanks that I_know nothing of_these parts at all . as for_the emerald city, I_can't remember even hearing of it ."

" well, I've never been there," admitted snip, " but I_know it_is in_the very center of Oz and we were going south when Mombi threw me down the well . so if_we_can find out which direction is south we ought to reach the emerald city by night time . which_way do_you_think it_is ? "

the tailor squinted doubtfully up at_the sun and, after a few more useless guesses, they determined to_take a chance and started diagonally across the field .

"I wonder what shape Mombi did turn the king into," muttered snip, as_they hurried along through_the wheat ." and I wonder whether Ozma can change Pajuka back to_his own self again . he's so tired of being a goose ! "

" it must_be pretty tiresome," observed Tora, pushing his specs up on_his forehead, " though no worse than tailoring from morning till night for a city full of invisible and ungrateful rascals . not that I mind the tailoring," he explained hastily, looking down sideways at snip ."I love that, and say, I'd like to_make you a little suit sometime when I've set up my shop . no, it wasn't the tailoring, but the imprisonment that I minded ."

" do_you 'spose they've missed you yet ? what_will they_do when_they find you're gone ? " chuckled the little button boy . he looked up expectantly, but the old man was staring thoughtfully over an olive tree and did_not seem to hear snip's question .

"Oh bother ! " exclaimed snip ." his ears have_gone off again . how awfully inconvenient ! "

"I always let them off after breakfast," explained the tailor apologetically and just as_if he had read snip's thoughts ." it rests them, you_know ."

" but we've had no breakfast," began snip impatiently . then, realizing that Tora could_not hear one word, he walked along in a resigned silence, thinking how annoying it must_be to_have butterfly ears ." and yet," mused snip slowly, " it might_be rather fun, too . one could send one's ears to places one didn't care to_go to school and to lectures and all that sort of thing, and take them off when folks scolded or the conversation grew dull ." he had thought up quite a number of uses for butterfly ears, when_the tailor, himself, broke the silence .

" perhaps it would amuse you to hear a little about_the Blanks," began Tora in_his pleasant voice ." they were_not always invisible as now, but they were always vain and haughty and trying to outshine one another in appearance . in_fact," sighed the old man, with a grave nod, " they thought of nothing but dress and all their time and money was spent for new and splendid apparel . as some_of_the inhabitants were handsomer than others there_was always an argument as_to who really looked the best .

" shortly after I, myself, came to Blankenburg, Vanette, the queen, walking in a small woods behind the palace, discovered a hidden pool . looking into_the water to admire her reflection, she accidentally dropped her handkerchief . before she_could snatch it out the handkerchief had disappeared and, when she reached into_the pond to search for_it, her hand and arm suddenly became invisible ."

Tora looked down to_see how snip was taking the story and, finding him interested, continued dreamily: " for a time the queen was exceedingly frightened, but all at once a wicked plan popped into her head .Hurrying back to_the palace, she ordered her servants to carry a bucket of_the magic water to everyone in_the city . she then commanded them to bathe in_the enchanted water and since then they_have been perfectly invisible .Vanetta, herself, who_is old and fat and exceedingly jealous of_the young girls . bathed in_the water too and now as invisible as_the rest of her subjects . so now, when_they dress up in their fine clothes, faces don't count at all, and_the queen always wins all the beauty prizes . that's why it's against the law to_have

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