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]
a royal adventure .Finding the lost king of Oz would_be a very creditable thing, even for an elephant so elegant as himself . it might even gain him an important position at court, thought Kabumpo craftily . and what a choice bit of news to carry home to Pumperdink- that Ozma was not the queen at all, and_that he, Kabumpo the magnificent, had helped find the real monarch and had_been present at_the coronation . already his imagination leaped ahead to_this important event .

Concealing, in_his pompous and provoking fashion, his real interest and excitement, Kabumpo set Dorothy upon his back and started in a dignified and stately manner toward Tora and snip .

"I understand you_are friends of_the lost king of Oz," wheezed Kabumpo grandly, as he_came up beside them ." are_you going on to_the emerald city ? care to ride ? " he asked graciously . this_was as near an apology as Kabumpo ever got .

" hear ! hear ! " spluttered the dummy, who was walking stiffly behind the tailor .

of_course Tora could_not do_this, as his ears were still in_his pocket, but snip, looking inquiringly up at Dorothy saw her motion earnestly for him to yield . he decided to overlook the elephant's rudeness and gave Kabumpo a signal to lift him up .

" did she say you were a mutton boy ? " asked Kabumpo, as he placed snip beside the little girl .

" no, a button boy," corrected Dorothy hastily, " from_the kingdom of Kimbaloo, you_know ."'

"Ah yes," grunted Kabumpo condescendingly, "I remember hearing of Kimbalo-a buttony sort of place across the mountains from Pumperdink ."

snip was about to retort with something short and sassy, when Kabumpo lifted up the tailor and as Tora seemed terribly alarmed by_the suddenness of_his transit through_the air, snip helped him to settle comfortably instead of talking . he just got Tora firmly seated in_time to catch Humpy, whom the elegant elephant tossed aloft as carelessly as he_would a bale of hay .

" all ready ? " boomed Kabumpo importantly ." well, then here we go ." and before anyone could answer he_was off, moving swiftly and surely as a battleship through_the waving billows of wheat .

" what did you find for lunch ? " called Humpy curiously . snip and Tora hadn't breath to_say anything, and Dorothy was too worried about Ozma to want to_talk . but Kabumpo, instead of answering, threw up his trunk, sending forth such a volley of shrill bellows that snip's hair rose on end and_the ears in Tora's pocket gave a terrified bounce .Humpy chuckled, as he listened to_the shrill trumpeting of_the elegant elephant . he had thought of a joke !

"Ah, he has eaten a trumpet vine," mused the dummy dreamily, as_the noise died away . but it ceased for only a moment, for trumpeting was Kabumpo's way of clearing a path for himself and, determined to reach the capitol before Mombi, the witch, he travelled as never before and, clinging to each_other and to Kabumpo's harness and robe, the four riders made the best they_could of_the worst journey they had ever taken .

chapter 16

Humpy hailed as king

KABUMPO would never have stopped until he reached the emerald city itself, had it not been for_the mountain .Rushing like an express train from a small dim wood, the elegant elephant came unexpectedly upon a steep wall of rock . with a snort of surprise he stopped so sharply that everyone in_the party went sailing over his head .Humpy,' who was lightest, sailed farthest and, landing first, made a splendid cushion for snip and Dorothy to_fall on .Tora, fortunately, plumped into a patch of gooseberry bushes, so_that no one was really hurt .

"Didn't I do_that well ? " asked the dummy, as Dorothy and snip jumped up ."Falling's my specialty and falling for_you, princess," he rose and made Dorothy an exceedingly shaky bow, "falling for_you, is a real pleasure ."

" well I'm kinda glad you_did fall first," gasped the little girl, running to help snip pull Tora out_of_the bushes .

" did I understand Dorothy to_say your_name was Kabumpo ? " inquired the dummy, addressing himself blandly to_the elegant elephant .Kabumpo nodded without taking his eyes from_the mass of jagged stone ahead .

" well, that accounts for_the bumpo .I understand perfectly now," continued Humpy conversationally, as he picked up his crown and set it solemnly on_his head ." but next_time, next_time, old rascal ! " he wagged his finger playfully at_the elegant elephant .

" old rascal ! old rascal ! " sputtered Kabumpo, swinging round in a fury ." how dare you talk to_me like that, you good for nothing son of a sofa, you hair brained piece of a night shirt ! "

" well, I_may_be stuffed with hair, but you're stuffed with hay and I don't see much difference except," Humpy backed rapidly out of Kabumpo's reach, " except that_the person who stuffed you didn't finish the job . you're full of wrinkles," he announced judicially .

Kabumpo made a swing at_the dummy with_his trunk and then, thinking better of it, turned angrily away and, mumbling and wheezing under his breath, began to move majestically toward the rocky barrier .Seeing that no more fun was to_be had out of him, Humpy hurried over to_the tailor, who was walking unsteadily between Dorothy and snip . he had put on_his ears and was listening attentively to_the little girl's remarks about_the elegant elephant . Dorothy was telling how faithfully Kabumpo had served his master, the prince of Pumperdink .

" it may_be so, it may_be so," muttered Tora, gazing after_the great beast doubtfully, " but he seems to_me a trifle abrupter, almost dangerous ! "

" but he's very fast," said Dorothy coaxingly, " and if he had_not stopped when he_did we'd have_been thrown upon_the rocks ."

" that's so," put in snip, who had rather enjoyed his wild ride upon_the elephant's back .

" well, well, I daresay I_am old fashioned," sighed the tailor, settling his specs resignedly, " and if_you and Dorothy can stand this mad mode of travel, I'll try not to mind it either ."

" fall on me next_time," invited the dummy generously .Humpy's expression as he_made this suggestion was so comical that Tora laughed in_spite of himself .

" but how are we going to cross the mountain ? " put in snip dismally ." it's too steep for Kabumpo to climb and I don't see any_way ' round do_you ? "

Dorothy shook her head ."I don't even remember a mountain being here," observed the little girl with a troubled frown . they had joined the elegant elephant by_this_time and, standing in a dejected row, they surveyed the great mass of tumbled rocks-rocks so steep and jagged that even snip shuddered at_the thought of clambering over their perilous peaks .

" I_hope you don't expect me to carry you over," sniffed Kabumpo ." only a bird could cross this .a bird ! great Gollywockers ! look ! "

but Dorothy and_the others had already seen for themselves . an old woman and a goose were walking calmly through_the mountain just as_if it did_not exist at all- an old woman and a goose ! the former was dressed in_the simple costume of aGilliken farmer's wife . in one hand she carried a large basket and with_the other she held her stick and a long rope attached to_the goose's neck .

" it's Mombi ! " cried Dorothy, clutching snip in terror, for in_spite of_the disguise, there_was no mistaking that wicked old face .

" and Pajuka ! " gasped snip, scarcely daring to breathe .Tora's ears were fluttering like leaves in a gale, and even Kabumpo trembled slightly .

" she must_have got her magic powers back," whispered snip hoarsely, " or how could she walk through a mountain ? Oh Dorothy, what shall we_do now ? "

as it happened, they had time to_do nothing, for just then Pajuka looked up and saw the little button boy .

" snip ! " screamed the goose joyfully .Spreading both wings, he flew forward so fast that Mombi had to run to_keep up' with_him ." i_thought she had done for_you," panted the goose, paying no attention to Mombi's jerks upon_the rope . he began to caress snip with both wing and bill .

snip forgot his fright for a moment, in_his delight at seeing his old friend again and, dropping on_his knees, hugged Pajuka for dear life . Dorothy involuntarily drew back from_the witch, who was mumbling a long rigamarole about being on her way to_the emerald city with a fine goose for Ozma of Oz .Humpy, stepping from behind the elegant elephant, folded his arms and gazed down benevolently upon_the little scene .'Reminds me of_the happy endings in_the picture game, observed the dummy indulgently to_the tired tailor ."I'm for_that bird, and I don't care who knows it," he_said .

" hush ! " warned the tailor, looking nervously at Mombi . but at_the first sound of Humpy's voice, Pajuka had given a great bounce and, extricating himself from snip's embrace, came hurtling through_the air .

" master ! " shrieked the goose and flapped his wings so violently that_the flimsy dummy fell backward over Kabumpo's trunk . with a surly flounce the elegant elephant shook him off .

" monster ! " hissed Pajuka, with a wild peck at_the elephant's trunk ." how dare you insult his majesty ? " Bowing and weeping alternately he cried shrilly, " the king ! at last I_have found the king ! "

by_this_time the tailor had got Humpy to_his feet, and it_is hard to_say who was_the most astonished of_that astonished little group .Mombi dropped her basket with a crash and came over to stare at_the green clad figure .Kabumpo, thinking of_his late speeches, began to back uncomfortably away .

" but it can't be the king," began Dorothy, catching hold of snip ." I_found Humpy my own self in California and however could he have gotten there ? "

" girl," said the goose sternly, "don't you suppose I_know my own master ? "

" and I've seen him before too," murmured the old tailor, half closing his eyes ." let me think ! let me think ! "

" did you ever see the king yourself ? " asked snip, turning excitedly to Dorothy . the little girl had to acknowledge that she had_not, for Mombi had hidden the old monarch away before Dorothy had come to Oz .

" you don't mind my being king, do_you Dorothy ? " the dummy turned to her coaxingly ."I'd love to_be the star in just one picture . let me be king and you shall be queen ."

" star ! picture ! queen ! " choked Pajuka, gazing from one to_the other in bewilderment ." what does this mean ? woman, woman what have_you done to_the king ? "

he turned accusingly to Mombi, but Mombi, brushing him roughly aside, had run up_to Humpy and was examining him carefully from all sides .Catching sight of a white tape protruding from_the collar of_his robe, the old witch jerked him sideways and after one triumphant look at_the number on_the tape, began to jump up and down like a child on apogo stick .

" the king ! " shrilled Mombi, throwing up her stick ." it_is_the king of Oz himself ! and I_am the only_one who_can restore him to himself and to_the throne ." she looked sharply at Dorothy, whom she had already recognized, as_if daring her to contradict this statement .

" but I don't see how a dummy could_be a king," objected Dorothy, still trying to puzzle out the mystery .

" that's because you_are only a little girl," explained Pajuka gently ."I suppose you don't see how a goose could_be a prime minister either, or how that wicked old woman would dare to_turn her king to a stuffed man and_his trusted councillor to a goose, or throw an innocent little boy down a well," hissed Pajuka, with an angry glare at Mombi .

"A meddlesome little vagabond," mumbled Mombi, holding her ground stubbornly . she was not going to_be frightened out of her reward by anyone now, and stared defiantly at_the little company .

" but how did you get out_of_the well and who_are all these people ? " puffed Pajuka, looking curiously from Tora to Kabumpo and then letting his eyes rest fondly on_the king .

Mombi scarcely listened as snip told of_his fall into Blankenburg, his escape with_the tailor and their meeting with Dorothy, Kabumpo and_the dummy . she was hurriedly turning over a plan to_get Humpy away from_his friends . while Pajuka, in_his turn, told how he had tried to fly down the well, how he had_been caught and tied up by_the old witch and forced to accompany her until now, Mombi dropped the rope that was tied to_his neck and made a sly move toward the king .

" your majesty," whispered Mombi craftily, " may I_have a few words with_you ? "

" certainly . certainly ! " puffed the dummy king, stepping along pompously at her side .Tora, snip and Dorothy were so interested in Pajuka's story that they_did_not notice Mombi's move, but Kabumpo, who had_been keeping an astonished eye and ear upon_the whole proceeding, stepped noiselessly after_the two . here, reasoned Kabumpo anxiously, was an opportunity to_make up for_his rude speeches and restore himself to favor with_this impossible person who was turning out to_be the king .

no sooner had Mombi put a few trees between herself and_the others than she grasped Humpy by his hand and began running like the wind .

" we'll hide," grunted the old witch, paying no attention to_the dummy's expostulations, " and when_they've stopped looking for_us we'll go on to_the emerald city and_I_will restore your majesty to_the throne . but first," panted Mombi, stopping a moment to catch her breath, you_must promise to_give_me back my magic powers and half of_the kingdom of Oz . do_you promise ? you'd better," she added threateningly, giving Humpy a vicious shake .

" but I'm going to_the emerald city with Dorothy," objected the king in dismay ." let me go, you old ragbag ."

" yes, how dare you shake his majesty ! " thundered an imperious voice and, whirling ' round in a fright, Mombi saw the elegant elephant looming up between two trees

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