Oz 19: The Lost King of Oz by Ruth Plumly Thompson
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then fluttered down lifelessly in_the dust .

"Odds blood ! it thinks I'm a blackboard," grunted sir Hokus indignantly, and nearly bending double to_get a glimpse of_the writing ."Ozma, Betsy, trot, wizard, come quickly ! "

at_the excited cries, the others, who were just around a bend in_the road, broke into a run . sir Hokus, puffing and still indignant, pointed to_his shield . the second message of_the magic quill was as amazing as_the first, which had sent them to morrow .

" well, that saves us hunting for him," observed the Scarecrow, cheerfully picking up the goose quill ." he_must_have found himself, you_know . shall I keep this my dear ? "

" please do," sighed Ozma, staring hard at_the message, which the knight was vainly trying to rub from_his shield, " and let's hurry . just think, my father is in_the castle ! hurry ! hurry ! we're almost home ! " and setting an example herself, the little fairy girl fairly flew down the road .

"I for_one shall_not recognize this king," shouted Scraps, running awkwardly after Ozma .

"I wonder whether he'll let_us live in_the castle ? " puffed trot, who was running hand in hand with Betsy bobbin ."I kinda wish he'd never turned up, don't you ? "

Betsy nodded emphatically, and it must_be confessed that all of_the others shared trot's wish . but as Ozma herself seemed so happy at her father's restoration, such thoughts seemed almost treasonable and no one but Scraps voiced his real opinion .

Ozma, being a fairy, did_not tire as easily as_the rest, but even Ozma had to slacken her pace before_they came to_the emerald city . indeed, it_was a hard two- hour journey before_they reached the outskirts of_the capitol . hot, tired and dusty, they hurried through_the quiet streets . no one in_the city had discovered Ozma's absence, for_the searchers in_the palace had gone off without notifying anyone, so they stared in surprise at_the breathless little company . without stopping to explain, the royal party hurried on to_the palace itself, for was not the king already there and waiting for_them ?

sir Hokus was_the first to burst through_the tall hedge enclosing the royal residence . he paused, brushed his mailed fist across his eyes and then fell with a crash to_the jewelled walk . the Scarecrow, close behind, promptly fell on top of him and Scraps, the wizard and_the little girls, bumping into_the two, stopped short in their tracks . for where the castle had stood, there_was nothing at all excepting a stretch of lawn, a little greener, perhaps, than in other parts of_the garden, but so smooth, no one would_have suspected that a castle ever had stood there !

" the king is in_the castle, but where is_the castle ? " groaned the Scarecrow, raising his head and peering over the knight's shoulder .

" gone ! " wailed the little queen, rushing forward in dismay ." everything's gone ! " and overcome by_the fatigues and disappointments of_the day, Ozma threw herself down upon_the grass and wept as_if her heart would break .Betsy and trot did their best to comfort her, but what could they say ? what could anyone say in_the face of so amazing a calamity ?

" come out you villain king and thief !

bring back our home, you robber chief ! "

screamed Scraps, making little dashes backward and forward . of_course Scraps did_not expect the king to_come out but, as_if in answer to her call, there_was a shudder and rumble below .

the rumbling continued, grew worse and worse and finally, with an explosion like forty-nine Roman candles going off at once, the towers, turrets and gleaming roof of_the castle burst through_the earth and, impaling the frightened company upon its spires, carried them kicking and struggling into_the air . up, up, and up shot the castle, till the entire structure was standing on its proper foundations . the flag pole had caught sir Hokus between his mailed shirt and_his armor and_the knight was spinning around like a weather cock in a gale .Ozma and_the little girls had fortunately been carried aloft on one_of_the rounded domes and while their position was extremely precarious it_was at_least comfortable .Scraps hung limply over afiligreed balcony, the wizard beside her, and_the Scarecrow dangled from a spire .

" wait ! Don't move any of you," coughed the strawman ." wait, I'll fall down and get a ladder ! "

and down he plunged !

chapter 19

the wizard Takes a hand

the people clinging to_the roof of_the palace were no more puzzled and alarmed than_the ones rattling around beneath the roof . to understand all of_these strange and confusing events, we_must go back to Mombi's incantation .Mombi, you_see, had used the magic formula without the king's robe . indeed, Mombi had forgotten that part of_the transformation entirely, and in consequence the great disaster predicted by_the fairy queen Lurline had occurred .

when_the palace had sunk so suddenly into_the earth, Dorothy and her companions had_been too startled to even move . but when it finally settled down and things grew quiet again, Dorothy, feeling her way cautiously, pressed a small radio button in_the wall .Fortunately the lighting system had_not_been thrown out of order and, as_the emerald lamps flooded the throne room with their reassuring glow, everyone gave a sigh of relief .

Kabumpo had wound his trunk around one_of_the palace pillars and closed his eyes . now he let go and looked fearfully around him .Mombi had rolled into a corner and Pajuka lay flat on_his back with_his feet in_the air .Tora's ears had flown off from_the shock, carrying his spectacles with_them, and_the poor tailor was uncertainly groping his way toward the door . snip, who suffered nothing worse than a bump over the eye, ran hastily to_his assistance, leading him gently to a large arm chair .Sinking into its comfortable depths, Tora pulled out a red handkerchief and began mopping first his cheeks and then his brow and muttering unintelligibly to himself .

Humpy was sprawled on_the floor, his crown jammed down over his nose and_his head resting on_the last step of_the dais . as Dorothy ran to help him up, he_made a feeble gesture of protest .

" the kingdom has fallen," puffed the dummy indignantly, " and_that lets me out . if this_is_the way you treat your sovereigns, I'm through .I resign ! I abdicate . let me be the bell boy, or the furnace man . why even in_the movies I_have never been treated like this . it's a crime . it's an outrage ! " coughed Humpy, struggling to asitting position and trying to pry his crown upward .

" now Humpy," began Dorothy reprovingly, you re talking like a dummy instead of a king . just wait--

" I_am a dummy," insisted the poor fellow, feeling of himself to_make sure ." has_that old wretch changed me one hair's breadth by her villainous magic ? Oh, to_think i_should_have sunk so low ! "

" she's a fraud," hissed Pajuka, who had also picked himself up ." woman, how dare you sink the castle in_this shocking and informal manner ? where are we and what_is to_become of_his majesty ? "

" look out, she's trying to_get away," warned snip . the little button boy was right, for at each question Mombi was creeping nearer to_the door .

" no you don't ! " shrilled Kabumpo, snatching her back with_his trunk ."I'll teach you to sink elephants like a ship and play such tricks upon_the king ! " he began shaking her backward and forward till her very bones rattled .

" undo this mischief at once . give_me back my own shape . restore the king ! " screamed Pajuka, flapping his wings in Mombi's face .

" raise up this castle or I'll step on you ! " promised Kabumpo furiously .

Mombi looked pleadingly at Dorothy and snip, but the little boy and girl felt now that any punishment was too good for_the old witch .

" give_me time," muttered Mombi, casting uneasy glances from one to_the other ." the formula should_have restored the king, but something went wrong . I_must_have more time ."

" here, take it ." Stumbling across the room, Ilumpy pressed a dollar watch into_the old witch's hands ." here's all the time in_the_world," said the dummy dolefully, " but don't ask me to_be king again . let Kabumpo sit on_the throne and_see how he likes it ."

Turning his back upon_the company, Humpy began to run after Tora's ears . fastened together by_the tailor's spectacles, they were flapping wildly around the apartment .Pajuka groaned and covered his eyes with_his wing, for_the honest goose could_not bear to_see his old master conducting himself so foolishly .

" well, what shall I_do with her ? " Kabumpo shook Mombi again and snapped his eyes angrily at Dorothy .

" she got us into_this trouble and now she_must get us out," decided the little girl wisely ." do_you_think you_can ? "

the old witch nodded and, at a sign from Dorothy, Kabumpo let her go, at_the same time keeping a close guard upon her .Mombi, it must_be confessed, was as surprised at_the fall of_the castle as anyone else, nor could she account for_the failure of_the magic formula . hemmed in a corner by_the gigantic Kabumpo, she began mumbling in magic and making queer passes in_the air just to gain time .

Dorothy watched anxiously, but snip, who had already had an idea of_his own, tiptoed across the room and picked up Mombi's basket . in a sudden flash snip recalled the skyward flight of_the cats in Catty Corners . was there any more of_the marvelous baking powder ? Tumbling everything out_of_the basket, snip fumbled hurriedly among its contents and with a little cry of triumph found what he_was looking for-a small purple can of_the magical powder . and, better still, printed in Mombi's crooked writing, were the directions for its use . this_is what snip read:

" to raise hair- one drop in water .

" to raise the roof- one pinch down the chimney .

" to raise the rent-five teaspoon's full in vinegar .

" to raise a castle or city empty entire contents of can on spot desired . sprinkle with water and count ten ."

Seizing a flower vase from a nearby stand, snip dumped out the powder and moistened it from_the vase . then, hardly daring to_think what would happen, the little button boy began to count .

with a roar as sudden and frightful as when it had fallen, the castle shot upward, gaining speed as it went, up, up, up, till the dark earth was left far below and_the massive structure stood on its rightful foundations again .

how Ozma and her friends were caught upon its roof, we already know, for snip had set off the powder, just as_the little queen flung herself upon_the grass to weep .

while the Scarecrow, with a long ladder from_the garden, was helping those on_the roof to_get down, snip was hurrying around the throne room helping those inside to_get up, for_the final jar as_the castle settled had knocked everyone over- even Kabumpo .

" is_this exciting enough for_you ? " asked Dorothy, crawling out from beneath a sofa . the elegant elephant groaned, but made no attempt to arise, and Dorothy, rushing over to Mombi, dragged her hurriedly to her feet .

" now that you've raised the castle," puffed the little girl determinedly," suppose you transform the king and Pajuka ! "

"Mombi didn't raise the castle, I_did it myself ! " cried snip delightedly .

" you_did ! " gasped Kabumpo, rolling over in astonishment ." how ? "

snip held up the empty can and, while Mombi glowered angrily, he explained his use of_the marvelous baking powder .Tora's ears were still off so the poor tailor was as bewildered as ever, but snip nodded to him encouragingly and had just finished his recital when_the door in_the hall burst open and Ozma, in a perfect flutter of excitement, swept into_the throne room-Ozma and everyone who had accompanied her to morrow .

" the king ! " gasped Ozma faintly, for she was rather short of breath ." where is_the king ? " her glance travelled in alarm from Mombi to Pajuka . the goose was waddling after Humpy .Paying no attention to_the rise of_the castle, the dummy was mounted on a chair in a last effort to capture Tora's ears .

" Dorothy," wailed the sorely tried and tired little fairy, " where is my father ? "

" here ! here ! " honked Pajuka, doing his best to_make Humpy turn ' round ." this_is_the king of Oz ! "

Dorothy, astonished though she was by Ozma's sudden entry, hastened to break the shock of her disappointment ." you_must remember," she explained hastily, " he_is_not quite himself ! "

" he's bewitched- we're all bewitched ! " groaned the goose, flapping his wings despairingly .

" well, who hit me with_the castle ? " demanded Scraps, staring around indignantly ." i_told you the king was a dunce ! "

the little girls, sir Hokus and_the wizard were regarding the stuffed man's actions with horror and dismay .

" are_you my father ? " faltered Ozma, approaching the dummy timidly ." why, where have_you been all these years ? "

" in_the pictures," answered Humpy in a matter- of- fact voice . with a final snatch he had captured the tailor's ears and was more interested in_them than in_his daughter ."I double for_the stars, my dear .I fall and die and all that sort of thing . ask Dorothy, she knows all about me ."

" he's been leading a double life," murmured the Scarecrow, looking solemnly at sir Hokus of Pokes . then, facing the king, he asked frankly, " are_you adub or a double ? "

" he's bewitched, I tell you," puffed Pajuka, trying to_get some attention ." make her disenchant us ! " he shot his neck angrily in Mombi's direction and immediately everyone's attention was directed to_the old witch, whom the elegant elephant still guarded in_the corner .

" why, there's Kabumpo ! " cried Ozma and then, catching her first glimpse of_the tailor without ears, she sank limply into a chair and began to fan herself with a doily ." everything, everything's so queer," murmured the little queen, looking appealingly at Betsy and

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