Oz 11: The Lost Princess of Oz by L. Frank Baum
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beneath its base which extended far down in_the black pit below . from_the land side it seemed impossible to_get across the gulf or, succeeding in_that, to gain a foothold on any of_the whirling mountains .

" this ditch is too wide to jump across," remarked button- bright .

"P'raps the lion could do_it," suggested Dorothy .

" what, jump from here to_that whirling hill ? " cried the lion indignantly ." i_should say not ! even if I landed there and could hold on, what good would it do ? there's another spinning mountain beyond it, and perhaps still another beyond that .I don't believe any living creature could jump from one mountain to another when both are whirling like tops and in different directions ."

"I propose we turn back," said the wooden sawhorse with a yawn of_his chopped- out mouth as he stared with_his knot eyes at_the merry- go- round Mountains .

"I agree with_you," said the woozy, wagging his square head .

" we_should_have taken the shepherd's advice," added Hank the mule .

the others of_the party, however they_might_be puzzled by_the serious problem that confronted them, would_not allow themselves to despair ." if_we once get over these mountains," said button- bright, " we_could probably get along all right ."

" true enough," agreed Dorothy ." so we_must find some way, of_course, to_get past these whirligig hills . but how ? "

" i_wish the Ork was with_us," sighed trot .

" but the Ork isn't here," said the wizard, " and we_must depend upon ourselves to conquer this difficulty . unfortunately, all my magic has_been stolen, otherwise I_am_sure I_could easily get over the mountains ."

" unfortunately," observed the woozy, " none of us has wings . and we're in a magic country without any magic ."

" what_is that around your waist, Dorothy ? " asked the wizard .

" that ? Oh, that's just the magic belt I once captured from_the Nome king," she replied .

"A magic belt ! why, that's fine .I'm sure a magic belt would take you over these hills ."

" it might if I_knew how to work it," said the little girl ."Ozma knows alot of_its magic, but I've never found out about_it . all I_know is_that while I_am wearing it, nothing can hurt me ."

" try wishing yourself across and_see if_it_will obey you," suggested the wizard .

" but what good would that_do ? " asked Dorothy ." if I got across, it wouldn't help the rest of you, and I couldn't go alone among all those giants and dragons while you stayed here ."

" true enough," agreed the wizard sadly . and then, after looking around the group, he inquired, " what_is that on_your finger, trot ? "

"A ring . the Mermaids gave it to_me," she explained, " and if ever I'm in trouble when I'm on_the water, I_can call the Mermaids and_they'll come and help me . but the Mermaids can't help me on_the land, you_know, ' cause they swim, and-- and-- they haven't any legs ."

" true enough," repeated the wizard, more sadly .

there_was a big, broad, spreading tree near the edge of_the gulf, and as_the sun was hot above them, they all gathered under the shade of_the tree to study the problem of what to_do next ." if_we had a long rope," said Betsy, " we_could fasten it to_this tree and let the other end of it down into_the gulf and all slide down it ."

" well, what then ? " asked the wizard .

" then, if_we_could manage to throw the rope up the other side," explained the girl, " we_could all climb it and be on_the other side of_the gulf ."

" there_are too many ' if's' in_that suggestion," remarked the little wizard ." and you_must remember that_the other side is nothing but spinning mountains, so we couldn't possibly fasten a rope to_them, even if_we had one ."

" that rope idea isn't half bad, though," said the patchwork girl, who had_been dancing dangerously near to_the edge of_the gulf .

" what do_you_mean ? " asked Dorothy .

the patchwork girl suddenly stood still and cast her button eyes around the group ."Ha, I_have it ! " she exclaimed ." unharness the sawhorse, somebody . my fingers are too clumsy ."

" shall we ? " asked button- bright doubtfully, turning to_the others .

" well, Scraps has alot of brains, even if she_is stuffed with cotton," asserted the wizard ." if her brains can help_us out of_this trouble, we ought to use them ."

so he began unharnessing the sawhorse, and button- bright and Dorothy helped him . when_they had removed the harness, the patchwork girl told them to_take it all apart and buckle the straps together, end to end . and after they had done this, they found they had one very long strap that was stronger than any rope ." it would reach across the gulf easily," said the lion, who with_the other animals had sat on_his haunches and watched this proceeding ." but I don't see how it could_be fastened to one of_those dizzy mountains ."

Scraps had no such notion as_that in her baggy head . she told them to fasten one end of_the strap to a stout limb of_the tree, pointing to one which extended quite to_the edge of_the gulf . button- bright did that, climbing the tree and then crawling out upon_the limb until he_was nearly over the gulf . there he managed to fasten the strap, which reached to_the ground below, and then he slid down it and was caught by_the wizard, who feared he might fall into_the chasm .Scraps was delighted . she seized the lower end of_the strap, and telling them all to_get out of her way, she went back as far as_the strap would reach and then made a sudden run toward the gulf . over the edge she swung, clinging to_the strap until it had gone as far as its length permitted, when she let go and sailed gracefully through_the air until she alighted upon_the mountain just in front of_them .

almost instantly, as_the great cone continued to whirl, she was sent flying against the next mountain in_the rear, and_that one had only turned halfway around when Scraps was sent flying to_the next mountain behind it . then her patchwork form disappeared from view entirely, and_the amazed watchers under the tree wondered what had become of her ." she's gone, and she_can't get back," said the woozy .

" my, how she bounded from one mountain to another ! " exclaimed the lion .

" that was because they whirl so fast," the wizard explained ."Scraps had nothing to hold on to, and so of_course she was tossed from one hill to another .I'm afraid we_shall never see the poor patchwork girl again ."

" I_shall see her," declared the woozy ."Scraps is an old friend of_mine, and if_there_are really thistle-Eaters and Giants on_the other side of_those tops, she will need someone to protect her . so here I go ! " he seized the dangling strap firmly in_his square mouth, and in_the same way that Scraps had done swung himself over the gulf . he let go the strap at_the right moment and fell upon_the first whirling mountain . then he bounded to_the next one back of it-- not on_his feet, but " all mixed up," as trot said-- and then he shot across to another mountain, disappearing from view just as_the patchwork girl had done .

" it seems to work, all right," remarked button- bright ."I guess I'll try it ."

" wait a minute," urged the wizard ." before any more of us make this desperate leap into_the beyond, we_must decide whether all will go or if some of us will remain behind ."

" do_you s' pose it hurt them much to bump against those mountains ? " asked trot .

"I don't s' pose anything could hurt Scraps or the woozy," said Dorothy, " and nothing can hurt me, because I wear the magic belt . so as I'm anxious to_find Ozma, I mean to swing myself across too ."

"I'll take my chances," decided button- bright .

"I'm sure it_will hurt dreadfully, and I'm afraid to_do_it," said the lion, who was already trembling, " but I_shall do_it if Dorothy does ."

" well, that_will leave Betsy and_the mule and trot," said the wizard, " for of_course I_shall go that I_may look after Dorothy . do_you two girls think you_can find your way back home again ? " he asked, addressing trot and Betsy .

"I'm not afraid . not much, that_is," said trot ." it looks risky, I_know, but I'm sure I_can stand it if_the others can ."

" if_it wasn't for leaving Hank," began Betsy in ahesitating voice .

but the mule interrupted her by saying, " go ahead if_you_want to, and I'll come after you .a mule is as brave as a lion any day ."

" braver," said the lion, " for I'm a coward, friend Hank, and you_are_not . but of_course the sawhorse--"

"Oh, nothing ever hurts me," asserted the sawhorse calmly ." there's never been any question about_my going . I_can't take_the red wagon, though ."

" no, we_must leave the wagon," said the wizard, " and also we_must leave our food and blankets, I_fear . but if_we_can defy these merry- go- round Mountains to stop us, we won't mind the sacrifice of some_of_our comforts ."

" no one knows where we're going to land ! " remarked the lion in a voice that sounded as_if he were going to cry .

" we_may not land at all," replied Hank, " but the best way to_find out what_will happen to_us is to swing across as Scraps and_the woozy have_done ."

" i_think I_shall go last," said the wizard, " so who wants to_go first ? "

"I'll go," decided Dorothy .

" no, it's my turn first," said button- bright ." watch me ! "

even as he spoke, the boy seized the strap, and after making a run swung himself across the gulf . away he went, bumping from hill to hill until he disappeared . they listened intently, but the boy uttered no cry until he had_been gone some moments, when_they heard a faint Hullo-a ! " as_if called from a great distance . the sound gave them courage, however, and Dorothy picked up Toto and held him fast under one arm while with_the other hand she seized the strap and bravely followed after button- bright .

when she struck the first whirling mountain, she fell upon it quite softly, but before she had time to_think, she flew through_the air and lit with a jar on_the side of_the next mountain . again she flew and alighted, and again and still again, until after five successive bumps she fell sprawling upon a green meadow and was so dazed and bewildered by her bumpy journey across the merry- go- round Mountains that she lay quite still for a time to collect her thoughts .Toto had escaped from her arms just as she fell, and he now sat beside her panting with excitement . then Dorothy realized that someone was helping her to her feet, and here was button- bright on one side of her and Scraps on_the other, both seeming to_be unhurt . the next object her eyes fell upon was_the woozy, squatting upon his square back end and looking at her reflectively, while Toto barked joyously to_find his mistress unhurt after her whirlwind trip .

" good ! " said the woozy ." here's another and a dog, both safe and sound . but my word, Dorothy, you flew some ! if you_could_have seen yourself, you'd have_been absolutely astonished ."

" they say ' time flies,'20" laughed button- bright, " but time never made a quicker journey than that ."

just then, as Dorothy turned around to look at_the whirling mountains, she was in_time to_see tiny trot come flying from_the nearest hill to_fall upon_the soft grass not a yard away from where she stood . trot was so dizzy she couldn't stand at first, but she wasn't at all hurt, and presently Betsy came flying to_them and would_have bumped into_the others had they not retreated in_time to avoid her . then, in quick succession, came the lion, Hank and_the sawhorse, bounding from mountain to mountain to_fall safely upon_the greensward . only the wizard was now left behind, and_they waited so_long for him that Dorothy began to_be worried .

but suddenly he_came flying from_the nearest mountain and tumbled heels over head beside them . then they saw that he had wound two of_their blankets around his body to_keep the bumps from hurting him and had fastened the blankets with some_of_the spare straps from_the harness of_the sawhorse .

chapter 8

the mysterious city

there they sat upon_the grass, their heads still swimming from their dizzy flights, and looked at one another in silent bewilderment . but presently, when assured that no one was injured, they grew more calm and collected, and_the lion said with a sigh of relief, " who_would_have thought those merry- go- round Mountains were made of rubber ? "

" are they really rubber ? " asked trot .

" they_must_be," replied the lion, " for otherwise we_would_not have bounded so swiftly from one to another without getting hurt ."

" that_is all guesswork," declared the wizard, unwinding the blankets from_his body, " for none of us stayed long enough on_the mountains to discover what they_are made of . but where are we ? "

" that's guesswork," said Scraps ." the shepherd said the thistle-Eaters live this side of_the mountains and_are waited on by giants ."

"Oh no," said Dorothy, " it's the Herkus who_have giant slaves, and_the thistle-Eaters hitch dragons to_their chariots ."

" how could

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