Oz 11: The Lost Princess of Oz by L. Frank Baum
Section [1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20]
had found a plum tree and was eating some of_its fruit .

" how can_you wait here and find button- bright at one and_the same time ? " inquired the patchwork girl, hanging by her toes on a limb just over the heads of_the three mortal girls .

" perhaps he'll come back here," answered Dorothy .

" if he tries that, he'll prob'ly lose his way," said trot ."I've known him to do_that lots of times . it's losing his way that gets him lost ."

" very true," said the wizard ." so all the rest of you_must stay here while I go look for_the boy ."

" won't you get lost, too ? " asked Betsy .

" I_hope not, my dear ."

" let me go," said Scraps, dropping lightly to_the ground ." I_can't get lost, and I'm more likely to_find button- bright than any of you ." without waiting for permission, she darted away through_the trees and soon disappeared from their view .

" Dorothy," said Toto, squatting beside his little mistress, "I've lost my growl ."

" how did that happen ? " she asked .

"I don't know," replied Toto ." yesterday morning the woozy nearly stepped on me, and I tried to growl at him and found I couldn't growl a bit ."

" can_you bark ? " inquired Dorothy .

"Oh, yes indeed ."

" then never mind the growl," said she .

" but what_will I_do when I get home to_the glass Cat and_the pink kitten ? " asked the little dog in an anxious tone .

" they won't mind if_you_can't growl at them, I'm sure," said Dorothy ."I'm sorry for_you, of_course, Toto, for_it's just those things we_can't do_that we_want to_do most of all; but before we get back, you_may find your growl again ."

" do_you_think the person who stole Ozma stole my growl ? "

Dorothy smiled .

" perhaps, Toto ."

" then he's a scoundrel ! " cried the little dog .

" anyone who_would steal Ozma is as bad as bad can_be," agreed Dorothy, " and when we remember that_our dear friend, the lovely ruler of Oz, is lost, we ought not to worry over just a growl ."

Toto was not entirely satisfied with_this remark, for_the more he thought upon his lost growl, the more important his misfortune became . when no one was looking, he went away among_the trees and tried his best to growl-- even a little bit-- but could_not manage to_do_so . all he_could do was bark, and a bark cannot take_the place of a growl, so he sadly returned to_the others .

now button- bright had no idea that he_was lost at first . he had merely wandered from tree to tree seeking the finest fruit until he discovered he_was alone in_the great orchard . but that didn't worry him just then, and seeing some apricot trees farther on, he went to_them . then he discovered some cherry trees; just beyond these were some tangerines ." we've found ' most ev'ry kind of fruit but peaches," he_said to himself, " so I guess there_are peaches here, too, if I_can find the trees ."

he searched here and there, paying no attention to_his way, until he_found that_the trees surrounding him bore only nuts . he put some walnuts in_his pockets and kept on searching, and at last-- right among_the nut trees-- he_came upon one solitary peach tree . it_was a graceful, beautiful tree, but although it_was thickly leaved, it bore no fruit except one large, splendid peach, rosy-cheeked and fuzzy and just right to eat .

in_his heart he doubted this statement, for_this was a solitary peach tree, while all the other fruits grew upon many trees set close to one another; but that one luscious bite made him unable to resist eating the rest of it, and soon the peach was all gone except the pit . button- bright was about to throw this peach pit away when he noticed that_it_was of pure gold . of_course, this surprised him, but so_many things in_the land of Oz were surprising that he_did_not give much thought to_the golden peach pit . he put it in_his pocket, however, to show to_the girls, and five minutes afterward had forgotten all about_it .

for now he realized that he_was far separated from_his companions, and knowing that this_would worry them and delay their journey, he began to shout as loud as he_could . his voice did_not penetrate very far among all those trees, and after shouting a dozen times and getting no answer, he sat down on_the ground and said, " well, I'm lost again . it's too bad, but I don't see how it can_be helped ."

as he leaned his back against a tree, he looked up and saw aBluefinch fly down from_the sky and alight upon a branch just before him . the bird looked and looked at him . first it looked with one bright eye and then turned its head and looked at him with_the other eye . then, fluttering its wings a little, it said, "Oho ! so you've eaten the enchanted peach, have_you ? "

" was_it enchanted ? " asked button- bright .

" of_course," replied the Bluefinch ."Ugu the shoemaker did that ."

" but why ? and how was_it enchanted ? and what_will happen to one who eats it ? " questioned the boy .

." ask Ugu the shoemaker . he_knows," said the bird, preening its feathers with its bill .

" and who_is Ugu the shoemaker ? "

" the one who enchanted the peach and placed it here-- in_the exact center of_the great orchard-- so no one would ever find it . we birds didn't dare to eat it; we_are too wise for_that . but you_are button- bright from_the emerald city, and you, you, you ate the enchanted peach !

you_must explain to Ugu the shoemaker why you_did that ." and then, before_the boy could ask any more questions, the bird flew away and left him alone .

button- bright was not much worried to_find that_the peach he had eaten was enchanted . it certainly had tasted very_good, and_his stomach didn't ache a bit . so again he began to reflect upon_the best way to rejoin his friends ." whichever direction I follow is likely to_be the wrong one," he_said to himself, " so I'd better stay just where I_am and let them find me-- if_they_can ."

a white rabbit came hopping through_the orchard and paused a little way off to look at him ."Don't be afraid," said button- bright ."I won't hurt you ."

"Oh, I'm not afraid for_myself," returned the white rabbit ." it's you I'm worried about ."

." yes, I'm lost,' said the boy .

" I_fear you_are, indeed," answered the rabbit ." why on earth did you eat the enchanted peach ? "

the boy looked at_the excited little animal thoughtfully ." there were two reasons," he explained ." one reason was_that I like peaches, and_the other reason was_that I didn't know it_was enchanted ."

" that won't save you from Ugu the shoemaker," declared the white rabbit, and it scurried away before_the boy could ask any more questions .

"Rabbits and birds," he thought, " are timid creatures and seem afraid of_this shoemaker, whoever he_may_be . if there_was another peach half as good as_that other, I'd eat it in_spite of a dozen enchantments or a hundred shoemakers ! "

just then, Scraps came dancing along and saw him sitting at_the foot of_the tree ."Oh, here you_are ! " she said ." up_to your old tricks, eh ? Don't you_know it's impolite to_get lost and keep everybody waiting for_you ? come along, and I'll lead you back to Dorothy and_the others ."

button- bright rose slowly to accompany her .

" that wasn't much of a loss," he_said cheerfully ."I haven't been gone half a day, so there's no harm done ."

Dorothy, however, when_the boy rejoined the party, gave him a good scolding ." when we're doing such an important thing as searching for Ozma," said she, " it's naughty for_you to wander away and keep us from getting on .S' pose she's apris'ner in a dungeon cell ! do_you_want to_keep our dear Ozma there any longer than we_can help ? "

" if she's in a dungeon cell, how are_you going to_get her out ? " inquired the boy .

" never you mind . we'll leave that to_the wizard . he's sure to_find a way ."

the wizard said nothing, for he realized that without his magic tools he_could do no more than any_other person . but there_was no use reminding his companions of_that fact; it might discourage them ." the important thing just now," he remarked, " is to_find Ozma, and as our party is again happily reunited, I propose we move on ."

as_they came to_the edge of_the great orchard, the sun was setting and_they knew it would soon be dark . so it_was decided to camp under the trees, as another broad plain was before them . the wizard spread the blankets on a bed of soft leaves, and presently all of_them except Scraps and_the sawhorse were fast asleep .Toto snuggled close to_his friend the lion, and_the woozy snored so loudly that_the patchwork girl covered his square head with her apron to deaden the sound .

chapter 12

CZAROVER of HERKU

trot wakened just as_the sun rose, and slipping out_of_the blankets, went to_the edge of_the great orchard and looked across the plain . something glittered in_the far distance ." that looks like another city," she said half aloud .

" and another city it_is," declared Scraps, who had crept to trot's side unheard, for her stuffed feet made no sound ." the sawhorse and I_made a journey in_the dark while you were all asleep, and we_found over there a bigger city than Thi . there's a wall around it, too, but it has gates and plenty of pathways ."

" did you get in ? " asked trot .

" no, for_the gates were locked and_the wall was a real wall . so we came back here again . it isn't far to_the city . we_can reach it in two hours after you've had your breakfasts ."

trot went back, and finding the other girls now awake, told them what Scraps had said . so they hurriedly ate some fruit-- there were plenty of plums and fijoas in_this part of_the orchard-- and then they mounted the animals and set out upon_the journey to_the strange city .Hank the mule had breakfasted on grass, and_the lion had stolen away and found a breakfast to_his liking; he never told what it_was, but Dorothy hoped the little rabbits and_the field mice had kept out of_his way . she warned Toto not to chase birds and gave the dog some apple, with_which he_was quite content . the woozy was as fond of fruit as of any_other food except honey, and_the sawhorse never ate at all .

except for their worry over Ozma, they were all in good spirits as_they proceeded swiftly over the plain .Toto still worried over his lost growl, but like a wise little dog kept his worry to himself . before long, the city grew nearer and they_could examine it with interest .

in outward appearance the place was more imposing than Thi, and it_was a square city, with a square, four- sided wall around it, and on each side was a square gate of burnished copper . everything about_the city looked solid and substantial; there were no banners flying, and_the towers that rose above the city wall seemed bare of any ornament whatever .

a path led from_the fruit orchard directly to one_of_the city gates, showing that_the inhabitants preferred fruit to thistles . our friends followed this path to_the gate, which they found fast shut . but the wizard advanced and pounded upon it with_his fist, saying in a loud voice, " open ! "

at once there rose above the great wall a row of immense heads, all of_which looked down at them as_if to_see who was intruding . the size of_these heads was astonishing, and_our friends at once realized that_they belonged to giants who were standing within_the city . all had thick, bushy hair and whiskers, on some the hair being white and on others black or red or yellow, while the hair of a few was just turning gray, showing that_the giants were of all ages . however fierce the heads might seem, the eyes were mild in expression, as if_the creatures had_been long subdued, and their faces expressed patience rather than ferocity .

" what's wanted ? " asked one old giant in a low, grumbling voice .

" we_are strangers, and we_wish to enter the city," replied the wizard .

" do_you come in war or peace ? " asked another .

" in peace, of_course," retorted the wizard, and he added impatiently, " do we look like an army of conquest ? "

" no," said the first giant who had spoken, " you look like innocent tramps; but you never can tell by appearances . wait here until we report to our masters . no one can enter here without the permission of Vig, the Czarover ."

" who's that ? " inquired Dorothy .

but the heads had all bobbed down and disappeared behind the walls, so there_was no answer . they waited a long_time before_the gate rolled back with arumbling sound, and a loud voice cried, " enter ! " but they lost no time in taking advantage of_the invitation .

on either side of_the broad street that led into_the city from_the gate stood a row of huge giants, twenty of_them on a side and all standing so close together that their elbows touched . they wore uniforms of blue and yellow and were armed with clubs as

Section [1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20]