Oz 11: The Lost Princess of Oz by L. Frank Baum
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big, white bear carried the pink one in_his arms and set it down beside the king, arranging the joints of_its legs so_that it would stand upright .

this pink bear seemed lifeless until the king turned a crank which protruded from its side, when_the little creature turned its head stiffly from side to side and said in a small, shrill voice, "Hurrah for_the king of bear center ! "

" very_good," said the big lavender bear ." he seems_to_be working very_well today . tell me, my pink Pinkerton, what has become of_this lady's jeweled dishpan ? "

"U-u-u," said the pink bear, and then stopped short .

the king turned the crank again .

"U-g-u the shoemaker has it," said the pink bear .

" who_is Ugu the shoemaker ? " demanded the king, again turning the crank .

"A magician who lives on a mountain in a wickerwork castle," was_the reply .

" where is_the mountain ? " was_the next question .

"Nineteen miles and three furlongs from bear center to_the northeast ."

" and is_the dishpan still at_the castle of Ugu the shoemaker ? " asked the king .

" it_is ."

the king turned to Cayke .

" you_may rely on this_information," said he ." the pink bear can tell us anything we_wish to_know, and_his words are always words of truth ."

" is he alive ? " asked the Frogman, much interested in_the pink bear .

" something animates him when_you turn his crank," replied the king ." I_do_not know if_it_is life or what it_is or how it happens that_the little pink bear can answer correctly every question put to him . we discovered his talent a long_time_ago, and whenever we_wish to_know anything-- which_is not very often-- we ask_the pink bear . there_is no_doubt whatever, madam, that Ugu the magician has your dishpan, and if_you dare to_go to him, you_may_be_able to recover it . but of_that I_am not certain ."

" can't the pink bear tell ? " asked Cayke anxiously .

" no, for_that is in_the_future . he_can tell anything that has happened, but nothing that_is going to happen .Don't ask me why, for I don't know ."

" well," said the Cookie Cook after a little thought, "I mean to_go to_this magician, anyhow, and tell him i_want my dishpan . i_wish I_knew what Ugu the shoemaker is like ."

" then I'll show him to_you," promised the king ." but do_not be frightened . it won't be Ugu, remember, but only his image ." with_this, he waved his metal wand, and in_the circle suddenly appeared a thin little man, very old and skinny, who was seated on a wicker stool before a wicker table . on_the table lay a great book with gold clasps . the book was open, and_the man was reading in_it . he wore great spectacles which were fastened before his eyes by_means of a ribbon that passed around his head and was tied in a bow at_the neck . his hair was very thin and white; his skin, which clung fast to_his bones, was brown and seared with furrows; he had a big, fat nose and little eyes set close together .

on no account was Ugu the shoemaker a pleasant person to gaze at . as his image appeared before_the, all were silent and intent until corporal waddle, the brown bear, became nervous and pulled the trigger of_his gun . instantly, the Cork flew out_of_the tin barrel with a loud " pop ! " that made them all jump . and at_this sound, the image of_the magician vanished ." so_that'S the thief, is_it ? " said Cayke in an angry voice ." i_should think he'd be ashamed of himself for stealing a poor woman's diamond dishpan ! but I mean to_face him in_his wicker castle and force him to return my property ."

" to_me," said the bear king reflectively, " he looked like a dangerous person . I_hope he won't be so unkind as_to argue the matter with_you ."

the Frogman was much disturbed by_the vision of Ugu the shoemaker, and Cayke's determination to_go to_the magician filled her companion with misgivings . but he_would_not break his pledged word to assist the Cookie Cook, and after breathing a deep sigh of resignation, he asked the king, " will your majesty lend us this pink bear who answers questions that we_may take him with_us on_our journey ? he_would_be very useful to_us, and we_will promise to bring him safely back to_you ."

the king did_not reply at once . he_seemed to_be thinking .

" please let_us take_the pink bear," begged Cayke ."I'm sure he_would_be a great help to_us ."

" the pink bear," said the king, " is_the best bit of magic I possess, and there_is not another like him in_the_world . I_do_not care to let him out of_my sight, nor do i_wish to disappoint you; so I believe i_will make_the journey in your company and carry my pink bear with me . he_can walk when_you wind the other side of him, but so slowly and awkwardly that he_would delay you . but if I go along, I_can carry him in my arms, so i_will join your party . whenever you_are ready to start, let me know ."

" but your majesty ! " exclaimed corporal waddle in protest, " I_hope you_do_not intend to let these prisoners escape without punishment ."

" of what crime do_you accuse them ? " inquired the king .

" why, they trespassed on_your domain, for_one_thing," said the brown bear .

" we didn't know it_was private property, your majesty," said the Cookie Cook ." and_they asked if any of us had stolen the dishpan ! " continued corporal waddle indignantly ." that_is_the same thing as calling us thieves and robbers and bandits and brigands, is_it not ? "

" every person has_the right to ask questions," said the Frogman .

" but the corporal is quite correct," declared the lavender bear ."I condemn you both to death, the execution to_take place ten years from_this hour ."

" but we belong in_the land of Oz, where no one ever dies," Cayke reminded him .

" very true," said the king ."I condemn you to death merely as a matter of form . it sounds quite terrible, and in ten years we_shall_have forgotten all about_it . are_you ready to start for_the wicker castle of Ugu the shoemaker ? "

" quite ready, your majesty ."

" but who_will rule in your place while you_are gone ? " asked a big yellow bear .

"I myself will rule while I_am gone," was_the reply .

"A king isn't required to stay at home forever, and if he takes a notion to travel, whose business is_it but his own ? all I ask is_that you bears behave yourselves while I_am away . if any of you is naughty, I'll send_him to some girl or boy in America to play with ."

this dreadful threat made all the toy bears look solemn . they assured the king in a chorus of growls that they_would_be good . then the big lavender bear picked up the little pink bear, and after tucking it carefully under one arm, he_said, " goodbye till I come back ! " and waddled along the path that led through_the forest . the Frogman and Cayke the Cookie Cook also said goodbye to_the bears and then followed after_the king, much to_the regret of_the little brown bear, who pulled the trigger of_his gun and popped the Cork as aparting salute .

chapter 17

the MEETING

while the Frogman and_his party were advancing from_the west, Dorothy and her party were advancing from_the east, and so it happened that on_the following night they all camped at a little hill that was only a few miles from_the wicker castle of Ugu the shoemaker . but the two parties did_not see one another that night, for_one camped on one side of_the hill while the other camped on_the opposite side . but the next morning, the Frogman thought he_would climb the hill and_see what_was on top of it, and at_the same time Scraps, the patchwork girl, also decided to climb the hill to_find if_the wicker castle was visible from its top . so she stuck her head over an edge just as_the Frogman's head appeared over another edge, and both, being surprised, kept still while they took a good look at one another .

Scraps recovered from her astonishment first, and bounding upward, she turned a somersault and landed sitting down and facing the big Frogman, who slowly advanced and sat opposite her ." well met, stranger ! " cried the patchwork girl with a whoop of laughter ." you_are quite the funniest individual I_have_seen in all my travels ."

" do_you suppose I_can_be any funnier than you ? " asked the Frogman, gazing at her in wonder .

"I'm not funny to myself, you_know," returned Scraps ." i_wish I were . and perhaps you_are so used to your own absurd shape that you_do_not laugh whenever you_see your reflection in a pool or in a mirror ."

" no," said the Frogman gravely, " I_do_not .I used to_be proud of_my great size and vain of_my culture and education, but since I bathed in_the truth pond, I sometimes think it_is_not right that i_should_be different from all other frogs ."

" right or wrong," said the patchwork girl, " to_be different is_to_be distinguished . now in my case, I'm just like all other patchwork Girls because I'm the only_one there_is . but tell me, where did you come from ? "

" the Yip country," said he .

" is_that in_the land of Oz ? "

" of_course," replied the Frogman .

" and do_you_know that your ruler, Ozma of Oz, has_been stolen ? "

" i_was not aware that I had a ruler, so of_course I couldn't know that she was stolen ."

" well, you_have . all the people of Oz," explained Scraps, " are ruled by Ozma, whether they know it or not . and she has_been stolen .Aren't you angry ? Aren't you indignant ? your ruler, whom you didn't know you had, has positively been stolen ! "

" that_is queer," remarked the Frogman thoughtfully ."Stealing is a thing practically unknown in Oz, yet this Ozma has_been taken, and a friend of_mine has also had her dishpan stolen . with her I_have traveled all the way from_the Yip country in_order to recover it ."

"I don't see any connection between a royal ruler of Oz and adishpan ! " declared Scraps .

" they've both been stolen, haven't they ? "

" true . but why can't your friend wash her dishes in another dishpan ? " asked Scraps .

" why can't you use another royal ruler ? I suppose you prefer the one who_is lost, and my friend wants her own dishpan, which_is made of gold and studded with diamonds and has magic powers ."

" magic, eh ? " exclaimed Scraps ." there_is a link that connects the two steals, anyhow, for_it seems that all the magic in_the land of Oz was stolen at_the same time, whether it_was in_the emerald city of in Glinda's castle or in_the Yip country .Seems mighty strange and mysterious, doesn't it ? "

" it used to seem that way to_me," admitted the Frogman, " but we_have now discovered who took our dishpan . it_was Ugu the shoemaker ."

"Ugu ? good gracious ! that's the same magician we_think has stolen Ozma . we_are now on_our way to_the castle of_this shoemaker ."

" so are we," said the Frogman .

" then follow me, quick ! and let me introduce you to Dorothy and_the other girls and to_the wizard of Oz and all the rest of us ."

she sprang up and seized his coatsleeve, dragging him off the hilltop and down the other side from_that whence he had come . and at_the foot of_the hill, the Frogman was astonished to_find the three girls and_the wizard and button- bright, who were surrounded by a wooden sawhorse, a lean mule, a square woozy, and a cowardly lion .a little black dog ran up and smelled at_the Frogman, but couldn't growl at him .

"I've discovered another party that has_been robbed," shouted Scraps as she joined them ." this_is their leader, and_they're all going to Ugu's castle to fight the wicked shoemaker ! "

they regarded the Frogman with much curiosity and interest, and finding all eyes fixed upon him, the newcomer arranged his necktie and smoothed his beautiful vest and swung his gold- headed cane like a regular dandy . the big spectacles over his eyes quite altered his froglike countenance and gave him a learned and impressive look . used as she was to seeing strange creatures in_the land of Oz, Dorothy was amazed at discovering the Frogman . so were all her companions .Toto wanted to growl at him, but couldn't, and he didn't dare bark . the sawhorse snorted rather contemptuously, but the lion whispered to_the wooden steed, " bear with_this strange creature, my friend, and remember he_is no more extraordinary than you_are . indeed, it_is more natural for a frog to_be big than for a sawhorse to_be alive ."

on being questioned, the Frogman told them the whole story of_the loss of Cayke's highly prized dishpan and their adventures in search of it . when he_came to_tell of_the lavender bear king and of_the little pink bear who_could tell anything you_wanted to_know, his hearers became eager to_see such interesting animals ." it_will_be best," said the wizard, " to unite our two parties and share our fortunes together, for we_are all bound on_the same errand, and as one band we_may more easily defy this shoemaker magician than if separate . let_us be allies ."

" i_will ask my friends about_that," replied the Frogman, and he climbed over the hill to_find Cayke and_the toy bears . the patchwork girl accompanied him, and when_they came upon_the Cookie Cook and_the lavender bear and_the pink bear, it_was hard to_tell which of_the lot was_the most

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