Oz 11: The Lost Princess of Oz by L. Frank Baum
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most surprised .

" mercy me ! " cried Cayke, addressing the patchwork girl ." however did you come alive ? "

Scraps stared at_the bears .

" mercy me ! " she echoed, " you_are stuffed, as I_am, with cotton, and you appear to_be living . that makes me feel ashamed, for I_have prided myself on being the only live cotton- stuffed person in Oz ."

" perhaps you_are," returned the lavender bear, " for I_am stuffed with extra- quality curled hair, and so is_the little pink bear ."

" you_have relieved my mind of a great anxiety," declared the patchwork girl, now speaking more cheerfully ." the Scarecrow is stuffed with straw and you with hair, so I_am still the original and only cotton- stuffed ! "

" I_hope I_am too polite to criticize cotton as compared with curled hair," said the king, " especially as_you seem satisfied with it ."

then the Frogman told of_his interview with_the party from_the emerald city and added that_the wizard of Oz had invited the bears and Cayke and himself to travel in company with_them to_the castle of Ugu the shoemaker .Cayke was much pleased, but the bear king looked solemn . he set the little pink bear on_his lap and turned the crank in its side and asked, " is_it safe for_us to associate with those people from_the emerald city ? "

and_the pink bear at once replied, " safe for_you and safe for_me; perhaps no others safe will_be ."

" that ' perhaps' need not worry us," said the king, " so let_us join the others and offer them our protection ."

even the lavender bear was astonished, however, when on climbing over the hill he_found on_the other side the group of queer animals and_the people from_the emerald city . the bears and Cayke were received very cordially, although button- bright was cross when_they wouldn't let him play with_the little pink bear . the three girls greatly admired the toy bears, and especially the pink one, which they longed to hold .

" you_see," explained the lavender king in denying them this privilege, " he's a very valuable bear, because his magic is a correct guide on all occasions, and especially if one is in difficulties . it was_the pink bear who told us that Ugu the shoemaker had stolen the Cookie Cook's dishpan ."

" and_the king's magic is just as wonderful," added Cayke, " because it showed us the magician himself ."

" what did he look like ? " inquired Dorothy .

" he_was dreadful ! "

" he_was sitting at a table and examining an immense book which had three golden clasps," remarked the king .

" why, that must_have been Glinda's great book of Records ! " exclaimed Dorothy ." if_it_is, it proves that Ugu the shoemaker stole Ozma, and with her all the magic in_the emerald city ."

" and my dishpan," said Cayke .

and_the wizard added, " it also proves that he_is following our adventures in_the book of Records, and therefore knows that we_are seeking him and_that we_are determined to_find him and reach Ozma at all hazards ."

" if_we_can," added the woozy, but everybody frowned at him .

the wizard's statement was so true that_the faces around him were very serious until the patchwork girl broke into a peal of laughter ."Wouldn't it be a rich joke if he_made prisoners of us, too ? " she said .

" no one but a crazy patchwork girl would consider that a joke," grumbled button- bright .

and then the lavender bear king asked, " would you like to_see this magical shoemaker ? "

"Wouldn't he know it ? " Dorothy inquired .

" no, i_think not ."

then the king waved his metal wand and before them appeared a room in_the wicker castle of Ugu . on_the wall of_the room hung Ozma's magic picture, and seated before it was_the magician . they_could see the picture as_well as he_could, because it faced them, and in_the picture was_the hillside where they were_not sitting, all their forms being reproduced in miniature . and curiously enough, within_the scene of_the picture was_the scene they were now beholding, so they knew that_the magician was at_this moment watching them in_the picture, and also that he_saw himself and_the room he_was in become visible to_the people on_the hillside . therefore he_knew very_well that_they were watching him while he_was watching them .

in proof of_this, Ugu sprang from_his seat and turned ascowling face in their direction; but now he could_not_see the travelers who were seeking him, although they_could still see him . his actions were so distinct, indeed, that_it seemed he_was actually before them ." it_is only a ghost," said the bear king ." it isn't real at all except that_it shows us Ugu just as he looks and tells us truly just what he_is doing ."

"I don't see anything of_my lost growl, though," said Toto as_if to himself .

then the vision faded away, and they_could see nothing but the grass and trees and bushes around them .

chapter 18

the conference

" now then," said the wizard, " let_us talk this_matter over and decide what to_do when we get to Ugu's wicker castle . there can_be no_doubt that_the shoemaker is a powerful magician, and_his powers have_been increased a hundredfold since he secured the great book of Records, the magic picture, all of Glinda's recipes for sorcery, and my own black bag, which_was full of tools of wizardry . the man who_could rob us of_those things and_the man with all their powers at his command is one who_may prove somewhat difficult to conquer, therefore we_should plan our actions well before we venture too near to_his castle ."

"I didn't see Ozma in_the magic picture," said trot ." what do_you suppose Ugu has_done with her ? "

"Couldn't the little pink bear tell us what he_did with Ozma ? " asked button- bright .

" to_be_sure," replied the lavender king ."I'll ask him ." so he turned the crank in_the little pink bear's side and inquired, " did Ugu the shoemaker steal Ozma of Oz ? "

" yes," answered the little pink bear .

" then what did he do with her ? " asked the king .

" shut her up in a dark place," answered the little pink bear .

"Oh, that_must be a dungeon cell ! " cried Dorothy, horrified ." how dreadful ! "

" well, we_must get her out of it," said the wizard ." that_is what we came for, and of_course we_must rescue Ozma . but how ? "

each_one looked at some other one for an answer, and all shook their heads in a grave and dismal manner . all but Scraps, who danced around them gleefully ." you're afraid," said the patchwork girl, " because so_many things can hurt your meat bodies . why don't you give it up and go home ? how can_you fight a great magician when_you have nothing to fight with ? "

Dorothy looked at her reflectively .

"Scraps," said she, " you_know that Ugu couldn't hurt you a bit, whatever he_did, nor could he hurt me, ' cause I wear the gnome king's magic belt .S' pose just we two go on together and leave the others here to wait for_us ."

" no, no ! " said the wizard positively ." that won't do at all .Ozma is more powerful than either of you, yet she_could_not defeat the wicked Ugu, who has shut her up in a dungeon . we_must go to_the shoemaker in one mighty band, for only in Union is_there strength ."

" that_is excellent advice," said the lavender bear approvingly .

" but what can we_do when we get to Ugu ? " inquired the Cookie Cook anxiously .

" do_not expect a prompt answer to_that important question," replied the wizard, " for we_must first plan our line of conduct .Ugu knows, of_course, that we_are after him, for he has seen our approach in_the magic picture, and he has read of all we_have_done up_to_the present moment in_the great book of Records . therefore we_cannot expect to_take him by surprise ."

"Don't you suppose Ugu would listen to reason ? " asked Betsy ." if_we explained to him how wicked he has_been, don't you_think he'd let poor Ozma go ? "

" and give_me back my dishpan ? " added the Cookie Cook eagerly .

" yes, yes, won't he say he's sorry and get on_his knees and beg our pardon ? " cried Scraps, turning aflip-flop to show her scorn of_the suggestion ." when Ugu the shoemaker does that, please knock at_the front door and let me know ."

the wizard sighed and rubbed his bald head with a puzzled air ."I'm quite_sure Ugu will_not_be polite to_us," said he, " so we_must conquer this cruel magician by force, much as_we dislike to_be rude to anyone . but none of you has yet suggested a way to do_that .Couldn't the little pink bear tell us how ? " he asked, turning to_the bear king .

" no, for_that is something that_is going to happen," replied the lavender bear ." he_can only tell us what already has happened ."

again, they were grave and thoughtful . but after a time, Betsy said in ahesitating voice, "Hank is a great fighter . perhaps he_could conquer the magician ."

the mule turned his head to look reproachfully at his old friend, the young girl ." who_can fight against magic ? " he asked .

" the cowardly lion could," said Dorothy .

the lion, who was lying with_his front legs spread out, his chin on_his paws, raised his shaggy head ." I_can fight when I'm not afraid," said he calmly, " but the mere mention of a fight sets me to trembling ."

"Ugu's magic couldn't hurt the sawhorse," suggested tiny trot .

" and_the sawhorse couldn't hurt the magician," declared that wooden animal .

" for_my part," said Toto, " I_am helpless, having lost my growl ."

" then," said Cayke the Cookie Cook, " we_must depend upon_the Frogman . his marvelous wisdom will surely inform him how to conquer the wicked magician and restore to_me my dishpan ."

all eyes were now turned questioningly upon_the Frogman .Finding himself the center of observation, he swung his gold- headed cane, adjusted his big spectacles, and after swelling out his chest, sighed and said in a modest tone of voice, " respect for truth obliges me to confess that Cayke is mistaken in regard to my superior wisdom . I_am not very wise . neither have I had any practical experience in conquering magicians . but let_us consider this_case . what_is Ugu, and what_is a magician ? Ugu is a renegade shoemaker, and a magician is an ordinary man who, having learned how to_do magical tricks, considers himself above his fellows . in this_case, the shoemaker has_been naughty enough to steal alot of magical tools and things that did_not belong to him, and he_is more wicked to steal than to_be a magician . yet with all the arts at his command, Ugu is still a man, and surely there_are ways in_which a man may_be conquered . how, do_you say, how ? allow me to state that I don't know . in my judgment, we_cannot decide how best to act until we get to Ugu's castle . so let_us go to_it and take a look at it . after_that, we_may discover an idea that_will guide us to victory ."

" that_may not be a wise speech, but it sounds good," said Dorothy approvingly ."Ugu the shoemaker is not_only a common man, but he's a wicked man and a cruel man and deserves to_be conquered . we musn't have any mercy on him till Ozma is set free . so let's go to_his castle as_the Frogman says and_see what the place looks like ."

no one offered any objection to_this plan, and so it_was adopted . they broke camp and were about to start on_the journey to Ugu's castle when_they discovered that button- bright was lost again . the girls and_the wizard shouted his name, and_the lion roared and_the donkey brayed and_the Frogman croaked and_the big lavender bear growled ( to_the envy of Toto, who couldn't growl but barked his loudest), yet none_of_them could make button- bright hear . so after vainly searching for_the boy a full hour, they formed a procession and proceeded in_the direction of_the wicker castle of Ugu the shoemaker .

" button- bright's always getting lost," said Dorothy ." and if he wasn't always getting found again, I'd prob'ly worry . he_may_have gone ahead of us, and he_may_have gone back, but wherever he_is, we'll find him sometime and somewhere, I'm almost sure ."

chapter 19

UGU the shoemaker

a curious thing about Ugu the shoemaker was_that he didn't suspect in_the least that he_was wicked . he_wanted to_be powerful and great, and he hoped to_make himself master of all the land of Oz that he might compel everyone in_that fairy country to obey him, his ambition blinded him to_the rights of others, and he imagined anyone else would act just as he_did if anyone else happened to_be as clever as himself .

when he inhabited his little shoemaking shop in_the city of Herku, he had_been discontented, for a shoemaker is_not looked upon with high respect, and Ugu knew that his ancestors had_been famous magicians for many centuries past and therefore his family was above the ordinary . even his father practiced magic when Ugu was a boy, but his father had wandered away from Herku and had never come back again . so when Ugu grew up, he_was forced to_make shoes for aliving, knowing nothing of_the magic of_his forefathers . but one day, in searching through_the attic of_his house, he discovered all the books of magical recipes and many magical instruments which had formerly been in use in_his family .

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