Oz 13: The Magic of Oz by L. Frank Baum
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magic isle will capture me, too; but I'll try to_get the raft and bring it to_this side for_you ."

" thank_you, my friend," said the wizard .

so the lion plunged into_the river and swam with powerful strokes across to where the raft was beached upon_the island .Placing one paw on_the raft, he turned and struck out with_his other three legs and so strong was_the great beast that he managed to drag the raft from off the beach and propel it slowly to where the wizard stood on_the river bank .

" good ! " exclaimed the little man, well pleased .

" may I go across with_you ? " asked Dorothy .

the wizard hesitated .

" if_you'll take care not to leave the raft or step foot on_the island, you'll be quite safe," he decided . so the wizard told the hungry tiger and_the cowardly lion to guard the cage of monkeys until he returned, and then he and Dorothy got upon_the raft . the paddle which Cap'n bill had made was still there, so the little wizard paddled the clumsy raft across the water and ran it upon_the beach of_the magic isle as close to_the place where Cap'n bill and trot were rooted as he_could .

Dorothy was shocked to_see how small the prisoners had become, and trot said to her friends: " if_you_can't save us soon, there'll be nothing left of us ."

" be patient, my dear," counseled the wizard, and took the little axe from_his black bag .

" what_are you going to_do with_that ? " asked Cap'n bill .

" it's a magic axe," replied the wizard, " and when I tell it to chop, it_will chop those roots from your feet and you_can run to_the raft before_they grow again ."

"Don't ! " shouted the sailor in alarm ."Don't do_it ! those roots are all flesh roots, and_our bodies are feeding 'em while they're growing into_the ground ."

" to cut off the roots," said trot, " would_be like cutting off our fingers and toes ."

the wizard put the little axe back in_the black bag and took out a pair of silver pincers .

" grow-- grow-- grow ! " he_said to_the pincers, and at once they grew and extended until they reached from_the raft to_the prisoners .

" what_are you going to_do now ? " demanded Cap'n bill, fearfully eyeing the pincers .

" this magic tool will pull you up, roots and all, and land you on_this raft," declared the wizard .

"Don't do_it ! " pleaded the sailor, with a shudder ." it would hurt us awfully ."

" it would_be just like pulling teeth to pull us up by_the roots," explained trot .

" grow small ! " said the wizard to_the pincers, and at once they became small and he threw them into_the black bag .

"I guess, friends, it's all up with_us, this_time," remarked Cap'n bill, with a dismal sigh .

" please tell Ozma, Dorothy," said trot, " that we got into trouble trying to_get her a nice birthday present . then she'll forgive us . the magic flower is lovely and wonderful, but it's just a lure to catch folks on_this dreadful island and then destroy them . you'll have a nice birthday party, without us, I'm sure; and I_hope, Dorothy, that none of you in_the emerald city will forget me-- or dear ol' Cap'n bill ."

19 . Dorothy and_the Bumble Bees

Dorothy was greatly distressed and had hard work to_keep the tears from her eyes .

" is_that all you_can do, wizard ? " she asked the little man .

" it's all I_can think of just now," he replied sadly ." but I intend to_keep on thinking as long-- as long-- well, as long as thinking will do any good ."

they were all silent for a time, Dorothy and_the wizard sitting thoughtfully on_the raft, and trot and Cap'n bill sitting thoughtfully on_the toadstools and growing gradually smaller and smaller in size .

suddenly Dorothy said: " wizard, I've thought of something ! "

" what have_you thought of ? " he asked, looking at_the little girl with interest .

" can_you remember the magic word that transforms people ? " she asked .

" of_course," said he .

" then you_can transform trot and Cap'n bill into birds or bumblebees, and_they can fly away to_the other shore . when_they're there, you_can transform 'em into their reg'lar shapes again ! "

" can_you do_that, wizard ? " asked Cap'n bill, eagerly .

" i_think so ."

"Roots an' all ? " inquired trot .

" why, the roots are now a part of you, and if_you were transformed to abumblebee the whole of you_would_be transformed, of_course, and you'd be free of_this awful island ."

" all right; do_it ! " cried the sailor- man .

so the wizard said slowly and distinctly:

" i_want trot and Cap'n bill to_become bumblebees--Pyrzqxgl ! "

Fortunately, he pronounced the magic word in_the right way, and instantly trot and Cap'n bill vanished from view, and up from_the places where they had_been flew two bumblebees .

"Hooray ! " shouted Dorothy in delight; " they're saved ! "

"I guess they_are," agreed the wizard, equally delighted .

the bees hovered over the raft an instant and then flew across the river to where the lion and_the tiger waited . the wizard picked up the paddle and paddled the raft across as fast as he_could . when it reached the river bank, both Dorothy and_the wizard leaped ashore and_the little man asked excitedly:

" where are the bees ? "

" the bees ? " inquired the lion, who was half asleep and did_not know what had happened on_the magic isle .

" yes; there were two of_them ."

" two bees ? " said the hungry tiger, yawning ." why, I ate one_of_them and_the cowardly lion ate the other ."

" goodness gracious ! " cried Dorothy horrified .

" it_was little enough for_our lunch," remarked the tiger, " but the bees were the only things we_could find ."

" how dreadful ! " wailed Dorothy, wringing her hands in despair ." you've eaten trot and Cap'n bill ."

but just then she heard abuzzing overhead and two bees alighted on her shoulder .

" here we_are," said a small voice in her ear ."I'm trot, Dorothy ."

" and I'm Cap'n bill," said the other bee .

Dorothy almost fainted, with relief, and_the wizard, who was close by and had heard the tiny voices, gave a laugh and said:

" you_are_not the only two bees in_the forest, it seems, but I advise you to_keep away from_the lion and_the tiger until you regain your proper forms ."

" do_it now, wizard ! " advised Dorothy ." they're so small that you never can tell what might happen to 'em ."

so the wizard gave the command and pronounced the magic word, and in_the instant trot and Cap'n bill stood beside them as natural as before_they had met their fearful adventure . for they were no longer small in size, because the wizard had transformed them from bumblebees into_the shapes and sizes that nature had formerly given them . the ugly roots on their feet had disappeared with_the transformation .

while Dorothy was hugging trot, and trot was softly crying because she was so happy, the wizard shook hands with Cap'n bill and congratulated him on_his escape . the old sailor- man was so pleased that he also shook the lion's paw and took off his hat and bowed politely to_the cage of monkeys .

then Cap'n bill did a curious thing . he went to a big tree and, taking out his knife, cut away a big, broad piece of thick bark . then he sat down on_the ground and after taking a roll of stout cord from_his pocket-- which seemed to_be full of all sorts of things-- he proceeded to bind the flat piece of bark to_the bottom of_his good foot, over the leather sole .

" what's that for ? " inquired the wizard .

"I hate to_be stumped," replied the sailor- man; " so I'm goin' back to_that island ."

" and get enchanted again ? " exclaimed trot, with evident disapproval .

" no; this_time I'll dodge the magic of_the island .I noticed that my wooden leg didn't get stuck, or take root, an' neither did the glass feet of_the glass Cat . it's only a thing that's made of meat-- like man an' beasts-- that_the magic can hold an' root to_the ground . our shoes are leather, an' leather comes from a beast's hide . our stockin's are wool, an' wool comes from a sheep's back . so, when we walked on_the magic isle, our feet took root there an' held us fast . but not my wooden leg . so now I'll put a wooden bottom on my other foot an' the magic can't stop me ."

" but why do_you wish to_go back to_the island ? " asked Dorothy .

"Didn't you_see the magic flower in_the gold flower- pot ? " returned Cap'n bill .

" of_course I_saw it, and it's lovely and wonderful ."

" well, trot an' I set out to_get the magic plant for a present to Ozma on her birthday, and I mean to_get it an' take it back with_us to_the emerald city ."

" that_would_be fine," cried trot eagerly, " if_you_think you_can do_it, and it would_be safe to_try ! "

"I'm pretty sure it_is safe, the way I've fixed my foot," said the sailor, " an' if i_should happen to_get caught, I s' pose the wizard could save me again ."

"I suppose I_could," agreed the wizard ."Anyhow, if_you_wish to_try it, Cap'n bill, go ahead and we'll stand by and watch what happens ."

so the sailor- man got upon_the raft again and paddled over to_the magic isle, landing as close to_the golden flower- pot as he_could . they watched him walk across the land, put both arms around the flower- pot and lift it easily from its place . then he carried it to_the raft and set it down very gently . the removal did_not seem to affect the magic flower in any_way, for it_was growing daffodils when Cap'n bill picked it up and on_the way to_the raft it grew tulips and gladioli . during the time the sailor was paddling across the river to where his friends awaited him, seven different varieties of flowers bloomed in succession on_the plant .

"I guess the magician who put it on_the island never thought that any_one would carry it off," said Dorothy .

" he figured that only men would want the plant, and any man who went upon_the island to_get it would_be caught by_the enchantment," added the wizard .

" after_this," remarked trot, " no one will care to_go on_the island, so it won't be a trap any more ."

" there," exclaimed Cap'n bill, setting down the magic plant in triumph upon_the river bank, " if Ozma gets a better birthday present than that, I'd like to_know what it can_be ! "

" it'll s'prise her, all right," declared Dorothy, standing in awed wonder before_the gorgeous blossoms and watching them change from yellow roses to violets .

" it'll s'prise ev'rybody in_the Em'rald city," trot asserted in glee, " and it'll be Ozma's present from Cap'n bill and me ."

" i_think I ought_to_have a little credit," objected the glass Cat ."I discovered the thing, and led you to_it, and brought the wizard here to save you when_you got caught ."

" that's true," admitted trot, " and I'll tell Ozma the whole story, so she'll know how good you've been ."

20 . the Monkeys have trouble

" now," said the wizard, " we_must start for home . but how are we going to carry that big gold flower- pot ? Cap'n bill can't lug it all the way, that's certain ."

" no," acknowledged the sailor- man; " it's pretty heavy . I_could carry it for a little while, but I'd have to stop to rest every few_minutes ."

"Couldn't we put it on_your back ? " Dorothy asked the cowardly lion, with a good-natured yawn .

"I don't object to carrying it, if_you_can fasten it on," answered the lion .

" if_it falls off," said trot, " it might get smashed an' be ruined ."

"I'll fix it," promised Cap'n bill ."I'll make a flat board out of one_of_these tree trunks, an' tie the board on_the lion's back, an' set the flower- pot on_the board ." he set to work at once to do_this, but as he only had his big knife for a tool his progress was slow .

so the wizard took from_his black bag a tiny saw that shone like silver and said to_it:

" saw, little saw, come show your power; make us a board for_the magic flower ."

and at once the little saw began to move and it sawed the log so fast that_those who watched it work were astonished . it seemed to understand, too, just what the board was to_be used for, for when it_was completed it_was flat on top and hollowed beneath in_such_a_manner that_it exactly fitted the lion's back .

" that beats whittlin' ! " exclaimed Cap'n bill, admiringly ." you don't happen to_have two o' them saws; do_you, wizard ? "

" no," replied the wizard, wiping the magic saw carefully with_his silk handkerchief and putting it back in_the black bag ." it's the only saw of_its kind in_the_world; and if there were more like it, it wouldn't be so wonderful ."

they now tied the board on_the lion's back, flat side up, and Cap'n bill carefully placed the magic flower on_the board .

" for fear o' accidents," he_said, "I'll walk beside the lion and hold onto the flower- pot ."

trot and Dorothy could both ride on_the back of_the hungry tiger, and between_them they carried the

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