Oz 02: The Marvelous Land 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]
toward the Scarecrow .

" have we really conquered her ? " asked the Scarecrow, quietly ." look out_of_the window, and tell me what you_see ."

182

tip ran to_the window and looked out .

" the palace is surrounded by a double row of girl soldiers," he announced .

" i_thought so," returned the Scarecrow ." we_are as truly their prisoners as_we were before_the mice frightened them from_the palace ."

" my friend is right," said nick chopper, who had_been polishing his breast with a bit of chamois- leather ."Jinjur is still the queen, and we_are her prisoners ."

" but I_hope she_cannot get at us," exclaimed the Pumpkinhead, with a shiver of fear ." she threatened to_make tarts of me, you_know ."

"Don't worry," said the tin woodman ." it cannot matter greatly . if_you stay shut up here you_will spoil in_time, anyway .a good tart is far more admirable than a decayed intellect ."

" very true," agreed the Scarecrow .

"Oh, dear ! " moaned jack; " what an unhappy lot is mine ! why, dear father, did you not make me out of tin -- or even out of straw -- so_that i_would keep indefinitely ."

"Shucks ! " returned tip, indignantly ." you ought_to_be glad that I_made you at all ." then he added, reflectively, " everything has to_come to an end, some_time ."

183

" but I beg to remind you," broke in_the Woggle- bug, who had adistressed look in_his bulging, round eyes, " that_this terrible queen Jinjur suggested making a goulash of me -- me ! the only highly Magnified and thoroughly educated Woggle- bug in_the wide, wide world ! "

" i_think it_was a brilliant idea," remarked the Scarecrow, approvingly .

"Don't you imagine he_would make a better soup ? " asked the tin woodman, turning toward his friend .

" well, perhaps," acknowledged the Scarecrow .

the Woggle- bug groaned .

" I_can_see, in my mind's eye," said he, mournfully, " the goats eating small pieces of_my dear comrade, the tin woodman, while my soup is being cooked on abonfire built of_the saw- horse and jack Pumpkinhead's body, and queen Jinjur watches me boil while she feeds the flames with my friend the Scarecrow ! "

this morbid picture cast a gloom over the entire party, making them restless and anxious .

" it can't happen for some_time," said the tin woodman, trying to_speak cheerfully; " for we_shall_be_able to_keep Jinjur out_of_the palace until she manages to break down the doors ."

184

" and in_the meantime I_am liable to starve to death, and so is_the Woggle- bug," announced tip .

" as for_me," said the Woggle- bug, " i_think that I_could live for some_time on jack Pumpkinhead . not that I prefer pumpkins for food; but I believe they_are somewhat nutritious, and jack's head is large and plump ."

" how heartless ! " exclaimed the tin woodman, greatly shocked ." are we cannibals, let me ask ? or are we faithful friends ? "

" I_see very clearly that we_cannot stay shut up in_this palace," said the Scarecrow, with decision ." so let_us end this mournful talk and try to discover ameans to escape ."

at_this suggestion they all gathered eagerly around the throne, wherein was seated the Scarecrow, and as tip sat down upon a stool there fell from_his pocket a pepper- box, which rolled upon_the floor .

" what_is this ? " asked nick chopper, picking up the box .

" be careful ! " cried the boy ." that's my powder of life .Don't spill it, for_it is nearly gone ."

" and what_is the powder of life ? " enquired the Scarecrow, as tip replaced the box carefully in_his pocket .

" it's some magical stuff old Mombi got from a

185 crooked sorcerer," explained the boy ." she brought jack to life with it, and afterward I used it to bring the saw- horse to life .I guess it_will make anything live that_is sprinkled with it; but there's only about one dose left ."

" then it_is very precious," said the tin woodman .

" indeed it_is," agreed the Scarecrow ." it may prove our best means of escape from_our difficulties .I believe i_will think for_a_few_minutes; so i_will thank_you, friend tip, to_get out your knife and rip this heavy crown from my forehead ."

tip soon cut the stitches that had fastened the crown to_the Scarecrow's head, and_the former monarch of_the emerald city removed it with a sigh of relief and hung it on a Peg beside the throne .

" that_is my last memento of royalty" said he; " and I'm glad to_get rid of it . the former king of_this city,

line- art Drawing

186 who was named Pastoria, lost the crown to_the wonderful wizard, who passed it on to_me . now the girl Jinjur claims it, and I sincerely hope it_will_not give her a headache ."

"A kindly thought, which I greatly admire," said the tin woodman, nodding approvingly .

" and now i_will indulge in a quiet think," continued the Scarecrow, lying back in_the throne .

the others remained as silent and still as possible, so as not to disturb him; for all had great confidence in_the extraordinary brains of_the Scarecrow .

and, after what seemed a very long_time indeed to_the anxious watchers, the thinker sat up, looked upon his friends with_his most whimsical expression, and said:

" my brains work beautifully today .I'm quite proud of_them . now, listen ! if_we attempt to escape through_the doors of_the palace we_shall surely be captured . and, as_we_can't escape through_the ground, there_is only_one other thing to_be_done . we_must escape through_the air ! "

he paused to note the effect of_these words; but all his hearers seemed puzzled and unconvinced .

" the wonderful wizard escaped in a balloon," he continued ." we don't know how to_make a balloon, of_course; but any sort of thing that_can

187 fly through_the air can carry us easily . so I suggest_that my friend the tin woodman, who_is a skillful mechanic, shall build some sort of a machine, with good strong wings, to carry us; and_our friend tip can then bring the thing to life with_his magical powder ."

" bravo ! " cried nick chopper .

" what splendid brains ! " murmured jack .

" really quite clever ! " said the educated Woggle- bug .

"I believe it can_be_done," declared tip; " that_is, if_the tin woodman is equal to making the thing ."

"I'll do my best," said nick, cheerily; " and, as a matter of fact, I_do_not often fail in what I attempt . but the thing will_have to_be built on_the roof of_the palace, so it can rise comfortably into_the air ."

line- art Drawing

188

" to_be_sure," said the Scarecrow .

" then let_us search through_the palace," continued the tin woodman, " and carry all the material we_can find to_the roof, where i_will begin my work ."

" first, however," said the Pumpkinhead, "I beg you_will release me from_this horse, and make me another leg to walk with . for in my present condition I_am of no use to myself or to anyone else ."

so the tin woodman knocked a mahogany center- table to pieces with_his axe and fitted one_of_the legs, which_was beautifully carved, on to_the body of jack Pumpkinhead, who was very proud of_the acquisition .

" it seems strange," said he, as he watched the tin woodman work, " that my left leg should_be the most elegant and substantial part of me ."

" that proves you_are unusual," returned the Scarecrow ." and I_am convinced that_the only people worthy of consideration in_this world are the unusual ones . for_the common folks are like the leaves of a tree, and live and die unnoticed ."

" spoken like a philosopher ! " cried the Woggle- bug, as he assisted the tin woodman to set jack upon his feet .

" how do_you feel now ? " asked tip, watching

189 the Pumpkinhead stump around to_try his new leg ."

as good as new" answered jack, joyfully, " and quite ready to assist you all to escape ."

" then let_us get to work," said the Scarecrow, in a business- like tone .

so, glad to_be doing anything that might lead to_the end of_their captivity, the friends separated to wander over the palace in search of fitting material to use in_the construction of_their aerial machine .

line- art Drawing

190 full page line- art drawing .

191 the Astonishing flight of_the Gump

when_the adventurers reassembled upon_the roof it_was found that aremarkably queer assortment of articles had_been selected by_the various members of_the party . no one seemed to_have a very clear idea of what_was required, but all had brought something .

the Woggle- bug had taken from its position over the mantle- piece in_the great hallway the head of aGump, which_was adorned with wide-spreading antlers; and this, with great care and greater difficulty, the insect had carried up the stairs to_the roof . this Gump resembled an elk's head, only the nose turned upward in a saucy manner and there were whiskers

192 upon its chin, like those of abilly- goat . why the Woggle- bug selected this article he_could_not have explained, except that_it had aroused his curiosity .

tip, with_the aid of_the saw- horse, had brought a large, upholstered sofa to_the roof . it_was an oldfashioned piece of furniture, with high back and ends, and it_was so heavy that even by resting the greatest weight upon_the back of_the saw- horse, the boy found himself out of breath when at last the clumsy sofa was dumped upon_the roof .

the Pumpkinhead had brought a broom, which_was the first thing he_saw . the Scarecrow arrived with a coil of clothes-lines and ropes which he had taken from_the courtyard, and in_his trip up the stairs he had become so entangled in_the loose ends of_the ropes that both he and_his burden tumbled in a heap upon_the roof and might_have rolled off if tip had_not rescued him .

the tin woodman appeared last . he also had_been to_the courtyard, where he had cut four great, spreading leaves from a huge palm- tree that was_the pride of all the inhabitants of_the emerald city .

" my dear nick ! " exclaimed the Scarecrow, seeing what his friend had done; " you_have_been guilty of_the greatest crime any person can commit in_the emerald city . if I remember rightly, the

193 full page line- art drawing .

all brought something to_the roof .

194 penalty for chopping leaves from_the royal palm- tree is_to_be killed seven times and afterward imprisoned for life ."

" it cannot_be helped now" answered the tin woodman, throwing down the big leaves upon_the roof ." but it may_be one more reason why it_is necessary for_us to escape . and now let_us_see what you_have found for_me to work with ."

many were the doubtful looks cast upon_the heap of miscellaneous material that now cluttered the roof, and finally the Scarecrow shook his head and remarked:

" well, if friend nick can manufacture, from_this mess of rubbish, a thing that_will fly through_the air and carry us to safety, then i_will acknowledge him to_be a better mechanic than I suspected ."

but the tin woodman seemed at first by no means sure of_his powers, and only after polishing his forehead vigorously with_the chamois- leather did he resolve to undertake the task .

" the first thing required for_the machine," said he, " is a body big enough to carry the entire party . this sofa is_the biggest thing we_have, and might_be used for a body . but, should the machine ever tip sideways, we_would all slide off and fall to_the ground ."

195

" why_not use two sofas ? " asked tip ." there's another one just like this down stairs ."

" that_is a very sensible suggestion," exclaimed the tin woodman ." you_must fetch the other sofa at once ."

so tip and_the saw- horse managed, with much labor, to_get the second sofa to_the roof; and when_the two were placed together, edge to edge, the backs and ends formed aprotecting rampart all around the seats .

" excellent ! " cried the Scarecrow ." we_can ride within this snug nest quite at our ease ."

the two sofas were now bound firmly together with ropes and clothes-lines, and then nick chopper fastened the Gump's head to one end .

" that_will show which_is the front end of_the thing," said he, greatly pleased with_the idea ." and, really, if_you examine it critically, the Gump looks very_well as a figure- head . these great palm-leaves, for_which I_have endangered my life seven times, must serve us as wings ."

" are they strong enough ? " asked the boy .

" they_are as strong as anything we_can get," answered the woodman; " and although they_are_not in proportion to_the thing's body, we_are_not in_a_position to_be very particular ."

196

so he fastened the palm-leaves to_the sofas, two on each side .

said the Woggle- bug, with considerable admiration:

" the thing is now complete, and only needs to_be brought to life ."

" stop a moment ! " exclaimed jack ." are_you not going to use my broom ? "

" what for ? " asked the Scarecrow .

" why, it can_be fastened to_the back end for a tail," answered the Pumpkinhead ." surely you_would_not call the thing complete without a tail ."

"Hm ! " said the tin woodman, " I_do_not_see the use of a tail . we_are_not trying to copy a beast, or a fish, or a bird . all we ask of_the thing is to carry us through_the air .

" perhaps, after_the thing is brought to life, it can use a tail to steer with," suggested the Scarecrow ." for if_it flies through_the air it_will_not_be unlike a bird, and I've noticed that all birds have tails, which they use for a rudder while flying ."

" very_well," answered nick, "

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