Oz 03: Ozma of Oz by L. Frank Baum
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floor, while Billina fluttered around to pick up any scraps that might_be scattered .

it did_not take long to finish the meal, and then the lion and_the tiger were harnessed to_the chariot and_the party was ready to start for_the Nome king's palace .

first rode Ozma, with Dorothy beside her in_the golden chariot and holding Billina fast in her arms . then came the Scarecrow on_the sawhorse, with_the tin woodman and Tiktok marching side by side just behind him . after_these tramped the army, looking brave and handsome in their splendid uniforms . the generals commanded the colonels and_the colonels commanded the majors and_the majors commanded the captains and_the captains commanded the private, who marched with an air of proud importance because it required so_many officers to_give him his orders .

and so the magnificent procession left the palace and started along the road just as day was breaking, and by_the_time the sun came out they had made good progress toward the valley that led to_the Nome king's domain .

10 . the giant with_the hammer

the road led for a time through a pretty farm country, and then past a picnic grove that was very inviting . but the procession continued to steadily advance until Billina cried in an abrupt and commanding manner:

" wait-- wait ! "

Ozma stopped her chariot so suddenly that_the Scarecrow's sawhorse nearly ran into_it, and_the ranks of_the army tumbled over one another before_they could come to a halt . immediately the yellow hen struggled from Dorothy's arms and flew into a clump of bushes by_the roadside .

" what's the matter ? " called the tin woodman, anxiously .

" why, Billina wants to lay her egg, that's all," said Dorothy .

"Lay her egg ! " repeated the tin woodman, in astonishment .

" yes; she lays one every morning, about_this_time; and it's quite fresh," said the girl .

" but does your foolish old hen suppose that_this entire cavalcade, which_is bound on an important adventure, is going to stand still while she lays her egg ? " enquired the tin woodman, earnestly .

" what else can we_do ? " asked the girl ." it's a habit of Billina's and she_can't break herself of it ."

" then she_must hurry up," said the tin woodman, impatiently .

" no, no ! " exclaimed the Scarecrow ." if she hurries she may lay scrambled eggs ."

" that's nonsense," said Dorothy ." but Billina won't be long, I'm sure ."

so they stood and waited, although all were restless and anxious to_proceed . and by and by_the yellow hen came from_the bushes saying:

"Kut-kut, kut, ka-daw-kutt ! Kut, kut, kut--ka-daw-kut ! "

" what_is she doing--singing her lay ? " asked the Scarecrow .

" for- ward-- march ! " shouted the tin woodman, waving his axe, and_the procession started just as Dorothy had once more grabbed Billina in her arms .

"Isn't anyone going to_get my egg ? " cried the hen, in great excitement .

"I'll get it," said the Scarecrow; and at his command the sawhorse pranced into_the bushes . the straw man soon found the egg, which he placed in_his jacket pocket . the cavalcade, having moved rapidly on, was even then far in advance; but it did_not take_the sawhorse long to catch up with it, and presently the Scarecrow was riding in_his accustomed place behind Ozma's chariot .

" what shall I_do with_the egg ? " he asked Dorothy .

" I_do_not know," the girl answered ." perhaps the hungry tiger would like it ."

" it would_not_be enough to_fill one of_my back teeth," remarked the tiger ."A bushel of_them, hard boiled, might take a little of_the edge off my appetite; but one egg isn't good for anything at all, that I_know of ."

" no; it wouldn't even make a sponge cake," said the Scarecrow, thoughtfully ." the tin woodman might carry it with_his axe and hatch it; but after all I_may as_well keep it myself for a souvenir ." so he left it in_his pocket .

they had now reached that part of_the valley that lay between_the two high mountains which Dorothy had seen from her tower window . at_the far end was_the third great mountain, which blocked the valley and was_the northern edge of_the land of Ev . it_was underneath this mountain that_the Nome king's palace was said to_be; but it would_be some_time before_they reached that place .

the path was becoming rocky and difficult for_the wheels of_the chariot to_pass over, and presently a deep gulf appeared at their feet which_was too wide for_them to leap . so Ozma took a small square of green cloth from her pocket and threw it upon_the ground . at once it became the magic carpet, and unrolled itself far enough for all the cavalcade to walk upon . the chariot now advanced, and_the green carpet unrolled before it, crossing the gulf on a level with its banks, so_that all passed over in safety .

" that's easy enough," said the Scarecrow ."I wonder what_will happen next ."

he_was not long in making the discovery, for_the sides of_the mountain came closer together until finally there_was but a narrow path between_them, along which Ozma and her party were forced to_pass in single file .

they now heard a low and deep " thump ! -- thump ! -- thump ! " which echoed throughout_the valley and seemed to grow louder as_they advanced . then, turning a corner of rock, they saw before them a huge form, which towered above the path for more than a hundred feet . the form was_that of a gigantic man built out of plates of cast iron, and it stood with one foot on either side of_the narrow road and swung over its right shoulder an immense iron mallet, with_which it constantly pounded the earth . these resounding blows explained the thumping sounds they had heard, for_the mallet was much bigger than a barrel, and where it struck the path between_the rocky sides of_the mountain it filled all the space through which our travelers would_be obliged to_pass .

of_course they at once halted, a safe distance away from_the terrible iron mallet . the magic carpet would do them no good in this_case, for it_was only meant to protect them from any dangers upon_the ground beneath their feet, and not from dangers that appeared in_the air above them .

"Wow ! " said the cowardly lion, with a shudder ." it makes me dreadfully nervous to_see that big hammer pounding so near my head . one blow would crush me into a door- mat ."

" the ir- on GI- ant is a fine fel- low," said Tiktok, " and works as stead-i-ly as aclock . he was_made for_the Nome king by smith & tin-ker, who_made me, and_his du-ty is to_keep folks from find-ing the un-der- ground PAL- ace . is he not a great work of art ? "

" can he think, and speak, as_you_do ? " asked Ozma, regarding the giant with wondering eyes .

" no," replied the machine; " he_is on-ly made to pound the road, and has no think-ing or speak-ing at-tach-ment . but he pounds ve-ry well, i_think ."

" too well," observed the Scarecrow ." he_is keeping us from going farther . is_there no way to stop his machinery ? "

" on-ly the Nome king, who has_the key, can do_that," answered Tiktok .

" then," said Dorothy, anxiously, " what shall we_do ? "

" excuse me for_a_few_minutes," said the Scarecrow, " and_I_will think it over ."

he retired, then, to a position in_the rear, where he turned his painted face to_the rocks and began to_think .

meantime the giant continued to raise his iron mallet high in_the air and to strike the path terrific blows that echoed through_the mountains like the roar of a cannon . each_time the mallet lifted, however, there_was a moment when_the path beneath the monster was free, and perhaps the Scarecrow had noticed this, for when he_came back to_the others he_said:

" the matter is a very simple one, after all . we_have but to run under the hammer, one at_a_time, when it_is lifted, and pass to_the other side before it falls again ."

" it_will require quick work, if_we escape the blow," said the tin woodman, with a shake of_his head ." but it really seems the_only_thing to_be_done . who_will make_the first attempt ? "

they looked at one another hesitatingly for a moment . then the cowardly lion, who was trembling like a leaf in_the wind, said to_them:

"I suppose the head of_the procession must go first-- and_that's me . but I'm terribly afraid of_the big hammer ! "

" what_will become of me ? " asked Ozma ." you_might rush under the hammer yourself, but the chariot would surely be crushed ."

" we_must leave the chariot," said the Scarecrow ." but you two girls can ride upon_the backs of_the lion and_the tiger ."

so this_was decided upon, and Ozma, as_soon_as_the lion was unfastened from_the chariot, at once mounted the beast's back and said she was ready .

" cling fast to_his mane," advised Dorothy ."I used to ride him myself, and_that's the way I held on ."

so Ozma clung fast to_the mane, and_the lion crouched in_the path and eyed the swinging mallet carefully until he_knew just the instant it would begin to rise in_the air .

then, before anyone thought he_was ready, he_made a sudden leap straight between_the iron giant's legs, and before_the mallet struck the ground again the lion and Ozma were safe on_the other side .

the tiger went next . Dorothy sat upon his back and locked her arms around his striped neck, for he had no mane to cling to . he_made the leap straight and true as an arrow from a bow, and ere Dorothy realized it she was out of danger and standing by Ozma's side .

now came the Scarecrow on_the sawhorse, and while they made the dash in safety they were within a hair's breadth of being caught by_the descending hammer .

Tiktok walked up_to_the very edge of_the spot the hammer struck, and as it_was raised for_the next blow he calmly stepped forward and escaped its descent . that was an idea for_the tin woodman to_follow, and he also crossed in safety while the great hammer was in_the air . but when it came to_the twenty-six officers and_the private, their knees were so weak that they_could_not walk a step .

" in battle we_are wonderfully courageous," said one_of_the generals, " and_our foes find us very terrible to_face . but war is one_thing and this_is another . when it comes to being pounded upon_the head by an iron hammer, and smashed into pancakes, we naturally object ."

" make a run for_it," urged the Scarecrow .

" our knees shake so_that we_cannot run," answered a captain ." if we_should try it we_would all certainly be pounded to a jelly ."

" well, well," sighed the cowardly lion, " I_see, friend tiger, that we_must place ourselves in great danger to rescue this bold army . come with me, and we_will do_the best we_can ."

so, Ozma and Dorothy having already dismounted from their backs, the lion and_the tiger leaped back again under the awful hammer and returned with two generals clinging to_their necks . they repeated this daring passage twelve times, when all the officers had_been carried beneath the giant's legs and landed safely on_the further side . by_that_time the beasts were very tired, and panted so hard that their tongues hung out of_their great mouths .

" but what_is to_become of_the private ? " asked Ozma .

"Oh, leave him there to guard the chariot," said the lion ."I'm tired out, and won't pass under that mallet again ."

the officers at once protested that they_must_have the private with_them, else there would_be no one for_them to command . but neither the lion or the tiger would go after him, and so the Scarecrow sent the sawhorse .

either the wooden horse was careless, or it failed to properly time the descent of_the hammer, for_the mighty weapon caught it squarely upon its head, and thumped it against the ground so powerfully that_the private flew off its back high into_the air, and landed upon one_of_the giant's cast- iron arms . here he clung desperately while the arm rose and fell with each one_of_the rapid strokes .

the Scarecrow dashed in to rescue his sawhorse, and had his left foot smashed by_the hammer before he_could pull the creature out of danger . they then found that_the sawhorse had_been badly dazed by_the blow; for while the hard wooden knot of_which his head was formed could_not_be crushed by_the hammer, both his ears were broken off and he_would_be unable to hear a sound until some new ones were made for him . also his left knee was cracked, and had to_be bound up with a string .

Billina having fluttered under the hammer, it now remained only to rescue the private who was riding upon_the iron giant's arm, high in_the air .

the Scarecrow lay flat upon_the ground and called to_the man to jump down upon his body, which_was soft because it_was stuffed with straw . this the private managed to_do, waiting until a time when he_was nearest the ground and then letting himself drop upon_the Scarecrow . he accomplished the feat without breaking any bones, and_the Scarecrow declared he_was not injured in_the least .

therefore, the tin woodman having by_this_time fitted new ears to_the sawhorse, the entire party proceeded upon its way, leaving the giant to pound the path behind them .

11 . the Nome king

by and by, when_they drew near to_the mountain that blocked their path and which_was the furthermost edge of_the kingdom of Ev, the way grew dark and gloomy for_the reason that_the high peaks on either side shut out the sunshine . and it_was very silent, too, as there were no birds to sing or squirrels to chatter, the trees being left far behind them and only the bare rocks remaining .

Ozma and Dorothy were a little awed by_the silence, and all the others were quiet and grave except

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