Oz 07: The Patchwork Girl of Oz by L. Frank Baum
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so the magician leaned over and shook from_the bottle some grains of_the wonderful powder, and_they fell directly on_the patchwork girl's head and arms .

chapter Five

a terrible accident

" it_will take a few_minutes for_this powder to_do its work," remarked the magician, sprinkling the body up and down with much care .

but suddenly the patchwork girl threw up one arm, which knocked the bottle of powder from_the crooked man's hand and sent it flying across the room .Unc Nunkie and Margolotte were so startled that_they both leaped backward and bumped together, and Unc's head joggled the shelf above them and upset the bottle containing the liquid of petrifaction .

the magician uttered such a wild cry that Ojo jumped away and_the patchwork girl sprang after him and clasped her stuffed arms around him in terror . the glass Cat snarled and hid under the table, and so it was_that when_the powerful liquid of petrifaction was spilled it fell only upon_the wife of_the magician and_the uncle of Ojo . with_these two the charm worked promptly . they stood motionless and stiff as marble statues, in exactly the positions they were in when_the liquid struck them .

Ojo pushed the patchwork girl away and ran to Unc Nunkie, filled with a terrible fear for_the only friend and protector he had ever known . when he grasped Unc's hand it_was cold and hard . even the long gray beard was solid marble . the crooked magician was dancing around the room in a frenzy of despair, calling upon his wife to forgive him, to_speak to him, to_come to life again !

the patchwork girl, quickly recovering from her fright, now came nearer and looked from one to another of_the people with deep interest . then she looked at herself and laughed .Noticing the mirror, she stood before it and examined her extraordinary features with amazement-- her button eyes, pearl bead teeth and puffy nose . then, addressing her reflection in_the glass, she exclaimed:

"Whee, but there's a gaudy dame ! Makes a paint- box blush with shame .Razzle- dazzle, fizzle-fazzle ! Howdy- do, miss what's- your- name ? "

she bowed, and_the reflection bowed . then she laughed again, long and merrily, and_the glass Cat crept out from under the table and said:

"I don't blame you for laughing at yourself .Aren't you horrid ? "

" horrid ? " she replied ." why, I'm thoroughly delightful .I'm an original, if_you please, and therefore incomparable . of all the comic, absurd, rare and amusing creatures the world contains, I_must_be the supreme freak . who but poor Margolotte could_have managed to invent such an unreasonable being as I ? but I'm glad--I'm awfully glad ! -- that I'm just what I_am, and nothing else ."

" be quiet, will_you ? " cried the frantic magician; " be quiet and let me think ! if I don't think I_shall go mad ."

" think ahead," said the patchwork girl, seating herself in a chair ." think all you_want to .I don't mind ."

"Gee ! but I'm tired playing that tune," called the phonograph, speaking through_its horn in a brazen, scratchy voice ." if_you don't mind, Pipt, old boy, I'll cut it out and take a rest ."

the magician looked gloomily at_the music- machine .

" what dreadful luck ! " he wailed, despondently ." the powder of life must_have fallen on_the phonograph ."

he went up to_it and found that_the gold bottle that contained the precious powder had dropped upon_the stand and scattered its life-giving grains over the machine . the phonograph was very_much alive, and began dancing a jig with_the legs of_the table to_which it_was attached, and this dance so annoyed Dr .Pipt that he kicked the thing into a corner and pushed a bench against it, to hold it quiet .

" you were bad enough before," said the magician, resentfully; " but a live phonograph is enough to drive every sane person in_the land of Oz stark crazy ."

" no insults, please," answered the phonograph in a surly tone ." you_did it, my boy; don't blame me ."

" you've bungled everything, Dr .Pipt," added the glass Cat, contemptuously .

" except me," said the patchwork girl, jumping up_to whirl merrily around the room .

" i_think," said Ojo, almost ready to cry through grief over Unc Nunkie's sad fate, " it must all be my fault, in some way .I'm called Ojo the unlucky, you_know ."

" that's nonsense, kiddie," retorted the patchwork girl cheerfully ." no one can_be unlucky who has_the intelligence to direct his own actions . the unlucky ones are those who beg for a chance to_think, like poor Dr .Pipt here . what's the row about, anyway, Mr magic- maker ? "

" the liquid of petrifaction has accidentally fallen upon my dear wife and Unc Nunkie and turned them into marble," he sadly replied .

" well, why don't you sprinkle some_of_that powder on them and bring them to life again ? " asked the patchwork girl .

the magician gave a jump .

" why, I hadn't thought of_that ! " he joyfully cried, and grabbed up the golden bottle, with_which he ran to Margolotte .

said the patchwork girl:

"Higgledy, piggledy, dee-- what fools magicians be ! his head's so thick he_can't think quick, so he takes advice from me ."

Standing upon_the bench, for he_was so crooked he_could_not reach the top of_his wife's head in any_other way, Dr .Pipt began shaking the bottle . but not a grain of powder came out . he pulled off the cover, glanced within, and then threw the bottle from_him with a wail of despair .

" gone-- gone ! every bit gone," he cried ." wasted on_that miserable phonograph when it might_have saved my dear wife ! "

then the magician bowed his head on_his crooked arms and began to cry .

Ojo was sorry for him . he went up_to_the sorrowful man and said softly:

" you_can_make more powder of life, Dr .Pipt ."

" yes; but it_will take me six years--six long, weary years of stirring four kettles with both feet and both hands," was_the agonized reply ."Six years ! while poor Margolotte stands watching me as a marble image ."

" can't anything else be_done ? " asked the patchwork girl .

the magician shook his head . then he_seemed to remember something and looked up .

" there_is one other compound that_would destroy the magic spell of_the liquid of petrifaction and restore my wife and Unc Nunkie to life," said he ." it may_be hard to_find the things I_need to_make this magic compound, but if_they were found I_could do in an instant what_will otherwise take six long, weary years of stirring kettles with both hands and both feet ."

" all right; let's find the things, then," suggested the patchwork girl ." that seems alot more sensible than those stirring times with_the kettles ."

" that's the idea, Scraps," said the glass Cat, approvingly ."I'm glad to_find you_have decent brains . mine are exceptionally good . you_can see 'em work; they're pink ."

"Scraps ? " repeated the girl ." did you call me 'Scraps' ? is_that my name ? "

"I--I believe my poor wife had intended to name you 'Angeline,'" said the magician .

" but I like 'Scraps' best," she replied with a laugh ." it fits me better, for_my patchwork is all scraps, and nothing else . thank_you_for naming me, miss Cat . have_you any name of your own ? "

" I_have a foolish name that Margolotte once gave_me, but which_is quite undignified for_one of_my importance," answered the cat ." she called me ' bungle .'"

" yes," sighed the magician; " you were a sad bungle, taken all in all . i_was wrong to_make you as I_did, for a more useless, conceited and brittle thing never before existed ."

"I'm not so brittle as you_think," retorted the cat ."I've been alive a good_many years, for Dr .Pipt experimented on me with_the first magic powder of life he ever made, and so_far I've never broken or cracked or chipped any part of me ."

" you seem to_have a chip on_your shoulder," laughed the patchwork girl, and_the cat went to_the mirror to_see .

" tell me," pleaded Ojo, speaking to_the crooked magician, " what must we_find to make_the compound that_will save Unc Nunkie ? "

" first," was_the reply, " I_must_have asix- leaved clover . that_can only be found in_the green country around the emerald city, and six-leaved clovers are very scarce, even there ."

"I'll find it for_you," promised Ojo .

" the next thing," continued the magician, " is_the left wing of a yellow butterfly . that color can only be found in_the yellow country of_the Winkies, west of_the emerald city ."

"I'll find it," declared Ojo ." is_that all ? "

"Oh, no; I'll get my book of Recipes and_see what comes next ."

Saying this, the magician unlocked a drawer of_his cabinet and drew out a small book covered with blue leather . looking through_the pages he_found the recipe he_wanted and said: " I_must_have a gill of water from a dark well ."

" what kind of a well is_that, sir ? " asked the boy .

" one where the light of day never penetrates . the water must_be put in a gold bottle and brought to_me without any light ever reaching it ."

"I'll get the water from_the dark well," said Ojo .

" then I_must_have three hairs from_the tip of a woozy's tail, and a drop of oil from a live man's body ."

Ojo looked grave at_this .

" what_is a woozy, please ? " he inquired .

" some sort of an animal .I've never seen one, so I_can't describe it," replied the magician .

" if I_can find a woozy, I'll get the hairs from its tail," said Ojo ." but is_there ever any oil in a man's body ? "

the magician looked in_the book again, to_make sure .

" that's what the recipe calls for," he replied, " and of_course we_must get everything that_is called for, or the charm won't work . the book doesn't say ' blood'; it says ' oil,' and there_must_be oil somewhere in a live man's body or the book wouldn't ask for_it ."

" all right," returned Ojo, trying not to_feel discouraged; "I'll try to_find it ."

the magician looked at_the little Munchkin boy in a doubtful way and said:

" all this_will mean a long journey for_you; perhaps several long journeys; for you_must search through several of_the different countries of Oz in_order to_get the things I_need ."

" I_know it, sir; but I_must do my best to save Unc Nunkie ."

" and also my poor wife Margolotte . if_you save one you_will save the other, for both stand there together and_the same compound will restore them both to life . do_the best you_can, Ojo, and while you_are gone I_shall begin the six years job of making a new batch of_the powder of life . then, if you_should unluckily fail to secure any_one_of_the things needed, i_will_have lost no time . but if_you succeed you_must return here as quickly as_you_can, and that_will save me much tiresome stirring of four kettles with both feet and both hands ."

" i_will start on my journey at once, sir," said the boy .

" and_I_will go with_you," declared the patchwork girl .

" no, no ! " exclaimed the magician ." you_have no right to leave this house . you_are only a servant and have_not_been discharged ."

Scraps, who had_been dancing up and down the room, stopped and looked at him .

" what_is a servant ? " she asked .

" one who serves .A--a sort of slave," he explained .

" very_well," said the patchwork girl, "I'm going to_serve_you and your wife by helping Ojo find the things you_need . you_need alot, you_know, such as are_not easily found ."

" it_is true," sighed Dr .Pipt ." I_am well aware that Ojo has undertaken a serious task ."

Scraps laughed, and resuming her dance she said:

" here's a job for a boy of brains: a drop of oil from a live man's veins; asix-leaved clover; three nice hairs from a woozy's tail, the book declares are needed for_the magic spell, and water from a pitch- dark well . the yellow wing of a butterfly to_find must Ojo also try, and if he gets them without harm, Doc Pipt will make_the magic charm; but if he doesn't get 'em, Unc will always stand a marble chunk ."

the magician looked at her thoughtfully .

" poor Margolotte must_have given you some_of_the quality of poesy, by mistake," he_said ." and, if that_is true, I didn't make a very_good article when I prepared it, or else you got an overdose or an underdose . however, I believe I_shall let you go with Ojo, for_my poor wife will not need your services until she_is restored to life . also i_think you_may_be_able to help the boy, for your head seems to contain some thoughts I_did_not expect to_find in_it . but be very careful of yourself, for_you're a souvenir of_my dear Margolotte . try not to_get ripped, or your stuffing may fall out . one of your eyes seems loose, and you_may_have to sew it on tighter . if_you talk too_much you'll wear out your scarlet plush tongue, which ought_to_have been hemmed on_the edges . and remember you belong to_me and must return here as_soon_as your mission is accomplished ."

"I'm going with Scraps and Ojo," announced the glass Cat .

" you_can't," said the magician .

" why_not ? "

" you'd get broken in no time, and you couldn't be a bit of use to_the boy and_the patchwork girl ."

"I beg to differ with_you," returned the cat, in a haughty tone ." three heads are better than two, and my pink brains are beautiful . you_can see 'em work ."

" well, go along," said the magician, irritably ." you're only an annoyance, anyhow, and I'm glad to_get rid of you ."

" thank_you_for nothing, then," answered the cat, stiffly .

Dr .Pipt took a small basket from a cupboard and packed several things in_it . then he handed it to Ojo .

" here_is some food and a bundle of charms," he_said

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