Oz 07: The Patchwork Girl of Oz by L. Frank Baum
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at_the wonderful emerald city, which he_would presently reach, were so_many strange and curious people that he_was half afraid of meeting them and wondered if_they_would prove friendly and kind . above all else, he_could_not drive from_his mind the important errand on_which he had come, and he_was determined to devote every energy to finding the things that were necessary to_prepare the magic recipe . he believed that until dear Unc Nunkie was restored to life he_could feel no joy in anything, and often he_wished that Unc could_be with_him, to_see all the astonishing things Ojo was seeing . but alas Unc Nunkie was now a marble statue in_the house of_the crooked magician and Ojo must not falter in_his efforts to save him .

the country through which they were passing was still rocky and deserted, with here and there a bush or a tree to break the dreary landscape .Ojo noticed one tree, especially, because it had such long, silky leaves and was so beautiful in shape . as he approached it he studied the tree earnestly, wondering if any fruit grew on_it or if_it bore pretty flowers .

suddenly he became aware that he had_been looking at_that tree a long_time-- at_least for five minutes-- and it had remained in_the same position, although the boy had continued to walk steadily on . so he stopped short . and when he stopped, the tree and all the landscape, as_well as his companions, moved on before him and left him far behind .

Ojo uttered such a cry of astonishment that_it aroused the shaggy man, who also halted . the others then stopped, too, and walked back to_the boy .

" what's wrong ? " asked the shaggy man .

" why, we're not moving forward a bit, no matter how fast we walk," declared Ojo ." now that we_have stopped, we_are moving backward ! can't you_see ? just notice that rock ."

Scraps looked down at her feet and said: " the yellow bricks are_not moving ."

" but the whole road is," answered Ojo .

" true; quite true," agreed the shaggy man ." I_know all about_the tricks of_this road, but I_have_been thinking of something else and didn't realize where we were ."

" it_will carry us back to where we started from," predicted Ojo, beginning to_be nervous .

" no," replied the shaggy man; " it won't do_that, for I_know a trick to beat this tricky road .I've traveled this_way before, you_know . turn around, all of you, and walk backward ."

" what good will that_do ? " asked the cat .

" you'll find out, if_you obey me," said the shaggy man .

so they all turned their backs to_the direction in_which they wished to_go and began walking backward . in an instant Ojo noticed they were gaining ground and as_they proceeded in_this curious way they soon passed the tree which had first attracted his attention to_their difficulty .

" how long must we keep this up, Shags ? " asked Scraps, who was constantly tripping and tumbling down, only to_get up again with a laugh at her mishap .

" just a little way farther," replied the shaggy man .

a few_minutes later he_called to_them to_turn about quickly and step forward, and as_they obeyed the order they found themselves treading solid ground .

" that task is well over," observed the shaggy man ." it's a little tiresome to walk backward, but that_is_the only way to_pass this part of_the road, which_has a trick of sliding back and carrying with it anyone who_is walking upon it ."

with new courage and energy they now trudged forward and after a time came to a place where the road cut through a low hill, leaving high banks on either side of it . they were traveling along_this cut, talking together, when_the shaggy man seized Scraps with one arm and Ojo with another and shouted: " stop ! "

" what's wrong now ? " asked the patchwork girl .

" see there ! " answered the shaggy man, pointing with_his finger .

directly in_the center of_the road lay a motionless object that bristled all over with sharp quills, which resembled arrows . the body was as big as aten- bushel- basket, but the projecting quills made it appear to_be four times bigger .

" well, what of it ? " asked Scraps .

" that_is Chiss, who causes alot of trouble along_this road," was_the reply .

"Chiss ! what_is Chiss ?

" i_think it_is merely an overgrown porcupine, but here in Oz they consider Chiss an evil spirit . he's different from areg'lar porcupine, because he_can throw his quills in any direction, which an American porcupine cannot do . that's what makes old Chiss so dangerous . if_we get too near, he'll fire those quills at us and hurt us badly ."

" then we_will_be foolish to_get too near," said Scraps .

"I'm not afraid," declared the woozy ." the Chiss is cowardly, I'm sure, and if_it ever heard my awful, terrible, frightful growl, it would_be scared stiff ."

"Oh; can_you growl ? " asked the shaggy man .

" that_is_the only ferocious thing about me," asserted the woozy with evident pride ." my growl makes an earthquake blush and_the thunder ashamed of itself . if I growled at_that creature you call Chiss, it would immediately think the world had cracked in two and bumped against the sun and moon, and that_would cause the monster to run as far and as fast as its legs could carry it ."

" in_that case," said the shaggy man, " you_are now able to_do us all a great favor . please growl ."

" but you forget," returned the woozy; " my tremendous growl would also frighten you, and if_you happen to_have heart disease you_might expire ."

" true; but we_must take that risk," decided the shaggy man, bravely ." being warned of what_is to occur we_must try to bear the terrific noise of your growl; but Chiss won't expect it, and it_will scare him away ."

the woozy hesitated .

"I'm fond of you all, and I hate to shock you," it said .

" never mind," said Ojo .

" you_may_be made deaf ."

" if_so, we_will forgive you ."

" very_well, then," said the woozy in a determined voice, and advanced a few steps toward the giant porcupine .Pausing to look back, it asked: " all ready ? "

" all ready ! " they answered .

" then cover up your ears and brace yourselves firmly . now, then-- look out ! "

the woozy turned toward Chiss, opened wide its mouth and said:

"Quee-ee-ee-eek ."

" go ahead and growl," said Scraps .

" why, I-- I_did growl ! " retorted the woozy, who seemed much astonished .

" what, that little squeak ? " she cried .

" it_is_the most awful growl that ever was heard, on land or sea, in caverns or in_the sky," protested the woozy ."I wonder you stood the shock so_well .Didn't you feel the ground tremble ? I suppose Chiss is now quite dead with fright ."

the shaggy man laughed merrily .

" poor Wooz ! " said he; " your growl wouldn't scare a fly ."

the woozy seemed to_be humiliated and surprised . it hung its head a moment, as_if in shame or sorrow, but then it said with renewed confidence: "Anyhow, my eyes can flash fire; and good fire, too; good enough to set fire to a fence ! "

" that_is true," declared Scraps; " I_saw it done myself . but your ferocious growl isn't as loud as_the tick of a beetle-- or one of Ojo's snores when he's fast asleep ."

" perhaps," said the woozy, humbly, " I_have_been mistaken about_my growl . it has always sounded very fearful to_me, but that_may have_been because it_was so close to my ears ."

" never mind," Ojo said soothingly; " it_is a great talent to_be_able to flash fire from your eyes . no one else can do_that ."

as_they stood hesitating what to_do Chiss stirred and suddenly a shower of quills came flying toward them, almost filling the air, they were so_many .Scraps realized in an instant that_they had gone too near to Chiss for safety, so she sprang in front of Ojo and shielded him from_the darts, which stuck their points into her own body until she resembled one of_those targets they shoot arrows at in archery games . the shaggy man dropped flat on_his face to avoid the shower, but one quill struck him in_the leg and went far in . as for_the glass Cat, the quills rattled off her body without making even a scratch, and_the skin of_the woozy was so thick and tough that he_was not hurt at all .

when_the attack was over they all ran to_the shaggy man, who was moaning and groaning, and Scraps promptly pulled the quill out of_his leg . then up he jumped and ran over to Chiss, putting his foot on_the monster's neck and holding it a prisoner . the body of_the great porcupine was now as smooth as leather, except for_the holes where the quills had_been, for_it had shot every single quill in_that one wicked shower .

" let me go ! " it shouted angrily ." how dare you put your foot on Chiss ? "

"I'm going to_do worse than that, old boy," replied the shaggy man ." you_have annoyed travelers on_this road long enough, and now I_shall put an end to_you ."

" you_can't ! " returned Chiss ." nothing can kill me, as_you_know perfectly well ."

" perhaps that_is true," said the shaggy man in a tone of disappointment ."Seems to_me I've been told before_that you_can't be killed . but if I let you go, what_will you_do ? "

" pick up my quills again," said Chiss in a sulky voice .

" and then shoot them at more travelers ? no; that won't do . you_must promise me to stop throwing quills at people ."

"I won't promise anything of_the sort," declared Chiss .

" why_not ? "

" because it_is my nature to throw quills, and every animal must do what nature intends it to_do . it isn't fair for_you to blame me . if_it were wrong for_me to throw quills, then I wouldn't be made with quills to throw . the proper thing for_you to_do is to_keep out of_my way ."

" why, there's some sense in_that argument," admitted the shaggy man, thoughtfully; " but people who_are strangers, and don't know you_are here, won't be_able to_keep out of your way ."

" tell you what," said Scraps, who was trying to pull the quills out of her own body, " let's gather up all the quills and take them away with_us; then old Chiss won't have any left to throw at people ."

"Ah, that's a clever idea . you and Ojo must gather up the quills while I hold Chiss a prisoner; for, if I let him go, he_will get some of_his quills and be_able to throw them again ."

so Scraps and Ojo picked up all the quills and tied them in a bundle so they_might easily be carried . after_this the shaggy man released Chiss and let him go, knowing that he_was harmless to injure anyone .

" it's the meanest trick I ever heard of," muttered the porcupine gloomily ." how would you like it, shaggy man, if i_took all your shags away from_you ? "

" if I threw my shags and hurt people, you_would_be welcome to capture them," was_the reply .

then they walked on and left Chiss standing in_the road sullen and disconsolate . the shaggy man limped as he walked, for_his wound still hurt him, and Scraps was much annoyed because the quills had left a number of small holes in her patches .

when_they came to a flat stone by_the roadside the shaggy man sat down to rest, and then Ojo opened his basket and took out the bundle of charms the crooked magician had given him .

" I_am Ojo the unlucky," he_said, " or we_would never have met that dreadful porcupine . but i_will_see if I_can find anything among_these charms which will cure your leg ."

soon he discovered that one_of_the charms was labelled: " for flesh wounds," and this the boy separated from_the others . it_was only a bit of dried root, taken from some unknown shrub, but the boy rubbed it upon_the wound made by_the quill and in a few_moments the place was healed entirely and_the shaggy man's leg was as good as ever .

" rub it on_the holes in my patches," suggested Scraps, and Ojo tried it, but without any effect .

" the charm you_need is a needle and thread," said the shaggy man ." but do_not worry, my dear; those holes do_not look badly, at all ."

" they'll let in_the air, and I don't want people to_think I'm airy, or that I've been stuck up," said the patchwork girl .

" you were certainly stuck up until we pulled out those quills," observed Ojo, with a laugh .

so now they went on again and coming presently to a pond of muddy water they tied a heavy stone to_the bundle of quills and sunk it to_the bottom of_the pond, to avoid carrying it farther .

chapter Thirteen

Scraps and_the Scarecrow

from here on_the country improved and_the desert places began to_give way to fertile spots; still no houses were yet to_be seen near the road . there were some hills, with valleys between_them, and on reaching the top of one_of_these hills the travelers found before them a high wall, running to_the right and_the left as far as their eyes could reach . immediately in front of_them, where the wall crossed the roadway, stood a gate having stout iron bars that extended from top to bottom . they found, on coming nearer, that_this gate was locked with a great padlock, rusty through lack of use .

" well," said Scraps, "I guess we'll stop here ."

" it's a good guess," replied Ojo ." our way is barred by_this great wall and gate . it looks as_if no one had

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