Oz 07: The Patchwork Girl of Oz by L. Frank Baum
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pleasure to do_that," said the shaggy man ." but you_will observe that I_have brought some strangers home with me . I_am going to_take them to_see Dorothy ."

" one moment, please," said the soldier, barring their way as_they started to enter the gate ." I_am on duty, and I_have orders to execute . is anyone in your party named Ojo the unlucky ? "

" why, that's me ! " cried Ojo, astonished at hearing his name on_the lips of a stranger .

the soldier with_the green Whiskers nodded ." i_thought so," said he, " and I_am sorry to announce that_it_is my painful duty to arrest you ."

" arrest me ! " exclaimed the boy ." what for ? "

"I haven't looked to_see," answered the soldier . then he drew a paper from_his breast pocket and glanced at it ."Oh, yes; you_are to_be arrested for willfully breaking one_of_the Laws of Oz ."

"Breaking a law ! " said Scraps ." nonsense, soldier; you're joking ."

" not this_time," returned the soldier, with a sigh ." my dear child-- what_are you, a rummage sale or a guess- me- quick ? -- in me you behold the body- guard of_our gracious ruler, princess Ozma, as_well as_the royal army of Oz and_the police force of_the emerald city ."

" and only_one man ! " exclaimed the patchwork girl .

" only_one, and plenty enough . in my official positions I've had nothing to_do for a good_many years-- so_long that I began to fear i_was absolutely useless-- until to- day . an hour ago i_was called to_the presence of her highness, Ozma of Oz, and told to arrest a boy named Ojo the unlucky, who was journeying from_the Munchkin country to_the emerald city and would arrive in a short time . this command so astonished me that I nearly fainted, for it_is_the first time anyone has merited arrest since I_can remember . you_are rightly named Ojo the unlucky, my poor boy, since you_have broken a law of Oz .

" but you_are wrong," said Scraps ."Ozma is wrong-- you_are all wrong-- for Ojo has broken no law ."

" then he_will soon be free again," replied the soldier with_the green Whiskers ." anyone accused of crime is given a fair trial by our ruler and has every chance to_prove his innocence . but just now Ozma's orders must_be obeyed ."

with_this he_took from_his pocket a pair of handcuffs made of gold and set with rubies and diamonds, and these he snapped over Ojo's wrists .

chapter Fifteen

Ozma's prisoner

the boy was so bewildered by_this calamity that he_made no resistance at all . he_knew very_well he_was guilty, but it surprised him that Ozma also knew it . he wondered how she had found out so soon that he had picked the six-leaved clover . he handed his basket to Scraps and said:

" keep that, until I get out of prison . if I never get out, take it to_the crooked magician, to_whom it belongs ."

the shaggy man had_been gazing earnestly in_the boy's face, uncertain whether to defend him or not; but something he read in Ojo's expression made him draw back and refuse to interfere to save him . the shaggy man was greatly surprised and grieved, but he_knew that Ozma never made mistakes and so Ojo must really have broken the law of Oz .

the soldier with_the green Whiskers now led them all through_the gate and into a little room built in_the wall . here sat a jolly little man, richly dressed in green and having around his neck a heavy gold chain to_which a number of great golden keys were attached . this_was the guardian of_the gate and at_the moment they entered his room he_was playing a tune upon a mouth- organ .

" listen ! " he_said, holding up his hand for silence ."I've just composed a tune called ' the speckled alligator .' it's in patch- time, which_is much superior to rag- time, and I've composed it in honor of_the patchwork girl, who has just arrived ."

" how did you_know I had arrived ? " asked Scraps, much interested .

" it's my business to_know who's coming, for I'm the guardian of_the gate . keep quiet while I play you ' the speckled alligator .'"

it wasn't a very bad tune, nor a very_good one, but all listened respectfully while he shut his eyes and swayed his head from side to side and blew the notes from_the little instrument . when it_was all over the soldier with_the green Whiskers said:

" guardian, I_have here a prisoner ."

" good gracious ! a prisoner ? " cried the little man, jumping up from_his chair ." which one ? not the shaggy man ? "

" no; this boy ."

"Ah; I_hope his fault is as small as himself," said the guardian of_the gate ." but what can he have_done, and what made him do_it ? "

" can't say," replied the soldier ." all I_know is_that he has broken the law ."

" but no one ever does that ! "

" then he_must_be innocent, and soon will_be released . I_hope you_are right, guardian . just now I_am ordered to_take him to prison . get me a prisoner's robe from your official wardrobe ."

the guardian unlocked a closet and took from_it a white robe, which the soldier threw over Ojo . it covered him from head to foot, but had two holes just in front of_his eyes, so he could_see where to_go . in_this attire the boy presented a very quaint appearance .

as_the guardian unlocked a gate leading from_his room into_the streets of_the emerald city, the shaggy man said to Scraps:

" i_think I_shall take you directly to Dorothy, as_the Scarecrow advised, and_the glass Cat and_the woozy may come with_us .Ojo must go to prison with_the soldier with_the green Whiskers, but he_will_be well treated and you_need not worry about him ."

" what_will they_do with_him ? " asked Scraps .

" that I_cannot tell . since I_came to_the land of Oz no one has ever been arrested or imprisoned-- until Ojo broke the law ."

"Seems to_me that girl ruler of yours is making a big fuss over nothing," remarked Scraps, tossing her yarn hair out of her eyes with a jerk of her patched head ."I don't know what Ojo has_done, but it couldn't be anything very bad, for_you and I were with_him all the time ."

the shaggy man made no reply to_this speech and presently the patchwork girl forgot all about Ojo in her admiration of_the wonderful city she had entered .

they soon separated from_the Munchkin boy, who was led by_the soldier with_the green Whiskers down a side street toward the prison .Ojo felt very miserable and greatly ashamed of himself, but he_was beginning to grow angry because he_was treated in_such a disgraceful manner . instead of entering the splendid emerald city as a respectable traveler who was entitled to a welcome and to hospitality, he_was being brought in as a criminal, handcuffed and in a robe that told all he met of_his deep disgrace .

Ojo was by nature gentle and affectionate and if he had disobeyed the law of Oz it_was to restore his dear Unc Nunkie to life . his fault was more thoughtless than wicked, but that did_not alter the fact that he had committed a fault . at first he had felt sorrow and remorse, but the more he thought about_the unjust treatment he had received-- unjust merely because he considered it so-- the more he resented his arrest, blaming Ozma for making foolish laws and then punishing folks who broke them . only asix-leaved clover ! a tiny green plant growing neglected and trampled under foot . what harm could there be in picking it ? Ojo began to_think Ozma must_be a very bad and oppressive ruler for such a lovely fairyland as Oz . the shaggy man said the people loved her; but how could they ?

the little Munchkin boy was so busy thinking these things-- which many guilty prisoners have thought before him-- that he scarcely noticed all the splendor of_the city streets through which they passed . whenever they met any of_the happy, smiling people, the boy turned his head away in shame, although none knew who was beneath the robe .

by and by they reached a house built just beside the great city wall, but in a quiet, retired place . it_was a pretty house, neatly painted and with many windows . before it_was a garden filled with blooming flowers . the soldier with_the green Whiskers led Ojo up the gravel path to_the front door, on_which he knocked .

a woman opened the door and, seeing Ojo in_his white robe, exclaimed:

" goodness me ! a prisoner at last . but what a small one, soldier ."

" the size doesn't matter, Tollydiggle, my dear . the fact remains that he_is a prisoner," said the soldier ." and, this being the prison, and you the jailer, it_is my duty to_place the prisoner in your charge ."

" true . come in, then, and I'll give_you a receipt for him ."

they entered the house and passed through a hall to a large circular room, where the woman pulled the robe off from Ojo and looked at him with kindly interest . the boy, on_his part, was gazing around him in amazement, for never had he dreamed of_such a magnificent apartment as_this in_which he stood . the roof of_the dome was of colored glass, worked into beautiful designs . the walls were paneled with plates of gold decorated with gems of great size and many colors, and upon_the tiled floor were soft rugs delightful to walk upon . the furniture was framed in gold and upholstered in satin brocade and it consisted of easy chairs, divans and stools in great variety . also there were several tables with mirror tops and cabinets filled with rare and curious things . in one place a case filled with books stood against the wall, and elsewhere Ojo saw a cupboard containing all sorts of games .

" may I stay here a little while before I go to prison ? " asked the boy, pleadingly .

" why, this_is your prison," replied Tollydiggle, " and in me behold your jailor . take off those handcuffs, soldier, for_it is impossible for anyone to escape from_this house ."

" I_know that very_well," replied the soldier and at once unlocked the handcuffs and released the prisoner .

the woman touched a button on_the wall and lighted a big chandelier that hung suspended from_the ceiling, for it_was growing dark outside . then she seated herself at a desk and asked:

" what name ? "

"Ojo the unlucky," answered the soldier with_the green Whiskers .

" unlucky ? Ah, that accounts for_it," said she ." what crime ? "

"Breaking a law of Oz ."

" all right . there's your receipt, soldier; and now I'm responsible for_the prisoner .I'm glad of it, for this_is_the first time I've ever had anything to_do, in my official capacity," remarked the jailer, in a pleased tone .

" it's the same with me, Tollydiggle," laughed the soldier ." but my task is finished and I_must go and report to Ozma that I've done my duty like a faithful police force, a loyal army and an honest body- guard-- as I_hope I_am ."

Saying this, he nodded farewell to Tollydiggle and Ojo and went away .

" now, then," said the woman briskly, " I_must get you some supper, for you_are doubtless hungry . what would you prefer: planked whitefish, omelet with jelly or mutton-chops with gravy ? "

Ojo thought about_it . then he_said: "I'll take_the chops, if_you please ."

" very_well; amuse yourself while I'm gone; I won't be long," and then she went out by a door and left the prisoner alone .

Ojo was much astonished, for not_only was_this unlike any prison he had ever heard of, but he_was being treated more as a guest than a criminal . there were many windows and_they had no locks . there were three doors to_the room and none were bolted . he cautiously opened one_of_the doors and found it led into ahallway . but he had no intention of trying to escape . if his jailor was willing to trust him in_this_way he_would_not betray her trust, and moreover a hot supper was being prepared for him and_his prison was very pleasant and comfortable . so he_took a book from_the case and sat down in a big chair to look at_the pictures .

this amused him until the woman came in with a large tray and spread a cloth on one_of_the tables . then she arranged his supper, which proved the most varied and delicious meal Ojo had ever eaten in_his life .

Tollydiggle sat near him while he ate, sewing on some fancy work she held in her lap . when he had finished she cleared the table and then read to him a story from one_of_the books .

" is_this really a prison ? " he asked, when she had finished reading .

" indeed it_is," she replied ." it_is_the only prison in_the land of Oz ."

" and am I a prisoner ? "

" bless the child ! of_course ."

" then why is_the prison so fine, and why are_you so kind to_me ? " he earnestly asked .

Tollydiggle seemed surprised by_the question, but she presently answered:

" we consider a prisoner unfortunate . he_is unfortunate in two ways-- because he has_done something wrong and because he_is deprived of_his liberty . therefore we_should treat him kindly, because of_his misfortune, for otherwise he_would become hard and bitter and would_not_be sorry he had done wrong .Ozma thinks that one who has committed a fault did so because he_was not strong and brave; therefore she puts him in prison to_make him strong

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